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Thread: Iron Maiden - 'The Book of Souls'

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    It wasn't one of the albums with Blayze Baily singing on it was it? His voice was very different from Dickinson. Personally I think his voice has held up really well considering his age.
    No it was Bruce. His voice was lower and muddy, more raspy and grungy, less operatic. not quite hoarse, like Lake in the early 1990s. But it detracted from the music. "A Matter of Life and Death".

    Anyway, I'll check this new one out, nonetheless.

  2. #27
    Have they added a fourth chord to their repertoire yet?

    Sorry, couldn't resist 😉

  3. #28
    After a first listen, love it. Long epic sonds, they sounds great and have even added piano on Empire of the Clouds.

  4. #29
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by malterb View Post
    After a first listen, love it. Long epic sonds, they sounds great and have even added piano on Empire of the Clouds.
    And that's Bruce playing it!

    My deluxe edition from (Canadian) amazon hasn't shipped yet, probably because I chose the free shipping option, but it's in stock.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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  5. #30
    Iron Maiden - Book of Souls First Listen Review.

    I just finished listening to the new Iron Maiden album The Book of Souls. The hype surrounding this album has probably been bigger then any other IM album ever. This is probably due to three things surrounding the album.

    First, after the recording, vocalist Bruce Dickinson was diagnosed with having cancer on his tongue and at the back of his throat. He has since beaten it and has been on the road to full recovery. Second, there are two lengthy solo Dickinson compositions which bookend the album, If Eternity Should Fail and Empire of the Clouds. Third, Dickinson wrote on, and plays piano on, Empire of the Clouds. Overall, these three points are reason enough to get excited about the album, and I was. Now on to the music.

    I was happy to hear that again they haven't relied on the chord cliche of Em D C or Am G F, but this has been the case since Brave New World. There seems to be more harmony guitars throughout the songs. I know this is IM and they're known for their harmony guitars, but it sounds as if they're in almost every song, so that got a bit tiresome for my ears. The longer songs also seem to be a bit patchy from section to section and lack a flow. For a great example of how they've made their longer songs work well, take a listen to Hallowed be thy Name, To Tame a Land, Alexander the Great, Sign of the Cross or Paschendale.

    Over all I enjoyed the album and thought there were a few stand out songs. Opener If Eternity Should Fail is fantastic and probably one of my new favourites. Tears of a Clown has a nice groove to it with a syncopated riff in the intro. The tour de force is the closing Empire of the Clouds. This song is not bad, but for any fan of Progressive Rock (Genesis, Yes), the song is a bit of a let down. Sure the piano is different for IM and the song is 20 minutes, but Suppers Ready and Hemispheres are both superior due to their better execution and more cohesive song structure.

    For anyone who hasn't been listening to Maiden for the past 15 years, this album will be awesome. It's just that for me, I find most of it the same old, although I really liked A Matter of Life and Death.

    I would definitely put this album above the The Final Frontier, Dance of Death, Brave New World, Virtual XI and No Prayer for the Dying.

    Wilton
    Wilton Said... , Toronto Art Rock.
    http://www.wiltonsaid.com

  6. #31
    REALLY digging this new release! I've been listening to Iron Maiden Radio on Sirius (Liquid Metal), and just enjoying the buzz around all of this. They really aren't one of "my" groups, but I've been getting in to them lately. (My 9 y.o. son prefers to listen to Ozzy's Boneyard when we're in the car, so I've been getting a lot of exposure to the heavier stuff...) I do have Steve Harris' British Lion, but no other IM recordings.

    Anyway, I've been using the search to find Maiden info because I've read it here in the past. So much great information on this board. iTunes has most of the studio albums for $6.99, so I was just going to get a bunch. I've been liking everything I've heard on the radio, so I'm not too worried about what to get. As I like British Lion quite a bit, any other side projects I should consider?

    I see they are coming to the US in Feb 2016, and I'm tentatively thinking I'd like to see them when they tour. It sounds like the concerts can be a bit crowded/tough. Do you guys think it would be ok to attempt it with a 10 year old?

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by mcdonap View Post
    I see they are coming to the US in Feb 2016, and I'm tentatively thinking I'd like to see them when they tour. It sounds like the concerts can be a bit crowded/tough. Do you guys think it would be ok to attempt it with a 10 year old?
    It has been a while since I have seen them, but probably fine depending on the venue as long as it is not a general admission / floor type situation. They put on a great show, with huge production, lights, pyro, the works. Seen them a couple of times and never been disappointed.

  8. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    It has been a while since I have seen them, but probably fine depending on the venue as long as it is not a general admission / floor type situation. They put on a great show, with huge production, lights, pyro, the works. Seen them a couple of times and never been disappointed.
    Thanks!

  9. #34
    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    Got it.

    I'm only 3 songs in. It will take time to digest, but I'm just glad I have it in my grubby hands.......

  10. #35
    On first listen I'm thinking... well, OK, more of the same. I've thought the same about their new releases for decades, although I like some of them better than others. But it is by itself a (very) good Maiden album imho. Some songs sound fresher and more interesting to my ears - the two Bruce compositions, and Man Of Sorrows mainly (oh, that's already more than 30 minutes of music). The rest is solid Maiden, with the usual sense of deja vu.
    There is a bit of nostalgia in this experience, as I remember the times when every IM release sounded really fresh and new to my teenage ears - up until Seventh Son. Then I lost interest and moved to other kinds of music, but always listened to their new records (often thinking : "How can they get away with making the same kind of songs again and again ?") Anyway I'm glad this band still exists and is successful. Hats off to them, they've had a great career and deserve respect. Bruce deserves a special mention here.

  11. #36
    It's very interesting reading everyone's perspective on this album and the recent IM material in general.

    I feel like I'm coming at it completely opposite from most members here. I was aware of them back in the early/mid 1980's, but I wasn't really open to them. I was into my own stuff - jazz, prog, pop - well, what I considered well crafted pop. I had one friend in particular who loved them, but I just figured they were too heavy for me. Anyway, here I am 30 years later and I'm ready for them.

    As I mentioned earlier, I feel strangely excited about this release. That feels good. I'm really enjoying everyone's take on this, and I feel like I'm picking up a lot of band history along the way too.

    I've listened to it a few times through, and it grows on me each time, but I have no perspective to review it.

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by mcdonap View Post
    It's very interesting reading everyone's perspective on this album and the recent IM material in general.

    I feel like I'm coming at it completely opposite from most members here. I was aware of them back in the early/mid 1980's, but I wasn't really open to them. I was into my own stuff - jazz, prog, pop - well, what I considered well crafted pop. I had one friend in particular who loved them, but I just figured they were too heavy for me. Anyway, here I am 30 years later and I'm ready for them.

    As I mentioned earlier, I feel strangely excited about this release. That feels good. I'm really enjoying everyone's take on this, and I feel like I'm picking up a lot of band history along the way too.

    I've listened to it a few times through, and it grows on me each time, but I have no perspective to review it.
    I was a fan in junior high and high school lost interest in college. Only thing worse than metal is prog metal in my book.

    Always exempted Sabbath and Maiden though.

    The consummate Maiden riff was that loping triplet riff, a la "Ancient Mariner", et al.

    Digging this album --Bruce's voice looks like it's cleared up. Hardly groundbreaking, but pretty well done, as MAIDEN goes.

  13. #38
    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    Fave track so far is......

    The Red And The Black......

  14. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Wilton Said... View Post
    .

    For anyone who hasn't been listening to Maiden for the past 15 years, this album will be awesome. It's just that for me, I find most of it the same old, although I really liked A Matter of Life and Death.

    I would definitely put this album above the The Final Frontier, Dance of Death, Brave New World, Virtual XI and No Prayer for the Dying.

    Wilton
    As a non Iron Maiden fan who has never been interested but really likes "Alexander The Great" and "The Thin Line Bewtween Love and Hate", thanks for this review.

  15. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by mcdonap View Post
    As I like British Lion quite a bit, any other side projects I should consider?

    I see they are coming to the US in Feb 2016, and I'm tentatively thinking I'd like to see them when they tour. It sounds like the concerts can be a bit crowded/tough. Do you guys think it would be ok to attempt it with a 10 year old?
    Bruce's solo work, especially, Chemical Wedding, is pretty good. Adrian Smith even plays on that as well.

    Adrian's solo project, ASAP had an album I really liked, Silver and Gold. Adrian is actually a pretty good singer. Good rock voice. I wish Maiden would utilize his voice more in contrast with Bruce.

    Concert should be ok for 10yr old. Maiden fans are getting older and are mellowing..

  16. #41
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    Heard disk 1 so far. I love what I've heard so far. My only grip so far is the damn jewel case. It's already broken. Cheapest, shittiest jewel case I've ever seen. But for a 2-disk CD the price is damn good ($12.99).

  17. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Bruce's solo work, especially, Chemical Wedding, is pretty good. Adrian Smith even plays on that as well.

    Adrian's solo project, ASAP had an album I really liked, Silver and Gold. Adrian is actually a pretty good singer. Good rock voice. I wish Maiden would utilize his voice more in contrast with Bruce.

    Concert should be ok for 10yr old. Maiden fans are getting older and are mellowing..
    Thanks Rick!

  18. #43
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Adrian's solo project, ASAP had an album I really liked, Silver and Gold. Adrian is actually a pretty good singer. Good rock voice.
    It was a pretty good album. Don't believe people when they say it's "pop". Maybe it's the song construction, but it's hardly AOR.

    Sadly, it's out of print now.
    "Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)

  19. #44
    PE Member Since 4/9/2002 NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Amazon shipped my pre-ordered copy and it arrived yesterday. Have not been able to listen on the main system yet, since I was leaving for a beach weekend, so I listened in the car.

    Love the packaging, nice solid cardboard pack and "book" with all the lyrics and some nice artwork for $18.

    However....my first impression of the actual music is seriously underwhelming..

    I expected this release to rip my heart out and leave it there beating on the altar of Maiden. When I first heard The Final Frontier, there were several tracks that grabbed my ears right away, and never let go. I'm thinking title track, The Talisman, Isle of Avalon and most especially El Dorado - an instant Maiden classic if I've ever heard one.

    All of those tracks are better then what I've heard here on first listen. By far.

    Don't get me wrong, this is a solid Maiden album, and very likely to grow on me. But I expected to be blown away, after hearing all the pre -release hype that this was the best Maiden since Brave New World.

    One track does stand out right way, The Red and Black. Has a nice gallop and riff. But even that song made me burst out loud laughing when I heard yet another "Whoa, whoa, whoa" chorus section. LOL! Really? Another sing along?

    Strikes me as cheap pandering to their audience. It even sounds almost exactly like another one of their many "Whoa, Whoas." I get some fans love it, but it's now beyond the point of self-parody. I believe there might even be two songs on this one with a whoa whoa chorus. (eyeroll)

    However, the inevitable tour and live release will surely do for Book of Souls what En Vivo did for Final Frontier, raise the bar.
    “Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson

  20. #45
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    Yeah, I've now seen other reviews on the Steve Hoffman forum too which suggest this is same old, same old...again! Good luck to them, they have a huge market, but it's not for me anymore.

  21. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by NeonKnight View Post
    it's now beyond the point of self-parody.
    Sorry for quoting a fragment of one of your sentences out of context. I happen to think it applies not only to that sing along section, but also to most of IM releases since the end of the 80s. I've rarely seen a band repeat itself so obviously and get away with it so easily (except, maybe, AC DC...).
    Oh well, I like them anyway, they are like superheroes comics characters that bring me back to my teenage years. I'm glad they are still there and sound as solid as a rock. It's like the last 30 years didn't really happen. I'm very far from the person I was back then but they still sound quite the same.

  22. #47
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    I said on another thread, really they have become a more ornate version of AC/DC.

  23. #48
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    Heard the whole thing, and on my second spin of disk 1. Yeah, it's typical Maiden but it's damn good. I would not rank it higher than Final Frontier or AMOLAD, but I like it more than Dance of Death, Brave New World, and certainly above X Factor. I will not compare it to the classic 80s albums. I mean, what this band has produced since Bruce came back is phenomenal, but that run of albums from at least Piece Of Mind to 7th Son are set in stone as the cream of the crop (imo). Really, if these latter day albums sounded as good as those classics I'd change my tune. The Kevin Shirley effect isn't bad, but the 80s albums sound so much better. I think their best produced album is Powerslave.

  24. #49
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    The Martin Birch albums sound great. I really, really don't like Kevin Shirley's style.

  25. #50
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    Yeah I wish they'd try a different producer. Seriously, the Shirley sound isn't bad. The albums aren't ruined or anything, but I just wish they'd master these albums properly. This "live in the studio" sound is getting tiresome. But whatever, I won't stop playing the albums. I really worship this band. I should try to catch them live.

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