Infinite Dreams Well here it is, my favorite song from my favorite band. It grows and grows. At first we're treated to what sounds like a ballad but just as you're being lulled by this nice little song, Bruce comes raging in at 1:05 and suddenly you find yourself sitting up a little and taking notice. Then at 1:44 the melody shifts into an almost waltz like dance and sucks you in with some great lyrics and drumming. Nicko shines throughout the rest of the track. At 2:52 we're treated to Nicko hammering the snare and cymbals as we build to the instrumental and bridge section with Bruce letting out his most impressive scream since Number of the Beast. After the rip-roaring solos you can feel this beast rising again...somethings coming, something is about to explode. Then at 5:25 in the song, Nicko leads the way into a triumphant final verse that shatters the bottle of awesomesauce that is Infinite Dreams. "Tell me why do we exist, I'd like to think that when I die, I get a chance..." I love these words! 5+/5
Respectfully, I bought the original album back in 1988, and it wasn't the modified version released on the '98 remaster, but don't take my word for it; Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
First owned this one cassette, alas chucked them a few years back (aside from some Clapton bootlegs,) and now i have a tape deck again and would like to listen to this album via that format again. I bought an original vinyl second hand (which fits nicely in my red Maiden early years vinyl box,) and have a version of the cd, its not close to me right now haven't a clue which i have. Best for me was the cassette. Infinite Dreams. A wonderful track, just builds and peaks as already said, the ending too. Its just a "dream" of a tune (sorry!) I just feel as much as i love later Maiden that this song may be the peak of that format of song, the time changes, the solo's, just a great song. And most importantly, not too long. The perfect length. I loved they released this as a single, listening to the top 40 chart rundown back in 1988/89 and waiting to see where Maiden went in the charts. Seeing them (okay, the video,) on top of the pops. Always good. Never bad.
Bloody superb. Does make me wonder how would Maiden be considered now if they'd split up after this album. How bloody good were the 80's for them? Very poor for many established acts but absolutely perfect for Maiden. I may have to revisit my favourite track from the album at the end. But Moonchild followed by Infinite Dreams. That's a hell of a start to any album.
I actually hate-hate-hated this song myself when it came out! I remember thinking WTF Maiden! I would just skip this song entirely when listening to the album lol It was quite some time later (you know how you revisit albums) that the song started to grow on me and I started to enjoy it. I now think Seventh Son is another one of those perfect Maiden albums, right up there with Powerslave and Piece of Mind.
I was actually visiting London when Seventh Son was released. It was a high school trip to France and England. I have a few pictures from various shop windows as well as some posters. I bought a bunch of UK singles on that trip too. I think I bought the CD in the US right before we left for the trip and dubbed a copy onto cassette for the plane ride. I need to go dig up those pictures.
I bought Seventh Son on cassette when it was released. It was the first Iron Maiden album that I didn’t buy on vinyl. I still have the cassette I believe. I’ve probably listened to it twice and put it away. This thread has me curious to revisit. Perhaps I’ll pull it out and post some thoughts. Perhaps, not ..
To be fair, the band is still pretty highly regarded, considered one of the most iconic metal bands of all time, and still pack venues worldwide. They and their legacy seem to be in pretty good shape from where I'm standing
I dig this album, it's high up there as far as great classic Maiden albums go (for me), the band sound confident on this one with their "new" progression in sound that started on their previous album (SIT) and it all shines through loud and clear. This is an interesting album in the fact that they perfected something different on it.
No you misunderstand my post. I'm not suggesting they would be better thought of, i'm asking the question of what/how they would be remembered on just their first decade alone. I'm certainly not dissing them in any way. I really need to be clearer in my posts.
I apologize, but yeah, I can see that. Maybe they would be say, Zeppelin esque or Beatles esque, a band that did little to no wrong
INFINITE DREAMS After the brilliance of "Moonchild," we are treated to the brilliance of "Infinite Dreams." This song is hard to categorize because it starts out like a ballad, then has a stately mid-tempo (but very electrified) middle section, and the end turns into a fast rave-up. Kind of like "Children of the Damned," but this song has a very different vibe. After some tender guitar harmonies, we get the first verse, where Bruce sings in an almost lounge-singer way, backed by Hendrix/Trower-like chording and crisp but laid back drumming. Eventually the power chords come in and the band starts to go through its paces. At times it almost reminds me of the upbeat parts of "Ancient Mariner" because it ends up with that sort of "buccaneering" rhythm. While I think it probably could stand to be edited about a minute (taking out some of the repetitive parts in the middle and end), "Infinite Dreams" is a great song that I appreciate much more now than I did in 1988.
I just want to mention that after we review this album and the b sides, I am going to give a couple days where people can catch up on songs they missed or review solo works and pre Maiden bands before we go into the 90s
Here's cover of "Infinite Dreams" by Finnish band Waltari: Just woke up and going to work soon, so Im going to add my review of the song as soon as I got time for it. Notice how they used "Children Of The Damned" for the intro.
I also bought this one on cassette when it was released, still have the tape and it works still. Not sure why I got the cassette first but doesn't actually matter as I got hooked by the great music. Of course, I have different editions of the albums on cd, vinyl, cassette etc in my collection nowadays. In fact, as I have previously mentioned here, I have very good friend with whom I've been going to see each Iron Maiden and when we went to see Maiden on the 2013 Maiden England World Tour, we drove to the show with one of my friends car, which was convertible and as we drove along the motorway we blasted through few of my Maiden-cassettes. So, it felt totally that we would be in the late 80's, great summer weather and getting anxious to see the precious Maiden live in concert within the next few hours... Anyways, Im gonna see atleast 2 shows next summer with my pal and looking forward to the shows.
"Infinite Dreams", this is it bang. You know what? My favorite song from Iron Maiden and while it's so hard to pick absolute favorite as there's massive amount of good ones to choose from. No matter how I would and could twist and change around the favorites, it's still this one that's been so important song to me for so long time. This is keeper and stone cold classic. The song is definitive highlight of the album and in only 6 minutes they get to showcase all the strengths and the talents in one song. In some sense it's packed and feels almost like little epic piece. Right from the start it feel that this is song that surely takes you to immense journey, there's plenty of ideas and moments packed in this song, which gets me thinking how did they really manage to pack it so well? The song keeps you completely mesmerized and focused for the whole ride, it doesn't get any boring or idling around, which shows how masterfully this has been assembled. I like the structure of the song as it keep growing and the very start of the song gives you illusion of just mellow ballad, but then it gets bigger and onwards as we go the more aggressive. In my opinion, the whole build up is done great. Many other tunes start immediately, but after Infinite Dreams and when Harris got even more prog-influenced they kept using the similar formula for the build ups. At the time this was released, it was song that Maiden hadn't done before, totally unlike and while there are couple songs later that bear similarity in moments and feeling, I think they never really got there again. Great vocals and melodies provided by Bruce here, the lyrics are quite intriguing and so creating, resulting in quite unique atmosphere. I really love the lines as the sings it with passion and it's just magical moments, I still get goosebumps when those lines go: "Even though it's reached new heights, I'd rather like the restless nights, It makes me wonder it makes me think, There's more to this I'm on the brink". There's really many great moments and melodies here in the song, the whole instrumental section is cool and we get to hear great solos from both Dave & Adrian. The whole combination of things, the arrangement and the performances all just work presicely, so this pure awesomeness for me. I still hope to hear this one live someday, they could play as 3 guitars would bring it to even better level and our favorite Air Raid Siren could still handle the vocals. This was after all, the cornerstone song for the 1988 tour and so it should have been picked up again for the 2013-2014 tour but it got left out for some strange reason. They even rehearsed Infinite.. I would like to think that if I die someday, I hope that Infinite Dreams would be the last song I ever hear and my loved ones would cherish the memory of me via this song. There's nothing really in this song that I don't love, it's untouchable masterpiece and classic. I should have written more but this will do for now.. As my mate @MusicMatt I also have to give this song plus added to the rank, so this one gets full 5+/5 that it truly deserves from me. If Eternity Should Fail Up The Irons!
