Up the Irons!

Giving the new Iron Maiden album a first listen, loving it so far and I'm at the end of disc 1 of 2. Seems like a return to Powerslave era Maiden, with three songs clocking in at over 10 minutes and the whole album around 90 minutes or so. Bruce is sounding great, although he's lost a bit of range from 30 years ago, but that's nothing to feel bad about, he can still belt. Given the uncertainty about his health less than a year ago, this is a pretty amazing bounceback. The whole band sounds fantastic, can't wait for their impending world tour next year.
 
I don't know where did you found the Powerslave era in this album, it's so different from old 80s Maiden in every aspect - from guitar tones to general composition philosophy. There is no old Maiden in the new Maiden at all in my opinion. Regarding Bruce - I don't know why, but for me his vocals on the Book of Souls sounds just tired like reaching maximum power of his loungs... like a NASCAR engine passing 9000 rpm. Same goes for solos - I just can't find any catching licks to be remembered from the first listening.

I'm a huge Maiden fan since forever, seen them live several times from 1984 when I was 14 (pretty notorious concert in Warsaw which started World Slavery Tour, known from the "Behind the Iron Curtain" documentary) and to be honest I'm a bit dissapointed with the new album. Listened it few times so far and haven't found anything that could rise my blood pressure in an instant. Last time I had this feeling when listening new Maiden album was in occasion of the Brave New World release...

But that's just me.
 
It's not just you kavoo...

I too have been a huge fan since hearing Run To The Hills at 8:45am on the school bus around February 1982. They were phenomenal and so prolific with their run of album / tour / album / tour for a continuous half-decade wherein they just got better and better with each step... but then, after Seventh Son, it just stopped. Burn out..? No more riffs..? Lost the innocence and sheer hunger..? Who knows, but of course, when you're constantly climbing, there's only one way to go when you reach the peak...

I so wanted to find something to like in the new album, but my thoughts are just like yours... disappointed. Bruce is hard to listen to. Again, he was exceptional. Listen to anything on Number Of The Beast and his vocal performance is truly awesome - he's a million miles from that now and it's not an unfair criticism or claim that I could ever get close to doing what he has, it's just how it is.

Conversely, I watched the every episode of this documentary on YouTube the other evening and absolutely loved every moment! Whether that's just rose-tinted glasses or what I don't know, but the songs, the members, the themes, the achievements - every one of them awesome!



Seeing how grounded and humble Steve Harris has always been and still remains is quite something else though. It's almost as though he really never lost that any shred of his naivety or quite knew what he clearly was driving so brilliantly. Damned shame that No Prayer started the downslope, but it was inevitable I guess

All the same, "up the irons" indeed for what they were and stand for...
 
Agreed with everything you wrote. After 7th Son, the best days of Iron Maiden was over. Although as I said - the Brave New World album in my opinion is really good. Not as good as those albums released in 80s, but nevertheless - very solid piece of music.

But it doesn't change the fact that Iron Maiden is my all-time favourite metal band and I will certainly go to see them live next year.
 
I like it! I'm happy there's new Maiden music for old and new fans alike. It's a good record, I would place it below Brave new world but above Dance of death(which is the last one I liked)
 
I like the new Maiden stuff, thought Final Frontier was excellent once I'd given it a few spins, same with Dance of Death.

I've only heard the first release from the new album and it didn't grab me...but it might given time. Didn't think Eldorado was the strongest track on FF but it grew on me.

However, one question I ask myself whenever a new Maiden album comes out is, why are they still working with Kevin Shirley. Steve Harris needs to let go and tell his mate he's a had a good innings but the fans want to hear a decent sounding Maiden album before they all retire. Let Adrian Smith pick someone instead.
 
Yep, it's still Kevin Shirley. That being said, I think the album sounds good, but it's definitely keeping the tradition of the previous Shirley albums.
 
It's not just you kavoo...

I too have been a huge fan since hearing Run To The Hills at 8:45am on the school bus around February 1982. They were phenomenal and so prolific with their run of album / tour / album / tour for a continuous half-decade wherein they just got better and better with each step... but then, after Seventh Son, it just stopped. Burn out..? No more riffs..? Lost the innocence and sheer hunger..? Who knows, but of course, when you're constantly climbing, there's only one way to go when you reach the peak...

I so wanted to find something to like in the new album, but my thoughts are just like yours... disappointed. Bruce is hard to listen to. Again, he was exceptional. Listen to anything on Number Of The Beast and his vocal performance is truly awesome - he's a million miles from that now and it's not an unfair criticism or claim that I could ever get close to doing what he has, it's just how it is.

Conversely, I watched the every episode of this documentary on YouTube the other evening and absolutely loved every moment! Whether that's just rose-tinted glasses or what I don't know, but the songs, the members, the themes, the achievements - every one of them awesome!



Seeing how grounded and humble Steve Harris has always been and still remains is quite something else though. It's almost as though he really never lost that any shred of his naivety or quite knew what he clearly was driving so brilliantly. Damned shame that No Prayer started the downslope, but it was inevitable I guess

All the same, "up the irons" indeed for what they were and stand for...


I started watching this on youtube last night, great doc so far, lots of early developmental history I wasn't aware of before.
 
Though the album is not as great as I thought it to be, I kinda like it. Iron Maiden is on my all time favorite list and I will support them no matter what. But I think we can all agree that nothing beats their 80s works.
 
Yep, it's still Kevin Shirley. That being said, I think the album sounds good, but it's definitely keeping the tradition of the previous Shirley albums.

I listened to the snippets of each track on ITunes and I must admit many of them sounded better. Seems he's found the EQ and Reverb at last. Maybe I won't need to do a home remastering job on this one!

The biggest shame of the typical Shirley production is that it doesn't display the band members in a good light. Bruce has sounded like he's straining, Nicko's drums sound dreadful like he doesn't know what a good kit should sound like, the guitars all mush together...it's amazing what a sympathetic mix can achieve if only he'd do them.

I was watching the Rock in Rio DVD recently (which KS apparently mixed) and it sounded great. Even Nicko's drums sounded good rather than the plastic kitchen container sound KS normally gets. Bruce even had delay (tails) on some songs. Must have nearly killed KS to do this :D

I always wondered why 'Arry didn't just tell Shirley to make it sound like they do live (or on their live releases) as to me, that is Maiden and compatible with Martin Birch's productions. Though in fairness to Shirley, he does do a better job of capturing the bottom end. That said, not all of the live releases have sounded this way. I recall Death on the Road having that 70s studio sound despite being presented in a huge arena...Flight 666 was pretty good from what I recall...must watch them all again now :D

Still, I think the Shirley/Harris team reached their nadir on Harris's recent solo album...
 
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For me, their peak was Killers. It still had a punk edge to it. I like their later stuff too, but the Killers line up was my favorite. I really missed Clive Burr after Number of the Beast.

They still put on a great live show.
 
I liked the single and the video, but after a few listens lost interest. I torrent before buying anything these days, and I'm glad I did. For me there is no substance to book of souls. It just sounds like they slapped together some jams and had bruce yell a lot as even his singing is lacking the melody that I fell in love with Iron Maiden from. Then there is the mix. .. sorry it's just not great.

This makes me sad. I was really hoping for better. I deleted the flac torrent after a few listens. My son really likes it and bought it.

On Sept 11th, Slayer released Repentless, and I didn't even make it through listening to the entire album torrent before I ran out and bought it. It is that good, and the mix is really great.
 
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The biggest shame of the typical Shirley production is that it doesn't display the band members in a good light. Bruce has sounded like he's straining, Nicko's drums sound dreadful like he doesn't know what a good kit should sound like, the guitars all mush together...it's amazing what a sympathetic mix can achieve if only he'd do them.

This.

It's funny how so many fans compare new albums to Powerslave. I'm one of them. McBrain's drums really punched on Powerslave and the guitars were distinct, not mushy. Although, some of the mush could come from the fact that there are now three guitarists.

Personally, I think Book of Souls rocks better than previous efforts. From what I recall, every song on Final Frontier starts mellow. Nice to hear songs on Book of Souls start out rocking. Not quite the riff-laden Powerslave or Number of the Beast albums, but I like how it rocks more than other more recent releases.

Would love to hear Martin Birch produce an album again, or anyone that can give Niko's drums more punch.
 
McBrain's drums really punched on Powerslave and the guitars were distinct, not mushy. Although, some of the mush could come from the fact that there are now three guitarists.
About drums - for me there's nothing in Maiden discography that can beat the beginning of the Where Eagles Dare on the Piece of Mind album. That's the best sounding drums I've ever heard and gives me goosebumps every time I listen.

Regarding mushy guitars - I think it's not about just one guitar more than in the classic Powerslave Maiden era, it's about adding more and more effects. On Powerslave guitars were pure and simple - amp/cab, reverb, some chorus and delay in solos... and that's it. Modern Maiden tone is overwhelmed by effects to the limit. Besides... listen to the Brave New World album - there's also three guitars in the mix and even then they are distinct.
 
About drums - for me there's nothing in Maiden discography that can beat the beginning of the Where Eagles Dare on the Piece of Mind album. That's the best sounding drums I've ever heard and gives me goosebumps every time I listen.

Regarding mushy guitars - I think it's not about just one guitar more than in the classic Powerslave Maiden era, it's about adding more and more effects. On Powerslave guitars were pure and simple - amp/cab, reverb, some chorus and delay in solos... and that's it. Modern Maiden tone is overwhelmed by effects to the limit. Besides... listen to the Brave New World album - there's also three guitars in the mix and even then they are distinct.

IMO, Maiden used more guitar FX back in the 80s, in fact Adrian Smith has complained that Shirley often won't let him use the effects he wants on his guitar though he's got his way on this album (at least to some extent). Shirley tried it with Alex Lifeson too back when Rush did Counterparts and they fell out over it. Now, Rush did the right thing, let Shirley record the album but got someone else to mix it, and, I felt it worked very well. I think Shirley does a decent job on the recording side but it appalling at mixing. Most albums he's mixed have a dry aesthetic and I remember an interview where he says he mixes very loud, something most mix engineers steer away from (at least for the most part) as it gives a skewed presentation when played at normal volumes especially on lesser kit.

Most modern metal albums use multiple layers of guitars so I'm not sure having three guitarists should be problem provided they get the arrangements right. But Shirley has to do more work on the mix side. Whacking up the faders, blasting it on the 'mains' so they all sit around saying it sounds great ain't gonna be good enough.

That all said, I have now purchased the album and I have to concede it's a significant improvement over the other albums and actually sounds 'ok' on all the systems I have played it on. Clearly some FX have been allowed...even on the vocals and some eq has been used and the mastering isn't too bad for a modern album (It has a DR or 8 or 9 if you go for the iTunes version). I get the impression some care and attention was taken this time and that's good, the fans deserve it...hell, Maiden deserves it!
 
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