Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls - Out now!

[rinks]

Unnecessary bump, just to say that I felt the urge to listen to The Final Frontier today. Checked Wikipedia as I listened, and it's pretty much bang-on ten years since it was released. Still think the Satellite 15 intro goes on too long, but it's otherwise a belter.

[Zilnad]

Ten years old. strawberry float, that's grim.

[rinks]

That comma has just saved you from the No Context thread.

[Corazon de Leon]

I'm not sure it has.

Final Frontier has aged well I think. A few duffers but it's better than Book of Souls and a couple of the other post-Bayley albums. Can't believe it's been out for a decade though, strawberry floating hell.

[Rawrgna]

Satellite 15 recorded is alright but live when it drops into final frontier is awesome

[rinks]

Satellite 15 recorded is alright but live when it drops into final frontier is awesome

Oh god, yeah, I can imagine it's a great way to build up the crowd in a live setting, before exploding into that riff. But for me, it's too slow a way to start an album.

[Squinty]

I kinda get annoyed at the last three albums. Some great ideas and melodies, so much bloat. Also some of the things he does with his voice now. And the live in the studio style production (with all the gremlins that come with it).

And yet I will still immediately check out any new thing they have out

I strawberry floating love everything from the self titled to Seventh Son and a few albums after that as well. I will never stop fanboying about those albums

[RJ Badman]

I really really like the Book of Souls. Speed of Light was a surprising single, Tears of a Clown is perhaps the closest I've ever come to getting teary-eyed at a song, If Eternity Should Fail has a great air about it. And of course Empire of the Clouds! A couple of the songs do fade into the background a little in comparison to them (Great Unknown, Man of Sorrows) but that doesn't mean they're bad. The intro to the Red and the Black isn't a patch in the intro to Blood on the World's Hands though.

The Final Frontier being ten is a bit scary. I remember the cover having my least favourite mainline Eddie, but when I saw him live and he looked like the vindaloo monster from Red Dwarf he grew on me. I'm probably in the minority in that I grew more attached to the first half than the second half of the album, which is a bit weird as I acknowledge that the second half is largely better: the Talisman, When the Wild Wind Blows (which I adore), Isle of Avalon etc. I haven't listened to it properly for around a year or so so I should go back and listen. In fact, I think I will. Oh, and when it was first released I really wasn't a fan of AMOLAD (I've warmed to it since, especially Out of the Shadows and For The Greater Good of God) so Sat 15 followed by the big ol' riff of the title track made me literally breathe a sigh of relief. I do wish they were divided into two tracks, though.

I don't understand the about post about Bruce's weird voice things, I think his voice has matured really well, far more than any metal vocalist of similar age and range. ex-Sabbath Tony Martin these days just lets the crowd sing the high bits, and while Halford can reach those heights he basically has to wind himself by jumping on a foldback amp to do it. Still, both better than Meat Loaf, who just screams get-off-my-land style in his female co-singer's face.

The production though, yes. It was partly why I was turned off of AMOLAD - let them master the record Steve, you yoghurt. Even the jump from The X Factor to Virtual XI was shocking and getting Kevin Shirley in afterward hasn't exactly rectified it. Granted it's not all his fault (Steve ) and the unique production of Brave New World really helps its bleak atmosphere (bar the start of The Wicker Man when Janick's loud obnoxious strat sound farts all over H's sweet Les Paul chugging), but god what I wouldn't give to have Andy Sneap produce a Maiden record in the style of As Live As It Gets or either of the Hell albums.

[Squinty]

The production though, yes. It was partly why I was turned off of AMOLAD - let them master the record Steve, you yoghurt. Even the jump from The X Factor to Virtual XI was shocking and getting Kevin Shirley in afterward hasn't exactly rectified it. Granted it's not all his fault (Steve ) and the unique production of Brave New World really helps its bleak atmosphere (bar the start of The Wicker Man when Janick's loud obnoxious strat sound farts all over H's sweet Les Paul chugging), but god what I wouldn't give to have Andy Sneap produce a Maiden record in the style of As Live As It Gets or either of the Hell albums.

Ah, I see you are person of fine taste as well

I really hated the way Book of Souls was recorded. Sounds like they recorded the songs in full takes several times and then the best bits were pieced together. Which would be fine if the drummer was playing to a click. Nicko doesn't, so the tempo kinda speeds up weirdly at points. At least that's what I assume is happening.

Yeah, I would like them to use a different producer. Someone who will kick them in ass. Andy Sneap does that, I vaguely recall Halford jokingly bitching about him on Firepower because he kept making him do vocal takes until it was absolutely perfect. While it's nowhere near my favourite Priest album, it sounds really great.

[RJ Badman]

Hell was my fave band for its duration, I was at the NYE gig that one year at a weird but wonderful venue in the middle of nowhere, and there's two photos of me in the fan-lined packaging of Curse and Chapter. I'd fkin walk to another city to see 'em again, but when I asked Dave Bower some months ago if they were still around he basically said they'd be ready to go at a moment's notice, but Sneapy's busy with Priest. Boooo.

[rinks]

Well this is a bit of a weird one: Blaze Bayley is a contestant on Pointless Celebrities tonight.

[Zilnad]

I hope he stops the show half way through and gets into a fight with the presenter.




He did used to do that right? Or am I confusing him with Axl Rose?

[Squinty]

I hope he stops the show half way through and gets into a fight with the presenter.

Sign of the Cross (man)

[Knoyleo]

Well this is a bit of a weird one: Blaze Bayley is a contestant on Pointless Celebrities tonight.

This appears to have been bumped for last night of the proms.
My mistake, caught iplayer at the wrong time, hit play from start, and it started playing the following programme instead.

[rinks]

I won’t comment on his performance in case anyone hasn’t watched it yet, but I’m so glad he mentioned Wolfsbane (twice). I was a massive fan of them right from the start, and hated that the band split so he could take the Maiden job.