Iron Maiden
The Book of Souls
EMI
2015
A new album by Iron Maiden or any big band is always a bit of a gamble... will it be good will it suck, how will it measure against the band’s classic albums, will it be a titanic disaster like “Load” or “Risk” etc. an album where bands tried to get away from the sound that made em famous thus resulting in some “pretty bad” output, or will they recycle their own “style”?
Iron Maiden, did release one of their weakest albums some five years ago, but that didn’t stop the questionable British media, (most of which belongs to a single publishing house)… a) don’t give a flying toss about “that style of metal” often not reviewing older bands unless they’re the favorites of an editor, book ads or belong to a company that books ads, b) wouldn’t know a good album if it hit them on the head with a hammer, emblazoned with the words “I’m a kickass album”) to give it phenomenally good reviews and heaping praise upon it as being complex. No it was poorly written and boring basically, but they wouldn’t really get interviews, had they trashed the album… which only very fanatical maiden fans tend to like, because they feel obliged to like anything the band will release…
Fast forward some five year and the band is back and that same media/mags, is blowing smoke up the band’s ass, paying lip service and doing exclusive covers, in return for exclusive coverage, but thankfully this time, it’s for a much better album… without further ado, let’s check out, what these chaps have in store for us this time… 11 songs and 92 minutes of music over the span of a double album is not a little after all…
“If Eternity Should Fail” is the opening statement of the band, the first chapter of this “Book of Souls”, it’s rather mid-tempo and opens with a rather soft, slightly mystical intro, while Harris’ signature bass makes itself felt quite soon. Dickinson sounds quite brilliant, the fact that the guy sung this with a couple of lumbs down his throat (unbeknown to him at that time) not really manifesting itself. It’s actually one of his compositions too originally written for what he envisioned might have been a new solo album. It did remind me a bit of “The Ghost of the Navigator” in places, but not to the point of self-plagiarism. It’s quite decent and has all of the band’s trademarks and a quiet “odd” epilogue...
You’ve already experienced “Speed of Light” as the band’s first single and video (the computerized one with references to Donkey Kong, Streets of Rage, Mortal Kombat and Serious Sam… but not Edhunter or Carmaggedon). It’s more akin to a rock ‘n roller, has the usual cadences that make it sound like Maiden and might have been better off with a dual lead, instead of the one it has... and a better production... probably Harris must have meddled with the production again, which ain’t a good thing. I mean Shirley was able to make the band sound fine on “Brave New World” and “Dance of Death” but then the band took some rather “dubious” decisions, like not properly mastering “Amolad”, and releasing “The Final Frontier” an album that makes the Bailey era albums, sound quite brilliant. Dickinson sounds a little hoarse and down at the beginning but gets up to his usual standards by the chorus if not sounding a little strained on occasion. Time seems to be slowly catching up with the Erol Flynn of metal and aviation and talismanic frontman of the band, but it might be a while before he stops putting on those ridiculous pants and fronting the world’s best metal band… to head to a retirement home. All in all, Maiden have done better and worse singles since the reunion, so it’s not all that bad, it’s just not something that should get you terribly excited either.
“The Great Unknown” is actually more like it, but I can’t really fathom why the band feels like they have to be long winded, on every track… longer doesn’t equal more progressive and I feel that in the past the idea that songs should be long epics with two minutes of bass intros didn’t exactly work in favor of the band. Well at least here the song is more that justifying its length and is flowing rather effortlessly actually upping the ante. Unlike the previous album where two minute intros were followed by lukewarm songs as soon as the song “really” begins, it's gets epic and sounds like something that wouldn’t have felt out of place on some of the previous post millennial albums, which is good I suppose... the song isn’t an instaclassic, but Dickinson manages to lift it, with his spirited performance.
And we arrive at “The Red and the Black” a song as long as “The Rime...” but not the longest song of the album... think of all those “eastern-feel” epic songs that Harris has done in the past few years, ie “Nomad”, “Dance of Death” etc… it’s actually not that bad, compared to those and yeah you can expect even those familiar singalongs from the past and everything to make an appearance. It’s actually quite good but it sort of tends to stagnate and repeat a bit past the sixth minute which doesn’t do it any favors when compared with a bona fide epic like “The Rime…”.
“When the River Runs Deep” actually caught me by surprise as it begins with quite the strong introduction and just doesn’t let go… it’s passionate, dramatic and manages to include a number of different moods and styles into it... not bad... even if in part is a bit too hard rock and un-maiden-y in places… experimenting, isn’t bad, but you can’t expect it always to bear fruits. I feel a song like this might have felt more at home in a solo album of a member...
“The Book of Souls” is the eponymous track on chapter 6.66; (haha) and it’s a Maiden epic with everything you’ve come to expect from such a statement… weirdly enough all the songs that Gers has contributed since the reunion aren’t bad at all… even if his live performances leave quite a bit to be desired... you’ll get a pretty decent epic, following the acoustic intro (which rips off Cockney Rebel some) and the solos, evoke pretty much the entire lifespan of the band… the title cut is actually quite the fitting closer for the first volume of “The Book of Souls”...
“Death or Glory” must be the n-th song with that title by a metal band (lol) and, Maiden’s entry to that cannon is not a bad one, it’s faster, more to the point but the almost spoken chorus... arriving after a lazy bridge, isn’t particularly enthralling. While the song is far from being terrible, it’s not a terribly original or brilliant and more down to the preferences of each listener, if they’re gonna like it or not.
“Shadows of the Valley” is another track co-pened by Gers, that’s quite good and even harkens back to times – before his entry to the band, with the intro sounding like a cross between something of “Brave New World” and maybe “Wasted Years”, some of Maiden’s best time… I’m rather impressed. McBrain offers some interesting percussion during the song (which is another of those long epics) and the whole thing ends up with a rather epic and moving conclusion that might cause a lumb in your throat...
Apparently “Tears of a Clown” was written as a dedication to the late Robin Williams and it’s a quite nice song, with a nice riff and nice, heartfelt lyrics, that without, being too deep or too pretentious, manages to indirectly put the whole notion about “celebrity” in the media under fire. Musically it’s a bit different and might cause somewhat mixed feelings as it sounds more like solo Dickinson material but due to its length and all it might end up being the second single, unless they decide to issue something else or edit down something else… I dunno.
“The Man of Sorrows” is not a remake of the Dickinson track, but the sole, contribution of Dave Murray to the album. It’s not bad and it is a part-ballad that allows Dickinson to evoke some of his better singing and although it’s not exactly a “ballad”, but more of a melodic mid-pace sort of thing, it’s fine. Nice solo as one would expect…
Last but not least, is the “Empire of the Clouds” a song that’s the longest Iron Maiden have ever done and a quite unique one. I’d say Dickinson on the piano, (that’s a first) is joined by Harris’ bass and then a violin and keys… An aviation disaster that occurred in the 30s is the subject matter, something that is obviously close to the heart of Cpt, Dickie and the song goes through a lot of twists and turns and grows all the time, trying to be dramatic and all and succeeding so in many cases but at eighteen minutes plus long and after an entire album’s worth of music, it feels that it might have benefited from a more compact form. Its middle instrumental part features some brilliant ideas, but could have possibly been shortened without losing much of its appeal. It’s good, but you might feel a bit lost, in it... I dunno I might grow to like it more but it being somewhat different is both good and somewhat bad… I just can’t see the band also performing this unless they do an abbreviated version of it.
The album is long, very long and at times, it can tend to tire some. I really think the band should abandon the longer songs, they seem to be struggling a bit with them on occasion. This album is largely “saved” by Dickinson, being on a form that hardly belies his years… but I’m guessing that Maiden need a new producer with an iron will to discipline them into what made formerly made them one of metal’s best bands. There’s a good album in “The Book of Souls” if you trim some of the fat away but overall it’s far better than “The Final Frontier” (that doesn’t particularly hard to do) although it still goes mainly for long winded tracks like its predecessor and more in tune with albums like “Brave New World” and “Amolad” without being as brilliant as those but then again without trailing too far behind. The band offers a “bouillabaisse” of all the post millennial album traits with some nods to their past “be it a melody of a lick” here and there… were they too bored to compose something entirely new? I dunno, they do nod to the past but not rely on it so I’m inclined to say no. It’s a band embracing its legacy basically... and probably taking to the heart the motto everything worth doing is worth overdoing! (A rather nice album by the Pretty Maids btw). This is not Iron Maiden’s greatest album but if it was the last farewell (something that the “Final Frontier” teased about) it would have been on a higher note than before. I’m guessing they still have it in them but someone should help them to do a “killer” album... I’m sure they still got one more “classic” in them. In the case of Maiden, I wouldn’t release another album unless it was really on par with say “Brave New World”...
Iron Maiden, did release one of their weakest albums some five years ago, but that didn’t stop the questionable British media, (most of which belongs to a single publishing house)… a) don’t give a flying toss about “that style of metal” often not reviewing older bands unless they’re the favorites of an editor, book ads or belong to a company that books ads, b) wouldn’t know a good album if it hit them on the head with a hammer, emblazoned with the words “I’m a kickass album”) to give it phenomenally good reviews and heaping praise upon it as being complex. No it was poorly written and boring basically, but they wouldn’t really get interviews, had they trashed the album… which only very fanatical maiden fans tend to like, because they feel obliged to like anything the band will release…
Fast forward some five year and the band is back and that same media/mags, is blowing smoke up the band’s ass, paying lip service and doing exclusive covers, in return for exclusive coverage, but thankfully this time, it’s for a much better album… without further ado, let’s check out, what these chaps have in store for us this time… 11 songs and 92 minutes of music over the span of a double album is not a little after all…
“If Eternity Should Fail” is the opening statement of the band, the first chapter of this “Book of Souls”, it’s rather mid-tempo and opens with a rather soft, slightly mystical intro, while Harris’ signature bass makes itself felt quite soon. Dickinson sounds quite brilliant, the fact that the guy sung this with a couple of lumbs down his throat (unbeknown to him at that time) not really manifesting itself. It’s actually one of his compositions too originally written for what he envisioned might have been a new solo album. It did remind me a bit of “The Ghost of the Navigator” in places, but not to the point of self-plagiarism. It’s quite decent and has all of the band’s trademarks and a quiet “odd” epilogue...
You’ve already experienced “Speed of Light” as the band’s first single and video (the computerized one with references to Donkey Kong, Streets of Rage, Mortal Kombat and Serious Sam… but not Edhunter or Carmaggedon). It’s more akin to a rock ‘n roller, has the usual cadences that make it sound like Maiden and might have been better off with a dual lead, instead of the one it has... and a better production... probably Harris must have meddled with the production again, which ain’t a good thing. I mean Shirley was able to make the band sound fine on “Brave New World” and “Dance of Death” but then the band took some rather “dubious” decisions, like not properly mastering “Amolad”, and releasing “The Final Frontier” an album that makes the Bailey era albums, sound quite brilliant. Dickinson sounds a little hoarse and down at the beginning but gets up to his usual standards by the chorus if not sounding a little strained on occasion. Time seems to be slowly catching up with the Erol Flynn of metal and aviation and talismanic frontman of the band, but it might be a while before he stops putting on those ridiculous pants and fronting the world’s best metal band… to head to a retirement home. All in all, Maiden have done better and worse singles since the reunion, so it’s not all that bad, it’s just not something that should get you terribly excited either.
“The Great Unknown” is actually more like it, but I can’t really fathom why the band feels like they have to be long winded, on every track… longer doesn’t equal more progressive and I feel that in the past the idea that songs should be long epics with two minutes of bass intros didn’t exactly work in favor of the band. Well at least here the song is more that justifying its length and is flowing rather effortlessly actually upping the ante. Unlike the previous album where two minute intros were followed by lukewarm songs as soon as the song “really” begins, it's gets epic and sounds like something that wouldn’t have felt out of place on some of the previous post millennial albums, which is good I suppose... the song isn’t an instaclassic, but Dickinson manages to lift it, with his spirited performance.
And we arrive at “The Red and the Black” a song as long as “The Rime...” but not the longest song of the album... think of all those “eastern-feel” epic songs that Harris has done in the past few years, ie “Nomad”, “Dance of Death” etc… it’s actually not that bad, compared to those and yeah you can expect even those familiar singalongs from the past and everything to make an appearance. It’s actually quite good but it sort of tends to stagnate and repeat a bit past the sixth minute which doesn’t do it any favors when compared with a bona fide epic like “The Rime…”.
“When the River Runs Deep” actually caught me by surprise as it begins with quite the strong introduction and just doesn’t let go… it’s passionate, dramatic and manages to include a number of different moods and styles into it... not bad... even if in part is a bit too hard rock and un-maiden-y in places… experimenting, isn’t bad, but you can’t expect it always to bear fruits. I feel a song like this might have felt more at home in a solo album of a member...
“The Book of Souls” is the eponymous track on chapter 6.66; (haha) and it’s a Maiden epic with everything you’ve come to expect from such a statement… weirdly enough all the songs that Gers has contributed since the reunion aren’t bad at all… even if his live performances leave quite a bit to be desired... you’ll get a pretty decent epic, following the acoustic intro (which rips off Cockney Rebel some) and the solos, evoke pretty much the entire lifespan of the band… the title cut is actually quite the fitting closer for the first volume of “The Book of Souls”...
“Death or Glory” must be the n-th song with that title by a metal band (lol) and, Maiden’s entry to that cannon is not a bad one, it’s faster, more to the point but the almost spoken chorus... arriving after a lazy bridge, isn’t particularly enthralling. While the song is far from being terrible, it’s not a terribly original or brilliant and more down to the preferences of each listener, if they’re gonna like it or not.
“Shadows of the Valley” is another track co-pened by Gers, that’s quite good and even harkens back to times – before his entry to the band, with the intro sounding like a cross between something of “Brave New World” and maybe “Wasted Years”, some of Maiden’s best time… I’m rather impressed. McBrain offers some interesting percussion during the song (which is another of those long epics) and the whole thing ends up with a rather epic and moving conclusion that might cause a lumb in your throat...
Apparently “Tears of a Clown” was written as a dedication to the late Robin Williams and it’s a quite nice song, with a nice riff and nice, heartfelt lyrics, that without, being too deep or too pretentious, manages to indirectly put the whole notion about “celebrity” in the media under fire. Musically it’s a bit different and might cause somewhat mixed feelings as it sounds more like solo Dickinson material but due to its length and all it might end up being the second single, unless they decide to issue something else or edit down something else… I dunno.
“The Man of Sorrows” is not a remake of the Dickinson track, but the sole, contribution of Dave Murray to the album. It’s not bad and it is a part-ballad that allows Dickinson to evoke some of his better singing and although it’s not exactly a “ballad”, but more of a melodic mid-pace sort of thing, it’s fine. Nice solo as one would expect…
Last but not least, is the “Empire of the Clouds” a song that’s the longest Iron Maiden have ever done and a quite unique one. I’d say Dickinson on the piano, (that’s a first) is joined by Harris’ bass and then a violin and keys… An aviation disaster that occurred in the 30s is the subject matter, something that is obviously close to the heart of Cpt, Dickie and the song goes through a lot of twists and turns and grows all the time, trying to be dramatic and all and succeeding so in many cases but at eighteen minutes plus long and after an entire album’s worth of music, it feels that it might have benefited from a more compact form. Its middle instrumental part features some brilliant ideas, but could have possibly been shortened without losing much of its appeal. It’s good, but you might feel a bit lost, in it... I dunno I might grow to like it more but it being somewhat different is both good and somewhat bad… I just can’t see the band also performing this unless they do an abbreviated version of it.
The album is long, very long and at times, it can tend to tire some. I really think the band should abandon the longer songs, they seem to be struggling a bit with them on occasion. This album is largely “saved” by Dickinson, being on a form that hardly belies his years… but I’m guessing that Maiden need a new producer with an iron will to discipline them into what made formerly made them one of metal’s best bands. There’s a good album in “The Book of Souls” if you trim some of the fat away but overall it’s far better than “The Final Frontier” (that doesn’t particularly hard to do) although it still goes mainly for long winded tracks like its predecessor and more in tune with albums like “Brave New World” and “Amolad” without being as brilliant as those but then again without trailing too far behind. The band offers a “bouillabaisse” of all the post millennial album traits with some nods to their past “be it a melody of a lick” here and there… were they too bored to compose something entirely new? I dunno, they do nod to the past but not rely on it so I’m inclined to say no. It’s a band embracing its legacy basically... and probably taking to the heart the motto everything worth doing is worth overdoing! (A rather nice album by the Pretty Maids btw). This is not Iron Maiden’s greatest album but if it was the last farewell (something that the “Final Frontier” teased about) it would have been on a higher note than before. I’m guessing they still have it in them but someone should help them to do a “killer” album... I’m sure they still got one more “classic” in them. In the case of Maiden, I wouldn’t release another album unless it was really on par with say “Brave New World”...