Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

It's a good album but not great.....

Not in their top five.... but not in their bottom five either.....

Sometimes I think Steve wants Maiden to be Dream Theater.... Maiden was at it's best when the tunes were 4-6 minutes long with a couple of Epics.... Now it's like ..... 'Songs with a quick hook??? Oh yeah better write one or two... Hey Adrian!!"


Brave New World is still my favorite amongst the current lineup.....

BUT.... my son the singer LOVES this latest stuff.....

mr.electric39 wrote:

Sometimes I think Steve wants Maiden to be Dream Theater....

Maiden is infinitely superior to Dream Theater.

I like their writing style now, they've evolved from riff-based rockers to more varied compositions, I think it suits them well. At their age they don't need to be trying to come up with "The Trooper Part 2", I think they've matured very gracefully and regardless they still don't sound like anyone else, even though they've changed it's still "Maiden" all the way.

A Matter of Life and Death is my favourite from the current lineup, and also my favourite Maiden album ever.

I like all four albums, but in order of preference:

1. A Matter of Life and Death
2. Brave New World
3. Dance of Death
4. The Final Frontier

At first listen I was a little disappointed (although I still liked it) because it stayed in line with what they have recently been doing (It was expected though) and didn't go back to what I love the most. However, for what it is, I really think it is a really great album. The last few times I have spun this disc I have wanted to play it again (skipping the first song). It is a great cd for a car drive (or painting) where you can let it just play through (kind of like Opeth for me too).

This album has some great songs and some decent songs, I like it

I still need to get it sometime

S.D. wrote:

I think it's a fine album, I don't find it to be boring or "wankery". It sounds like a mature Iron Maiden playing exactly the type of music they want to play...and I would much rather a band be themselves and continue to evolve their sound than try to do something "old school" out of the blue just to please older fans who think the 80s never ended.

I've enjoyed all the albums Maiden has done since Bruce came back, Final Frontier being one of the best.

Isn't that more a case of having heard their classics a lot more over the years to the point where playing them no longer does anything for you? I know I sometimes feel that way. Whilst they're great albums with some great songs, i've listened to them so many times that I'd now rather listen to something else.

I always have this in my hands when I find a copy and have always put it back in favor of something more urgent. Don't know why either since I've liked the samples. It's the only Maiden album I never bought day one. Someday I'll actually pull the trigger and buy the thing.

snooloui wrote:

Isn't that more a case of having heard their classics a lot more over the years to the point where playing them no longer does anything for you? I know I sometimes feel that way. Whilst they're great albums with some great songs, i've listened to them so many times that I'd now rather listen to something else.

I don't know, Maiden is one of those bands like Rush or Yes that I've always liked regardless of what style of music I was concentrating on at the time, they have been a constant in my life since 1982. (Rush since 1980, Yes since 1981 or thereabouts)

I can't say the same thing about many other bands from my teenage years as I've "moved on" from alot of that stuff, but for whatever reason Iron Maiden still holds the fascination for me.

I see Iron Maiden's recent albums as another step in their evolution, but I don't look at them as being better or worse than what came before, I enjoy hearing the natural progression of a band over many years.

Not too much into this album, so I am not the one to comment. Somehow I never got into this one.

mr.electric39 wrote:

Sometimes I think Steve wants Maiden to be Dream Theater.

You're right. He was especially into them in the 90s.

That's why he hired Kevin Shirley and auditioned LaBrie when Dickinson quit.

Temple of Blood wrote:

mr.electric39 wrote:

Sometimes I think Steve wants Maiden to be Dream Theater.

You're right. He was especially into them in the 90s.

That's why he hired Kevin Shirley and auditioned LaBrie when Dickinson quit.

LaBrie never auditioned for Maiden - that is only rumor. He didn't meet the basic requirement of the job - he isn't English!

I guess their nationalism served them well then. I mean, Blaze is so superior to, say, Harry Conklin.

JP at least had the sense to cast a worldwide net.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I mean, Blaze is so superior to, say, Harry Conklin.

haha, classic

At least Blaze was and is and always has been superior to LaBrie.

Lari wrote:

At least Blaze was and is and always has been superior to LaBrie.

I like Blaze and "X Factor" quite a bit, but James is certainly more consistently on pitch and professional than Blaze.

I can't stand LaBrie or Blaze.

S.D. wrote:

I can't stand LaBrie or Blaze.

amen

its one of those albums i like to listen to from time to time I do like the album cover though

Outside of Maiden, I was never a huge NWOBHM anyway, so the direction that they have gone has been great to my ears. I think TFF is a very good album.