View Full Version : Iron Maiden - Dance of Death
Anyone else got it yet?
Surprised it has charted as high as #12 in its opening week. Hopefully that proves that there is enough of a fan base to go through with a tour next year.
I think the previous album "Brave New World" regained a lot of lost ground in terms of the fanbase. Although I didn't think Blaze Bayley did a bad job on his two albums with Maiden, it was not a popular era for most Maiden fans and I haven't found one other person who liked that line-up.
"Dance of Death" continues very much where "Brave New World" left off, and doesn't sound as melancholy as the two Blaze albums. I'm not sure if this is because Blaze's voice is deeper than Bruce Dickinson's, or because the return of "H" Adrian Smith has lifted the tempo and the standard of the songs - probably both.
Dinosaur metal lives on, and it's charting. Hopefully it's touring soon, too.
Minkus_Swan
18 Sep 2003, 22:38
Still listening to it. I'm a bit disappointed, I just can't get into this album. Maybe I'll just leave it for a month, then give it another go.
Savatage
18 Sep 2003, 23:04
No inspiration at all.
CowboyFromHell
18 Sep 2003, 23:20
Get Dimmu Borgir's new album instead. Twice as good.
Originally posted by Savatage
No inspiration at all.
I don't know if the point was to be inspiring/inspired... I think Iron Maiden at the moment are about consolidating on the relative success of "Brave New World" after the rough patch with Blaze Bayley.
The stuff they did in the early/mid 80s was inspired and new, because the genre itself was relatively new. Bit hard to constantly break new ground with that in mind 23 years after their debut... and we also don't want a Metallica-style "inspiration" to come around every few years!
Savatage
22 Sep 2003, 10:56
Originally posted by Darky
I don't know if the point was to be inspiring/inspired... I think Iron Maiden at the moment are about consolidating on the relative success of "Brave New World" after the rough patch with Blaze Bayley.
The stuff they did in the early/mid 80s was inspired and new, because the genre itself was relatively new. Bit hard to constantly break new ground with that in mind 23 years after their debut... and we also don't want a Metallica-style "inspiration" to come around every few years!
Energy is still needed to produce great rock. Maiden is one of my all time favourite bands, but they're just not the same as they once were, nor could they be & nor should they be, but the energy- the adrenaline or something is missing.
It's not something a producer can get out of you when in the studio, but it's straight from your heart. It's an intangible that is hard to describe but has to be there for me to like it, it ain't there IMO.
Originally posted by Savatage
Energy is still needed to produce great rock. Maiden is one of my all time favourite bands, but they're just not the same as they once were, nor could they be & nor should they be, but the energy- the adrenaline or something is missing.
It's not something a producer can get out of you when in the studio, but it's straight from your heart. It's an intangible that is hard to describe but has to be there for me to like it, it ain't there IMO.
I think their albums since "X Factor" have had a similar production sound to them, and the songs have gradually improved since then.
"The Wicker Man" was probably their best song since the 80s. A few listens of the new album, and a few tracks are also starting to stand out... not in a commercial or mass appeal sense.. but as well-crafted songs that tell a story, and melodies that still stick in your head despite it not being about catchiness....
"Montsegur" and "Paschendale" are absolutely excellent.
Maiden's loss of form had little to do with Blaze. X-Factor just doesn't have enough good songs on it for mine.
Virtual XI was better.
Brave New World saw Bruce return, nuff said.
The bit i've heard of Dance of Death I haven't liked but I'll buy it regarless, I always do... With some bands you just do that y'know?
I rather like the album. There are a lot of good songs on it, and nothing that bores me like Blood Brothers or Nomad. I'm just ****ed off that I spent $29 on it at Metal Mayhem, then found out that JB were selling it for $20.80!
Originally posted by Winmar
I rather like the album. There are a lot of good songs on it, and nothing that bores me like Blood Brothers or Nomad. I'm just ****ed off that I spent $29 on it at Metal Mayhem, then found out that JB were selling it for $20.80!
JB will do that to ya!
This is Justin Donnelly's review from Beat magazine.
www.beat.com.au
Iron Maiden
Dance Of Death
(EMI)
It’s been three years since Iron Maiden recorded the highly acclaimed come back album Brave New World, and they continue to fly the flag for traditional heavy metal, and in the process defy the odds against them of coming up with anything that touches their former glory days.
While not the strongest song on the album, the single Wildest Dreams opens the album with all of the familiar characteristics of Iron Maiden’s sound. Rainmaker and Monsègur (With shades of The Trooper) are much more impressive with anthem inspired choruses, making them the strongest contenders for upcoming singles.
No More Lies is just one of the album’s heavier moments through the choruses, while the theme/story lined title track is a sprawling epic with plenty of atmospheric dream like guitar moments, and hints of folk music throughout the whole effort. Another couple of classic epic numbers come in Paschendale and Face In The Sand. Even though the essential Iron Maiden sound is retained, there’s also something new thrown into the mix with the orchestration, folk influences and general overall heaviness making their presence felt more than ever before.
Age Of Innocence features some killer riffs, while the chorus does resemble Dickinson’s best solo material, while the closer Journeyman is Iron Maiden’s first attempt at an acoustic track. The gentle orchestration works with amazing results, and will no doubt become a new sing along anthem on the live front.
Dance Of Death is a grower, and does see the band stretching their traditional sound further than ever before, without leaving their legion of fans in the cold. Some classic albums take time to be recognised as such, but Dance Of Death truly has all the tell tales signs of longevity, even after only a couple of runs through.
Justin Donnelly
Pretty good review overall, and one I agree with in almost all parts, although the references to folk music were unnecessary given what miniscule folk influence was evident on the album.