Let's rank Iron Maiden, #15

1. Powerslave (1984) 25% votes
2. Killers (1981) 20% votes
3. The Number of the Beast (1982) 39% votes
4. Iron Maiden (1980) 32% votes
5. Piece of Mind (1983) 44% votes
6. Somewhere in Time (1986) 53% votes
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 54% votes
8. Brave New World (2000) 31% votes
9. Fear of the Dark (1992) 43% votes
10. A Matter of Life and Death (2006) 36% votes
11. No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 25% votes
12. Dance of Death (2003) 58% votes
13. Book of Souls (2015) 36% votes
14. Final Frontier (2010) 55% votes

Space monster Eddie is kinda cool:



But we now have reached the end of our journey. One last vote. I feel sorry for Blaze, but it has come down to the X-Factor vs Virtual XI. Pick your poison!

Virtual XI.

Virtual XI!

Virtual XI

I voted for getting my teeth pulled without painkillers.

Never made it through either album all the way, so I voted for the X-Factor. They both suck far as I'm concerned.

I’d set the last two ablaze.

Is it Blaze's voice that turns you guys off of these albums or the songwriting? Or both?

What do you think of songs like "Sign of the Cross" and "The Clansman" with Bruce on vocals?

I personally don't hate the Blaze years. On the contrary, i find the material to be quite good and entertaining.

It's just that, when i am in the mood for some Maiden, it's the Bruce years that i tend to go back to the most.

The music is meh, and the voice is irritating, and that's being kind.

glassprison wrote:

Is it Blaze's voice that turns you guys off of these albums or the songwriting? Or both?

What do you think of songs like "Sign of the Cross" and "The Clansman" with Bruce on vocals?

I like "The Clansman" (tho obviously it's better with Bruce on vox) but I can't stand "Sign of the Cross," or anything on X Factor aside from "Man on the Edge." The rest of that album is a sleeping pill.

Virtual XI sounds like Maiden were at least trying to turn their ship around, even if it was too little, too late for ol' Blazey by that point.

I never could get into either of the Blaze albums. Oh well.

glassprison wrote:

Is it Blaze's voice that turns you guys off of these albums or the songwriting? Or both?

What do you think of songs like "Sign of the Cross" and "The Clansman" with Bruce on vocals?

It is most definitely Blaze's voice! I enjoy both of those songs with Bruce on vocals.

I love the X-Factor. It's one of their absolute best albums. Sign of the Cross is 10/10, Edge of Darkness is awesome (I love Apocalypse Now!), Fortunes of War and Aftermath are like sequels to Afraid to Shoot Strangers. 

The Unbeliever is a proggy masterpiece, and 2 AM I always felt hit close to home when I used to work late at night.

I love that emotional major key chorus on Judgment of Heaven. So powerful. I've heard someone say all the real big emotions need to be expressed in major key.

Look for the Truth has a big hook and great lyrics. I sometimes find myself singing it in the car or office without even thinking about where it's from.

One of the best Maiden records. A dark masterpiece. And Blaze fits so well to the sound and the mood. 

Virtual XI OTOH is not among my favourites. Probably only slightly better than No Prayer. It somehow doesn't even fit Blaze's style. It's all wrong and off.

Virtual XI

Wrecked Neck wrote:

The music is meh, and the voice is irritating, and that's being kind.

I agree

It's just not interesting imo. With Bruce a couple songs like the ones listed are good enough but still not their best material.

I really wish Paul Di'anno and Blaze would do a full tour together. I think they've done some shows together in the past. As a fan it would be awesome to hear back to back sets devoted to those eras of Maiden history.

Quote :

Fortunes of War and Aftermath are like sequels to Afraid to Shoot Strangers.

That's really interesting. I haven't really gotten into "Fortunes of War" on previous listens, but "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" is a top 5 Maiden song for me. I'll have to listen to that grouping together.

glassprison wrote:

Quote :

Fortunes of War and Aftermath are like sequels to Afraid to Shoot Strangers.

That's really interesting. I haven't really gotten into "Fortunes of War" on previous listens, but "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" is a top 5 Maiden song for me. I'll have to listen to that grouping together.

Go for the Blaze version of Afraid to Shoot Strangers. It rules.