Here comes the big one: #TheNumberOfTheBeast.
Some say it's their best, some say it only has 3 good songs, the rest is average.
BUT: the 3 songs are The Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name. I mean...
#Nowplaying #IronMaiden - Children Of The Damned
#TheNumberOfTheBeast was the first #IronMaiden song I ever heard, soon to be followed by Run To The Hills. And I liked both from the beginning, although I wasn't a metalhead back then. I think I was (already) 16 years old when I first heard these great songs...
Oh, and of course the album marks Bruce Dickinson's entry to the band, but that's common knowledge I guess 😉
#Nowplaying Run To The Hills
Is #HallowedBeThyName my favourite #IronMaiden song? Might as well be...
https://song.link/y/HAQQUDbuudY
Anyhow, after (another) spin of this record, it's time for a rating: To me this is 4,5/5 (masterpiece). Yes, there might be weaker tracks, but the good ones are really really good.
Albums:
1. Beast 4,5
2. Iron Maiden 3,5
3. Killers 3
Songs:
1. Hallowed
2. Iron Maiden
3. Hills
4. Beast
5. Prowler
Continuing my #IronMaiden #Metaljourney with #PieceOfMind, an album I never listened to, except for The Trooper, of course.
#NowPlaying Where Eagles Dare
Somehow Piece Of Mind feels like a before Number Of The Beast album. Like in: they got a new singer, they changed their style a bit, but they're still not there yet.
#NowPlaying Die With Your Boots On
#TheTrooper, of course, is greatness.
Song ranking (up until Piece Of Mind):
1. Hallowed
2.Trooper
3. Iron Maiden
4. Hills
5. Beast
#NowPlaying The Trooper
Nope, I cannot say that I liked #PieceOfMind that much, hence my critical rating: 2/5
(at least some highlights but overall not my cup of tea).
Apart from The Trooper, only Sun And Steel stood out.
#Maiden Album ranking:
1. Beast 4,5
2. Iron Maiden 3,5
3. Killers 3
4. Piece of Mind 2
UPDATE:
I did a re-listen of this album and I have to say that I was an idiot when I did this rating. Piece Of Mind is really good!
Rating goes upt to 3,5/5
After an #IronMaiden album I surprisingly never listened to before, it is time for one I listened to a lot, which is also my favourite of theirs:
Kicking off with #AcesHigh this album is an absolute banger! 🤘
Maiden song ranking:
1. Hallowed
2. Trooper
3. Iron Maiden
4. Aces <--
5. Hills
#NowPlaying Iron Maiden - Aces High
#Powerslave is just so good! It's a 4,5 out of 5 in my book (=masterpiece). I also really love the title track and the atmosphere it transports.
💿 ranking:
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Killers 3
4. Mind 2
🎶 ranking:
1. Hallowed
2. Powerslave
3. Iron Maiden
Next on my #IronMaiden #Metaljourney is an album that was released when I was about to become 2 years old.
#LastFM tells me, that I never listened to this album, except for Wased Years. I cannot believe this, because the album opener sounds so familiar...
Anyhow, here we go:
#NowPlaying Caught Somewhere In Time
The guitars on #WastedYears sound the most "classic" Heavy Metal of all #IronMaiden songs if you ask me. And it is a great tune 🤘
#NowPlaying Wasted Years
https://song.link/y/ULsr-fFVjVs
Wait a minute, I think #LastFM is lying, because I know most of the songs.
I guess most of them are on Live records too, or I listened from a device that didn't support scrobbling 🤷♂️
#NowPlaying #IronMaiden - Heaven Can Wait
Ok, here's a song I never heard before:
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
My instant reaction was "WOW!!!" Why is this song not better known?
#NowPlaying #IronMaiden - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Alexander The Great closes #SomewhereInTime.
Perfect time for a micro review and verdict:
First thing I noticed is the production. This album sounds fantastic, also very 80ish.
Great tunes, great album = 4 out of 5
💿 ranking:
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. Iron Maiden 3,5
5. Killers 3
6. Piece of Mind 2
🎶 ranking:
1. Hallowed
2. Powerslave
3. Iron Maiden
4. Aces
5. Wasted Years
6. Hills
7. Beast
8. Long Distance Runner
9. Prowler
10. Mariner
Some say "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" is #IronMaiden's best album, but that applies to almost all of Maidens 80s albums.
It kicks off with Moooonchild. 🌚
#Nowplaying Moonchild
Yep, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is a great album. I see why it's a favourite for many.
Personally, I enjoy Powerslave and Number Of The Best a tad bit more. And if I'd had to choose, I'd also prefer Somewhere In Time.
But still, #SeventhSonOfASeventhSon is a great album --> 4 out of 5 half rotted Eddies.
💿 ranking (up until SSOASS):
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. Seventh Son 4
5. Iron Maiden 3,5
6. Killers 3
7. Piece of Mind 2
No Prayer For The Dying is the only #IronMaiden album that features a #1 single. It was not Tailgunner.
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Tailgunner
I guess you need to be careful using the words "unpopular opinion" when talking about #IronMaiden, but I have one:
#NoPrayerForTheDying would be much much better if The Air Raid Siren would have used his trademark vocal style instead of trying to sound rough. Because that... failed 🫣
Otherwise I like the back to the basic approach.
#NowPlaying Iron Maiden - Public Enema Number One
While Mother Russia closes #NoPrayerForTheDying , time for a verdict:
I like this album, probably better than the common #IronMaiden fan. Nontheless, I don't like Bruce's vocal style on here.
Overall it's a solid album, which means 3 out of 5 Eddies on my scale.
💿 ranking (up until NPFTD):
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. Seventh Son 4
5. Iron Maiden 3,5
6. Killers 3
7. No Prayer 3
8. Piece of Mind 2
...and BTW, here's the #1 hit single:
We are in the ninties and Bruce Dickinson is about to leave #IronMaiden.
But not so fast, there's still #FearOfTheDark on the #Metaljourney agenda before that!
Fast paced Be Quick or Be Dead opens the 58 minute long record.
Bruce still tries to sound raw, I haven't noticed it bevore on this record 🤔
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Be Quick or Be Dead
Listening to the #IronMaiden albums back to back, I have to say that #FearOfTheDark sounds more like their post 2000 albums than their 80s records.
#NowPlaying Chains Of Misery
#FearOfTheDark sounds very different compared to its predecessor. Bruce started with raw vocals on this one as well, but at some point during the record he lost that. Hm..
This is a good album. So well produced, it's a treat for the ears. 3,5/5
Title track is top notch.
💿 ranking (until 1992):
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. 7th Son 4
5. Iron Maiden 3,5
6. Fear 3,5 <--
7. Killers 3
8. No Prayer 3
9. Mind 2
🎶 ranking:
1. Hallowed
2. Powerslave
3. Fear <--
With an epic 11 minute Sign Of The Cross of the album #TheXFactor, #IronMaiden start into the #BlazeBayley era, which is very very underrated if you ask me.
Also: did you know that Bruce sent Blaze a pair of yellow house bricks as present after he was announced to be the new lead singer? Now you know, but you'll have to figure out what he meant with that on your own 😜
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Sign Of The Cross
Why is #LynyrdSkynyrd's Simple Man on The X Factor???
Oh wait, #IronMaiden just copied the intro for their song Look For The Truth 😂
No shame, #Scorpions did the same. Does anyone in here know which song I am referring to?
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Look For The Truth
#TheXFactor is a very melodic and epic album. I don't get why people say it's bad.
Blaze had an impossible job to do and people love Bruce, but that doesn't make this album bad. Honestly it doesn't even sound that different to me...
Solid album, I'll definitely listen to it from time to time: 3/5 yellow brick stones
💿 ranking (until 1995):
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. 7th Son 4
5. Maiden 3,5
6. Fear 3,5
7. Killers 3
8. X Factor 3
9. Prayer 3
10. Mind 2
#VirtualXI is on and a lot of people say that this is #IronMaiden's worst album. Is that true? I never listened to it, except for The Clansman, which is very high up on my favourite Maiden songs list.
We're starting with Futureal, and it sounds... weirdly flat. What happend to #SteveHarris' bass???
#NowPlaying Iron Maiden - Futureal
Ok ok, yes, #VirtualXI is not a strong album, #TheClansman is the only remarkabel song on it.
It's also the only reason why I'll rate it with 2 out of 5. It's not particularly bad, but it's not good either.
I'm looking forward to the albums of the second Dickinson era, because - spoiler 🚨 - I like them a lot!
Ranking (until 1998):
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. Beast 4,5
3. Time 4
4. 7th Son 4
5. Maiden 3,5
6. Fear 3,5
7. Killers 3
8. X Factor 3
9. Prayer 3
10. Mind 2
11. XI
Aldous Huxley's dystopian sci-fi novel Brave New World was published on May 29th 2000 and ...oh wait, I have it all mixed up.
I actually wanted to talk about #IronMaiden's first release of the 21st century (technically, also wrong) which marks Bruce Dickinsons return to the band.
#BraveNewWorld starts with an all time fav of mine:
#NowPlaying The Wicker Man
https://song.link/https://youtube.com/watch?v=GD_G-7_A35Y
...but seriously: read the book. You won't believe that it was actually written in 1931.
Ghost of the Navigator, Blood Brothers, Dream of Mirrors,... This album is packed with really strong songs! I already kew it, but this album will be very high on my list.
#NowPlaying #IronMaiden - Dream of Mirrors
#BraveNewWorld is just great, 4 out of 5. It sounds absolutely fantastic.
Concerning my ranking: I don't take prisoners. Just because something is old or considered a classic, doesn't mean it's better then new stuff. That being said, I'll put this above a lot of Maiden's "classic" albums. It enters at #3.
📈 Ranking:
Powerslave 4,5
Beast 4,5
Brave New World 4 <---
Time 4
7th Son 4
Maiden 3,5
Fear 3,5
Killers 3
X Factor 3
Prayer 3
Mind 2
XI 2
Oh Eddie, that album cover... The cover artist even asked not to be credited after Steve Harris decided to use an unfinished version.
Yes, I am of course talking about #DanceOfDeath, #IronMaiden's 13th studio album rleased in September 2003 (oh, it's turning 20 this year 🤯 ).
#NowPlaying Wildes Dreams
No More Lies is probaly my favourite track on #DanceOfDeath.
Listening to all albums back to back, I noticed that Bruce's voice sounds a tad bit lower on this record.
#NowPlaying Iron Maiden - No More Lies
#DanceOfDeath is another very strong #IronMaiden album. 3,5 out of 5 irky album covers, which means: good album according to my rating scale.
The fact that a good album is in the lower half of my ranking just speaks for the amount of high quality albums Maiden released over the years.
📈 Ranking:
Powerslave 4,5
Beast 4,5
Brave New World 4
Time 4
7th Son 4
Maiden 3,5
Fear 3,5
Dance Of Death 3,5 <--
Killers 3
X Factor 3
Prayer 3
Mind 2
XI 2
Last #IronMaiden album on my #Metaljourney before the weekend is "A Matter of Life and Death".
I can't remember listenting to this one before, and checking #LastFM confirms that I never listened past the opener. So I'm curious...
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Different World
#AMatterOfLifeAndDeath closes with its best song:
#Nowplaying The Legacy
https://song.link/y/Xnz25j52a7I
Overall another strong album, 3,5 out of 5 skeleton warriors driving tanks.
📈 Ranking:
Powerslave 4,5
Beast 4,5
Brave New World 4
Time 4
7th Son 4
Maiden 3,5
Fear 3,5
Dance 3,5
A Matter Of Life And Death 3,5 👈
Killers 3
X Factor 3
Prayer 3
Mind 2
XI 2
This #IronMaiden #Metaljourney will rest until next week.
Final day of my #IronMaiden #Metaljourney, kicking things off with #TheFinalFrontier. It features Space Eddie and #MotherOfMercy.
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Mother of Mercy
After a start with, for #IronMaiden standards, crisply short songs in the first half of the album, the songs on the second half are clearly longer, but never boring.
I bet that those were Steve Harris songs.
*checks wiki* - confirmed.
#TheFinalFrontier is another good album, 3,5 out of 5.
📈 Ranking:
Powerslave 4,5
Beast 4,5
Brave New World 4
Time 4
7th Son 4
Maiden 3,5
Fear 3,5
Dance 3,5
Frontier 3,5 👈
Life & Death 3,5
Killers 3
X Factor 3
Prayer 3
Mind 2
XI 2
Speaking of long songs, #IronMaiden's #TheBookOfSouls features their longest song, which ironically was not written by Steve Harris but Bruce Dickinson.
I have a strong connection to this album for 2 reasons:
1. This is the first (and only) Maiden album I ever bought in physical form.
2. I saw Maiden the first time during their Book Of Souls tour.
The album opens with one of my favourites on this record:
#NowPlaying If Eternity Should Fail
I learned a lot at this concert, my key takeway: Maiden are not dead serious on stage 😂
And here comes my favourite track of the album:
#Nowplaying The Red And The Black
https://song.link/y/CT4i5Nx1jJM
Spaking of favourites, here is my #IronMaiden song ranking:
1 Hallowed
2 Powerslave
3 Wicker Man
4 Fear Of The Dark
5 Red & Black
6 Iron Maiden
7 Clansman
8 Aces High
9 Wasted Years
10 Hills
11 Beast
12 Long Distance Runner
13 No More Lies
14 Prowler
15 Mariner
The epic 18 minuter Empire Of The Clouds closes #TheBookOfSouls
Time for a µ-verdict:
Late in their career, #IronMaiden delivered a great album, 4/5 and one of my personal favourites, it enters my Maiden ranking at #5:
1 Powerslave 4,5
2 Beast 4,5
3 Brave New World 4
4 Time 4
5 The Book Of Souls 4 👈
6 7th Son 4
7 Maiden 3,5
8 Fear 3,5
9 Dance 3,5
10 Frontier 3,5
11 Life & Death 3,5
12 Killers 3
13 X Factor 3
14 Prayer 3
15 Mind 2
16 XI 2
#Senjutsu is the final album on my #IronMaiden #Metaljourney. When I listened to it when it was released, I was a bit disappointed.
Also, this is the first time where I thought that Bruce's voice sounds significantly different.
He sounds older, which of course is perfectly fine. He is still great!
#Nowplaying Iron Maiden - Senjutsu
Ok folks, it is time for a verdict on #Senjutsu.
In the first half I thought, well, that's better then I remembered it. But the album loses me in the 2nd half. Was it really necesarry to have three >10 minute songs towards the end?
I am torn. The first half would get 3,5 out of five, the second half... I mean it is not bad, but not great either.
I'll give it 2,5 out of 5 which means: solid album, won't listen to it again.
And here it is, my #IronMaiden album ranking after a full chronological listen in my #Metaljourney:
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. The Number Of Beast 4,5
3. Brave New World 4
4. Somewhere In Time 4
5. The Book of Souls 4
6. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4
7. Iron Maiden 3,5
8. Fear of the Dark 3,5
9. Dance of Death 3,5
10. The Final Frontier 3,5
11. A Matter of Life and Death 3,5
12. Killers 3
13. The X Factor 3
14. No Prayer for the Dying 3
15. Senjutsu
16. Piece of Mind 2
17. Virtual XI 2
As a bonus, here are my top 15 #IronMaiden songs:
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. Powerslave
3. The Wicker Man
4. Fear Of The Dark
5. The Red And The Black
6. Iron Maiden
7. The Clansman
8. Aces High
9. Wasted Years
10. Run To The Hills
11. The Number Of The Beast
12. The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
13. No More Lies
14. Prowler
15. The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Update:
Piece Of Mind deserves a much better rating!
#IronMaiden #Metaljourney Ranking:
1. Powerslave 4,5
2. The Number Of Beast 4,5
3. Brave New World 4
4. Somewhere In Time 4
5. The Book of Souls 4
6. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4
7. Iron Maiden 3,5
8. Fear of the Dark 3,5
9. Piece of Mind 3,5
10. Dance of Death 3,5
11. The Final Frontier 3,5
12. A Matter of Life and Death 3,5
13. Killers 3
14. The X Factor 3
15. No Prayer for the Dying 3
16. Senjutsu
17. Virtual XI 2
Thomas
