A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

Iron Maiden was maybe the first band that got me interested in music at the age of 10. I started buying cds, looking at the booklets, reading bios and for the first time really pay attention to what I was listening. However after a few years I completely forgot them. Yes, I can still tell you when every album was released or sing along with 'hallowed be thy name' but I don't really seem to enjoy them anymore.

In order to try to give them a second chance I decided, though almost clearly negative from the beginning, to listen to their last album that everybody seemed to praise. Unfortunately it just confirmed my opinion. It's nothing more than another maiden album. I don't find it neither prog nor experimental. just another maiden album. All parts seem familiar. I just seem to be bored of maiden's sound. Apart from a couple introductions in songs like "These colours don't run", "Brighter than a thousand suns", "The reincarnation of benjamin breeg" and "For the greater good of god" which even though nothing special manage to differ from iron maiden's common sound, a few Andrian Smith's ideas (my favourite out of these guys) and the first half of the last song, there is nothing that would make this a good album. Probably good is a really wrong term when it comes to music so maybe it's better to say that there is not enough there to attract me.

For someone who doesn't like maiden it's really a waste of time and probably even for a maiden fan. Giving two stars would seem right because there are a few good ideas in this album but also giving one wouldn't be a bad idea since it sounds less original than other maiden albums and it's pretty much for completionists. Anyway, I'll give it 2 stars!

Further listening: Bruce Dickinson - Chemical wedding