Iron Maiden: Greatest Second Act of All Time?

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From what I understand, Riggs’ artwork for Brave New World was altered without consent and then used as the album cover. This came after the (apparently?) unfinished artwork for No Prayer being used, rather than waiting for completion, Tellingly, rereleases of the album have Eddie zoomed in, with the ‘cryptkeeper’ zoomed out of the shot.

Interesting interview with Derek giving his side of the story here

A great shame as every last one of the 80s albums covers are stone cold classics, Powerslave, LAD and Seventh Son especially so in my opinion.

Post Riggs we’ve had the absolutely awful Dance of Death cover (check out the necks on the manequins...), followed by Riggs-a-like covers for Death On The Road, AMOLAD and onwards.

 

I think a case can be made for Rush, post-hiatus. Their popularity for the R30, R40 and even the new music tours seems to have increased exponentially.

 

The artwork for TFF would have gone straight to the trash can in the eighties. Post reunion artwork is dreadfulexcept for BOS.

 

In Loopy's Maiden book there's a photo of the original Aces High artwork as it was being painted in Nassau during recording.

 

Reading through the most recent No Prayer thread, @Leigh Burne has the right of the No Prayer art and I stand corrected.

 

Fair play to Maiden and their 2nd act. And keeping Gers was a fine thing to do as he kept the band rolling through a rather dire period (now that would be a sackable offence in the real world lol) - and it was gentlemanly not to give him the heave-ho. Sadly though, I can't stand the man (he's probably a lovely bloke but his on stage antics just wind me up) and knowing he is on the album starts me out on a minus points footing from the off. This results from him first appearing in the band and the nose-dive their albums took as soon as he was a member.

When you have the prime example recorded in Live After Death - their is absolutely no need to have a Gers on board since Smith was reunited with Murray.

With Bruce's last three solo albums showing how Bruce sounds with lively, passionate and songs brimming with energy - it was a huge disappointment that Harris has chosen to drag the soul out of all new Maiden music and lengthen the hell out of a piece of music to create the new genre of Long Metal.

Dickinson/Smith created two immense Metal albums in Accident Of Birth and The Chemical Wedding - and on that footing I had very high hopes for a reformed Maiden outing. Just didn't work for me.

As mentioned by others - it is quite a feat that Maiden have got bigger despite putting out exceedingly boring albums. Shows the state the Metal world is in as their is clearly nothing else to compete with these guys at arena level.

Thankfully I have my Judas Priest albums which do show a band firing on more cylinders in my honest opinion than what Maiden have churned out. Give me Angel, Redeemer and Firepower any day of the week over the new Maiden. Hell even Nostradramus - their bloated Long Metal attempt kicks more a$$.

as it was Maiden that got me into Metal and those first 6 incredible albums - it does hurt that I am not getting the enjoyment from the band that I used to love so much

 

Steve is indeed guilty of this with his pointless bass intros, but don't forget that Bruce was the one who wrote the 18 minute long song on Book of Souls.

 

All new Maiden albums since Brave New World are unlistenable snoozefests at best - godawful production, most predictable and formulaic songwriting and performances ever (the moment the song starts we all know exactly how the intro will go, the riffs, the drums fills, the chorus and the outro), songs or even entire albums you just can't tell apart etc. But let's face it - AC/DC mastered the art of being huge without a single listenable album for over 35 years now so why not Maiden?

 

I really like BoS. And BNW is probably my favorite of the post-reunion albums. Funny how some folks dig AMOLAD and that one never really caught on with me, but I love how different albums appeal to different fans.

 

No one has to face your personal opinion

 

He's their finest rhythm guitarist.

 

Rush!!!

 

Den Stratton was their finest rhythm guitarist.

 

As do I. I still love original sabbath, but I like Dio a little more. I also thing the Tony Martin era is extremely underrated

 

to answer the original post, YES!!

While I agree with someone above that said the albums are too long, that’s just a product of the times.

I love all those albums. BNW, AMOLAD and TBOS are as good as anything they have done in my opinion, their style is just a bit different now

 

Yes, I quite enjoy AMOLAD, still listen to that one.

 

I lost interest in the Eagles when Bernie Leadon left.

 

The combination of Kevin Shirley's malfunctionning ear and self indulgence in the songwriting department makes post reunion Maiden a failure in epic proportion.

 

REO Speedwagon, second time around with Kevin Cronin was pretty successful.

Barclay James Harvest went from British pastoral prog contenders to European AOR giants over the course of a few albums in the late seventies, early eighties, losing their proggiest member in the process.

As to Iron Maiden, I'm amazed & delighted at their halcyon days are continuing. Given the storytelling aspect of their lyrics & their occasional use of traditional style motifs, I think of them as the world's loudest folk rock band.

 

Respectfully, I disagree. I've thoroughly enjoyed the reunion albums. Up there with the first four, I reckon.

After Piece Of Mind, I found that it all got a bit less exciting. I don't particularly get on with Powerslave and Somewhere In Time and although there was a marked upturn in quality again for Seventh Son, it didn't last and I lost interest in the band.

I didn't pick up on the reunion stuff until a friend lent me Dance Of Death & A Matter Of Life And Death, some years ago. I was bowled over. They sounded like a band reborn. Adding proggier instrumental sections works for me. I don't find it long-winded at all.

The only down side for me is that if I want to see them live I have to go to a bloody arena.

It's a shame that you don't enjoy the newer stuff but, as I tell people who don't understand why I don't like the Beatles, you can't go against the evidence of your own ears.

 

I hate the fact that Janick plays Adrian's solos on certain songs... mainly Hallowed (and butchers it every time)... i mean seriously its just crazy

 

I don't think its a product of the times - long albums are the product of the times - with 14-18 songs crammed on as the media format allows that now. Maiden's problem is that songs are dragged out to Prog length time frames without really adding in the Prog lol - Intros take an age to be completed, you're pretty bored by the time you get to any meat on the song and there isn't many saving graces in this new format (for me - if you get it - then you're lucky)

Something like the Book Of Thel is 7 minutes long - doesn't feel like it at all as it's got such power, passion, energy and purpose to it and it moves through a few very different pieces as well. A song Maiden would kill for. The fact that Dickinson and Smith are in the band, its clearly Harris that is restricting this song writing growth - he has some thing that long is beautiful but it really needs to be interesting all the way along. Long gone are the days of The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner.

 

I do go back to them (the reunion albums) in a hope that something clicks with me. The odd song here and there I can see there is a still a bit of magic there, but it doesn't span a full album like it did from the debut right up to Somewhere In Time (They start to lose me at 7th Son a little - but it got a good spin for its 30th anniversary the other day).

A band I loved and still want too. Just the magic for me is found in Accident Of Birth / The Chemical Wedding and to a lesser degree Tyranny Of Souls - as those albums sound to me more Maiden-eque than this new format reformed Maiden. Now they got me back a little with Book Of Souls - a few tunes there could have sat nicely on Piece of Mind or Powerslave - a little more urgency in them, a bit more energy - thats what I miss with Maiden these days.

 

Balls, agression and a sense of urgency is exactly what Maiden has been missing since 2000.

 

Heart has two pretty big 1st and 2nd acts. Should be on the list.

Genesis certainly high on the list as well.