tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62023697137364265412023-11-15T22:05:51.116-08:00Heavy Metal ManiaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-39402357083434776432018-02-27T17:18:00.000-08:002018-02-27T17:25:47.755-08:00Top 10 non-Iron Maiden Adrian Smith songs<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSdd2WQ1hMaoAHi4fwgw5P8uyabH5KG68z5R3nHo72GXiOi5Mr9LsJFWQ6jiMm5uLUaa1qRglIWLOuB6Z1Wux9bQL5lwUiNJbLebi7xgpTZ6KScqOASFILqq4ErZAlSWXQUOBBEcNq0c/s1600/6daf10ae27055aaf11e8b6b02d25a15191f8b592_hq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="720" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSdd2WQ1hMaoAHi4fwgw5P8uyabH5KG68z5R3nHo72GXiOi5Mr9LsJFWQ6jiMm5uLUaa1qRglIWLOuB6Z1Wux9bQL5lwUiNJbLebi7xgpTZ6KScqOASFILqq4ErZAlSWXQUOBBEcNq0c/s320/6daf10ae27055aaf11e8b6b02d25a15191f8b592_hq.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<u><br /></u> <u><br /></u> Today is not just any ordinary February day. Today is Adrian Smith's 61st birthday! Adrian Smith, the guitarist most notable for his long tenure in Iron Maiden, has appeared on eleven of the band's sixteen albums and has written some great songs during his time. Smith has penned classics such as "Wasted Years," "22 Acacia Avenue," and "The Wicker Man." He has been a driving force in the band for many years and is a fan favorite. Although he is admired for his work in Maiden, he also has several other side and solo projects he has worked on throughout the years. He has been apart of Urchin, ASAP, The Entire Population of Hackney, Psycho Motel, and several others.<br />
<br />
Today, on Heavy Metal Mania, we debate the Top 10 songs Adrian Smith has appeared on that are not Iron Maiden songs!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>10. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG7iOi102iE" target="_blank">My Lady</a> - Urchin - <i>High Roller</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNaRgq2R4W7rhDzGQZR-7F7Zu656nF2cXkXFPz1eaq_03vtRpTV7QxAiTmlUToxtdi0ka9gkmbIOSJCCxS4ogyrvQyxZXi43B_Ra6Oh0KKlfGUO1IQ2fMQXRR54D4yZmvLEfdKNG8ir4/s1600/tumblr_p25f1cC9Ii1sbmhhko5_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1280" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNaRgq2R4W7rhDzGQZR-7F7Zu656nF2cXkXFPz1eaq_03vtRpTV7QxAiTmlUToxtdi0ka9gkmbIOSJCCxS4ogyrvQyxZXi43B_Ra6Oh0KKlfGUO1IQ2fMQXRR54D4yZmvLEfdKNG8ir4/s320/tumblr_p25f1cC9Ii1sbmhhko5_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Urchin was Adrian Smith's first band that he formed in 1972 with his good friend Dave Murray. The band slowly grew and eventually released a few singles in the late 70s. You will see them a lot on this list as I am really fond of their work. In 2004, 2010, and 2011, over 20 years after the band broke up, High Roller Records released three albums containing mostly unheard Urchin music. One of the songs on the 2010 release was this prog-rock sounding ballad, My Lady. It is a bit reminiscent of Iron Maiden's "Strange World," and is a nice tune.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQdTekHSgAI" target="_blank">The Magician</a> - Bruce Dickinson - <i>Accident of Birth</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOY904LsKDkv8SoX3Fa5RQX2k_CknkUXheJ83ND8KxG6hlqTgjObx3dJqxjxUbJ5sDLFpTEr_GZT_Z5LierEiBs1K-R5g7PXQHGLTsiy8NC0TyhqxMoxSLbtDmOpBsMxtDVTIJ1C8WZk/s1600/8c07fcfdb6d674092bb70aa471330cad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOY904LsKDkv8SoX3Fa5RQX2k_CknkUXheJ83ND8KxG6hlqTgjObx3dJqxjxUbJ5sDLFpTEr_GZT_Z5LierEiBs1K-R5g7PXQHGLTsiy8NC0TyhqxMoxSLbtDmOpBsMxtDVTIJ1C8WZk/s320/8c07fcfdb6d674092bb70aa471330cad.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
The writing combo that produced "Flight of Icarus," "2 Minutes to Midnight," "Moonchild," and more came together in 1997 for Bruce's solo album, <i>Accident of Birth</i>. The 1997 album contains many great songs, and this is one that is really awesome and could even be confused for a deep cut on Iron Maiden's <i>Dance of Death</i> or <i>The Final Frontier</i>. Okay, I'll try to stop making comparisons to Maiden songs now!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>8. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le9Z0pXHxpA" target="_blank">Animals</a> - Urchin - <i>High Roller</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy53D5MBjlvczSlhNiibjyx2HzmlSuzco3cQx5qH8aSY0B0D6Ugedf1EHLBDAiNbMgscsRDzqvEl2wW2tYajesQSBghm4TEo8fYEmU5auVfa-21-Z4OJeUBEpJVgVh7juirAMOd64DRkI/s1600/126_urchinhighrollerlp_bg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy53D5MBjlvczSlhNiibjyx2HzmlSuzco3cQx5qH8aSY0B0D6Ugedf1EHLBDAiNbMgscsRDzqvEl2wW2tYajesQSBghm4TEo8fYEmU5auVfa-21-Z4OJeUBEpJVgVh7juirAMOd64DRkI/s320/126_urchinhighrollerlp_bg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Urchin is back with a nice little rocker that contains a simple neat drum intro that seriously sounds like someone angrily knocking on a door. Adrian Smith's voice is superb on this track. Urchin songs like this one show how great Smith could have been even on his own because he has a very unique voice and his guitar playing is, of course, second to none.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghhnc5IFy5g" target="_blank">Psycho Motel</a> - Psycho Motel - <i>State of Mind</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObFjC6dsJV4RBn_9QVGeLcUA3IYiZbNv5OkZ49vUt7SAum6dXh4-OFHsEjKi5jOZErlVXU-cLgwewwlfpYs3nfj54XF2O-uNWy7sExr-suFGph83h4b7z7EI6fmOfiiwF3lbX-GZL89M/s1600/832d5ce905cd470cb41740cd120380e0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObFjC6dsJV4RBn_9QVGeLcUA3IYiZbNv5OkZ49vUt7SAum6dXh4-OFHsEjKi5jOZErlVXU-cLgwewwlfpYs3nfj54XF2O-uNWy7sExr-suFGph83h4b7z7EI6fmOfiiwF3lbX-GZL89M/s1600/832d5ce905cd470cb41740cd120380e0.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
In 1995 Smith formed Psycho Motel after his shortlived band ASAP folded. Smith had taken a five-year break from the music industry before being pulled back into it and eventually formed this band. The first album, <i>State of Mind</i>, came out in 1995 and possessed the grunge rock sound found all throughout the rock radio stations of the time and a bit of the progressive rock that Smith had experimented with in the past. The best song from this album has to be "Psycho Motel."<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgP1zyI0E6w" target="_blank">The Tower</a> - Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIi46wW65KYPAwOX4r4BOAkzr_8D7wzza1x7M2pKRrqKIKAPenbhUktJ3Jp5RKvoqLcH6wGVNrns19re83Exy5oMxx3yobT1WHP9N2-0ibDf6gG9bzJJv1PSEgYi1OJV7AUgEl5pBI70/s1600/1997-07-24-osaka-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="961" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIi46wW65KYPAwOX4r4BOAkzr_8D7wzza1x7M2pKRrqKIKAPenbhUktJ3Jp5RKvoqLcH6wGVNrns19re83Exy5oMxx3yobT1WHP9N2-0ibDf6gG9bzJJv1PSEgYi1OJV7AUgEl5pBI70/s320/1997-07-24-osaka-front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Adrian Smith once again worked with Bruce Dickinson on his 1998 album, <i>The Chemical Wedding</i>. This album proved to be a big success and is one of the most admired of Dickinson's solo works. One listen to "The Tower" proves why. Dickinson delivering his signature Maiden voice, Eddie Casillas giving a nice groovy bassline, and Adrian Smith and Roy Z laying down some nice guitar riffs. All of that is a great formula for an awesome track.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zJ6e5J8_3E" target="_blank">Life in the City</a> - Urchin - <i>High Roller</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWRCDSjF6alhfUZ-fI3dBqW_xWgVcPzTeGpqO1OetIHEY0X-JjWC6H3l0IP_77vS6iqzPu9ug1SZe0w_iHeq6jzVSOs14agCSoEfCAqDB7ivSEwVuVuRBMXRbE5gtchLO9vMxAACh6xk/s1600/urchin-adrian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="800" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWRCDSjF6alhfUZ-fI3dBqW_xWgVcPzTeGpqO1OetIHEY0X-JjWC6H3l0IP_77vS6iqzPu9ug1SZe0w_iHeq6jzVSOs14agCSoEfCAqDB7ivSEwVuVuRBMXRbE5gtchLO9vMxAACh6xk/s320/urchin-adrian.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, I have to make one more Iron Maiden reference. "Life in the City" eventually became Iron Maiden's 'B' side "Sheriff of Huddersfield." For that alone, it makes the list in some capacity. I've got nothing else.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kg2z60uw6A" target="_blank">The Lion </a>- ASAP - <i>Silver and Gold</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8iffVMrZy1gVY78Ek7dwOnur7QGCrj8gu-246y1B6g967hKgi7KtMU21_-HOAtROMlH0PsIh0sRugsYdwPqCNaOZscwQAWwG9ht3fxJLhCFFqkhy0Sy817MDvz1GpupOLajUNOsQ37s/s1600/maxresdefault+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8iffVMrZy1gVY78Ek7dwOnur7QGCrj8gu-246y1B6g967hKgi7KtMU21_-HOAtROMlH0PsIh0sRugsYdwPqCNaOZscwQAWwG9ht3fxJLhCFFqkhy0Sy817MDvz1GpupOLajUNOsQ37s/s320/maxresdefault+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you have ever listened to a stereotypical 80s hair band that got their peak in music by being the lead song on a cheesy 80s movie, you have listened to ASAP's 1989 album, <i>Silver and Gold</i>. Many people believe that Smith quite Iron Maiden to record this album, but that was not the case as when this album was released Smith was still a member of Maiden. Some music trivia for you is that Ringo Starr's son, Zak Starkey, played on this album with Smith.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtShcJB1Exs" target="_blank">Accident of Birth</a> - Bruce Dickinson - <i>Accident of Birth</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kmjagb38aO9CZEUyT1wUelaypP4KyZkvl6ULXWMboN4zy9FmkxfPzVRb5wXz2i4Qm3M5nHRKYP7abXXHRtxLcqLTHtwuSG67ReTCofsKQ8kCOwMhF9RdH7nNKkZGr0J6SuQePWgL6T8/s1600/1999316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kmjagb38aO9CZEUyT1wUelaypP4KyZkvl6ULXWMboN4zy9FmkxfPzVRb5wXz2i4Qm3M5nHRKYP7abXXHRtxLcqLTHtwuSG67ReTCofsKQ8kCOwMhF9RdH7nNKkZGr0J6SuQePWgL6T8/s1600/1999316.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The aforementioned Bruce Dickinson album, <i>Accident of Birth</i>, contains some awesome music that is severely overlooked. "Accident of Birth," the title track of the album, is a spectacular introduction to Dickinson's solo career.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMvvGQqjq-0" target="_blank">Reach Out</a> - The Entire Population of Hackney</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5U7sZ5eAEtMSqoMEuhoH6X3JyNyn6yC_iv2HOXVNfTKhSquM78_o977ZCqPWFvNCIc0qUw3NskRiiqz78RA0HYAYzqbaYSZ9l3oUvDytbiG1liI0q-4sJzJY7QUVb-PgjF8Uzqh3n1c/s1600/MI0001423488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5U7sZ5eAEtMSqoMEuhoH6X3JyNyn6yC_iv2HOXVNfTKhSquM78_o977ZCqPWFvNCIc0qUw3NskRiiqz78RA0HYAYzqbaYSZ9l3oUvDytbiG1liI0q-4sJzJY7QUVb-PgjF8Uzqh3n1c/s320/MI0001423488.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />
This one might be cheating a little bit, but "Reach Out" was not originally an Iron Maiden song anyway. This song was written by Dave Colwell for The Entire Population of Hackney project. The project was the brainchild of Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain, who formed the band with some of their former bandmates in various bands. Colwell was one of the band's guitarists and wrote this song that would eventually become my favorite Iron Maiden 'B' side.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRHVHhj7vPc" target="_blank">She's a Roller</a> - Urchin - <i>Urchin</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs_5g4wbwc8N1C2xb7flo-OBGJ9Ij7wPuZ6E2J9iwedFqZux3OMPXcN-fcGXyDuTLI23Vi8-O6H4EetnAgBkhyphenhyphenoNMBZ9iPFTtZncLCfKrZ-a82o2vMvPFTk9uF2J41SiKyGY800h_Av4/s1600/maxresdefault+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs_5g4wbwc8N1C2xb7flo-OBGJ9Ij7wPuZ6E2J9iwedFqZux3OMPXcN-fcGXyDuTLI23Vi8-O6H4EetnAgBkhyphenhyphenoNMBZ9iPFTtZncLCfKrZ-a82o2vMvPFTk9uF2J41SiKyGY800h_Av4/s320/maxresdefault+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the best song Adrian Smith did with Urchin. If this band had received more backing financially and had been visible to a wider audience, this song would have been huge. Its simple, catchy chorus clashes with a neat guitar riff that Smith lays down perfectly. This is one of the most underrated songs ever quite honestly.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, Happy Birthday to "H," one of the quiet members of Maiden who has such a fascinating and articulate style of playing. He has released some great music throughout his career and we are happy he is part of the Maiden machine.<br />
<br />
What are your favorite Adrian Smith songs?<br />
<br />
Let us know and stay alert for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
NPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-45918632129729376082018-01-26T13:57:00.001-08:002018-01-26T13:59:54.687-08:00Ranking Every Iron Maiden Song: 130-121<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s1600/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s320/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
We continue the list ranking every Iron Maiden song with songs 130-121. Will your favorite make the list today? We hope not!<br />
Remember to follow the links on the song titles to listen to the song!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>130. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPV4jlOlWjA" target="_blank">Holy Smoke</a> - <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V-H4FzQz9QWQNz5DfaK6Zl_QK-doVsqP3cdeswFXBk7AGcOvaDuTcEabvFJ9YieIuZG1Xd7icrcl1aAOp62iwqhIBiZkYkYKRbEk_D8knKIXLQCIU2Dfu_kdsKHo83WhvstPtYogL5c/s1600/2507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V-H4FzQz9QWQNz5DfaK6Zl_QK-doVsqP3cdeswFXBk7AGcOvaDuTcEabvFJ9YieIuZG1Xd7icrcl1aAOp62iwqhIBiZkYkYKRbEk_D8knKIXLQCIU2Dfu_kdsKHo83WhvstPtYogL5c/s320/2507.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If we were ranking Iron Maiden's music videos, "Holy Smoke" would probably be on top of the list. In fact, that might be an idea for the future! Unfortunately for this 1990 single, this list is based solely on the music and "Holy Smoke" lacks in that category. <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i> as a whole was a letdown by Iron Maiden standards. Bruce's raspy voice is turned to max on this track, and that is not very welcome amongst most Maiden fans. The whole song feels more like one of those joke 'B' sides the band made back in the day than a solid single. The band was obviously not too fond of the single either, as it was dropped from the setlist before the end of No Prayer on the Road tour in 1991.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>129. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9H-QejIuAE" target="_blank">The Mercenary</a> - <i>Brave New World</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vOPfkMGMH_EaHQwT2apnFMw6g61oltUiZa0kxNU8NBsk715eYIjEbo7z7NH6NkYPn4rv-pJttoOwefIA-TP-z5y4JaGQkHYdk9dp-CWIQV_xeJjV8CpJWz3W-cM7O5J2-qEj_CUqAvk/s1600/album_iron_maiden_brave_new_world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vOPfkMGMH_EaHQwT2apnFMw6g61oltUiZa0kxNU8NBsk715eYIjEbo7z7NH6NkYPn4rv-pJttoOwefIA-TP-z5y4JaGQkHYdk9dp-CWIQV_xeJjV8CpJWz3W-cM7O5J2-qEj_CUqAvk/s320/album_iron_maiden_brave_new_world.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Brave New World </i>features some of Iron Maiden's best work in the 21st century. It was this album that put them back on the map as frontrunners in the metal world. The first four songs on the album are perhaps the album's best and flow perfectly together. The first song that kind of disrupts that flow is track 5, "The Mercenary." The song is naturally about a mercenary, or bounty hunter, and let's just be glad the song was not titled "The Bounty Hunter" because that sounds silly. The chorus to the song is cool and really has the <i>Brave New World</i> vibe going on. The whole song is great, it is just a little lacking compared to the rest of the album.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>128. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA-viahMWgg" target="_blank">Wildest Dreams</a> - <i>Dance of Death</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGVdwAr80t2bjxaW5eOKUK3dpvaGvzFKq235vh5QL0SEKJX1FmcYRqAIN1s_NNz1ZXs-TIkmp7UchZ6bUNow1e_Vm77FdHzJ81h3ApVDWt_uRnG8ADQVaCNFvIGgDwXlRLhKgvy3DE8o/s1600/Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGVdwAr80t2bjxaW5eOKUK3dpvaGvzFKq235vh5QL0SEKJX1FmcYRqAIN1s_NNz1ZXs-TIkmp7UchZ6bUNow1e_Vm77FdHzJ81h3ApVDWt_uRnG8ADQVaCNFvIGgDwXlRLhKgvy3DE8o/s320/Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Iron Maiden has developed a nasty habit of making one of the worst songs on the album the lead single in the past two decades. This was truly the case when "Wildest Dreams" was made the lead single for <i>Dance of Death</i>. Why do they do this? Who knows, maybe it is because they want to show that the single is not the best song? Either way, this song is not the greatest song by any stretch. The song debuted on the "Give Me Ed... til I'm Dead" tour that preceded the <i>Dance of Death </i>album and received a positive reaction from the fans. That positivity soon waned as this song would not appear after the "Dance of Death World Tour" and soon faded away to obscurity.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>127. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJDcVj3FTZ4" target="_blank">Iron Maiden</a> - <i>Iron Maiden</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSRywbdHaCRy-4cD7WwRPI3Ke8ZHEW7Olq4Lhd7GQNSduUQb5-AZzwavejEKckcp1pYAb1PxNSwD3uM7uUcCcWz5Vv3AW0EOl3Eo8aOP7vOijHpC7CNA_5hBEGLJfAF7mF94C9z6g1iU/s1600/album01_iron-maiden_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSRywbdHaCRy-4cD7WwRPI3Ke8ZHEW7Olq4Lhd7GQNSduUQb5-AZzwavejEKckcp1pYAb1PxNSwD3uM7uUcCcWz5Vv3AW0EOl3Eo8aOP7vOijHpC7CNA_5hBEGLJfAF7mF94C9z6g1iU/s320/album01_iron-maiden_350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you see Iron Maiden in concert, there is no doubt you are going to hear this song live. The band has played this song during every concert they have performed and well, why not? The song is named Iron Maiden, after all, that is the name of the band for those not aware yet. It is a cool tradition, but it is not the best song to feature said tribute. The song is rather basic for the same band that produced monstrous classics such as "Hallowed be thy Name," "Ghost of the Navigator," or "Phantom of the Opera," which appeared on the same album as this song. The tame nature of the song is what puts it so low. If we were ranking Iron Maiden's live songs, this one would be much higher. Although, hearing this song lie is quite disheartening because you know it is the last song of the show, excluding the usual encore.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>126. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFHD28p-yDw" target="_blank">Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger</a> - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQiBIqhkAY650btvMtsFNrgg1hptCZOjyYCwaanihkFAkwQAvZE1m3VtHlcQKEgITuf8gDt3tvyCuHQUaNbF9DLTNEkoyKXzKEI7rZfcBZ6-3tYRuCnQ46TfV8edMUMuRjK0Qc17rSD8/s1600/virtual-xi%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQiBIqhkAY650btvMtsFNrgg1hptCZOjyYCwaanihkFAkwQAvZE1m3VtHlcQKEgITuf8gDt3tvyCuHQUaNbF9DLTNEkoyKXzKEI7rZfcBZ6-3tYRuCnQ46TfV8edMUMuRjK0Qc17rSD8/s320/virtual-xi%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you thought "The Angel and the Gambler" was repetitive, you do not know a thing. "Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger" easily features the most repetitive lyrics in Iron Maiden history, maybe music history. If you strip down the song a bit and forget the ridiculous part of the song that repeats the verse "Don't look to" at least 50 times, the track is well-written and goes inside the mind of a deranged man, most likely you would have to be insane to write this song so it fits. For some reason, this song gets a lot less flak than "The Angel and the Gambler," despite being almost three times as repetitive. Maybe it is because that song was a single and this one was an obscure track on an already underrated album.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>125. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm6chm-FvwM" target="_blank">The Edge of Darkness</a> - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s1600/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s320/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A lot of the songs on 1995's <i>The X Factor </i>sound really great, but kind of run together and get lost in the shuffle. "The Edge of Darkness" is really one of those songs. If you ever worried that there would not be an Iron Maiden song with helicopter sounds, do not worry because they take over the first part of this track. The subject matter of this song is really neat. It follows the story of the movie <i>Apocalypse Now</i>, which is an adaptation of the novel <i>Heart of Darkness</i>, a book I was supposed to read in high school for class but never got around to because high school was a time for me to focus on things like sleeping and preparing for the procrastinating style I have adapted well into my college career. The topic of the book did interest me a lot though and it is awesome to see Iron Maiden take on these subjects so fluently. It is a great song that shows off Blaze's voice in fantastic form.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>124. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycg0vHnhAN4" target="_blank">Drifter</a> - <i>Killers</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s1600/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s320/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Maybe I am a simple man, but "Drifter" has one of my favorite Iron Maiden intros. The quick guitar licks take you down another dimension and give a really good rock intro. The rest of the song, however, does not really hold up and gets lost along the way. The lyrics are kind of mindless and hold no significance to anything. This song sees its best days on the live stage, where it is extended to give the audience something to chant along to when Paul or Bruce give the "yo, yo, yo" signal. It works well to close out the album but it is just a bit lacking overall.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>123. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjZmbKNrQv8" target="_blank">No Prayer for the Dying</a> - <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0mn00Ad6XcA_Smi0zn4Ubs3E3-lqZ_W2Hhyphenhyphen_Edd5AofXj67RRXU_STMzz9hOpk5m1bjo-1nEEESIYGpdXkSAFZH10pDADyDhny3ruLEDHDOPTUOwykg2nZlSSR2H2LGTuh_aveAxwME/s1600/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0mn00Ad6XcA_Smi0zn4Ubs3E3-lqZ_W2Hhyphenhyphen_Edd5AofXj67RRXU_STMzz9hOpk5m1bjo-1nEEESIYGpdXkSAFZH10pDADyDhny3ruLEDHDOPTUOwykg2nZlSSR2H2LGTuh_aveAxwME/s320/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We can not blame or criticize Iron Maiden for changing things up a bit from album to album. It keeps their sound fresh and makes it possible for classic material to be released on every album. Some of these changes obviously do not work as well as others. <i>No Prayer for the Dying </i>has long been scrutinized as one of Maiden's weakest albums, and if you need a testament for that look no further than the title track. The song features a soft guitar intro and stays rather soft the whole way through. The lyrics are a cry from a lonely heart looking to God for answers to this perplexing situation. It is one of the few songs on the album that sounds very serious. My favorite rendition of this song is done for a seatbelt commercial.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>122. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZRx1eMTSfk" target="_blank">22 Acacia Avenue</a> - <i>The Number of the Beast</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWC-4fMb0fLhStCiCW6PfRloxiMpE6KA_ASffUyhCcaDP_o_DwDML1tSIm38RWdCyr3yGgqaFX_pkSWE_-hpmud7zNY7Q2rkt2XGAuNADLe-w_TtLPbFvu4S2seg6AGaWRvy-lqgZUoY/s1600/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWC-4fMb0fLhStCiCW6PfRloxiMpE6KA_ASffUyhCcaDP_o_DwDML1tSIm38RWdCyr3yGgqaFX_pkSWE_-hpmud7zNY7Q2rkt2XGAuNADLe-w_TtLPbFvu4S2seg6AGaWRvy-lqgZUoY/s320/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Anytime you throw down a song from <i>The Number of the Beast</i>, you are bound to take a lot of heat for it, but that is okay. "22 Acacia Avenue" finds itself squeezed fittingly at 122. This song is part 2 o the "Charlotte the Harlot" saga that started on the band's first album. It tells the life story and residence of Ms. Charlotte while detailing her daily life of debauchery. The mid-section of the song features some great guitar solos from Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, the latter shredder being the writer of the song along with Steve Harris. It is a neat song, but not one of the more memorable ones from this terrific album.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>121. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-t6huk_MMU" target="_blank">Out of the Shadows</a> - <i>A Matter of Life and Death</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2BEYtsDP0si-zaobKrZ_XG_DA5oxwNotD-20kZCFVrTrPUE42bTKYxqfiYnKBRxjSuYUTZKxam9xsjgQNRXzH76AVRs2sFDNCwYbRd7hYFJhyphenhyphenvSZdaLO0oN3RrGd0bYXBXZk4-NqRvI/s1600/album_iron_maiden_a_matter_of_life_and_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2BEYtsDP0si-zaobKrZ_XG_DA5oxwNotD-20kZCFVrTrPUE42bTKYxqfiYnKBRxjSuYUTZKxam9xsjgQNRXzH76AVRs2sFDNCwYbRd7hYFJhyphenhyphenvSZdaLO0oN3RrGd0bYXBXZk4-NqRvI/s320/album_iron_maiden_a_matter_of_life_and_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
"Out of the Shadows" is one of the most melodic songs that Iron Maiden has ever produced. The song flows seamlessly through its entirety and hardly changes a step. This song is a lot like "No Prayer for the Dying," where it asks for a meaning of life without actually providing how it feels about that meaning. This is another one of those Maiden songs that are somewhat hidden gems. Personally, it is my least favorite song from <i>A Matter of Life and Death</i>, but I could easily see this song as someone's favorite from the album or even one of their favorite Maiden songs period.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there are 130-121. Next time we reveal another ten. Stay glued to your screens for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "vollkorn"; font-size: 15.456px;">155-151: </span><a href="https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb" style="background-color: black; color: #606dff; font-family: Vollkorn; font-size: 15.456px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb</a><br />
<br style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Vollkorn; font-size: 15.456px; text-align: start;" />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "vollkorn"; font-size: 15.456px;">150-141: </span><a href="http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-150-141.html" style="background-color: black; color: #606dff; font-family: Vollkorn; font-size: 15.456px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-150-141.html</a><br />
<br />
140-131:<a href="https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-140-131.html?spref=fb">https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-140-131.html?spref=fb</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-39315744204392940192017-12-26T17:06:00.000-08:002017-12-26T17:34:15.820-08:00Ranking Every Iron Maiden Song: 140-131<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s1600/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s320/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
Another week, another list of Iron Maiden songs today on Heavy Metal Mania. Today, we rank songs 140-131. Is your favorite on the list? Check the bottom of the post for links to the posts already up!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>140. Out of the Silent Planet - <i>Brave New World</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYtQ7RkPRLTzVk33OOVZlblkwhgljpmHjl3wvqA1Z7Pw3yU7KHYrzm2q9eP7JRbMKMWcpFCvLPCMXnc1klouEB24xHCt2h9_UuiPnhkA62QZ8FCPKUPZEzOi6F2fF6tozwoLISl89q58/s1600/out-of-the-silent-planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="400" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYtQ7RkPRLTzVk33OOVZlblkwhgljpmHjl3wvqA1Z7Pw3yU7KHYrzm2q9eP7JRbMKMWcpFCvLPCMXnc1klouEB24xHCt2h9_UuiPnhkA62QZ8FCPKUPZEzOi6F2fF6tozwoLISl89q58/s320/out-of-the-silent-planet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When Iron Maiden announced Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith were to return to the band and work was going to be started on the band's 12th studio album, there was a reason for excitement. The band went into the studio and came out with 2000's <i>Brave New World</i>, a monumental album that showed Maiden was ready for the new millennium and prepared to retake over the metal world. The lead single was a no-brainer, "The Wicker Man," was the first track on the album and was a great song. The second single could have been any of the other nine songs from the album; maybe "Brave New World," the album's melodic title track, or how about "Blood Brothers," a song that has become a staple in Maiden's setlist? Well instead of either of those the band decided to choose "Out of the Silent Planet," one of the most underwhelming songs on the album. Why they chose this song is such a mystery. The intro is rather unpleasant, but the lyrics are interesting and the drum fill Nicko does before the verse is neat. Overall, it just seems like a waste of a song. The odd thing about this song being chosen as a single is that it was hardly ever played live, only four times in fact. Besides "Women in Uniform," which was only played once, it is the least played Maiden single. The band did not even play the song until the final four days of the tour in January 2001, three months after the song was released as a single. The music video that accompanied the song featured an out of sync live performance from the Brave New World Tour, but it was obviously not "Out of the Silent Planet" being played.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>139. The Ides of March - <i>Killers</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s1600/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s320/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Iron Maiden's shortest song. Let's make this the shortest review. The only worthwhile thing about this song is to play it on March 15th in a diluted tribute to Maiden. It is not a bad song, but definitely forgettable if "Wrathchild" does not immediately follow it.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>138. Childhood's End - <i>Fear of the Dark</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Iron Maiden's 1992 album, <i>Fear of the Dark</i>, is really a hit or miss in a lot of the ways. Many of the songs feature decent lyrics with subpar music to back it. "Childhood's End" is definitely one of those songs. The track deals with children across the world starving and suffering. This used to be one of my favorite songs on the album, but that interest has waned over time. It is one of the most forgotten songs in Maiden's catalog. More than half of <i>Fear of the Dark</i> was not played live, including this song, which hurts their stock a bit. It has always been a pipe dream of mine to have Maiden play all of their discography at one point, but it does not seem feasible.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>137. Judgement of Heaven - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s1600/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s320/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Here is another song that in my earliest days of obsessing over Iron Maiden was held very high by my standards. Over time though, it has fallen to the depressing depths that the protagonist of the song has as well. The lyrics, while serious in topic, have always seemed a bit silly. The line "You take the tarot cards, and throw them to the wind" never fails to make me chuckle just a bit. The music in this song is some of the best on the album. However, it does not fit the depressing mood the lyrics provide. This is odd considering half of the songs on this album give a dark, moody vibe to them. I might just be an apathetic chump, but anytime "God" is involved in Iron Maiden lyrics in a hopeful kind of way usually does not equal a great track. A few songs that do mention "God" in a Maiden way are "The Fallen Angel" or "Fates Warning." It's a shame because like a lot of the songs below this one, it could have been great.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>136. Tears of a Clown - <i>The Book of Souls</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhf4dbKItNqpgImr0cDouS0HpOVSg23aJ52EnGyM-dYAnehaUKX2Dj-xJSX0cWxc6TRO0e0cHgK5JwUQ3c0VL4qrUirQGKJYLrty5FopA-NLHlUrXJ0QboCA4e93ABAZEXJIqPlt3N4Y/s1600/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhf4dbKItNqpgImr0cDouS0HpOVSg23aJ52EnGyM-dYAnehaUKX2Dj-xJSX0cWxc6TRO0e0cHgK5JwUQ3c0VL4qrUirQGKJYLrty5FopA-NLHlUrXJ0QboCA4e93ABAZEXJIqPlt3N4Y/s320/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<br />
All of us have inner demons and unfortunately, they get the best of some people. This came true for the well-esteemed actor Robin Williams who committed suicide in 2014, shocking many people. That became the subject of this track from Iron Maiden's 2015 album, <i>The Book of Souls</i>. The lyrics are very meaningful and enjoyable, but the music lacks to back it up. It suffers as one of the weakest songs on the album because of this. If it was not for the first and last tracks on Disc 2 of <i>The Book of Souls</i>, Disc 1 would be far superior as the three most lacking songs are on Disc 2; two of these songs have already been revealed, which is the other? Just continue reading on.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>135. Gates of Tomorrow - <i>Dance of Death</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s1600/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s320/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There are a handful of Iron Maiden songs that fans collectively claim as throwaway songs. "Gates of Tomorrow" can be described as one of those songs. A lot of people seem to find Janick's solos and the opening guitar intro to be very distasteful. Bruce's voice on the track is reminiscent of his voice on <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i>, an album lost amongst many Maiden fans. These reasons, coupled with some questionable lyrics, create a lost song that some describe as the worst on the album. Despite all of that, it used to be one of my favorite <i>Dance of Death</i> songs when I first heard the album. That interest has dropped over time, but it is not a bad song by any stretch. The band describes the song as an "AC-DCish guitar-drum intro [that] quickly turns into a full-on Iron Maiden salvo" and that fits perfectly.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>134. Fear is the Key - <i>Fear of the Dark</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There was an abundance of "fear" on <i>Fear of the Dark</i>. Most songs mention the fear of something or reference it in some way. What exactly were they afraid of? Bruce leaving? Anyway, like most Iron Maiden songs, "Fear is the Key" features some life lessons that most of the public should take note of. In the 1980s, cases of HIV exploded throughout the world and while some raced to find a cure and show awareness, most ignored the pandemic until Freddy Mercury, of Queen fame, died due to the disease. This prompted the premise of "Fear is the Key," most notably the lyric "Nobody cares until somebody famous dies." This song suffers the same fate that a lot of songs on this particular list do: great lyrics, subpar music. This is one of those tracks from FOTD that feels too much like a filler.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>133. Quest for Fire - <i>Piece of Mind</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZLhHXTrYfBuqsYp_rC4DiU1DZXYIatc1zv4n3A_uGjgwrewk-P2jmL_z3BGQhfg2UF5mRBohgFvJhTGRXtA0K4Z2goVNLQ35nkWosQuhCd6wfoPOztBmKb6Peos-JZiAYeA5knm3nQw/s1600/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZLhHXTrYfBuqsYp_rC4DiU1DZXYIatc1zv4n3A_uGjgwrewk-P2jmL_z3BGQhfg2UF5mRBohgFvJhTGRXtA0K4Z2goVNLQ35nkWosQuhCd6wfoPOztBmKb6Peos-JZiAYeA5knm3nQw/s320/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We often applaud Iron Maiden for delivering historically accurate lyrics with some awesome music to back it up; none of that is present on "Quest for Fire." This track tells the thrilling tale of cavemen searching for fire to keep themselves sustained while fending off dinosaurs. The blame cannot be all thrown on the band for these lyrics as the song is based on the 1981 film of the same name. This is yet another song that was originally one of my favorites before falling off over time. This song might be the quintessential Iron Maiden filler. Despite its goofy lyrics and unmemorable guitar solos, it is a great song; then again, so are all Iron Maiden songs. Listen to this one on vinyl for maximum low-quality pleasure!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>132. 2 A.M. - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s1600/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKEVK4qLZUdeEjXR5gQHp6rzGmV7dq1rw6EBEN9QKE1HUxY0UOt8AQexxF1QP8y7Rfv-xau_35F77t2xD4J26GWS_k4PbLA7FDKXydu1_sReZXzPo5-MgeoSoA79vLfO84fTZwPCdGog/s320/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Iron Maiden's catalog features many depressing songs. If you choose a random selection of Maiden tracks you might pick up "No Prayer for the Dying" or "Wasting Love." Why you may even pick up "2 A.M." off of <i>The X Factor</i>. This song features a wonderful acoustic intro that masterfully used Blaze's voice when it breaks into verse. The song tells the story of a man stuck in a rut who is tired of life and might just end it all if he finds the time. The lyrics are desolate and might hit home for some. It is a nice song, but gets kind of lost in the shuffle among Iron Maiden songs. Although the band never performed it live, Blaze Bayley played it several times on solo tours.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>131. Gangland - <i>The Number of the Beast</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWC-4fMb0fLhStCiCW6PfRloxiMpE6KA_ASffUyhCcaDP_o_DwDML1tSIm38RWdCyr3yGgqaFX_pkSWE_-hpmud7zNY7Q2rkt2XGAuNADLe-w_TtLPbFvu4S2seg6AGaWRvy-lqgZUoY/s1600/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWC-4fMb0fLhStCiCW6PfRloxiMpE6KA_ASffUyhCcaDP_o_DwDML1tSIm38RWdCyr3yGgqaFX_pkSWE_-hpmud7zNY7Q2rkt2XGAuNADLe-w_TtLPbFvu4S2seg6AGaWRvy-lqgZUoY/s320/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Every legendary album has at least one song that you forget about. <i>The Number of the Beast</i> stands as one of the most iconic albums in metal history and "Gangland" somehow is on it. This song is kind of like the backup quarterback of a Super Bowl-winning team, or maybe a substitute midfielder for you non-American lot! The song starts off with a drum solo from the late Clive Burr, orchestrating his talents to his best abilities. This is the only song that features a songwriting credit from him. The song describes a time when gangsters were rampant and went town to town doing their crimes and making their gains. It is not a poor song, but compared to the quality of the other album's tracks, it suffers dramatically.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there is the list of 131-140. Next time we throw down another ten songs. Leave a comment on your thoughts about this list and stick around for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
PRIOR LISTS<br />
<br />
155-151: <a href="https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb">https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb</a><br />
<br />
150-141: <a href="http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-150-141.html">http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-150-141.html</a><br />
<br />
MAIN SITE: <a href="http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/">http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-90217987770149453162017-12-16T17:33:00.000-08:002017-12-16T17:44:37.301-08:00Ranking Every Iron Maiden Song: 150-141<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s1600/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk4PzYG9FVb3b0wYPPr3VdmCfbpgNcoziOv5xzobk-3ENwqw1wBm7vbrgpOKi8Hjlr_mtAY2jrIgSg0NWPm7d7hs2pyOeXPllUThaCdUEPVft6MWmHZn4PgE6XyxVYbYkSVmo-wOqMHc/s320/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Every Iron Maiden song is absolutely fantastic. What is the best one? What is the worst one? What is the 128th best one? We continue our ranking today on Heavy Metal Mania with songs 141-150!Check out the link at the end of today's list to see the other lists that have already been taken care of!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>150. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeJweRLvhdI" target="_blank">The Man of Sorrows</a> - <i>The Book of Souls</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhf4dbKItNqpgImr0cDouS0HpOVSg23aJ52EnGyM-dYAnehaUKX2Dj-xJSX0cWxc6TRO0e0cHgK5JwUQ3c0VL4qrUirQGKJYLrty5FopA-NLHlUrXJ0QboCA4e93ABAZEXJIqPlt3N4Y/s1600/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhf4dbKItNqpgImr0cDouS0HpOVSg23aJ52EnGyM-dYAnehaUKX2Dj-xJSX0cWxc6TRO0e0cHgK5JwUQ3c0VL4qrUirQGKJYLrty5FopA-NLHlUrXJ0QboCA4e93ABAZEXJIqPlt3N4Y/s320/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<br />
The lowest song from Iron Maiden's latest album, <i>The Book of Souls</i>, comes in solidly at number 150. It is the album's penultimate song as following it is the epic "Empire of the Clouds." The first half of the song reminds me a lot of a song from Bruce Dickinson's 1997 solo album <i>Accident of Birth</i>, that was also titled "Man of Sorrows!" Whether or not those songs share any connection is a mystery, but this man clearly is depressed, which most of us would be if we were the subject of one of Maiden's most boring songs. The instrumental piece in the middle is pretty nice, but that can hardly save this track which was doomed from the start. It should be noted that this song was written by Dave Murray and Steve Harris, so any thoughts of Bruce just bringing up an old song are moot. This is Murray's only contribution on the album. He usually only writes one to two songs per album, and it is a shame he could not whip out something like "Still Life" or "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg." Oh well, there is always next album!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>149. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NM2rsNCGas" target="_blank">The Apparition</a> - <i>Fear of the Dark</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
1992's <i>Fear of the Dark</i> featured quite a few filler songs. "The Apparition" is probably one of those songs. It is challenging to have this song so low. The lyrics are some of my favorite in Maiden's catalog. They are very psychological and offer some good advice. Iron Maiden has some amazing lyrics through their 155 songs and these are different, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. That being said, the music in the song is not able to back up the lyrics and is lackluster. This album feels like a way for Maiden to find out what things worked and did not work, which can be felt as a different mood carries throughout the album. This is one of those songs that did not work. It will never be forgotten by me though as a line from the song is my signature on the IMFC forum.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>148. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QginRFLESHU" target="_blank">New Frontier</a> - <i>Dance of Death</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s1600/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s320/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
What do Nicko McBrain and Ringo Starr have in common? Besides being legendary English drummers who now reside in the U.S., they are comically known for rarely writing for their respective bands. While Ringo has "Octopus's Garden" and "Don't Pass Me By," Nicko has "New Frontier" and ... well, that's it. Nicko has only written one song during his 35-year stay in Iron Maiden. Was "New Frontier" a shot of lyrical genius that Nicko had been hiding from the world? Not really, the lyrics are tied in with Nicko's religious awakening and God's displeasure of cloning. Apparently, Nicko got tricked... or talked into being a Christian in 1999 by his wife and a church he attended. If he's happy, we're happy, but come on Nick, write a better song 20 years from now!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>147. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otiiq6kt5Wc" target="_blank">Look for the Truth</a> - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet4t4sgrRSodaTbfdSeY2RTCrlSwNzMx-FCJNjmtwF7xcvPAocBSJZsAC8C-Mz2CjidmDPD1XTifGaaU4UBR1agglQI6LdUMSvsqG8M7PlxFE6UC8oF3nYKCcjC_-eC2Ge9HTMUf_oa4/s1600/Iron+Maiden+-+The+X+Factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet4t4sgrRSodaTbfdSeY2RTCrlSwNzMx-FCJNjmtwF7xcvPAocBSJZsAC8C-Mz2CjidmDPD1XTifGaaU4UBR1agglQI6LdUMSvsqG8M7PlxFE6UC8oF3nYKCcjC_-eC2Ge9HTMUf_oa4/s320/Iron+Maiden+-+The+X+Factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When Blaze Bayley was singing "Here is the dream" on this track, I am sure it was heartfelt. Bayley had hit the big time by singing for one of metal's biggest bands. The actual lyrics of the song have nothing to do with anything positive as the protagonist of the song is dealing with some awful demons from his own mind. This song follows a format that most on this album do: A soft almost inaudible intro, depressing lyrics that sequence into a fast instrumental verse and chorus, a couple guitar solos, some "woah-ohs" and the outro. It is pretty simplistic, but it works on most of the songs. This is just the weakest of the bunch. Many people completely dispell the Bayley era and would rather have me plug all 19 songs from that era at the bottom of the list, but I will never do that. The Bayley era contains some amazing music, and <i>The X Factor </i>is one of my favorite Iron Maiden albums, Top 5 for sure. That may be hard to believe since I have thrown now two songs from this album in the bottom ten, but I really do enjoy the album for its dark-slow paced vibe.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>146. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf44A4W0Ld4" target="_blank">Weekend Warrior</a> - <i>Fear of the Dark</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is one of the songs that is the hardest to find people defend. It is far from the best song Iron Maiden has ever recorded, but I enjoy the theme of it and the music fits. It is another one of those experimental songs that they had on this album. This one obviously does not work for Maiden, but it would be a good AC/DC song. The song deals with football fans who go and see a match just to get crazy and cause havoc. One could compare it to the Hillsborough tragedy or an average Buffalo Bills home game. Dave Murray and Janick Gers lay down some excellent guitar solos on this one.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>145. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33vMozxDyXk" target="_blank">Run Silent Run Deep</a> - <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0mn00Ad6XcA_Smi0zn4Ubs3E3-lqZ_W2Hhyphenhyphen_Edd5AofXj67RRXU_STMzz9hOpk5m1bjo-1nEEESIYGpdXkSAFZH10pDADyDhny3ruLEDHDOPTUOwykg2nZlSSR2H2LGTuh_aveAxwME/s1600/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0mn00Ad6XcA_Smi0zn4Ubs3E3-lqZ_W2Hhyphenhyphen_Edd5AofXj67RRXU_STMzz9hOpk5m1bjo-1nEEESIYGpdXkSAFZH10pDADyDhny3ruLEDHDOPTUOwykg2nZlSSR2H2LGTuh_aveAxwME/s320/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The first song from <i>No Prayer for the Dying </i>to make the list is "Run Silent Run Deep." The lyrics had been originally written by Bruce for the <i>Somewhere in Time </i>album but had to stow them away for a few years since he was denied any songwriting on the band's 1986 album. That may have ultimately been a good thing as this is a rather weak track. The intro is neat, but the verse is poor. The chorus and solo pick it up a bit, but the song as a whole just is not too thrilling.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>144. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFIWzk_ex1s" target="_blank">Sanctuary</a> - <i>Iron Maiden</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzi41ic3T4_qNCF3Q8s414uh6dB8JF9WOBPwkW3B36SSL7j7LqInYDIlgUAkClGL0jk3lBy0Hj_EU0NruIvHd_m6lWpX5CkFOq_V7FnuiO5se9qJCsG-5Nr3o9OWkZSwST1OWgUB-4bho/s1600/IRON-MAIDEN-Sanctuary-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzi41ic3T4_qNCF3Q8s414uh6dB8JF9WOBPwkW3B36SSL7j7LqInYDIlgUAkClGL0jk3lBy0Hj_EU0NruIvHd_m6lWpX5CkFOq_V7FnuiO5se9qJCsG-5Nr3o9OWkZSwST1OWgUB-4bho/s320/IRON-MAIDEN-Sanctuary-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In comes the hatred from the nostalgic group. Well, this song is really basic and sounds a bit out of place on this record. That could be because it is not an original Iron Maiden composition. Despite the fact that most releases credit "Iron Maiden" as the writer of this song, it was not originally written by Iron Maiden. It is a little-known fact that Rob Angelo, who resided in the band in 1977, wrote the song and later sold it to the band for <span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">£300. That's quite a little nugget isn't it? Well, that, coupled with the single cover from 1980[pictured above] are the only interesting things about this song. How this song has lasted through nearly every tour is a mystery to me. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-large;"><b>143. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwtE3PfbxBM" target="_blank">Satellite 15... the Final Frontier</a> - <i>The Final Frontier</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6XbB0bE0xoLJUfrCynu7FmKxpYtLlmvE19kZ1wJhsAhC1FR3cvj0FdExPPMI-45aKMGtVXK2YxOEKZY37gZYpE9hICM7lRW_clh_epDOxGcCDwM1lTdOtkffi0ULRfyvWECL9jLTvaU/s1600/257baa3ad6c6aaffd7e327d39c72dc6d.1000x982x1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1000" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6XbB0bE0xoLJUfrCynu7FmKxpYtLlmvE19kZ1wJhsAhC1FR3cvj0FdExPPMI-45aKMGtVXK2YxOEKZY37gZYpE9hICM7lRW_clh_epDOxGcCDwM1lTdOtkffi0ULRfyvWECL9jLTvaU/s320/257baa3ad6c6aaffd7e327d39c72dc6d.1000x982x1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Que the worst title track in Maiden history. The insanely long intro to this song is what kills it for me. If it was written to be an intro for the tour, that's understandable, but why leave it that long on the album? The theme could be interesting to some people into the sci-fi stuff, but it does not hit home personally. The chorus is nice, but that about does it. The rest of the album, fortunately, features some amazing music that far surpasses the first track.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>142. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F84L0APlDJw" target="_blank">Sun and Steel</a> - <i>Piece of Mind</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZLhHXTrYfBuqsYp_rC4DiU1DZXYIatc1zv4n3A_uGjgwrewk-P2jmL_z3BGQhfg2UF5mRBohgFvJhTGRXtA0K4Z2goVNLQ35nkWosQuhCd6wfoPOztBmKb6Peos-JZiAYeA5knm3nQw/s1600/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZLhHXTrYfBuqsYp_rC4DiU1DZXYIatc1zv4n3A_uGjgwrewk-P2jmL_z3BGQhfg2UF5mRBohgFvJhTGRXtA0K4Z2goVNLQ35nkWosQuhCd6wfoPOztBmKb6Peos-JZiAYeA5knm3nQw/s320/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once again I will reiterate that every Iron Maiden is a masterpiece, there are just some that are better than others. We all have an opinion on what is the best and worst, so do not get your panties in a twist if a song you like is low on this list. "Sun and Steel" comes in as one of two filler songs wedged near the end of 1983's <i>Piece of Mind</i>. The other song appears later on this list, I am sure you know what it is. The tale of this song is quite interesting. It follows the life of Japanese samurai Miyamoto Musashi. The one part of the song that does not sit well with me is the opening intro. Every time I hear that I usually skip the song. The placing of this song and "Sanctuary" will undoubtedly get me the most criticism, but we could not leave the 80s songs completely unscathed this time around, could we?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>141. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW5us8h4e5s" target="_blank">The Angel and the Gambler</a> - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN2Q_tYW787i3XsDDy8YhS6ttzoDtxhMqfLcasY7xFHa6Eg69mWbA2GMoSRlA9UaPM8tmZWFGxjNT93GDdSATKlZr9fN4CoqNYq_rD6gRzs3-v_m9T358xt_wdW7tFaW0AmvKWupjXNQ/s1600/R-1019185-1408886611-2652.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN2Q_tYW787i3XsDDy8YhS6ttzoDtxhMqfLcasY7xFHa6Eg69mWbA2GMoSRlA9UaPM8tmZWFGxjNT93GDdSATKlZr9fN4CoqNYq_rD6gRzs3-v_m9T358xt_wdW7tFaW0AmvKWupjXNQ/s320/R-1019185-1408886611-2652.jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Fans everywhere rejoice! "The Angel and the Gambler" has finally been ranked! There was a time when I thought this song was severely underrated and deserved to be played live. Those times have passed and I have succumbed to most people's pleading and have grown to not be as fond of this song as I once was. The whole intro of the song is just not very cool. The horn sounding keyboards are just so un-Iron Maiden that it hurts a bit. The lyrics are also cheesy and uninspired, like most of the lyrics found throughout <i>Virtual XI</i>. This song, along with another <i>Virtual XI </i>track, are fun to troll people with whenever the aux cord is passed your way. For that alone, it gets a higher ranking from me than most people. The version of the music video is much shorter and probably should have been that way on the album.<br />
<br />
<br />
So there are 150-141. Next time we will rank 140-131! What are some of your least favorite Iron Maiden songs? Leave a comment and stay on the look for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
FULL RANKING LIST<br />
<br />
155-151: <a href="https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb">https://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/12/ranking-every-iron-maiden-song-number.html?spref=fb</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAOhRKUD3CB1-osZ0zrKwooayJRXjthcWsHDB9LePCievzop3oPJ2E_mXHeT9UdyecSE8eaSAjpwoiXnJM56mW1fwdlT3cOdQ_IQN6hMBPE5H2tcm14YhPKuphSqt4d7W2FquanygtII/s1600/aee15e39684a02c834faac648d7a5222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="720" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAOhRKUD3CB1-osZ0zrKwooayJRXjthcWsHDB9LePCievzop3oPJ2E_mXHeT9UdyecSE8eaSAjpwoiXnJM56mW1fwdlT3cOdQ_IQN6hMBPE5H2tcm14YhPKuphSqt4d7W2FquanygtII/s320/aee15e39684a02c834faac648d7a5222.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-77956291417006470362017-12-01T17:27:00.000-08:002017-12-01T17:30:38.193-08:00Ranking Every Iron Maiden song: Number 155-151<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbQZznDUGoNtPtOZJXjGaZqF7uUr3-VJxIRrred_nS56aNnfe2BAs1E55l8xzge7aq5AMjF2fbAs33qgQ-xTdbWi4c24zv6DFmvwvk4X1vfLS1W0qgVvTbrhKzAPMeOcb1YdMmCMpX4I/s1600/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbQZznDUGoNtPtOZJXjGaZqF7uUr3-VJxIRrred_nS56aNnfe2BAs1E55l8xzge7aq5AMjF2fbAs33qgQ-xTdbWi4c24zv6DFmvwvk4X1vfLS1W0qgVvTbrhKzAPMeOcb1YdMmCMpX4I/s320/ironmaidencovers_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Let's just cut to the chase and skip the long intro. Iron Maiden is the best band on the planet. They have released 16 albums containing 155 songs. Those songs are the greatest songs ever released in the history of time. I suppose that is just an opinion. You can agree with me if you have correct opinions. Obviously, there must be a best and worst song. There are also 153 others in the middle of that. So, why not put together a list ranking every Iron Maiden song? That's what we are about to put to the test on Heavy Metal Mania. With a "definitive" list ranking every Iron Maiden song, with ten per post. Those who do not agree with this list are encouraged to post their own in the comment section. Today's list will only include the final five songs.<br />
<br />
NOTE: The song titles are also hyperlinks to the song on YouTube.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>155. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfekV7e9YUE" target="_blank">Chains of Misery</a> - <i>Fear of the Dark</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0AtaMTrv6wg6czLMXtq_nbLX7Jj98zwX2lFMJU2OkAawrT0fyKt67wdbzxSYJKNr6STgLF5MYoWLvo1qXBLGu_GiTFbz1nsWn9CSYz1bvVNZtFTjNqSV0PzUGSbh3MgtOXx7Zx_9WnM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, we had to start somewhere right? Chains of Misery comes in as the worst Iron Maiden song. It comes from my least favorite Iron Maiden album, <i>Fear of the Dark</i>, so naturally, the worst song would be derived from there. We must establish that even though this song is still last, it is still an Iron Maiden song meaning it is still one of the greatest songs ever written, it is just far inferior to every other one of their masterpieces. Bruce Dickinson and Dave Murray collaborated on this gem and as Bruce tells it, the song revolves around the devil's dastardly deed of making us do the wrong thing and holding us down by our "Chains of Misery." If you like subpar Iron Maiden songs, this is your jam!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>154. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yip6UpQPmic" target="_blank">The Man Who Would Be King</a> - <i>The Final Frontier</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-CtNTruR4vc2gEutRnE67z10SnaxtdbnBZOKAi7_NiPvH_KKrpxgu7yItjLvS7ApnNL-sAocAAUzYDLa4u7AgerFiskwow5hxyeK3oghJC13rbFKVS-cG1Bp29BcxcmTksDUIuRVLEg/s1600/album_the_final_frontier_iron_maiden_2010_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-CtNTruR4vc2gEutRnE67z10SnaxtdbnBZOKAi7_NiPvH_KKrpxgu7yItjLvS7ApnNL-sAocAAUzYDLa4u7AgerFiskwow5hxyeK3oghJC13rbFKVS-cG1Bp29BcxcmTksDUIuRVLEg/s320/album_the_final_frontier_iron_maiden_2010_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is one of those 21st century Iron Maiden songs that makes you think they just make long songs just for the sake of it. Do not get me wrong, I love some of their longer songs such as "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "The Book of Souls," "For the Greater Good of God," etc. but this one kind of drones on for way too long and I find myself asleep in the middle of it. The song is about a man who is a king of an unknown land who is seeking forgiveness after killing someone. The intro to the song is pretty cool, but like the rest of it lasts way too long.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>153. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9J3rHHVk94" target="_blank">Age of Innocence</a> - <i>Dance of Death</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s1600/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha4oElNB-ojAuX6W1hmiGsKCMK5RSbloSWeVU21lPUk-u4WAAgz7gmm9ecu0EBNULHQTCdCUP8WFPt8Js_HUwFZ4w6iPpVOi8ySrxYDsleUEDSUbhpM0F1FBryYipjVZ6M6nwXGwqQgk/s320/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Would you believe I actually feel as I have ranked this song too high? One of the more boring Iron Maiden songs for sure came near the end of 2003's <i>Dance of Death</i>. Apparently, the lyrics are one of those "back in my day" deals as Steve Harris asserts that crime is much more rampant in the UK as when he was growing up. The lyrics take a jab at the British justice system or lack thereof. The subject matter of the song is a serious matter, but it can hardly save it from its rather uninspiring music. The only thing that can salvage the song is that drummer Nicko McBrain recorded a version of him singing the song as a bonus track on the "No More Lies" EP released in 2004. Nicko's rendition of the song is absolutely hilarious and is definitely worth a listen. It is rather ironic that they pick such a serious song to make a joke out of, but the beauty of Iron Maiden is that they never take themselves too seriously!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>152. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlKVJtDeQKw" target="_blank">Prodigal Son</a> <i>- Killers</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s1600/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4GthQwWA7V8I2bg5UyxLdpaZ3GQqo9JzvjbimlA8FPs-fVxoQ5k1f0y62BpuJkdxQucZW0nLe8ioViJd2oCM92-PvsVJbxRw9wLN9KR-LEkvoCqfOpJ-SfjhJH18eVQCNucyuoMNJ3A/s320/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This might get me the most flack of any song on this post. "Prodigal Son" is notably the only song off of 1981's <i>Killers</i> that was not played on the album's tour. Most believe that this song has never been played live, although through a few reliable sources I have found that it was indeed played live sometime in the 1970s. Whatever the case, I am glad it was not played live during the album tour as it is the weakest song on <i>Killers</i>. The song features a pretty neat intro, but that's about it. The lyrics deal with some sort of biblical figure trying to plead with a "lamia." Now, what is a "lamia?" According to Greek mythology, a lamia was a female demon who devoured the heads of children. Interesting to say the least. "The Lamia" is also a song by Genesis, of whom Steve Harris drew a lot of inspiration from, so there might be some ties there.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>151. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5OCTn2ICjg" target="_blank">The Unbeliever</a> - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVHDgxU1HrVNKsfl9IoA6P36QUi-lzjd1gKeMGDmzYqxhJ0StJXtCxIrUMePOnZzPpi5jn9memb_36gyk0sLEt0y-Twrug00z0R3hRKWptRdJcT0BR21ZFmhqITeYN-JynR8eFDvboq4/s1600/Iron+Maiden+-+The+X+Factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVHDgxU1HrVNKsfl9IoA6P36QUi-lzjd1gKeMGDmzYqxhJ0StJXtCxIrUMePOnZzPpi5jn9memb_36gyk0sLEt0y-Twrug00z0R3hRKWptRdJcT0BR21ZFmhqITeYN-JynR8eFDvboq4/s320/Iron+Maiden+-+The+X+Factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The worst song from the Blaze Bayley era comes just above the worst one from the Paul Di'anno era. The final track on <i>The X Factor</i>, Iron Maiden's first album with Blaze Bayley on vocals, is fairly useless. Like most of the songs from these bottom five, the song features a cool intro, but the rest of the song suffers from repetitiveness, some lackluster lyrics, and forced guitar solos in the midsection of the song. At the end, I myself am an unbeliever. As in, I can not believe they would choose this song on the album when "I Live My Way," "Judgement Day," and "Justice of the Peace" are all far superior to this song, and yet were regulated to 'B' sides of <i>The X Factor</i>'s first single, "Man on the Edge." The lyrics seem to hint at someone who runs from emotional problems and will not believe who they truly are inside.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, that was not easy, but those are the five worst Iron Maiden songs. No two lists are exactly the same, so give us your worst five in the comments below. Keep posted for the next list where we reveal songs 150-141 on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
Visit http:<a href="http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">//uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/</a> to see Heavy Metal Mania's main site where there are several completed Iron Maiden lists already up on the web!<br />
<br />
<br />
NP<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajy-IS1MH5qi3rAVHiNl-ixyW2506zfD7T_8HEwKJyD3BrM_z7m5kGwBXJvsrFUE5hZEOqM1ZWDpWkvfi_Ugwc27fbWTFzkPWfZ8F_ts8B91qgSsrlqTuzl7peZfndsDXy-MHBLFLYD8/s1600/lineup1986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="500" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajy-IS1MH5qi3rAVHiNl-ixyW2506zfD7T_8HEwKJyD3BrM_z7m5kGwBXJvsrFUE5hZEOqM1ZWDpWkvfi_Ugwc27fbWTFzkPWfZ8F_ts8B91qgSsrlqTuzl7peZfndsDXy-MHBLFLYD8/s320/lineup1986.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-32884399492378516172017-11-17T14:35:00.001-08:002017-11-17T23:03:52.601-08:00Iron Maiden Live Albums Ranked<u>by Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijndTG6dWgL7fFlPZMZebkLhQcYnPehAJO-vch_w7tif-h5z6ZPQhTaXHnTAzI_JVKdImQ5NDlYptFO-SLDVqrTan-ijVuPCLoqucfszxsKykCRilRM8nuOZCTkC05ow1cXX-m6b8rrmg/s1600/iron-maiden-announce-live-album-book-of-souls.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijndTG6dWgL7fFlPZMZebkLhQcYnPehAJO-vch_w7tif-h5z6ZPQhTaXHnTAzI_JVKdImQ5NDlYptFO-SLDVqrTan-ijVuPCLoqucfszxsKykCRilRM8nuOZCTkC05ow1cXX-m6b8rrmg/s400/iron-maiden-announce-live-album-book-of-souls.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
It has been well-established that Iron Maiden is one of the greatest live acts in music history. Their amazing live shows include a ten-foot incarnation of Eddie roaming the stage, Bruce Dickinson jumping around, and oh yeah, some of the best music in metal history being performed. They are awesome to say the least. Over the years Iron Maiden has captured some of that essence on record and released them as live albums. In fact, today is the day that Maiden's <i>Book of Souls: Live Chapter</i> is released to the world. It is their 12th live album released and it is a good one. Where does it rank among their live albums released so far? Scroll down the list to find out!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>12. <u>A Real Dead One</u> - 1993</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9WQhzlyOlDhFlEeshmTguMf3evLk8hYU1yFwzOaMssiU9GblB4FoQX6Edf4VCWoq59nrRkCJpJVjZdLVJyHhmKzykwnjsPfebLBvk68IGWfHmxCGz4QZWT09ccWwziN-Tnpp2DDOfic/s1600/R-383558-1281160448.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9WQhzlyOlDhFlEeshmTguMf3evLk8hYU1yFwzOaMssiU9GblB4FoQX6Edf4VCWoq59nrRkCJpJVjZdLVJyHhmKzykwnjsPfebLBvk68IGWfHmxCGz4QZWT09ccWwziN-Tnpp2DDOfic/s320/R-383558-1281160448.jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
Every list has to have a bottom dweller and on this one it just happens to be <i>A Real Dead One </i>from 1993. In the year of Bruce Dickinson's departure, the band released three live albums across the span of six months and this one fell right in the middle of that insanity. This live album was the counterpart to <i>A Real Live One</i>, which was released earlier in 1993. The main point that split the two albums was that <i>A Real Dead One </i>contained material played from the band's first five albums on their Fear of the Dark Tour and A Real Live Tour. The strong point of this release comes from its setlist, which contains much of the band's more classic work such as "The Number of the Beast," "The Trooper," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," among others. It also contains some more obscure recordings like "Where Eagles Dare" and "Prowler." At the same time though, the rehashing of the popular material might be its downfall. Would I really choose to hear "Sanctuary" live from this record just for fun? Probably not. This album, along with its counterpart, are usually criticized for the production where the bass is a lot more clear than the guitars which are kind of blended together and not very unique. As a biased bassist, I like the overemphasized sound of the bass, but it might not have been the best choice on this release. Steve Harris was the producer after all so it should be expected. Overall, this live album is good but far from their best work.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>11. <u>A Real Live One</u> - 1993</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSKAxh9FxraQ5EbJydWoPcFqhgu2q3OCSyxFhwuujmt9ejRLgZoTuoBS53Q0BsKJdqN9nDpXwpSLABG4sIF3VpP5XxX9fJqexI4sVjKjIh4zHLcwzTzrJ67RTWiywGfAUZBFNenwVZcQ/s1600/R-1832006-1461491886-7812.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSKAxh9FxraQ5EbJydWoPcFqhgu2q3OCSyxFhwuujmt9ejRLgZoTuoBS53Q0BsKJdqN9nDpXwpSLABG4sIF3VpP5XxX9fJqexI4sVjKjIh4zHLcwzTzrJ67RTWiywGfAUZBFNenwVZcQ/s320/R-1832006-1461491886-7812.jpeg.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<br />
If you had a twin you would probably get dragged down with them all of the time. The same can be said for the A Real Live/Dead One combo. In 1998, when Iron Maiden remastered all of their albums, they rightfully placed the two together on a complete release titled <i>A Real Live Dead One</i>. I always wonder why they did not just do that in the first place. This album contains material from the band's sixth through ninth album, that were seen as the newer work at the time. The feelings about this one are pretty much exactly the same about the other one. "Bring Your Daugther... to the Slaughter" and "The Clairvoyant" are highlights while "Be Quick or Be Dead" and "From Here to Eternity" are low points. The coolest thing on the record to me is before "Wasting Love" when Bruce gives a speech in French to the Paris audience. For that alone it scores just a bit higher than <i>A Real Dead One</i>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>10. <u>Death On The Road</u> - 2005(Recorded in 2003)</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_e1j1iaaCmkJ20hZ1rzkncVajfdv3YVpB1xygR8Fz2KRR5qNdelokue5SsNdHJy9EqWm6ZnscpZ4XanGA5jW1rmcf_g-GSMtzEHnQ8l_Uq5VzmUCpwbcTZs-mov7tWRsUGHZIaJUR48/s1600/61%252BsPFcMLgL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="494" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_e1j1iaaCmkJ20hZ1rzkncVajfdv3YVpB1xygR8Fz2KRR5qNdelokue5SsNdHJy9EqWm6ZnscpZ4XanGA5jW1rmcf_g-GSMtzEHnQ8l_Uq5VzmUCpwbcTZs-mov7tWRsUGHZIaJUR48/s320/61%252BsPFcMLgL.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />
What can really be said about <i>Death on the Road</i>? The first four songs might be the most boring first four to begin an Iron Maiden live album. After we are treated to "Wildest Dreams," one of the weakest songs from <i>Dance of Death</i>, we get an always thrilling rendition of "Wrathchild," and then the must play in every Iron Maiden concert "Can I Play With Madness?" and lastly "The Trooper." Just terrific. Those are all great songs in their own right, but it just feels gross starting a concert with those on a tour that's supposedly about <i>Dance of Death</i>. After that though the set gets really good with "Dance of Death," "Rainmaker," "Brave New World," and "Paschendale" making up for the weak start. The music is mixed well and every instrument sounds in check. The crowd noise does sound tweaked a bit high, but it gives it that bootleg from the middle of the audience feel which is really cool for some folks. There can be no discussion about <i>Death on the Road</i> without mentioning the live video that would accompany it a few years later. I am not sure if Steve Harris was attempting to set a record for most jump cuts in one DVD, but he definitely achieved it within the first five minutes of the film with an endless amount of nauseating jump cuts. Stick to the audio recording of this album.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9. <u>BBC Archives</u> - 2002(Recordings from 1980-1982)</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nESxa45OLN678TNOHkppIfv8xNAgHuge2bejKqtWO7JzE41AmJojTtJsZOdplWjYSueFmN-Lk7pScjNdxSsCs87nKX0wwxfEdJys9FXGmJekW5vdEHJGwgxUBRexRk0lAoUJwKkWd1A/s1600/R-2584842-1427805595-7332.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nESxa45OLN678TNOHkppIfv8xNAgHuge2bejKqtWO7JzE41AmJojTtJsZOdplWjYSueFmN-Lk7pScjNdxSsCs87nKX0wwxfEdJys9FXGmJekW5vdEHJGwgxUBRexRk0lAoUJwKkWd1A/s320/R-2584842-1427805595-7332.jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Any time a band shells out some unheard recordings from its early days it is going to be a big deal. That was somewhat the case when Iron Maiden released the <i>BBC Archives</i> along with two other gems as apart of the Eddie's Archive box set from 2002. <i>BBC Archives </i>contains recordings from three separate concerts from Maiden's early days and one from when the band was already a well-established front runner. The first is a four-song session from Iron Maiden's performance on BBC's <i>Friday Rock Show</i> from 1979. These songs feature Doug Sampson on drums soon before he was replaced by Clive Burr. Besides <i>The Soundhouse Tapes</i>, this is the earliest official recording of Maiden. Of course bootlegs exist out there from prior, but this is the only thing the band <i>want</i> you listening to! It is a pretty decent recording and definitely for historical purposes should be looked at intently. The next recordings come from Maiden's performance at 1982's Reading Festival. By this time Bruce Dickinson is in the band and you can feel the raw energy oozing out of the record with every note played from the boys and every high screech from Bruce. With <i>Beast Over Hammersmith,</i> which was recorded on the same tour and released with Eddie's Archive, outshining this recording, it makes this one feel a little redundant. The next recording is another Reading Festival performance, this time from 1980 when Dennis Stratton was still handling guitar duties. To me, this is the best recording on the album. Di'anno's voice sounds a lot better than on the 1979 recording as he takes command of the audio. Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Clive Burr, and Dennis Stratton do not let him take too much charge as their presence is definitely all felt collectively on this what was one of the best concerts of 1980's Iron Maiden tour. The final recording on the album comes from 1988's performance at Donington. It's a great recording and in fact this is the concert where "The Clairvoyant" was recorded for single release, although strangely enough it does not appear on this live album. It's a superb recording but it suffers the same fate as the 1982 recording in that its made redundant by <i>Maiden England</i>, which exceeds this recording in almost every way. The thing about this album that confuses me the most is why it is in a somewhat shuffled order instead of being listed chronologically. Overall, <i>BBC Archives </i>is a very interesting and historical release, but not the best by a long shot.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>8. <u>En Vivo!</u> - 2012</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bQIPaxGR3q59weOz5yoCp72iwmQ7dRV4z7NC3cnWDb6uArEcu68bUGF-_DDkHVYUWoStnPKP5DOSiuWpudi1bt9t8p_svZQ4cSyTlw9e0bXDNqZyg10C28_4Rq7PBW7cWF8ZlNv1RzQ/s1600/IRON-MAIDEN-En-Vivo-DLP-BLACK-VINYL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bQIPaxGR3q59weOz5yoCp72iwmQ7dRV4z7NC3cnWDb6uArEcu68bUGF-_DDkHVYUWoStnPKP5DOSiuWpudi1bt9t8p_svZQ4cSyTlw9e0bXDNqZyg10C28_4Rq7PBW7cWF8ZlNv1RzQ/s320/IRON-MAIDEN-En-Vivo-DLP-BLACK-VINYL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As Iron Maiden have trekked down further in their career, they have made an increased effort in releasing live albums, and it is really the best move they can make. Their live work is what gets them the most praise, and thus they bring it to the masses in carefully wrapped CDs, vinyl, and DVDs. Here's an example of Iron Maiden shelling out another live release, 2012's <i>En Vivo! </i>recorded in Santiago, Chile in 2011 off of Iron Maiden's Final Frontier World Tour. That tour, which ran from 2010-2011, was a great example of Maiden pleasing both the casual and hardcore fans alike with mixing their classic work with their newer less desired music. For someone like myself obsessed with the band, I wish they would whip out "Fates Warning" or "Flash of the Blade" just for the heck of it, but am always happy to see them play material from the latest album and that's exactly what they did for this release. The only negatives here come from "Satellite 15... the Final Frontier," which is just a fairly weak song, and "The Wicker Man," where the guitar intro sounds very unfamiliar to how we have heard it in the past. One note that has always upset me is that before playing "2 Minutes to Midnight," Bruce mentions how it's a song from 1982, when this song is from <i>Powerslave</i>, which came out in 1984. Now obviously Bruce is not a Maiden obsessed nerd like most of us, but it is something maybe he should have correct in his mind before he shouts to millions of people watching. For that alone it got knocked down a spot maybe.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7. <u>Live at Donington</u> - 1993</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ISGjbP995sc3sI52xDGkS2E6iiLcVnq4FhqJm4Ll8g-giFI458JlXp1iLZ6ybvNyAb8j9kPxe_HZPqqI5WfCLEQut9NQyi2-J7I-9ix_5mjmgmea7_Je_sjt1BkjqkGdcu0v7vwozqg/s1600/Donington_alkuper%25C3%25A4inen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ISGjbP995sc3sI52xDGkS2E6iiLcVnq4FhqJm4Ll8g-giFI458JlXp1iLZ6ybvNyAb8j9kPxe_HZPqqI5WfCLEQut9NQyi2-J7I-9ix_5mjmgmea7_Je_sjt1BkjqkGdcu0v7vwozqg/s320/Donington_alkuper%25C3%25A4inen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Somehow Iron Maiden managed to squeeze out three live albums in 1993 and this is the last of the bunch, and amazingly it was the best released of the year. This album definitely sounds like what <i>A Real Live One </i>and <i>A Real Dead One</i> were trying to accomplish. The dark and ominous mood of the band's era are heard throughout this release and it works really well. Major bonus points are given for guitarist Adrian Smith's appearance on "Running Free," the last song performed on the release. Smith had left the band in 1989 after spending eight years in Maiden. He was replaced with Janick Gers. For this one song, however, Smith joined the band and they played as a six-piece for the first time. In 1999 of course Smith would rejoin the band, along with Bruce Dickinson who would leave for six years after 1993's A Real Live Tour, and the band would be a permanent six-piece to this day. "Fear of the Dark" has remained a staple in Iron Maiden's set as the only 90s era song and even in its first tour its presence seems larger than life. This live album is largely overlooked but most Maiden fans should look back on it and appreciate it. Then maybe we will finally get a damn 90s history tour.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6. <u>Beast Over Hammersmith</u> - 2002(Recorded in 1982)</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5JIjxkFLNG5Jaw0FBIjNsrrZHkmIMfP3_Cj9XnVyT8pLAg6zg_HcMNEyMTVeOEy5SxyHEieujk9VMRzPVGeapXGx2ztaXlHf1IAaorGA18LJZH8xMggfZoMyXVsduZVa2JMpNPt7ifY/s1600/R-2582948-1427803498-4332.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5JIjxkFLNG5Jaw0FBIjNsrrZHkmIMfP3_Cj9XnVyT8pLAg6zg_HcMNEyMTVeOEy5SxyHEieujk9VMRzPVGeapXGx2ztaXlHf1IAaorGA18LJZH8xMggfZoMyXVsduZVa2JMpNPt7ifY/s320/R-2582948-1427803498-4332.jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the part of the list where it starts getting really hard to put an album where it might seem "too low." <i>Beast Over Hammersmith </i>was packaged in 2002 Eddie's Archive with the aforementioned <i>BBC Archives</i> and <i>Best of the 'B' Sides</i>. It was recorded in 1982 at the Hammersmith Odeon on Maiden's Beast on the Road tour, Bruce Dickinson's first full tour with the band. The setlist is absolutely phenomenal. It opens with "Murders in the Rue Morgue," which has alaways been personally preferred with Bruce on vocals rather than the original vocalist of the track Paul Di'anno. After that there is just a plethora of classic tracks from Maiden's first three albums with "Children of the Damned," "Killers," and "Phantom of the Opera" being notable. "Total Eclipse," the 'B' side to the "Run to the Hills" single even makes a rare appearance. The live video that accompanies the album is awesome, however at the time it was not released because the band and management were not happy with the lighting on the recording. Luckily it was finally released in 2005 on the Early Days DVD. There just is not much bad to say about this entire record, except that on a personal note I am much more fond of Bruce's vocals later on in his Maiden career rather than right at the beginning.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. <u>Maiden England</u> - 2013(Recorded in 1988)</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHklh43sMNLPk_4xDn4DFjsrkyLkID2P3JuFxT0_KgRqLZjoPhv3jbFTWFQIJpAUcmuhhIZoEAOXQedKh3v5baI8iucgJGVZAPag2AgT__BS260gwpGLnAPkZ_QXRqHg4-_XKRwmGfVSc/s1600/Iron-Maiden-%25E2%2580%2593-Maiden-England-%25E2%2580%259988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1052" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHklh43sMNLPk_4xDn4DFjsrkyLkID2P3JuFxT0_KgRqLZjoPhv3jbFTWFQIJpAUcmuhhIZoEAOXQedKh3v5baI8iucgJGVZAPag2AgT__BS260gwpGLnAPkZ_QXRqHg4-_XKRwmGfVSc/s320/Iron-Maiden-%25E2%2580%2593-Maiden-England-%25E2%2580%259988.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Narrowly defeating <i>Beast Over Hammersmith</i> is 2013's <i>Maiden England</i>. This recording comes from 1988 where it was originally recorded for video release. It should be noted that this album was originally released in 1994, but with only 10 songs, whereas the more familiar 2013 version has the full slate of 18 songs in the lineup. This is an excellent album, with everything you would want from an Iron Maiden release available for the picking. The setlist is terrific, with six songs being taken directly from the album's tour's namesake, <i>Seventh Son of a Seventh Son</i>. "Infinite Dreams" and "The Clairvoyant" are bright spots from that album's appearances. Besides those songs we get great renditions of "Die With Your Boots On," "Killers," "The Prisoner," "Still Life," among others. The whole atmosphere of the album is phenomenal and it shows Maiden at their peak in the 1980s, although most would not call it their largest peak in their career. It is such an awesome album that it leaves you wondering what could possibly outdo it?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. <u>Book of Souls: Live Chapter</u> - 2017</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP94c6dUUKZmy9CmoIfyeIHUubYQGJRCMt-DwvXROxUMb_yEwWmD7GWuO8Bcef1YfHefJdlRh0E5qLQVxaoGlaOQK6G0LBe-2Pq-16k-7aVQypDqEo4hCrXRDn-yGXcFbQi6PDWl_0R2s/s1600/A1rP3ETC%252BKL._SY355_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP94c6dUUKZmy9CmoIfyeIHUubYQGJRCMt-DwvXROxUMb_yEwWmD7GWuO8Bcef1YfHefJdlRh0E5qLQVxaoGlaOQK6G0LBe-2Pq-16k-7aVQypDqEo4hCrXRDn-yGXcFbQi6PDWl_0R2s/s320/A1rP3ETC%252BKL._SY355_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Somehow Iron Maiden continues to outdo themselves year after year. Like a fine wine, they have been perfected with their increased age and experience. There is a large amount of emotional baggage on this record for myself seeing as it was my first Iron Maiden concert that I saw for myself, front row by the way! The setlist has to be one of the best the band has ever done. Six songs are pulled from 2015's <i>The Book of Souls</i> and they definitely chose the best of the bunch with "If Eternity Should Fail," "Death or Glory," and "The Book of Souls" being concert highlights. Although there's a personal yearning for them to have played "When the River Runs Deep" and the 18-minute "Empire of the Clouds," I can live without it. The entire band is fully in sync here and never miss a step. It is an awesome feeling knowing that Maiden's legacy can continue on now in their fifth decade of releasing material.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. <u>Live After Death</u> - 1985</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHWhapUc_qb6haSOxKHs1igT22aapxpZBQ61oQlGY_RArZQKldat9zOEfSkmam5e9PicSC-xCPNxMuqa0BmHyEN4EJSbjcWLagtnYtuFoytFUWP9LbGJeE8nIAJE_gZ36oGwniFKXeD8/s1600/l02-lad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHWhapUc_qb6haSOxKHs1igT22aapxpZBQ61oQlGY_RArZQKldat9zOEfSkmam5e9PicSC-xCPNxMuqa0BmHyEN4EJSbjcWLagtnYtuFoytFUWP9LbGJeE8nIAJE_gZ36oGwniFKXeD8/s320/l02-lad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There are some releases that even someone who is not an obsessed Iron Maiden fan can say "yeah, that's really cool." This is absolutely the case with 1985's <i>Live After Death</i>. This album contains recordings across four separate shows at Los Angeles's Long Beach Arena where Maiden sold out every show from March 13-17, 1985. The production is absolutely fantastic on this album. Every instrument is clear and distinct in its own way while blending in to make the final product sound crisp and superb. This live album spawned two singles, "Running Free" and "Run to the Hills." Both of these are two of the best recordings from the album. On the 1998 re-release the band added "Wrathchild," "22 Acacia Avenue," "Die With Your Boots On," "Children of the Damned," and "Phantom of the Opera," five amazing tracks recorded from UK shows in 1984 that were not included on the original release due to lack of space. One of the best things about this album has to be the album cover. It has gone on to become of Iron Maiden's most iconic album covers and for good reason. This album has stood the test of time as one of the best live albums in metal history.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. <u>Rock in Rio</u> - 2002</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegy8A4o-3pvFW_BqIBLsp82UnwvebCBRvZO3nM1Qn3bXnBMqTq7RVoQPJgZirNhZKjns-3xRDoVUWwRu-3zlaK7b2wr-XFZx8YYHMHQf693oHQ5_LAgKpvhAeDR7sWiLlg3anSYN0zuk/s1600/Iron_Maiden_-_Rock_In_Rio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegy8A4o-3pvFW_BqIBLsp82UnwvebCBRvZO3nM1Qn3bXnBMqTq7RVoQPJgZirNhZKjns-3xRDoVUWwRu-3zlaK7b2wr-XFZx8YYHMHQf693oHQ5_LAgKpvhAeDR7sWiLlg3anSYN0zuk/s320/Iron_Maiden_-_Rock_In_Rio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The year 2000, or 2001 depending on how you want to look at it, was not just the beginning of the new millennium, it was the beginning of Iron Maiden's takeover of the world. With the release of 2000's <i>Brave New World</i>, the band from East Leyton, London were ready to show that they were back and were to be taken very seriously. Bruce Dickinson returned after a six year leave from the band in 1999 along with guitarist Adrian Smith who had been gone since 1989 and the band were ready to get back to business as a six-piece, including three guitarists. Why you ask? Well as Bruce once stated, "One guitar is never enough!" Anyway the band had to prove to the world that they were back to prominence and what better way than with a world tour that included a headlining gig at Brazil's coveted Rock in Rio, a concert that was one of the most important in Maiden history when they originally performed there in 1985. The band came out swinging with three songs from the newly released <i>Brave New World</i>, and would include a total of six songs from that album. The band also were able to incorporate ten of their twelve albums at the time into the set, only leaving out 1986's <i>Somewhere in Time </i>and 1990's <i>No Prayer for the Dying</i>. Which means, yes they did play material from the Blaze Bayley era(1994-1998). The inclusions of these songs are noble and well-warranted, however, to me "Sign of the Cross," from 1995's <i>The X Factor</i>, is the weak point of the album as Bruce's voice is not meant for the song. That being said the rendition of 1998's "The Clansman" is really well done. At the time of the album's release, many casual fans yearned for more classic material to be played and were upset at the setlist, but most hardcore fans can agree that the track listing on this release is amazing. My favorite live recording of any Iron Maiden song comes from "Fear of the Dark" on this album. I still get chills listening to it. This really was Iron Maiden's march back into the spotlight to show that they were here to stay for good.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. <u>Flight 666</u> - 2009</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVmnMGpTEWiaGpPp29e2qpHXQcgWTJGMJkJdaxBnhX4vG_l-Wk6lbYzLLUrt_uaSO3z0oL4yDgXzQkCjzBQgB-Ucif53dP77BPOcclJ2HUBZlB68vURVFnVu9uR7cq-bStVr3Lx2iNc/s1600/R-2399022-1355062226-5254.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVmnMGpTEWiaGpPp29e2qpHXQcgWTJGMJkJdaxBnhX4vG_l-Wk6lbYzLLUrt_uaSO3z0oL4yDgXzQkCjzBQgB-Ucif53dP77BPOcclJ2HUBZlB68vURVFnVu9uR7cq-bStVr3Lx2iNc/s320/R-2399022-1355062226-5254.jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If Iron Maiden were not already in the stratosphere of the metal world, <i>Flight 666</i> put them there. Maybe that is why they had to travel to outer space on 2010's <i>The Final Frontier</i>! This over-the-top live album, which was accompanied by the largely successful documentary of the same name, might just be the peak in Iron Maiden's career. At this point they could not be stopped and would conquer every place they visited. The tour of this live album was 2008-2009's Somewhere Back in Time Tour, where the band played 23 shows across 13 countries in the span of 45 days on the first leg of the tour. If that was not entertaining enough, the band travels in their own personal Boeing 757 plane, Ed Force One, which is piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson! All of that large spectacle aside, the band laid down some epic recordings on this release. The tour was a celebration of the band's music from the 1980s, which span across seven amazing albums that most regard as their best work. "Churchill's Speech," Bruce's conversations to the crowd in between songs, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," and everything about this release is so perfect. You will be smiling from ear to ear every time you listen to this album. There is no reason that this should not be the best Iron Maiden live album.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So there it is, a definitive ranking of Iron Maiden's 12 live albums. Is something too low or too high? Leave a comment and stay tuned for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-29755510800967925932017-06-09T17:02:00.000-07:002017-06-09T17:02:09.876-07:00Top 10 Nicko McBrain Songs<u>By Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnQR-GY3ziD528hbu1RElEqSiiisgAV77xQNkpMySY4HY6Sdct1Hg7CzvDgz1RU4xTEJebk7frhPix64xw3OYfPtHq2LYa_ov-6WiFWITWTPSns1JO1b2eiweB38rRdE8iNcNfq0HAmQ/s1600/11201901_838088239614583_4875734777991332663_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnQR-GY3ziD528hbu1RElEqSiiisgAV77xQNkpMySY4HY6Sdct1Hg7CzvDgz1RU4xTEJebk7frhPix64xw3OYfPtHq2LYa_ov-6WiFWITWTPSns1JO1b2eiweB38rRdE8iNcNfq0HAmQ/s400/11201901_838088239614583_4875734777991332663_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
Iron Maiden is a band lauded for the soaring vocals of Bruce Dickinson, the complex bass lines of Steve Harris, and the triple-ax guitar attack of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers. Something that sometimes gets forgotten in the Iron Maiden repertoire is the thunderous dynamic drumming of Nicko McBrain. The 'madman' joined Maiden in late 1982 and has played on every album since. McBrain is celebrated in the metal world for his colossal drum kit which he uses to its fullest. As Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee put it, "the man is an octopus." He is a highly celebrated member of Maiden and is loved by many fans around the globe. Nicko, the eldest member of Maiden, recently celebrated his 65th birthday. So we thought it'd be great to honor the drummer by listing the Top 10 Iron Maiden songs written by Nicko McBrain to celebrate it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mFln2ykVVwOrPS1agyo11n0oAQQDsfQ5qYa807v9l19QnJT9dxTmlekLDg3ffq9mOkJAduXsgKjsDfIo1S2RKUvA5a5PQBOPk4FwA9wDzjw4KNO5Hreb9BfsilFfxIebX5lFup8ZThc/s1600/224438_361201140635589_1367768393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mFln2ykVVwOrPS1agyo11n0oAQQDsfQ5qYa807v9l19QnJT9dxTmlekLDg3ffq9mOkJAduXsgKjsDfIo1S2RKUvA5a5PQBOPk4FwA9wDzjw4KNO5Hreb9BfsilFfxIebX5lFup8ZThc/s320/224438_361201140635589_1367768393_n.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. New Frontier - <i>Dance of Death</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Okay so we all know that Nicko is well-known for not writing many songs during his tenure in Maiden. He's been in the band for now 35 years and has written one song on a studio album, although number one on this list does give him a writing credit. New Frontier is definitely far from Maiden's best work, but it does stand on its own as the only Iron Maiden song properly written by Nicko McBrain.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Mission From 'Arry - 'B' side of 2 Minutes to Midnight</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Nicko McBrain rightfully gets a credit for this argument between Steve Harris and himself, along with instigator Bruce Dickinson. The premise of the argument was that Harris, or 'Arry, sent his bass technician to relay a message to Nicko to extend his drum solo while Harris fixed a problem with his bass. The tech messed up the message and Nicko in turn botched his solo. After the show, McBrain was so upset that he decked the tech in the face. After learning of this, Steve got very irritated with Nicko and the two got in a heated argument. Bruce Dickinson overheard the heated confrontation and decided to intervene by taking a tape recorder and recording the conversation. Bruce enters the room with the recorder and what we get are six amazing minutes of a hilarious argument between the three members. It is definitely one of the best 'B' sides Iron Maiden has ever recorded.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCJCqwmLxTF27nX_T8jT4b6PkVKMkvGqFNTzdDD-XAIoMSZztMgNobmWd2JN2Y2_fcqDlIpuRWAu_37z4QEMQJS7lY7e9tG5Re7oZd6tPPpAZzSqJwT2F-JhRwfWwQeuo9CB9UY-myAI/s1600/577902_580761151938977_68617461_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="400" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCJCqwmLxTF27nX_T8jT4b6PkVKMkvGqFNTzdDD-XAIoMSZztMgNobmWd2JN2Y2_fcqDlIpuRWAu_37z4QEMQJS7lY7e9tG5Re7oZd6tPPpAZzSqJwT2F-JhRwfWwQeuo9CB9UY-myAI/s400/577902_580761151938977_68617461_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Well, we did promise you at least 10 Nicko McBrain songs so we'll try to make good on our promise. Nicko played in several bands before joining Iron Maiden, here are the Top 5 songs from his bands that are not Iron Maiden.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Streetwalkers - Run For Cover - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Red Card</i> (1976)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Nicko McBrain was recording albums before Iron Maiden was even a band. In fact, his first official recording according to discogs.com is an appearance on a strange single from the Cockerel Chorus titled 'Nice One Cyril'. It is an obscure song, but if I am correct it is used as a football anthem over in England. That was Nicko's first foray in the recording business, but his first break with a band came in 1975 with the English group Streetwalkers, who released their second album <i>Streetwalkers</i> in the same year. They came back in 1976 in what I believe is their best album, <i>Red Card</i>. The band is somewhat of a hybrid betwee Nazareth-Led Zeppelin-King Crimon, which makes sense as a couple of the members were ex-King Crimson. It's a cool song and crazy to see how far Nicko has come since then.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Pat Travers - Makin' Magic - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Makin' Magic </i>(1977)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Many people cite Pat Travers as one of the most underrated guitarists out there, including Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. The Canadian Travers worked with several esteemed rock musicians including Tommy Aldridge, Clive Edwards, Vinny Appice, and Mick Dyche. Nicko McBrain recorded two albums with the band in 1977, including <i>Makin' Magic</i>, a classic album. It's a great album for anyone that's a fan of bare bones classic rock.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Nicko McBrain - Beehive Boogie - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Rhythm of the Beast </i>(1991)</span><br />
<br />
Some people might consider this cheating, but I don't. In 1991, Nicko McBrain teamed up with Paiste to showcase all things drumming for a full-length film. It was released as <i>Rhythms of the Beast</i> on VHS and spawned a single with the same name. The 'B' side to the single, 'Beehive Boogie' is a hard thumping instrumental, with guitar work by Iron Maiden man Dave Murray. It is a great song that makes awesome background music.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Trust - Certitudes...Solitudes... - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Marche Ou Creve </i>(1981)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Nicko's last stop before joining the Maiden crew came with the French band Trust in the early 1980s. He made his way onto their 3rd album, <i>Marche Ou Creve</i> , which they toured in support of and opened for Iron Maiden, where McBrain would gain his first contact with the band. 'Certitudes.. Solitudes..' is a hard sounding song that sounds all the more violent in French. Can you imagine Nicko speaking French?? That sounds hilarious.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Nicko McBrian - Rhythm of the Beast - <i>Rhythm of the Beast</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
The lead single of the 1991 video, 'Rhythm of the Beast' features a big band type performance complete with organs and saxophones. It's a great instrumental that gets shrouded in the endless amount of amazing Iron Maiden material. If you have not heard this song, or seen the film, I highly anticipate that you do so. It is an absolute rocker!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnavtrWZFqwcgxgVjq4N2MPcqAsk_6Lyp4lbfM_pJeha5lfZBnCF0aSvMs_bmS_qVnQTEkM3iIvRKhWGxl7RzW3ezyIQQxzl7-lcIySwITclsTulAD6xbaZiN3BwteeviS38kxzSbqr-c/s1600/ironmaiden_colour61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="500" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnavtrWZFqwcgxgVjq4N2MPcqAsk_6Lyp4lbfM_pJeha5lfZBnCF0aSvMs_bmS_qVnQTEkM3iIvRKhWGxl7RzW3ezyIQQxzl7-lcIySwITclsTulAD6xbaZiN3BwteeviS38kxzSbqr-c/s400/ironmaiden_colour61.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We are not done yet as now we present you the Top 5 Iron Maiden drum performances from Nicko McBrain!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Deja-Vu - <i>Somewhere in Time</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
I have always really loved the drum sound on Iron Maiden's 1986 album, <i>Somewhere in Time</i>. Although this might be the weakest song on the album, albeit still a gem, Nicko's prowess on the song can not be undermined. If you can make it passed the cheesy lyrics this song offers, pay attention to the heavy beats Nicko lays down back there.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Dream of Mirrors - <i>Brave New World</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
This is another song that is far from one of my favorite Iron Maiden songs, but greatly showcases Nicko's abilities as a percussionist. Nicko was on fire throughout the entire <i>Brave New World </i>album, 'The Thin Line Between Love and Hate' and 'The Mercenary' are prime examples. The sheer aggression and complexity of the beats are why Nicko should be regarded as a premier metal drummer.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Powerslave - <i>Powerslave</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
How could I not include a song from my favorite album? Nicko's power is churned throughout the entire album and sounds great. Can we just take a moment to appreciate the production value of this album? It's so great! Nicko does a great job of using everything he has at his arsenal here and it sounds superb. This song's power is amplified live when McBrain hits every beat on point.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Sign of the Cross - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Drummers usually save their best stuff for those long instrumental pieces lodged in an album's long cut. Luckily for Nicko McBrain, practically every song on Iron Maiden's last seven albums can be considered a long cut, and this is where it all started. The Blaze Bayley era of Iron Maiden is usually talked down upon, but there were some shear masterpieces on those two albums. 'Sign of the Cross' is definitely one of those songs. Iron Maiden's tenth album featured many songs that saw them take their more modern direction of playing more progressive metal sounding songs.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Where Eagles Dare - <i>Piece of Mind</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
When Nicko joined the band and Iron Maiden was getting ready to record their fourth studio album in 1983, the band's leader Steve Harris thought it would be a great idea to welcome the world to their new dynamic drummer by starting the album off with the most powerful drum they could churn out. Nicko himself has often said that this is his favorite song, and with good reason! It is a terrific song and Nicko makes great use of his kit with a classic metal beat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there are the best Nicko McBrain songs, but none of them are his best performance. What is Nicko's best performance?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXp1uHzl6M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXp1uHzl6M</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Click that and be ready for the best thing you're going to hear all day!<br />
<br />
<br />
So, happy belated birthday to Mr. Michael Henry McBrain, have many more great ones and keep rocking our world!<br />
<br />
If you have something you think I should rank, leave a comment and stay ready for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
NP<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YrRpEm46PQPqiyuyAe728UDSV3aYfX1PevSS24Ex-c3heHXaZi8fdw-IFbBqhZIPNUSV9bMqc2owNN6X40Lekiw2KGWe8mAVebEeIbeZwpnEx4sQSwTSoDbmSx2ojZk4dwjdifJr-rg/s1600/ironmaiden_colour424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YrRpEm46PQPqiyuyAe728UDSV3aYfX1PevSS24Ex-c3heHXaZi8fdw-IFbBqhZIPNUSV9bMqc2owNN6X40Lekiw2KGWe8mAVebEeIbeZwpnEx4sQSwTSoDbmSx2ojZk4dwjdifJr-rg/s400/ironmaiden_colour424.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-34501467769121666492017-05-29T20:50:00.001-07:002017-05-29T20:58:52.103-07:00Top 10 Iron Maiden Songs With Blaze Bayley<u>By Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpa8JEjKIQmXJp694uwcaLMIXakcXdCIw0r640FRqJVXgzw7S4f3TBApY47vNs8A9s8mk5YjbLd-_CCDKT2ld9fJsqRGn50qmX4iDV__GaK82SCXavoxArB_tHA5tjmUxIBLJteJu3Vw/s1600/b37def5a-0947-439a-816e-28cebbc7e7cc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="798" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpa8JEjKIQmXJp694uwcaLMIXakcXdCIw0r640FRqJVXgzw7S4f3TBApY47vNs8A9s8mk5YjbLd-_CCDKT2ld9fJsqRGn50qmX4iDV__GaK82SCXavoxArB_tHA5tjmUxIBLJteJu3Vw/s400/b37def5a-0947-439a-816e-28cebbc7e7cc.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
Iron Maiden have risen to the top of metal superiority. Across their illustrious career they have released sixteen studio albums with three different vocalists at the helm. The three vocalists, Blaze Bayley, Bruce Dickinson, and Paul Di'anno, have all released legendary music during their respective time in the band. Paul Di'anno is admired for his work on Maiden's first two albums, Bruce Dickinson is revered as one of the greatest metal vocalists of all time due to his work on 12 Iron Maiden albums, and Blaze Bayley treasured by many Maiden fans for his work on two albums in the middle of Maiden's career.<br />
<br />
The one man who sticks out from this trio is Blaze Bayley. His time in the band is not looked on very fondly by casual Iron Maiden fans and even some of the more hardcore ones. Over the years, many people who once turned their backs on Bayley's efforts are starting to enjoy his work with the band. Whether you like him or not, he is still apart of the Iron Maiden family and released two albums with them, 1995's <i>The X Factor</i> and 1998's <i>Virtual XI</i>. Today is Bayley's 54th birthday, so we thought it'd be a great idea to honor the only man that took the role as Bruce Dickinson's replacement in Iron Maiden.<br />
<br />
Here are the Top 10 Iron Maiden songs with Blaze Bayley with a bonus list featuring his top 10 solo songs!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Doctor Doctor - 'B' side to 'Lord of the Flies'</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqWToxZUJY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqWToxZUJY</a><br />
<br />
The list starts off with Iron Maiden's cover of the UFO classic, 'Doctor Doctor'. Although this is a 'B' side and did not appear on an Iron Maiden album, it is a great song. The band begin every concert playing the 1974 song on the speaker before they take the stage so in 1995 they finally decided to record the song themselves. The song is awesome and the production sounds pretty great, almost better than on <i>The X Factor</i>. The whole song is just substantial.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Como Estais Amigos - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JD3f9NSjGbw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JD3f9NSjGbw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
This song closes out 1998's <i>Virtual XI </i>and does so in a somber way. This song would ultimately be the final song recorded with Blaze Bayley and would close the chapter on a difficult time in the band's career. This song was never played live, and maybe that's a good thing considering how slow it is. The song tells the tale of the Argentinian soldiers who lost their lives in the Falkland Islands War and how it impacted them in no positive way. Iron Maiden always write the best songs about war, and here is another not-so-talked-about example. It should also be of note that this is the first of two Iron Maiden songs with a Spanish title.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Lord of the Flies - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zspkI1fSDRM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zspkI1fSDRM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
The second single to <i>The X Factor </i>comes in at number eight. The song is a retelling of the story from the William Golding novel, <i>Lord of the Flies</i> in which a group of children get stranded on a deserted island and slowly lose any form of civility they had and become wild savages. 'Lord of the Flies' is one of the most fondly remembered songs from the Bayley era and was even played by the band after his departure from the band. The song was played live all the way until 2003, where it was the last song of the Bayley era played by the band to date. The guitar solo by Janick in the song is great and is one of my favorites by him.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Virus - single from compilation album <i>Best of the Beast</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_876328331"><br /></a></i></span>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOSBphq3NA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOSBphq3NA</a><br />
<br />
After 1995's <i>The X Factor</i>, many critics who once heralded Iron Maiden as a top band turned their backs and laughed at their efforts. The band did not appreciate this as they felt that themselves and a number, probably in the singular digits, were happy with their new direction. To take a little jab at those who rejected Maiden's new album, they placed this song as the lead track, or track 11 depending on the version you own, of their 1996 compilation album <i>Best of the Beast</i>. The song features a long soft-spoken out intro before climaxing into a melodic rocker that we have come to expect from Maiden. It's an awesome song that I wish they would have played live a time or two.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Fortunes of War - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOSBphq3NA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOSBphq3NA</a><br />
<br />
Remember how I said Iron Maiden writes the best songs about war? Well that story continues on this song from Iron Maiden's tenth album, <i>The X Factor</i>. This song tells the tale of a soldier coming home from war and dealing with the tragedies of a mentally or physically crippled soldier dealing with nightmares and having to cope every day with terrible memories. It can be seen as a counterpart to 'The Aftermath' which appears later on the album, or even 'Afraid to Shoot Stranges' from <i>Fear of the Dark</i>. The song starts with a slow intro like a few other songs on the album before rising up and delivering a punch with the chorus and subsequent verses.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Futureal - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/81VD4uoy1WY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/81VD4uoy1WY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Iron Maiden's eleventh album, <i>Virtual XI </i>starts off with a thunderous intro that settles you in nicely for the rest of the album. The song describes those who get lost in the world of virtual gaming to the point that they literally die, which was a problem in the late-90's, or at least certain parent groups thought it was a problem. The lyrics on this song are some of the best from the Bayley era and it is now a staple in his solo live set.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Sign of the Cross - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxwjLdNmXc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxwjLdNmXc</a><br />
<br />
The other intro to a Blaze album is not as fast, but just as epic. 'Sign of the Cross' stood as Maiden's second longest song for many years until being bested by a couple songs from <i>The Book of Souls</i>. This eleven minute masterpiece prepares the listener for what the rest of the album is to be. The long intro, epic chorus and a magnificent instrumental piece. It is a perfect recipe for many songs on this album and is masterfully done on this song. It's a great song that made its way on several setlists after Blaze's departure.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. The Clansman - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iwfx6aUtuNI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iwfx6aUtuNI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Of all the songs on Blaze Bayley's two efforts with Iron Maiden, no song is more cherished than 'The Clansman'. And with good reason. 'The Clansman' is a triumphant song with great instrumentals. The song tells the story of the 1995 movie <i>Braveheart </i>about Scotland's history and uprising against the British. It is a great song to hear live and is definitely one of the best from the era.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Man on the Edge - <i>The X Factor</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5UqJWRV55E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5UqJWRV55E</a><br />
<br />
When Blaze Bayley joined Iron Maiden in 1994, many were eager for Maiden to release an album to show what they could do with their new singer. They dropped their first single with Bayley in mid-1995 and showed the world what they were capable of. 'Man on the Edge' delivers that typical Maidenesque sound with galloping chords and a pounding beat. Bayley delivers one of his best vocal performances on one of the most fondly remembered moments from the era.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Lightning Strikes Twice - <i>Virtual XI</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXEEo4j4Zt0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXEEo4j4Zt0</a><br />
<br />
On a largely personal note, this song finds its way to number one on my list of Iron Maiden Blaze songs as it is one of the first Iron Maiden songs I heard as a young boy and keened my interest in the band to what it evolved to today. The song starts with a brilliant guitar driven intro before diving into a good delivery by Blaze on vocals. The lyrics are not the best on a Maiden song, but send a simple message of awaiting for a disaster to strike. It is a terrific song that is among my favorite Iron Maiden songs of all-time!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Top 10 Blaze Bayley solo songs</u></span></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-rxOiiWukqlzezgFPT8gqG_2DkeRVvfEPHIZwf4cVYscn5KwqY44nse5_I4_VnKuq0emxm0o9phZEFBoqCwieaksrEqAj7cW3aOlDgea4ZmiOwb42Lyzjm6eAuYftj-mzzHU_DMSgMA/s1600/Blaze-Bayley-live-2015-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="834" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-rxOiiWukqlzezgFPT8gqG_2DkeRVvfEPHIZwf4cVYscn5KwqY44nse5_I4_VnKuq0emxm0o9phZEFBoqCwieaksrEqAj7cW3aOlDgea4ZmiOwb42Lyzjm6eAuYftj-mzzHU_DMSgMA/s400/Blaze-Bayley-live-2015-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Blaze Bayley did not throw in the towel after his gig with Iron Maiden, he quickly released a number of solo albums and they have all been well-received. He has released eight solo albums and here are the best 10 songs from them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Ten Seconds</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ak4Uafw4pK8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ak4Uafw4pK8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Human</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kxnP6x5UKLc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kxnP6x5UKLc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. The Brave</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QYwJmXxdrNM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QYwJmXxdrNM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Soundtrack of my Life</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fpZ28kXu4n0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fpZ28kXu4n0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Samurai</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JbBRHlByZXc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JbBRHlByZXc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Hollow Head</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLiwRfVxBCc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLiwRfVxBCc</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Stranger to the Light</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ-8czBezlA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ-8czBezlA</a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Kill and Destroy</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lke6c4YIRiM</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Stare at the Sun</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgu64WOtXfA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgu64WOtXfA</a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Silicon Messiah</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZH1sP_oX2OU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZH1sP_oX2OU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Top 5 Wolfsbane Songs</u></b></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSFFkDhvyzunDE7JAuVbBnrptxzEX4yuRaA8-KctGR3womEhB1_viQumEvaZqqfTcmxgsG-RZoKMybIyMaYGSSk7-c3he-qJSz_Lo2NOx6Sm0flXydJzB-9Q0gJI8VPYD4kg1h0NSVVM/s1600/wolfsbane1992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSFFkDhvyzunDE7JAuVbBnrptxzEX4yuRaA8-KctGR3womEhB1_viQumEvaZqqfTcmxgsG-RZoKMybIyMaYGSSk7-c3he-qJSz_Lo2NOx6Sm0flXydJzB-9Q0gJI8VPYD4kg1h0NSVVM/s400/wolfsbane1992.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div>
Blaze was also in a band called Wolfsbane before his days in Iron Maiden, They have released four albums and even opened for Iron Maiden in 1990 before Blaze was in the band. Here are the five best songs from that band.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Did it for the Money</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/czEdKMsXD4M/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/czEdKMsXD4M?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. I Like it Hot</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWGNFs8yqPg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWGNFs8yqPg</a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Wings</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFHvClWirvk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFHvClWirvk</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Man Hunt</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq8V6EHtpws">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq8V6EHtpws</a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Killing Machine</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkO7f_V2cms">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkO7f_V2cms</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, there are the best songs from Blaze's career. We'd like to once again wish Blaze Bayley a happy birthday and good luck on his current tour for his eighth studio album, <i>Endure and Survive</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
NP</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1BITYIO_KQXQsVAS3X0GIoANrMXlvQniqYFzmNVOePinv_oj43lrhT4aKiq_VRiyxVlgmTWdcU2uj4qyP9XvEneuTgp7P2li1-beWIaX4JDIVlYuXlJ4Ah0mfYxri8A356P8vMCwFZU/s1600/album_iron_maiden_ed_hunter+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1BITYIO_KQXQsVAS3X0GIoANrMXlvQniqYFzmNVOePinv_oj43lrhT4aKiq_VRiyxVlgmTWdcU2uj4qyP9XvEneuTgp7P2li1-beWIaX4JDIVlYuXlJ4Ah0mfYxri8A356P8vMCwFZU/s640/album_iron_maiden_ed_hunter+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-52814321099322382392017-05-27T11:55:00.000-07:002017-05-27T11:55:35.630-07:00Top 10 Metallica Songs You Will NOT Hear on the Radio Today<u>By Nathaniel Puente</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fYnmEdaS2bKLSQLKJv8-C9vOOa-QxusmxqmrqdHlvqFczqn2e1eDcN8Z-m_zoobjP474g5TsT06IMlLnaSNpUGHN7756lGYBOdWGxb46CbmbsKtjyPfd37WUZoLJ3H-eTEqk7eHsnl4/s1600/0c053d79a40ef632d0b5631b89f551ff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="612" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fYnmEdaS2bKLSQLKJv8-C9vOOa-QxusmxqmrqdHlvqFczqn2e1eDcN8Z-m_zoobjP474g5TsT06IMlLnaSNpUGHN7756lGYBOdWGxb46CbmbsKtjyPfd37WUZoLJ3H-eTEqk7eHsnl4/s320/0c053d79a40ef632d0b5631b89f551ff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
If you are a proud metalhead or have just once put on a denim jacket, there is a chance you have rocked out to Metallica in your life. Metallica either gives you that energetic blast of metal aggression, or you are one of the many negative critics who find their recent history to be nothing more than sellout garbage. No matter where you stand on the Metallica spectrum, you can not deny that they are one of the most successful metal bands of all-time. You can also not deny that they get played on the radio... A LOT. With the slim exceptions of AC/DC, Aerosmith(maybe), and Led Zeppelin, no other band gets as much of their material played on rock radio stations than Metallica. Many of Metallica's songs are played across radio stations. Metallica's hardcore fans know that some of the Metallica songs that receive large amounts of airplay are far from their best work. There are many songs in the Bay-Area Thrashers' library that deserve more attention. That's where this list comes in!<br />
<br />
I can obviously not monitor the hundreds of rock radio stations across the country, but I can make my own guesses at what material is probably skipped over by local DJs. There is a chance that all 10 of the songs on the list have been played live before, but who is actually going to prove me wrong? At the end of the post I will list the songs that would have made the list but I was unsure if I had heard them played or not.<br />
<br />
If you want to listen to a radio station that plays all the Metallica deep cuts(and other bands too!), check out my show Heavy Metal Mania on <a href="http://www.utrgv.edu/studentmedia/radio">UTRGV Radio</a> when I'm back on in August! When school starts again in August I'll be back live and will keep everyone posted on the dates and times.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, here are the Top 10 Metallica songs that you will not hear on the radio today:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Dirty Window - <i>St. Anger</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQIgYWQSoTw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQIgYWQSoTw</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i></i></b></span>
The list starts off with a song off Metallica's most heavily criticiezed album, 2003's <i>St. Anger</i>. The trashcan-sounding snare from Lars Ulrich is super prominent on this track. The lyrics are a giant mash of nonsense, much like they are throughout the album, and the song features a chorus that barely even sounds like one. Despite the lack of proper musicianship, 'Dirty Window' is one of the heaviest songs on the album and is one of my favorites on the release. My favorite part is where "Projector/Protector/Rejector/Infector" are repeated over and over. It almost sounds like one of those rap songs where the rapper makes up words just to rhyme.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Escape - <i>Ride the Lightning</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J2ADChn82Qk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J2ADChn82Qk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<i>Ride the Lightning</i> is one of metal's most sacred albums. It brought Thrash Metal to the forefront and propelled the subgenre to new heights. Every song is revered as a metal masterpiece. Every song gets mentioned as a classic metal composition. Every song... except 'Escape'. Why yes 'Escape' is the bastard child of <i>Ride the Lightning</i> and the band treat it so. Before it was played for the first time ever at 2012's Orion Festival, James Hetfield went through a lengthy discussion with the audience how they deeply desired to never play this song. The band has stated that they were forced to write the song when recording the album to try and get a radio friendly hit, but the record company's attempts failed as this song never really saw any airplay. I do not understand why this song is hated so much, it's great! If Metallica were so against writing a "commercial" sounding song, then why did they even make <i>The Black Album</i> in 1991?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Jump in the Fire - <i>Kill 'Em All</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Bw8W0Ztpe18/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bw8W0Ztpe18?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Metallica's legendary debut album from 1983, <i>Kill 'Em All</i>, features many great songs. However, the only songs that are remembered as classics are 'Seek And Destroy' and 'The Four Horsemen'. 'Hit the Lights' might be seen in this light, but I'm not really sure. On track four you will find one of the first songs composed by Metallica, 'Jump in the Fire'. This song surprisingly gets rare attention from the masses. It definitely sounds more commercial than 'Seek And Destroy', in fact Lars Ulrich has stated that the song was meant to sound like Iron Maiden's 'Run to the Hills'. That is not a knock on the song as it is a great little tune that makes for a great live performance.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. The Unforgiven III - <i>Death Magnetic</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J3m6et00DfQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J3m6et00DfQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
The 'Unforgiven' saga continued on Metallica's ninth album, <i>Death Magnetic</i>. The third part of the trilogy is probably the most complex of the three songs. The song begins with a long piano intro, becoming the only Metallica song to feature a piano. You could argue that this is one of the most progressive sounding songs that Metallica have done. And along with all other progressive metal and progressive rock, with the exception of Rush's 'Tom Sawyer', it will be ignored by the mainstream masses. That, coupled with the fact that it stands at seven minutes and forty six seconds really prevent this song from getting any airplay.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Whiplash - <i>Kill 'Em All</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8eTMNuohOR0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8eTMNuohOR0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Thrash Metal at its finest comes hard on this 1983 song. This is another Metallica song that gets played a lot by the band, yet is not remembered very often by many fans. My only guess why this song is ignored by radio stations is because of its use of the infamous 'F' word. 'Whiplash' is one of Metallica's finest moments, and one of my favorites from the band.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. The Thing That Should Not Be - <i>Master of Puppets</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4YDcMRY2dGk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YDcMRY2dGk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Much like <i>Ride the Lightning</i>, Metallica's third album <i>Master of Puppets </i>features many songs that are fondly remembered and have been played to death. If I had a dollar for how many times I have heard 'Sanitarium' or 'Master of Puppets' on the radio, I'd be able to pay the band to rerecord <i>St. Anger </i>with normal sounding drums. With any album that contains a plethora of classics, there are those that are bound to be forgotten. 'The Thing That Should Not Be' is one of the finest songs on <i>Master of Puppets</i>. It is a classic that should be remembered as so.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. St. Anger - <i>St. Anger</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7AhWdPjQFAU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7AhWdPjQFAU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
There is a chance that most Metallica fans, and maybe even the band themselves, want to forget about <i>St. Anger</i>. It is revered as the low point in the band's career for several reasons. Although there are a few problems with the album, I still enjoy it. Metallica at their worst is still better than a lot of artists at their best! I still jam out to a few songs from the album, including the title track. 'St. Anger' contains some very complex lyrics and a great vocal performance by James Hetfield. It has been 14 years since the album's release, so I think all the initial shock from the album is over and people can start appreciating it a bit more. I mean come on it can not be worse than <i>Lulu</i>!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. The Unforgiven II - <i>Reload </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y9fY3NoS7CU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9fY3NoS7CU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I have a feeling that when <i>Reload</i> was released in 1997 that this song was played on the air, but that was probably the only time. If you hear the opening horn in the intro, there's a 99% chance that the song you are about to hear is "The Unforgiven" instead of this song. That's a shame because this is my favorite of the trilogy. The song was only played twice live, three times if you count the dismal performance from 1997's Billboard Music Awards. This song is awesome and should get more attention from the fans!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Creeping Death - <i>Ride the Lightning</i></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KFkT0oHHH70/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KFkT0oHHH70?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
As mentioned before, any landmark album will have songs that are forgotten more than others.<br />
'Creeping Death' is a beloved Metallica song for most people, but gets lost in the shuffle of all the great songs from this album. Metallica definitely hit their peak on <i>Ride the Lightning </i>and this song contributes to that. I'll never understand why this song is not more cherished than it is.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Fixxxer - <i>Reload</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnpjyNgzJ5Q">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnpjyNgzJ5Q</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Every metalhead has that one deep cut from a band that they hold super close to their heart. For Iron Maiden I have 'Lightning Strikes Twice', 'The Alchemist', and a bunch of other songs because I love them all. And for Metallica I have 'Fixxxer'. Hidden at the bottom of <i>Reload</i>, this song is the definition of a hidden gem. After most of <i>Reload </i>droned on and made many Metallica fans question where the band's legacy went, this song comes on and slowly gives this album life while closing it out. This song has never been played live by the band, but within the last decade Metallica have played most of their "untouchable" songs if you will, so maybe we'll hear this one ripped out one day. I certainly hope so as this is one of my favorite Metallica songs!<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there are the Top 10 Metallica songs I can almost assure you will not hear on the radio today. There are many different songs that would have made this list, but I was unsure if I had heard them played recently.<br />
<br />
These songs are:<br />
<br />
Hit the Lights<br />
The Four Horsemen<br />
Trapped Under Ice<br />
Lepper Messiah<br />
The Shortest Straw<br />
Harvester of Sorrow<br />
The Frayed Ends of Sanity<br />
Until It Sleeps<br />
King Nothing<br />
Hero of the Day<br />
The Memory Remains<br />
Frantic<br />
Cyanide<br />
The Day That Never Comes<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If there are ten Metallica songs that you have never heard on the air that you think deserve more limelight, leave a comment of what they are and stay pinned to your computer screen for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-21426369823736881862017-05-24T14:42:00.000-07:002017-05-24T15:54:37.137-07:00Every Iron Maiden Tour Ranked<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-size: 10pt;">By Nathaniel Puente</span></u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwBl56Z26qHUa_Pi8m5XcKmamlWdPSgt_LR_J3E4_Bw-q0u1IWAz54hGm5DR0pW_U4A7t8X_OEwG7lsMCuBGIzEL-v4KCneGZEXU7Juvj7tu6dD4Co91ftDZUHiiZsoneYRXIp0vGlrk/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwBl56Z26qHUa_Pi8m5XcKmamlWdPSgt_LR_J3E4_Bw-q0u1IWAz54hGm5DR0pW_U4A7t8X_OEwG7lsMCuBGIzEL-v4KCneGZEXU7Juvj7tu6dD4Co91ftDZUHiiZsoneYRXIp0vGlrk/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden shows are not just concerts.
They are events. If you are in attendance to see an Iron Maiden concert, you
are in for quite the treat. Janick Gers's guitar acrobatics, a plethora of
memorizing backdrops, and an appearance by a ten-foot rendition of the band's
mascot Eddie ensure that you are definitely getting more than just an average
rock concert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden kicked off the
second leg of their Book of Souls World Tour this past month. It is a colossal
tour that is sure to be one of their best ever. It got me thinking; what is the
best Iron Maiden tour? What is the worst? If you allowed me to steal a time
machine, I would go to every tour Maiden has ever done, but which would I visit
first? I have put together a simple way to rank the tours based on four
categories of <b>Theme(the appearance of the stage, backdrops, and Eddie),
Setlist, Historical Significance(how the tour has stood the test of time), and
Recordings(the quality of the band's performance on the tour and the live
albums, if any).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Scores will
be on a scale of 1-5.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without further ado, here are
all 21 completed Iron Maiden tours ranked!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">21.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Fear of the Dark Tour (1992) Score:
2.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQbVA4xf4ag0m_-h-kegsBk-uf0vMZ_cm7FhAvL7GHLnoyWVQjcBTpb7OhHBTgzNB-tDbvanfiYyiOyL6zDfPqra_UVEKs0LyeLyvP0o31dcnENUiQas9tOy9F3ebhHiMCuj-VAsNlgw/s1600/540787_579782292036863_12100697_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQbVA4xf4ag0m_-h-kegsBk-uf0vMZ_cm7FhAvL7GHLnoyWVQjcBTpb7OhHBTgzNB-tDbvanfiYyiOyL6zDfPqra_UVEKs0LyeLyvP0o31dcnENUiQas9tOy9F3ebhHiMCuj-VAsNlgw/s320/540787_579782292036863_12100697_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The list starts off with
Iron Maiden's 1992 tour. The overall concept of the tour was unappealing and
the onstage Eddie was one of the worst in history, of course what do you expect
when the tour is in support of Iron Maiden's worst album cover? The tour
features a lackluster setlist. Only 5 of the album's 12 songs were played live,
This was a mistake. The only reason I did not give the recordings a flat 1 is
because this tour produced<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Live
At Donington</i>, which is a pretty good live album. All of these things
together make for the worst Iron Maiden tour in history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">20.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>A Real Live Tour (1993) Score:
2.75</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDg4WMf6_bC2opABCS0kGtYyxc58KkNF4gVii0NnYwblMfN_hV0vvUV3j0oPxv6d6cGC3zjpYWE-UBSSUF-qY2twx4YPfYAuSQneViwfhwDiDFk566EM33G8DcaStV0Le2wf-50laP3o/s1600/Maiden01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDg4WMf6_bC2opABCS0kGtYyxc58KkNF4gVii0NnYwblMfN_hV0vvUV3j0oPxv6d6cGC3zjpYWE-UBSSUF-qY2twx4YPfYAuSQneViwfhwDiDFk566EM33G8DcaStV0Le2wf-50laP3o/s320/Maiden01.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden barely
bettered their '92 performance with 1993's A Real Live Tour. The tour is famous
for being Bruce Dickinson's farewell tour from the band. That is what scores it
such high historical significance. Bruce Dickinson was accused of not giving 100%
on different nights of the tour by his bandmates. This is evident on many of
the bootlegs that exist from this tour. The band members, especially bassist
Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain, were furious that it seemed like he was
not even trying on some nights. Some of the bootlegs reveal rather laughable
performances put on by Bruce.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SphIJCq6wIo">In one show in Torino, Italy</a>,
Bruce stops singing mid-way through "Prowler" because a fan is
spitting on him, and Steve Harris begins singing the lyrics instead. It seems
like a rough time for the band, and as I have mentioned before it really
interests me and needs to be properly covered on History of Iron Maiden Part 4!
The spitting incident can serve as a precursor to a more well-known incident
involving<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW1_vv7-t0w">Blaze Bayley in 1995</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">19.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour
(2003) Score: 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo4dQnJfDnKm5KsTRnsOWxpFUhCbrFxf5JJN4cKZHn8GiODZNhT95hvjq-3e0U1Jd_WALZCGbVPaJv8MJHBxoNeAKIP-PIFyJiwOwjxJWrEXBTzloPpd5X6IWiuAHOwK2YffyCCHrDso/s1600/formacion-givemeed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="460" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo4dQnJfDnKm5KsTRnsOWxpFUhCbrFxf5JJN4cKZHn8GiODZNhT95hvjq-3e0U1Jd_WALZCGbVPaJv8MJHBxoNeAKIP-PIFyJiwOwjxJWrEXBTzloPpd5X6IWiuAHOwK2YffyCCHrDso/s320/formacion-givemeed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 4 </span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This mini 2003 tour was
only 56 shows and preceded the Dance of Death World Tour. It was what the Ed
Hunter Tour was to the Brave New World Tour; a short greatest hits tour to keep
fans happy before the album dropped. This tour was largely in support of the
compilation album<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Edward the
Great<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>and the music video DVD<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Visions of the Beast</i>. The theme
resembled the album cover and looked pretty cool. The setlist contained most of
the album's material and other Maiden favorites, so nothing to complain about.
All of this creates a pretty uneventful tour. It's not likely that this will be
remembered as a landmark Maiden moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">18.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Iron Maiden Tour (1980) Score:
3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuuQK2q-h0I6knhPrgtwJCEgGfXv7vUQVJvNGROYbOVNRIBKkzcGBQrUW2ESSQI8JoH2DJoFqQcVxKxjHmdCMLdCG2J8VbZum6vX87TKs3UXf5T4YWG7yz5Z1qgzVJMMZ0iXIxTEkBig/s1600/iron-maiden-bw212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="750" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuuQK2q-h0I6knhPrgtwJCEgGfXv7vUQVJvNGROYbOVNRIBKkzcGBQrUW2ESSQI8JoH2DJoFqQcVxKxjHmdCMLdCG2J8VbZum6vX87TKs3UXf5T4YWG7yz5Z1qgzVJMMZ0iXIxTEkBig/s320/iron-maiden-bw212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) -3 </span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The inaugural Iron Maiden tour kicked off in support of their
eponymous debut album from 1980. Maiden had of course toured before, but this
was their first official album tour. They visited many European countries for
the first time such as Finland, France, and Germany. It was the beginning of
what would end up becoming a beautiful touring career. That being said, the
show itself was lackluster compared to modern Iron Maiden tours. The raw energy
and aggressiveness of the young band was all there, and I love that. What it is
missing is everything we see in a Maiden show today like Eddie, the on-stage
antics, and the epic songs. That brings me to my next point that at this time
Maiden did not have their best material ready to play and because of this the
tour looks rather amateur compared to say the Book of Souls World Tour. There
are several bootlegs out there of this tour, and even a live video from April
14, 1980 at the Ruskin Arms that display the early days of Maiden's presence. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">17.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>No Prayer On The Road (1990-1991) Score:
3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrCfZ3q-0RRGuthttLrJWiwZCNb1SRniZkVgtSpuMxKtcHl4BIyT87cRJ5v8eONIeMW59hhxJfOCtIiDkOjliZRUL4TW_zaZ1NATnZfVdarTLoinqy0TXWnOsw_sS6OjeeSbJywzyHYY/s1600/ironmaiden_colour355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="750" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrCfZ3q-0RRGuthttLrJWiwZCNb1SRniZkVgtSpuMxKtcHl4BIyT87cRJ5v8eONIeMW59hhxJfOCtIiDkOjliZRUL4TW_zaZ1NATnZfVdarTLoinqy0TXWnOsw_sS6OjeeSbJywzyHYY/s320/ironmaiden_colour355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) -3 </span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
This tour hurts me a bit to put so low. I often say how much interest I have in
1990s Iron Maiden because of the obscurity surrounding the era, but even I have
to succumb to the ugly truth of the time; that truth is that it was a decline
for Iron Maiden. The No Prayer On The Road tour saw a different approach to
Maiden touring than was seen in the late 80s. Iron Maiden were recognized as a
live force with their theatrics, but stripped it all down for the 1990 tour.
There are positives and negatives to this. On one hand it lets the music do the
talking and allows no distraction. On the other, it disallows the grand show
that Maiden were so used to putting on. The setlist was mainly focused on the
newly released<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>No Prayer For
the Dying</i> and Maiden's most famous work<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Number of the Beast</i>. I
really appreciate them dedicating themselves to playing the album to show that
they are no novelty act, but I wonder why there was not more emphasis placed on
the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Seventh Son of a Seventh
Son</i> or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere In
Time<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>albums. The only real
significance with this tour is that it was Janick Gers's first tour with the
band as the replacement for guitarist Adrian Smith. The recordings of this tour
are inconsistent. On some nights the band kill it, while on others they sound
sub-par. According to a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://teamrock.com/trivia/2016-06-19/totally-impossible-iron-maiden-quiz">teamrock
quiz</a> this tour was "recorded for a triple-live album but never
released." I have never seen any evidence to back this up so I call them
out for it as a lie. Many fans were judgmental of Janick's performance on this
tour, so a live album would probably have dispelled their claims, or maybe made
it stronger who knows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">16.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Virtual XI World Tour (1998)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Score: 3.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4ULwYMXvamS7F-BS-t1PFJsOdQjrAZ9ZstCFcsG83-NYcayiIRmzsfqmbX2MwL0wSTrlFMpuFo_U8HqXXFfW8wGMzWa2z56jzU9UKreUe_rf7KS_C1awX2oC0EmnuUGZp67Id-1Tyjo/s1600/tourpic_vxi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4ULwYMXvamS7F-BS-t1PFJsOdQjrAZ9ZstCFcsG83-NYcayiIRmzsfqmbX2MwL0wSTrlFMpuFo_U8HqXXFfW8wGMzWa2z56jzU9UKreUe_rf7KS_C1awX2oC0EmnuUGZp67Id-1Tyjo/s320/tourpic_vxi.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 3.5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -3.5 </b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What? The two Blaze
Bayley tours are not the last two? Why yes, I am a Blaze supporter so you will
not hear me bashing his time in the band any time soon. However, 16th is the
best this 1998 tour can do on my list. Blaze Bayley joined Iron Maiden after
vocalist Bruce Dickinson departed in 1993. Bayley recorded two ablums with
Maiden,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The X Factor</i>(1995)
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Virtual XI</i>(1998). Fan
feedback on the albums was mixed and largely negative, but Maiden's strong suit
is their live act so the tours would prove to dispel any discrepancies with the
albums. There are several things that differentiate this tour from the other
Blaze tour, The X Factour(1995-1996). The positives have to be the recordings
and certain parts of the setlist. Blaze was criticized on The X Factour for not
performing Maiden classics such as 'The Trooper' or 'Wrathchild' very well.
This was to be expected as his vocal style is much different from that of
Bruce, or even Paul Di'anno. However, Blaze was able to adjust and sounded a
lot better on this tour. The setlist added most<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Virtual XI<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>material and it all worked well live,
with the exception of 'Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger', which if you want
to read my rant about that song go<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://uptheirons-666.blogspot.com/2017/04/eddies-forgotten-tracks-which-songs.html">here</a>.
My main regret with this setlist is that it goes away from<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The X Factor</i>. There are only 3
songs from that album that were regularly played on this tour and that was a
mistake. Maiden should have made more of an effort to feed people the Blaze
material so they could go "Oh okay, that sounds cool." People are
more inclined to enjoy something if it's screaming 120 decibels in their face.
The only real significance with this tour is that it is Blaze's final with the
band, and even that is an afterthought to most people. The final Iron Maiden
concert with Blaze Bayley at the helm was in Buenos Aires, Argentina and was
pro-shot. It can be seen on YouTube at any time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">15.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>The Final Frontier World Tour
(2010-2011) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6202369713736426541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgnb28GUJVKMmonH50r-08fPoqWgttmMCbQyVs8jLgPeDFN0swPPOrJY4-o9x5dxJ6WP1wP9M3wR4KG_GVt3qR9gANGYbkV3YYFU9MeL0PIikrrKl92nmpqCxxoI81-36NH0qCnggt2Y/s1600/2010-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="900" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgnb28GUJVKMmonH50r-08fPoqWgttmMCbQyVs8jLgPeDFN0swPPOrJY4-o9x5dxJ6WP1wP9M3wR4KG_GVt3qR9gANGYbkV3YYFU9MeL0PIikrrKl92nmpqCxxoI81-36NH0qCnggt2Y/s320/2010-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <b>(T) - 3.5</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) - 4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden took an
interesting approach to their 2010 tour. In support of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Final Frontier</i>, the band
opted to play mostly new material (2000-2010), rather than be regulated to
classics. The fan reaction was mixed as many fans were upset to not hear their
favorite songs from albums such as<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Piece
of Mind</i> or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Powerslave</i>.
I support their decision on this as it shows that this band is always moving
forward. I only did not give the setlist a better score because they chose to
turn back on their ways for the 2011 leg of the tour and played a few more of
their commercial songs. The theme on this tour was quite literally out of this
world. The band incorporated the space theme from<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Final Frontier</i> and
turned the stage into an over-the-top sci-fi fest. Personally, the alien theme
is not that cool to me, but a lot of people enjoyed it. The live album from
this album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>En Vivo</i>, is an
amazing piece of work and is a classic Maiden recording.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">14. Eddie Rips Up The World
Tour (2005) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_fEgUeTdF7_fL8cleUWl_BaAmvDfCiKVsDIE9AI2kshF_h0Ffa0xvDPNAR8IWZpfm8ZfrDSFUfsBe31QtZkVotA1IqgpqbQ5UYcZ6LAJ-cYVCcPg5iXiH8G7e-pDcr4yVfaZfsSvHNQ/s1600/ironmaiden_colour250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="500" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_fEgUeTdF7_fL8cleUWl_BaAmvDfCiKVsDIE9AI2kshF_h0Ffa0xvDPNAR8IWZpfm8ZfrDSFUfsBe31QtZkVotA1IqgpqbQ5UYcZ6LAJ-cYVCcPg5iXiH8G7e-pDcr4yVfaZfsSvHNQ/s320/ironmaiden_colour250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) -3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In 2005, Iron Maiden
embarked on the first of their "history" tours. The tour was in place
to celebrate the release of Iron Maiden's colossal documentary,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The History of Iron Maiden - Part
1: The Early Days</i>, which covered the band's history from 1975-1983.
Material from the four albums from this era,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Iron
Maiden</i>(1980),<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Killers</i>(1981),<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Number of the Beast</i>(1982),
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Piece of Mind</i>(1983),
were played exclusively making this tour a true makeup of classic Maiden
material. It was a noble effort and the stage for the album looked awesome,
bringing back many of the themes from the first two albums, namely<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Killers</i>. The setlist was
alright, but it was clear that most songs from the Paul Di'anno era(1978-1981),
were not suited for Bruce Dickinson's voice. It also upsets me that they did
not take full advantage of the arsenal they had at their disposal from the
first four albums. Those four legendary masterpieces have 37 songs on them,
including Total Eclipse on TNOB, and yet the band played the same 17 songs on
all 42 shows of the tour, the only time they altered it a bit was when
'Charlotte the Harlot' was played on two dates. There are 19 songs from those
first four albums that got absolutely no recognition on this tour and that is
just absurd. Granted, a few of the songs like 'Gangland' and 'Sun and Steel'
had never been played live so there was no point of debuting them 20 years
later, but there are several songs who absolutely should have made their way
onto the set such as 'Flight of Icarus' and 'Killers'. Whatever the reason to
not include those classics, it made the setlist suffer. I don't see this tour
holding any weight historically, unless Maiden decides to do a history tour of
their history tours in the future. Maybe then we can finally hear 'Killers'
live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">13. A Matter of Life and
Death World Tour (2006-2007) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2T10OhE_CJjFUwQ-aci_aruP_b6asaujw-zy-cF10fhdN9H6PhRQyWlsjQQHM71yn3Rm10UEMckImbx2VxOIu-qzUn1vi5HSKy46emdq7roxDehRsI-NiWbtaTOeHSn6BKuHmmgse9Q/s1600/11129916_1589289904683050_3884629600324046962_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="646" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2T10OhE_CJjFUwQ-aci_aruP_b6asaujw-zy-cF10fhdN9H6PhRQyWlsjQQHM71yn3Rm10UEMckImbx2VxOIu-qzUn1vi5HSKy46emdq7roxDehRsI-NiWbtaTOeHSn6BKuHmmgse9Q/s320/11129916_1589289904683050_3884629600324046962_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) -3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">2006 saw the release of
Iron Maiden's 14th studio album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>A
Matter of Life and Death</i>. AMOLAD, as it is often abbreviated, is one of the
most progressive sounding albums the band has released, the songs' subject
matter revolves around typical Maiden topics of war and religion. Iron Maiden
could not decide on what songs to cut out from the setlist and opted to play the
album in its entirety for the 2006 leg of the tour. This received mixed
feedback from fans who were either happy at the venture or upset that classics
were not played. From the point of view of someone who did not have the chance
to see this concert, I really admire their effort of playing the whole album. I
can see the argument from those who want to hear 'The Trooper' or '2 Minutes to
Midnight' for the 1000th time, but Iron Maiden has always made an effort to
play their new material and I respect it. The stage set up was absolutely
brilliant for this tour. It was covered in World War I inspired material and
was an amazing spectacle. Unfortunately, this tour was not documented on DVD
and was sandwiched in between the Eddie Rips Up the World Tour in 2005 and
the colossal Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in 2008, so its chances of being
remembered are slim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">12. Killer World Tour
(1981) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOwss89jlyWyInOE5eUTKmj_X5MtyhEoH0MLSa35mt-oHr2XjeNryiacSh2IATWmOsvm2kLpddX5xjdO_8BjasZfWwh2uwYngPjM3s0w9yeicDByX7_3uNsl0lLrdR7eZCpDUyi7MFdo/s1600/11263130_1606083693003671_1132475011095300582_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="819" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOwss89jlyWyInOE5eUTKmj_X5MtyhEoH0MLSa35mt-oHr2XjeNryiacSh2IATWmOsvm2kLpddX5xjdO_8BjasZfWwh2uwYngPjM3s0w9yeicDByX7_3uNsl0lLrdR7eZCpDUyi7MFdo/s320/11263130_1606083693003671_1132475011095300582_n.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 2</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(S) - 3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(H.S.) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(R) -4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time Iron Maiden
recorded their second album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Killers</i>,
in 1981, most of the material had already been played on the road in the early
days of the band's touring. The Killer World Tour was mostly a rehashing of the
Iron Maiden Tour in 1980 with only three songs being added to the set. 'Genghis
Khan', 'Killers' and 'Murders in the Rue Morgue' are those three songs. The
latter two are some of the best songs Iron Maiden has performed live. The
setlist was literally killer, but suffers the same problem of the last tour of
not having all of Maiden's material to work with. Some of our more
knowledgeable readers might note that 'Killers' was written and performed
during the Iron Maiden Tour, but that was in its primitive form not the exact
version we hear on the album. The released live recording of this tour,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Maiden Japan</i>, is great and
displays the power of this band in their early stage. In the middle of this
tour, it became clear that the band had to move on from vocalist Paul Di'anno.
His repeated drug use and deteriorating commitment to the band harbored his
release from the band. Paul Di'anno played his last show with Iron Maiden on
September 10, 1981. As they say, the show must go on, Maiden had to regroup and
get someone to fill the shoes of Di'anno. In his place came Samson frontman
Bruce Dickinson who would play five dates in Italy with the band and two more
in England as a "warm-up" tour to welcome the fans to the new
incarnation of the band before their next album came out. Bruce Dickinson
played his first show with Iron Maiden on October 26, 1981. The Dickinson
project was a success and the band soon became one of the biggest heavy metal
bands of all-time. The tour was also guitarist Adrian Smith's first full tour
with the band. Things were looking up for this band on the brink of making it
big.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">11. Maiden England World
Tour (2012-2014) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXykqqhKHQkluSh2ToLUrRnNDhsNI2QdSCSF7_z9njWDalGT_Gzu8enLEyLvh0vdrxRAHx6u3manG9b-e5cVNImXxXytdCnSwKYiklI_USrebCpmE3QRCSO_7J6HnkgBnm548ipOoCgik/s1600/2010-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="900" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXykqqhKHQkluSh2ToLUrRnNDhsNI2QdSCSF7_z9njWDalGT_Gzu8enLEyLvh0vdrxRAHx6u3manG9b-e5cVNImXxXytdCnSwKYiklI_USrebCpmE3QRCSO_7J6HnkgBnm548ipOoCgik/s320/2010-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In 2012, Iron Maiden
ventured on the third of their history tours. This time, they were reviving the
Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour from 1988. The main focus was the recreate the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Maiden England</i> live video
from that tour. The band pulled it off well. The stage set was even better than
it was on the '88 tour and the band sounded great playing a few songs that had
not been played in decades. The setlist was good, but was a missed opportunity
in a few places. The decisions to bring back 'The Prisoner' and 'Moonchild'
were delightful. But the band's exclusion of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Maiden
England<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>classics like
'Infinite Dreams' and 'Killers' were absolute mistakes. I also can not believe
they left 'Fear of the Dark' in the setlist, even though that song came out in
1992; four years after the tour that this one is based on! The only random song
in the setlist was 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers', a song that also was from 1992!
The same reason that Eddie Rips up the World Tour will see no significance
plagues this tour. It was an awesome show that I regret not seeing every single
day of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">10. The X Factour
(1995-1996) Score: 3.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfvfQFfCIARNzznFAxMa4dH0H50pGwUTKHIufNwB9-58WpWt593yktNjKqvYFtmqyx2ISFglEcIMsaA866K1g3l5fvPUQDa9BukZRwY4h5FKm66554hdARn-kB-fDiK0WQpxVOxOPQ0A/s1600/iron+maiden+the+x+factour+1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfvfQFfCIARNzznFAxMa4dH0H50pGwUTKHIufNwB9-58WpWt593yktNjKqvYFtmqyx2ISFglEcIMsaA866K1g3l5fvPUQDa9BukZRwY4h5FKm66554hdARn-kB-fDiK0WQpxVOxOPQ0A/s320/iron+maiden+the+x+factour+1995.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When Iron Maiden departed
from their longtime vocalist Bruce Dickinson in 1993, they knew they had to
replace him with a worthy adversary. They found their man in former Wolfsbane
frontman Blaze Bayley. With Bayley in the band, Iron Maiden was ready to take
on the world with a new form and new sound. 1995's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The X Factor</i> burst onto
the scene and received poor reviews from fans who were not ready to move on
from Bruce Dickinson. Maiden had an uphill road ahead of them, and a 128 show
tour was the way to cure any negative connotations about the band. The theme of
the tour was perhaps the darkest Maiden ever had. The show featured a giant
rendition of Eddie that appeared behind the drum riser strapped to an electric
chair. As the song progressed, Eddie would be electrocuted. It was a dark stage
theme that was synonymous with the band at the time. The setlist was composed
of Maiden classics and material from<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The
X Factor</i>. Blaze's performance of Maiden classics such as 'The Trooper' and
'The Evil That Men Do' was largely criticized and it was clear he did not have
the same vocal range as Bruce Dickinson. On<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The
X Factor</i> songs was where Blaze shined brightest. He was also
surprisingly great on 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers' from 1992's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Fear of the Dark</i>. It is the
only Bruce song that Blaze sings better in my opinion. Hopefully Iron Maiden
decides to give this tour and era its due when revisiting their 90s history in
the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">9. World Piece Tour (1983)
Score: 3.75</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmO-VHAE5SrXqhmhqGpf-aipn3-oTf0ZYfOKLKSYtz8S2-UpYghXvANqEcPf6QKvxuefHoSdlitM6zbwXgMCT5D6yqSL4b7sK287E2Kogm7SIZclB0JWZaz_GoGway_eVAtYopyaXcR4/s1600/formacion-worldpiece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="460" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmO-VHAE5SrXqhmhqGpf-aipn3-oTf0ZYfOKLKSYtz8S2-UpYghXvANqEcPf6QKvxuefHoSdlitM6zbwXgMCT5D6yqSL4b7sK287E2Kogm7SIZclB0JWZaz_GoGway_eVAtYopyaXcR4/s320/formacion-worldpiece.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In 1982, drummer Clive
Burr was let go by the band in favor of "madman" Nicko McBrain. With
McBrain in the band, Iron Maiden had their most stable and successful lineup of
the 1980s. The band recorded<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Piece
of Mind</i> in 1983 and it quickly went platinum in several countries.
Maiden's stock was rising, and they took their show on the road for the World
Piece Tour. The theme of the tour was largely simplistic and I am not too fond
of the checkerboard flooring that stood beneath them for most of the tour. The setlist
has to be one of the best Iron Maiden ever had on a tour, especially since it
was the only tour where 'To Tame a Land' was played. This tour lives deep in
Iron Maiden lore due to the final night of the tour in Dortmund, Germany where
Bruce Dickinson and Dave Murray subject to "killing" Eddie on stage
by tearing his brains out and smashing him with guitars. Maiden sounded
terrific on this tour, and it is definitely a classic that will be fondly
remembered for years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">8. Dance of Death World Tour
(2003-2004) Score: 3.75</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1kKw6KNJnu8cXiN-IA5qYbdROXB7zhysMVfvki30LuULU_KerrrApavEdOTQE7RNGCaZ6fB_G48KF7jtvynfWYky8XjXOqqlPl5Y92E6EUOwmoGJ575sPFErh-urkojsD914EqNIdEs/s1600/288498_580213311993761_704946416_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1023" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1kKw6KNJnu8cXiN-IA5qYbdROXB7zhysMVfvki30LuULU_KerrrApavEdOTQE7RNGCaZ6fB_G48KF7jtvynfWYky8XjXOqqlPl5Y92E6EUOwmoGJ575sPFErh-urkojsD914EqNIdEs/s320/288498_580213311993761_704946416_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After the release of
their 13th studio album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Dance
of Death</i>, Iron Maiden embarked on a 53-date tour that was seen as a part
two to the "Give Me Ed" tour. Personally, I think this tour deserved
to last longer than it did. The amazing spectacle of this tour was the biggest
Maiden had done at the time. Eddie was dressed as a grim reaper and the whole
thing was an over-the-top masterpiece. You have to remember that this is in
support of one of Maiden's worst album covers, so for them to pull off the
aesthetics that they did is astounding. The song 'Journeyman' alone made this
an awesome setlist. However, 'No More Lies', 'Rainmaker', and 'Lord of the
Flies' were also great additions. The latter song was the last Blaze Bayley era
song to be performed by the band to date. The live album from this tour,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Death on the Road</i>, was
brilliant and the band sounded amazing. This is a great tour that almost feels
underrated in Maiden's history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">7. Ed Hunter Tour (1999)
Score: 4.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6QnbLLmJ-LbhHBR9L11cAoDBPXOrxSzzmG-MKVW3NbwbVqsMOF5NAak8qrancTsowYktmoB0KR6FITr5GzE_aURVS974zoi0RsGm-ISe7K87ZDddHN9FByuC5a005gLCWc85pJGNdE0/s1600/423219_581170655231360_1060359303_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="800" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6QnbLLmJ-LbhHBR9L11cAoDBPXOrxSzzmG-MKVW3NbwbVqsMOF5NAak8qrancTsowYktmoB0KR6FITr5GzE_aURVS974zoi0RsGm-ISe7K87ZDddHN9FByuC5a005gLCWc85pJGNdE0/s320/423219_581170655231360_1060359303_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Many fans awaited the
return of vocalist Bruce Dickinson from the moment he left in 1993. After six
years, four solo albums, and a new haircut; Bruce Dickinson was back in Iron
Maiden. Not only was Bruce back, but so was former guitarist Adrian Smith who left
in 1990. Rather than kick his replacement, Janick Gers, from the band, Maiden
opted to keep Janick and Adrian, along with longtime member Dave Murray to give
the band three guitarists, a feat rarely seen in metal/rock music. All the
commodities were set, and it was clear that this was to be a huge event for any
Iron Maiden fan or any metalhead in general. The band hit the stage as a
reunited six-piece for the first time on July 11, 1999 and it was clear that
the chemistry was back between the band and good days were ahead for the band.
The setlist was made up of songs voted on by fans as the best Iron Maiden
songs, so obviously it was awesome. This tour served as a great omen for what
the 21st century would be for the band. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">6. Brave New World Tour
(2000-2001) Score: 4.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1Ejjvkf7bLy1qFJ7llYSybfmdHiUFgd0LfYBomWDTbStgtvKI6mtOyU_vs8i3rRihdqdY-krEFVvhR_bX8i-vtuz9QMkFVEd2XRFwPEflgIm6MhvtvvPnVKilCzSeEIVNbfW3WQ5uVI/s1600/Maiden_-_live2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="400" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1Ejjvkf7bLy1qFJ7llYSybfmdHiUFgd0LfYBomWDTbStgtvKI6mtOyU_vs8i3rRihdqdY-krEFVvhR_bX8i-vtuz9QMkFVEd2XRFwPEflgIm6MhvtvvPnVKilCzSeEIVNbfW3WQ5uVI/s320/Maiden_-_live2000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After 1999's Ed Hunter
Tour debuted to the world what Iron Maiden was set to be for the 21st century,
it was time for them to hit the studio for a new album. The result was the
band's 12th studio album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Brave
New World</i>, which hit the scene in 2000 and quickly went gold in several
countries. The ensuing tour, the Brave New World Tour, kicked off in France and
was a stunning show. A giant Eddie appeared during 'The Evil That Men Do' that
looked like a big wicker man, a reference to the album's lead single 'The
Wicker Man'. The setlist was one of Maiden's best, featuring 10 of the 12
albums they had at the time, only omitting<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere
in Time<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>No Prayer for the Dying</i>. This
tour was the beginning of Maiden's climb to become metal legends. The 1990s had
been a tough time for Iron Maiden, but it was clear that the 2000s would be
much different and their legacy would shoot into the stratosphere, and all the
way into space in 2010. The live album from this tour,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Rock in Rio</i>, is my favorite
Iron Maiden recording of all-time and features some of the best performances of
Maiden classics 'Run to the Hills', 'The Wicker Man', and the best live
performance ever with 'Fear of the Dark". It's a great tour that should
have squeezed its way into the Top 5 but oh well. My only grudge with this tour
is that the name is not "Brave New Tour" instead of "Brave New
World Tour".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">5. Beast on the Road (1982)
Score: 4.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3GuTEdyBc2JHt7nkvdCckw3pFQRzv6eH5mt7v-VqAeEtJDqYpXiuXH_ApZ7fkvY2NC1ehlssWhu7NCwzqAHox587s8GBSbnrCK8KlGwcEttGV5izJsS2LyBPeGJGrTuRfxO2b9tC41g/s1600/Iron_Maiden_in_San_Sebastian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1049" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3GuTEdyBc2JHt7nkvdCckw3pFQRzv6eH5mt7v-VqAeEtJDqYpXiuXH_ApZ7fkvY2NC1ehlssWhu7NCwzqAHox587s8GBSbnrCK8KlGwcEttGV5izJsS2LyBPeGJGrTuRfxO2b9tC41g/s320/Iron_Maiden_in_San_Sebastian.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(T) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden added
vocalist Bruce Dickinson in late 1981 after departing with Paul Di'anno. They
quickly hit the studio to record their 3rd album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Number of the Beast</i>, which
would go on to become their most popular album and one of the most iconic metal
albums of all time. They hit the road to promote the album and put on one of
the greatest tours in their history. The overall dark-devil theme from the
album made its way to the stage and looked amazing. The choice to open the tour
with 'Murders in the Rue Morgue' was one of the best in the band's history. The
rest of the set was spectacular and the decision of playing 'Total Eclipse' was
a pleasant surprise. Although, I have always questioned why they never chose to
play 'Invaders'. This was the first full tour with Bruce Dickinson at the helm
and coincidentally the last tour for the man somewhat behind the scenes.
Drummer Clive Burr left for personal reasons after three albums and many great
memories for the band. The Beast on the Road was a big step for Iron Maiden as
they made their way to the top of the metal world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">4. Somewhere on Tour
(1986-1987) Score: 4.25</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMazdGs2xDVMvN4NGvbbmV8N1OVwKBwwFuAm-bMEjskbaup9zg6LhYEh7NGu40LLRxubXqk2V9jCzIcZqaMwoZQRMVByNPcpuJsH7IdDWKTz-Hi7R7G_qfjjn6HKNv-kZcDCBINQgzdFI/s1600/10341946_765358176914940_6203902832912796683_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMazdGs2xDVMvN4NGvbbmV8N1OVwKBwwFuAm-bMEjskbaup9zg6LhYEh7NGu40LLRxubXqk2V9jCzIcZqaMwoZQRMVByNPcpuJsH7IdDWKTz-Hi7R7G_qfjjn6HKNv-kZcDCBINQgzdFI/s320/10341946_765358176914940_6203902832912796683_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 3</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the biggest flukes
in Iron Maiden history is the disrespect that this tour and album get.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere in Time</i> is one
of the best albums Iron Maiden ever released and the Somewhere on Tour is one
of the biggest tours that Maiden embarked on. The band's 6th studio album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere in Time</i>, featured
sci-fi and time related themes on its album cover and songs. Those themes
carried over onto the stage for this tour. The cyborg Eddie from the album
cover came to life in the form of the 10-foot tall Eddie. Bruce Dickinson spent
the first few songs adorned in 30 pounds of lights that resembled veins beating
from a futuristic figure's heart. All of it was very tongue-in-cheek and
inspired by the popular 80s film<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Blade
Runner</i>. The theme was excellent, but this tour's strong suit was its
setlist. This was especially true on the early nights of the tour where the
strength of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere in Time</i>'s
material was met with classic Maiden songs that were played no longer after
this tour. The first gig of the tour in Belgrade, Yugoslavia saw Maiden play
'Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' for the first and only time. Other odd
appearances included 'Flight of Icarus' which made its final appearance in '86,
and 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' which survived the full tour but was not
played for over 20 years afterwards. The band's decision to not record this
tour, whose blame is at the hands of manager Rod Smallwood, is one of the
biggest blunders in the band's history! The band sounded superb on this tour
and it is an absolute shame that we do not have an official document of a great
time in Iron Maiden history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">3. Seventh Tour of a Seventh
Tour (1988) Score: 4.5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfHVyD3KKaZO6mbSuPL0_oMkyPLZD5w68sUxA0XTIraJtOyrizNfiOPdEKvljgeU67jFm8eYfAZhKZTPMEtyOEuJ0Q6lfvhH6xovU-zhoBzIeE_rJ0sts1Nxi-gqw0poUYtm7RVw3ies/s1600/ironmaiden_colour376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="750" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfHVyD3KKaZO6mbSuPL0_oMkyPLZD5w68sUxA0XTIraJtOyrizNfiOPdEKvljgeU67jFm8eYfAZhKZTPMEtyOEuJ0Q6lfvhH6xovU-zhoBzIeE_rJ0sts1Nxi-gqw0poUYtm7RVw3ies/s320/ironmaiden_colour376.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 4</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">First of all, the name of
this tour is awesome. What else was Iron Maiden going to call their seventh
tour that supported their seventh album, ingeniously named<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Seventh Son of a Seventh Son</i>.
1988 was the zenith of Iron Maiden's popularity in the 1980s and they took full
advantage of it by putting on a colossal show. The same stunning themes that
were seen on the Maiden England World Tour(2012-2014) were seen in their
original form on this tour. The setlist is perhaps the best Maiden ever had;
definitely Top 2 if not number 1. I'll go ahead and give it the number one
setlist on the select nights that the band played 'Die With Your Boots
On', 'Killers', and 'Still Life'. Luckily, those songs were played on the
night that this tour is most known for. This is, of course, the night in
November 1988 that Iron Maiden recorded<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Maiden
England<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>at the NEC
in Birmingham, England. That live album would go on to be one of the best
the band recorded and would spawn the single 'Infinite Dreams'. The live video
for the concert is also lauded because of its feel that the viewer is in the
audience. This is something that bassist and director of the film Steve Harris
had in mind when he planned it. This tour stands the test of time as one of
Maiden's biggest to date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2. World Slavery Tour
(1984-1985) Score: 4.75</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0MjD_iV7rm6xhIGOpzJmeHqXeqYv0x5E4yDAFC1JFm2lSa8J8DPuQQe80m2jA2Q5hwIyIowRzD50ct-U4V1ksEzwePUEdaDWATB_9wcoHBWI4-dPiGTvUe5z77nEaJC5mBN1ATRiHz0/s1600/ironmaiden_colour469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="506" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0MjD_iV7rm6xhIGOpzJmeHqXeqYv0x5E4yDAFC1JFm2lSa8J8DPuQQe80m2jA2Q5hwIyIowRzD50ct-U4V1ksEzwePUEdaDWATB_9wcoHBWI4-dPiGTvUe5z77nEaJC5mBN1ATRiHz0/s320/ironmaiden_colour469.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 4</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iron Maiden's now
infamous World Slavery Tour kicked off in August 1984 when Maiden went through
a series of concerts in the eastern bloc, becoming the first major band to play
"Behind the Iron Curtain". The band traveled through the USSR-controlled
countries of Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia to debut the tour. The
band's trip through the area would be documented in a short live video titled<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Behind the Iron Curtain</i>. The
band would trek through the globe for 11 months, in which time they played 187
shows in 331 days. This would take its toll on the band who were exhausted by
the tour's end. This exhaustion would lead to Iron Maiden not releasing a
studio album in 1985, the first year of the decade that this would happen.
Maiden would not leave their fans hanging as in October 1985 they would
realease<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Live After Death</i>,
the band's first proper studio album accompanied by a live video. The
performance comes from the band's fourth consecutive night of headlining Los
Angeles's Long Beach Arena, where they gained the distinction of becoming the
first act to sellout the arena four consecutive nights. The highlight of the
tour has to be the band's performance at the first Rock in Rio, where Maiden
played to over 300,000 fans. That concert, among other things, is one of the
largest reasons that Maiden gained such a following in South America, namely
Brazil. The setlist of this tour was almost completely on point. The only thing
that it lacked was a performance of three well-deserving songs. All eight songs
on<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Powerslave<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>are absolute classics, and yet
three did not reach the stage. These three songs, 'Back in the Village', 'Flash
of the Blade', and 'The Duelists' were never performed live but should have
been. Other than those omissions, the setlist is great. The set is really
backed up with the performances of 'Powerslave' and 'Rime of the Ancient
Mariner'. Other Maiden classics made the cut like 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'
and 'Phantom of the Opera' and just displayed Maiden at their best. The band's
stage design took a complete overhaul as the Egyptian themes and hieroglyphics
from the album sleeve made their way on-stage. The mummified Eddie and ancient
symbols looked great and solidified this as one of the greatest tours Iron
Maiden ever did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1. Somewhere Back in Time
World Tour (2008-2009) Score: 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2r_NIUYlNctuSsP1X0eMQ_crjDVtEeLfNMRPAYt5XFrHUYMmwqWA1d4yv7wgEzMTlBG0hOwK8PGgqORd5-71lLhjkBwQCNnMiQVHTVXChInrJl-zDSAJm9n0qNgDSuUAFsiskfc2qEEs/s1600/Iron_Maiden_perfoming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1600" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2r_NIUYlNctuSsP1X0eMQ_crjDVtEeLfNMRPAYt5XFrHUYMmwqWA1d4yv7wgEzMTlBG0hOwK8PGgqORd5-71lLhjkBwQCNnMiQVHTVXChInrJl-zDSAJm9n0qNgDSuUAFsiskfc2qEEs/s320/Iron_Maiden_perfoming.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(T) - 5</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(S) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(H.S.) - 5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b>(R) -5</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It is not often that a
band can reach the height of their popularity after thirty plus years of
existing. It is not often that a band can perform at exceptional levels in
their late 50s. It is not often that a band's personal airplane is piloted by
the band's lead vocalist. Iron Maiden achieved all of these anomalies in 2008
when they embarked on the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. The tour was in
support of Maiden's compilation album<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Somewhere
Back in Time</i>, where Iron Maiden's best 1980s material was put on display.
The band took themselves around the globe to play to their adoring fans in
their own personal 757 airliner, named Ed Force One, that was amazingly flown
by licensed pilot and vocalist Bruce Dickinson. The band in my opinion hit
their peak on this tour. All six members sounded absolutely amazing. During the
first leg of the tour, which saw the band play 23 shows in 13 countries across
50,000 miles, the band had a film crew follow them for the subject of a
documentary film that would be released as<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Flight
666</i>. The film was a huge success and showed the world that Iron Maiden was
still a force to be reckoned with. The film played a big role in recapturing
Iron Maiden as one of the most well-respected bands of all-time. Iron Maiden
had already solidified a large following as displayed by the film, but the
documentary just put them off the charts! I know seeing this film for the first
time as a young teenager who was not the biggest Maiden fan it definitely
helped draw me closer to the band and its loyal fans. It was one of the first
stepping stones to Iron Maiden becoming my favorite band ever, nay becoming my
religion! The film had the same effect that Rush's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Beyond the Lighted Stage</i>,
coincidentally also directed by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, in building an
entire generation of younger fans to appreciate and love the band. The theme
from the World Slavery Tour(1984-1985) carried over to this tour and looked
spectacular in its new form. The setlist is probably the best Iron Maiden has
ever done. The 2008 leg featured all of their 80s classics such as "The
Trooper', 'Wasted Years', and 'Runs to the Hills' while adding some songs that
had not been heard in ages like 'Revelations', 'The Clairvoyant', and
'Powerslave'. The 2009 leg of the tour added 'Children of the Damned' and
'Phantom of the Opera' to the mix. This tour was all about giving the fans
something they may have never witnessed in the 80s as many of the countries
they visited was for the first time and a large portion of their audience is
too young to have seen Maiden in that decade. This tour was a huge success and
placed Iron Maiden on a pedestal that few metal bands have reached. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
<br />
So, there it is. The definitive list of Iron Maiden tours. If you have a list
of your own, a complaint, or any combination of the two, give a comment and
keep posted for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br />
NP</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-1462032767456588092017-05-18T11:25:00.003-07:002017-05-18T11:25:53.249-07:00Chris Cornell; Dead at 52<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOe8ky7nGidHDTdENwor48XSGX5adKBFjvZ4pvWJ-8CrJW6eHrEF0iawlePAxoo1BBfpYHtDf_kh2tastZj_jaJZWtaOXibiPOY88pCKMZV6aEDy-s2F8Pnuha9wHi4YMJoruj4ZycY0/s1600/548FB087-chris-cornell-to-play-with-mad-season-featuring-duff-mckagan-in-seattle-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOe8ky7nGidHDTdENwor48XSGX5adKBFjvZ4pvWJ-8CrJW6eHrEF0iawlePAxoo1BBfpYHtDf_kh2tastZj_jaJZWtaOXibiPOY88pCKMZV6aEDy-s2F8Pnuha9wHi4YMJoruj4ZycY0/s320/548FB087-chris-cornell-to-play-with-mad-season-featuring-duff-mckagan-in-seattle-image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Tragedy struck early Thursday morning when it was announced that singer-songwriter Chris Cornell had died in his hotel room in Detroit, Michigan.<br />
<br />
Cornell, born Christopher John Boyle, was born on July 20th, 1964 in Seattle, Washington and became a prominent figure in the 1990s grunge era. Cornell fronted two bands: the platinum-selling Soundgarden and the wildly popular Audioslave. He also released five solo albums throughout his career.<br />
<br />
Cornell founded Soundgarden in 1984 in Seattle with Kim Thayill and Hiro Yamamoto. The band gigged around the Pacific Northwest before becoming the first grunge band signed to a major label in 1988. After signing with SST Records, the band recorded their first album, <i>Ultramega OK</i>, in 1988.<br />
<br />
The band's third album, <i>Badmotorfinger</i>, would be their first album to go platinum. The album launched the successful singles 'Jesus Christ Pose' and 'Rusty Cage'.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pBZs_Py-1_0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pBZs_Py-1_0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
In 1994, Soundgarden would break through the stratosphere with the release of <i>Superunknown</i>. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts and spawned several successful singles, such as 'Black Hole Sun' and 'Spoonman'. It was the second of the band's three platinum releases. Soundgarden would also gain platinum status with their 1996 album, <i>Down on the Upside</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3mbBbFH9fAg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3mbBbFH9fAg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Tensions rose between the band members and by 1998 Soundgarden was on hiatus. Chris Cornell went on to form a solo band. He put together a solo album, <i>Euphoria Morning</i>, in 1999 which was met with little fanfare.<br />
<br />
With the 1990s grunge era coming to a close, many bands were separated or down on their luck. One such band was Rage Against the Machine. After the departure of vocalist Zach De La Rocha in 2001, the remaining band members of RATM were left searching for a new singer. They found their replacement in Chris Cornell. Together they formed Audioslave.<br />
<br />
Cornell returned to platinum status with Audioslave. Their first two albums, <i>Audioslave</i>(2002) and <i>Out of Exile</i>(2005), achieved this distinction. Their third and final album, <i>Revelations</i>, was released in 2006 and reached Gold status. The band is notable for the songs 'Be Yourself', 'Like a Stone', and 'Revelations'.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7QU1nvuxaMA/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7QU1nvuxaMA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Cornell departed from Audioslave after the release of their third album in 2006. In January 2017, eleven years after their breakup, Audioslave reunited one more time for the Anti-Inaugural Ball. In February 2017 Cornell officially announced his resignation from Audioslave, citing musical differences and personality conflicts.<br />
<br />
After departing from Audioslave, Cornell went on to release three more studio albums, <i>Carry On</i>(2007), <i>Scream</i>(2009), and <i>Higher Truth</i>(2015). All of these achieved mild success, but failed to capture the essence that Cornell had in his first two bands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zpMfZPAc1kg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zpMfZPAc1kg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
In 2010, it was announced that Soundgarden had reunited. They hit the stage for the first time as a reunited band in April 2010. Plans were set to release a new album. In 2012, fans got what they had yearned for over 15 years. Soundgarden released <i>King Animal</i> and garnished mostly positive reviews.<br />
<br />
Soundgarden emarked on a tour-heavy schedule over the past five years and in 2016 announced that there were plans to release a new album.<br />
<br />
All of this was planned, until Cornell tragically passed away.<br />
<br />
Chris Cornell was found dead in his Detroit hotel room on the night of May 17th, 2017. He had just finished a concert with his platinum-selling band. The initial investigation ruled the death as a "possible suicide". Cornell's death instantly broke the hearts of many in the rock and metal scene. His loss is a huge one for the industry.<br />
<br />
Cornell was more than just an amazing vocalist. He contributed to many charities and started his own, the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, which strives to raise awareness for children living in poverty and affected by abuse.<br />
<br />
Chris Cornell leaves behind his wife, Vicky, and his three children, Lillian Jean, Toni, and Christopher Nichols.<br />
<br />
Chris Cornell was always my favorite vocalist of the 1990s era. His work in his two prominent bands, and even his efforts on the side project Temple of the Dog are extraordinary.<br />
<br />
He will truly be missed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NP<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIDiEbwL4BEbQMH5WcuxnCvBN1vdIsNfz-f2WgndyvLy-N1oxKvF-tJF8YWLl4dWSFc7MG7D9knIVUJFBxLT1l2e-Ni5Jcz1z6pygpOWtLETzSqzuBmNfSZ6KjI-bxVhXR4L61BS-qB0/s1600/foto_0000001020150812131141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIDiEbwL4BEbQMH5WcuxnCvBN1vdIsNfz-f2WgndyvLy-N1oxKvF-tJF8YWLl4dWSFc7MG7D9knIVUJFBxLT1l2e-Ni5Jcz1z6pygpOWtLETzSqzuBmNfSZ6KjI-bxVhXR4L61BS-qB0/s320/foto_0000001020150812131141.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-71404340089949484342017-05-10T02:12:00.002-07:002017-05-10T02:12:53.382-07:00Tuesday Top 10: Songs With Rock/Metal in the TitleAny fan of rock or metal music will definitely not let you forget that fact. We dress exclusively in band shirts, will always be found listening to our favorite bands on the cheapest pair of headphones no matter the situation, and are never afraid to stroke our own ego with our exceptional rock/metal trivia. We love the feeling of announcing to the world that we are metalheads; we are rockers! The bands we listen to usually follow suit. Some of the greatest rock anthems are songs that scream rock n' roll. There are many songs that mention rock or metal in them. These songs are cherished by fans and are usually used in bands' live sets to pump up the crowd and carry the theme that we are metalheads and we love our music.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, here is the Top 10 songs with rock or metal in the title.<br />
<br />
NOTE: The songs listed contain the word "metal" in their title, not actual metals. There are thousands of pop and rap songs with the metal "gold" in the title, so unfortunately for you rap fans there will be no mention of "Gold Everything" by Trinidad James.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Honorable Mentions:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>What list of this caliber would be complete without the true defenders of the metal faith, Judas Priest. The British Heavy Metal band have cornered the market for metal anthems. They self-proclaimed themselves "Metal Gods" with their 1980 song of the same name, and it stuck well on them. They came back later in 1988 with another metal anthem, simply titled "Heavy Metal." These two songs are excellent and demonstrate the full capabilities of this band in their peak. Judas Priest are the metal gods and that fact should not be forgotten, but unfortunately their two brilliant songs miss the cut on this list.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Great White - Rock Me - </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Once Bitten </b>(1987)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-5ErKEBssM0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-5ErKEBssM0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>There are very few albums that I cherish as much as Great White's <i>Once Bitten</i>, except of course Great White's amazing underrated eponymous debut album from 1984. The <i>Once Bitten </i>album features probably the best ballad Great White ever did. It's an amazing classic and is well deserving of being number 10 on this list.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Anvil - Metal on Metal - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Metal on Metal </i>(1982)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/heuR-a7Qx7s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/heuR-a7Qx7s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This is one of those classic metal anthems that sadly gets no air play on radio stations. The lyrics, albeit cheesy, feature that typical 80s feel of "yeah we are metal!" Anvil have been spokesmen for the metal name for years. They have ran into some bad luck over the years, but should be featured in any metalhead's playlist.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Stay Hungry </i>(1984)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SRwrg0db_zY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SRwrg0db_zY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
That cheesy 80s sound mentioned in the last entry is splurged all over this 1984 hit. Twisted Sister saw their greatest commercial success with the <i>Stay Hungry </i>album. This song, along with the rebellious "We're Not Gonna Take It," are Sister's most well-known songs and are forged into the minds of headbangers everywhere.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Saxon - Heavy Metal Thunder - </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Strong Arm of the Law </b>(1980)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9ult8rycg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9ult8rycg</a></span><br />
<br />
Saxon are another one of those purveyors of metal that just loves showing their metal pride. Hell, they even have an album named <i>Denim and Leather</i>. The song "Heavy Metal Thunder" is one of the best songs Saxon has and is full of thunderous energy the entire way, just like your typical Saxon album.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll - <i>Led Zeppelin IV</i> </b>(1971)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4bv_ALKkTjQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4bv_ALKkTjQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Nothing says "rock n' roll" like Led Zeppelin, and naturally they wrote a few songs on the subject. The late John Bonham laid down some of his best percussion work on this song and perfectly displayed why he is regarded as one of hard rock's best drummers of all-time. On a personal note, I have always enjoyed this song because my high school Government teacher who referred to me as the rocker kid used to see me and say the opening line to me when he would see me in class.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Helix - Heavy Metal Love - <i>No Rest for the Wicked</i> </b>(1983)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bK9Sbatp3B0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bK9Sbatp3B0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This was the first Helix song that my ears ever had the bestowed privilege of hearing, and it had me sold on the Canadian rockers from the first take. It is an excellent song that has been said to be a tribute to Joan Jett.<br />
Fun fact:<br />
When singing the song, I change the lyric "I like her caress of steel" to "I don't like Caress of Steel" as a reference to the 1975 Rush album of the same name, that is arguably their worst album. It's still a good album though!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Quiet Riot - Metal Health - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Metal Health </i>(1983)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M42Wj3hOEDs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M42Wj3hOEDs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This is probably the best metal anthem of all-time. The late vocalist Kevin DuBrow delivers his best vocal performance on this five-minute thriller. Quiet Riot cornered the market back in the mid-1980s with their string of hits, most of them coming on this album. Why does this song fall so low on this list if it is so amazing? Just wait and see what the next three are!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Love at First Sting </i>(1984)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D_WjQbD1rC8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D_WjQbD1rC8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
The German legends laid down their most popular song to date with this 1984 hit. The opening chords blasted by the twin-guitar attack of Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker are some of the most recognizable in rock music. The song sends chills down my spine every time I put it on the record and hear it blare out my speakers. However, this is far from their best song. I encourage all humans to check out every Scorpions album from <i>Virgin Killer</i>(1976) to <i>Face the Heat</i>(1993), and if you like what you hear take a spin at their earlier and later albums, they are all masterpieces!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock N' Roll - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">I Love Rock N' Roll </i>(1981)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gd6CqLyiGJU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gd6CqLyiGJU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This list would pretty much be incomplete if this song did not find its way on it. Joan Jett's cover of The Arrows 1975 single turned into a smash hit. Everyone from your dog to my grandma have heard this one. It is a kickass song that describes the feeling that all of us have inside us, that yes I do love rock n' roll!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Holocaust - Heavy Metal Mania - </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Nightcomers</i> (1981)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X3d8ARmVIM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X3d8ARmVIM</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This song is obviously the inspiration for the name of this blog and my radio show, so it is a biased choice for number one. It is not the greatest song ever written, but it is still an awesome song in its own right. The opening guitar riff is one of the finest of the NWOBHM era and the lyrics are as true as you can get. "I've got Heavy Metal music in my blood / And I'd like to get it too you if I could." Maybe not the best lyrics around, but they work for the mood and atmosphere that is set by this awesome song. "Heavy Metal Mania" is a clear recipient of the number one spot on this list!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Is this list a sell-out? Do you know 10 better songs with rock/metal in the title that are better than any of the ones I listed? If so, leave a comment and stay tuned for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-35898766642406280872017-04-20T14:31:00.002-07:002017-04-20T14:55:55.999-07:00Eddie's Forgotten Tracks: Which Songs Should Return to Iron Maiden's Setlist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSg2UI2wcC_TP516tfYdwSimr3MCK3r64-y7cYfXHPa6ICdaUBxBq7Aw7k12Hai7SLXKoBX9tVGna6whqTg8GZRA09rNDDU5L_FHBLEK40s2EKfKs-k3NOAwDIkbuiAENVg1CT-nauLA/s1600/563830_371972312921135_641315163_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSg2UI2wcC_TP516tfYdwSimr3MCK3r64-y7cYfXHPa6ICdaUBxBq7Aw7k12Hai7SLXKoBX9tVGna6whqTg8GZRA09rNDDU5L_FHBLEK40s2EKfKs-k3NOAwDIkbuiAENVg1CT-nauLA/s320/563830_371972312921135_641315163_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Iron Maiden's exceptional career has lasted over 40 years. In that time they have played more than 2000 concerts in over 60 countries to millions of fans. Their live show has turned into one of metal's greatest spectacles and has laid the groundwork for what a concert should be. Maiden's catalog is nothing to scoff at either. With 16 studio albums containing 155 songs they have a lot of material to choose from. Typically Maiden derives their setlist with a good mixture of old classics and new songs with an obscure song or two to satisfy casual and hardcore fans alike. Naturally, not everyone is going to be happy and there are many songs fans wish they would play more. I myself am a mindless robot who is happy with any song Iron Maiden chooses to play in their set. But, there are a few songs that could use a bit more time in concert.<br />
<br />
Heavy Metal Mania is going to take you album by album on which songs should be brought back to Iron Maiden's setlist. This list <i><b>ONLY</b> </i>includes songs that are not regularly played in Maiden's setlist. Songs like "The Trooper","Wrathchild", and others that have been played on at least two of Maiden's tours in the past ten years are omitted.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Iron Maiden</u> - 1980</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXCZGgfUXcCod2_GceSMhmuRjTzaps3OGYPiL_VLxr2q2AUagg2GQ7M7Dw6lUwLaRloQuit-cSBMBQNw6vd3sZEscSSr-UosgKrurKnTxznCcvrY4AuuSS_ilnN-XCwSz4fj_BYHfzdo/s1600/album01_iron-maiden_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXCZGgfUXcCod2_GceSMhmuRjTzaps3OGYPiL_VLxr2q2AUagg2GQ7M7Dw6lUwLaRloQuit-cSBMBQNw6vd3sZEscSSr-UosgKrurKnTxznCcvrY4AuuSS_ilnN-XCwSz4fj_BYHfzdo/s320/album01_iron-maiden_350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prowler - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
No story about Iron Maiden would be complete without mentioning Prowler. The song was the first song on the album and was one of four featured on Maiden's debut EP, The Soundhouse Tapes, from 1979. It is a song synonymous with Maiden's early days. That's why it comes to no surprise that it was played on every tour Maiden did up until 1983. It had a ten year absence before reappearing on A Real Live Tour for whatever reason. It took twelve years off before coming back for the "Eddie Rips Up The World Tour" and it sounded great. I firmly believe Prowler could still exist on Maiden's setlist, maybe replacing Sanctuary or Running Free.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Remember Tomorrow - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Remember Tomorrow followed a similar path of "Prowler"; Played on the early tours, brought back in 1993, and put to rest after the 2005 tour. Bruce Dickinson has said this song is very special to him, as it is the first song he performed for Iron Maiden when he auditioned to join the band. This might explain why it was played on his farewell tour from the band in '93(he would of course rejoin in 1999). It sounds good with the band's modern form and even reminds me a bit of Revelations, but I think for now it should stay off the setlist. It has never been one of my favorite Maiden tracks and hearing it live does not help it that much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Rk9IQKUCch-dudD86HSxmDBqSHhF8yJmFRfeH-QHP3cBSirGhp-vlI5gz6pNjRxhN52Q-s31gVLwZXEiasFwEXUsc6Kkf38anhS9Au6iCxs09mg6BInYBZtHQsKo-QTQP3LfqIWifSg/s1600/13315329_1608357579492519_5183453855531981407_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Rk9IQKUCch-dudD86HSxmDBqSHhF8yJmFRfeH-QHP3cBSirGhp-vlI5gz6pNjRxhN52Q-s31gVLwZXEiasFwEXUsc6Kkf38anhS9Au6iCxs09mg6BInYBZtHQsKo-QTQP3LfqIWifSg/s320/13315329_1608357579492519_5183453855531981407_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Transylvania - Last Played: 1993</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
One common theme among metal acts is to include a bass/drum/guitar solo or instrumental song in between a set to give the vocalist some breathing time and maybe prepare the stage for a big performance. Iron Maiden noticeably usually goes against this norm and does not include instrumentals or solos in their set. At least that's been the case in the past 20 years. Transylvania, the instrumental from the band's debut, was played off and on until hitting the stage for the final time in 1993. It could work if the band decided to bring it back and would be the best of their four instrumentals to be played live, so I say yes Transylvania should be brought back to Iron Maiden's set.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQEJ1Pykjx1r7gbASYljClpxLi53EasqKlJB6KzjrgjVm9HzFuyDWo32tqd1xprs4W5bCzF0XW5SMJUElPBeo5uJEWP9sDlKJSBuwNMtol_4ZAmq3IYjVin49bwLQQ40lbQPeud6nMxE/s1600/13327495_1608357622825848_8588186301953592958_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQEJ1Pykjx1r7gbASYljClpxLi53EasqKlJB6KzjrgjVm9HzFuyDWo32tqd1xprs4W5bCzF0XW5SMJUElPBeo5uJEWP9sDlKJSBuwNMtol_4ZAmq3IYjVin49bwLQQ40lbQPeud6nMxE/s320/13327495_1608357622825848_8588186301953592958_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Strange World - Last Played: 1981</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Songs like Strange World are definitely in Iron Maiden's lost and found category. The song first appeared in their 1979 set and was recorded for the band's aforementioned debut EP, the Soundhouse Tapes, but was not included on it due to sound issues. It was played on the tour in support of the band's debut album <i>Iron Maiden, </i>came on board for two shows of the Killer World Tour, and then it was vanished from thin air and never seen again. With Paul Di'anno this song sounds great. Bruce Dickinson never recorded the song on live or in studio so it is a mystery as to how it would be with him on it. I say yes this song should be performed live again just so that all 16 fans that want to hear it can get their wish.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Charlotte The Harlot - Last played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>Most of Iron Maiden's eponymous debut has been played in the last 15 years. A lot of this is due to the fact Maiden embarked on the "Eddie Rips Up The World Tour" in 2005 where they dedicated a tour to their first four albums. That tour, was the last time Charlotte the Harlot was played live. Two venues in Western Europe got to witness Iron Maiden play the tribute to Ms. Charlotte for the first time since 1980. The recordings of the two performances of the song can be found on YouTube. After examining the song thoroughly and hearing it through the voice of Bruce Dickinson instead of the man who originally sang it, Paul Di'anno, it's clear to me that Maiden's show has evolved well past this song. It's great to hear this song be revived, but those lucky fans who witnessed it should probably be the last ones to hear it. Charlotte the Harlot should be retired from Iron Maiden's setlist, and I'm sure it already is.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><i>Killers</i></u> - <b>1981</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOinJosId0ZExylHVKt6rRcw2auaBZJDNtHBaWaBeR6-w24THjawvnqsoTCpZP7JV2JjeruBfNrz_t2dSLvAkQ3TT9sUWeVr2bnpFkTkiIspRu2XSRfteUQupuAIQP5LMhStpnSGT2ohM/s1600/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOinJosId0ZExylHVKt6rRcw2auaBZJDNtHBaWaBeR6-w24THjawvnqsoTCpZP7JV2JjeruBfNrz_t2dSLvAkQ3TT9sUWeVr2bnpFkTkiIspRu2XSRfteUQupuAIQP5LMhStpnSGT2ohM/s320/81THIDcutDL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Murders In The Rue Morgue - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
If I was at my current age in 2005 and I heard that Iron Maiden was playing Murders in the Rue Morgue on tour I would be overjoyed. It is perhaps the best song form Paul Di'anno's final album and sounded great when Bruce Dickinson sang it. This is evidenced by the recordings of it on the live albums <i>Beast Over Hammersmith</i>(1982) and <i>Live After Death</i>(1985). Murders In The Rue Morgue should return to Maiden's setlist and could even be switched for another Di'anno era classic that is normally found in their set, Phantom of the Opera.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another Life - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Most of the Di'anno era songs have the same short life of only existing in the early days tours and then disappearing forever. When the band brought this song back in 2005 it fit well for the tour, but it might have only fit for that tour. Another Life should not return to Maiden's setlist.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Genghis Khan - Last Played: 1982</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
See Transylvania above for exact commentary(yes I am that lazy).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7DpXzlg2tzj6phwHGZJqXEsfiCtUBtRDVVCXU_mVGlqe61S21Y-3QP5UxhGPvXcc7D_tKLqEhMXlWNJ7uaZQCLlp_IIdmRVIRa-I0r-pf_KLWfM8yPYlyjejIN1cY73fZ6h1lDIZG70/s1600/clive-burr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7DpXzlg2tzj6phwHGZJqXEsfiCtUBtRDVVCXU_mVGlqe61S21Y-3QP5UxhGPvXcc7D_tKLqEhMXlWNJ7uaZQCLlp_IIdmRVIRa-I0r-pf_KLWfM8yPYlyjejIN1cY73fZ6h1lDIZG70/s320/clive-burr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Innocent Exile - Last Played: 1981</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
It's fair to say that Innocent Exile is one of the better appreciated songs of the Di'anno years. Fans love the opening bass riff and the continuing of the psycho killer theme on <i>Killers</i>. Bassist and founding member Steve Harris has stated that it was one of the first songs he wrote. That's why it puzzles me that this song has vanished from live shows, not even making a cameo performance in the 2005 tour. This song was played briefly with Bruce Dickinson when he joined the band late on the Killer World Tour in 1981 and sounded pretty good. It would have been a good tune to be played on the Beast On The Road tour that came in 1982. It's one of those songs that's good for old Maiden but probably would not fit in to their set today. This song should be played live just so we can see how it sounds with this modern incarnation of the band.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Killers - Last Played: 1999</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The title track to Iron Maiden's second album is one of the most beloved of the Di'anno era. That alone makes it so mysterious as to why the band have not played it even once in this century. The song killed live(pun intended), and would absolutely be a stunner if played live today. The song is heard on live albums <i>Beast Over Hammersmith</i>(1982) and <i>Maiden England </i>(1988). It was dropped from the live show after 1988 and did not come back until 1999 on the Ed Hunter Tour where fans voted on their favorite songs to be placed in the set. When the Eddie Rips Up The World Tour took place, it was one of the most puzzling omissions from the setlist. When the band dedicated a tour to <i>Maiden England</i>, simply named the Maiden England World Tour, it was on a lot of fans minds that the song would return to the stage. The hopes and dreams of those fans were crushed as it did not appear. Iron Maiden should absolutely positively play this song live!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prodigal Son - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Before I get to the actual commentary I want to make a quick note that the early days of the band(1975-1979) are relatively unknown. Iron Maiden has done a good job of documenting their history through books and videos, but of course the full story is not always told. There is a lot of speculation as to what actually happened and what is said by Maiden to have happened. This song, for example, does not exist on any live recordings or known bootlegs, but there are testimonials from former band members that the song was played live. For now I'm going to have it on account that this song was not played live. There exists facebook and web pages run by former Iron Maiden members who try to dispel fact from fiction of Maiden's early days. The Facebook page can be found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Maiden77-341144199371675/">here</a>. The webpage can be found <a href="http://legacyproject.co.uk/index.php">here</a>.<br />
Prodigal Son is like "Strange World" in that it is vastly different than most Iron Maiden songs. It has drifted into obscurity and is a forgotten Iron Maiden song. There is no telling how this song would sound with the band today. This song should be played live, maybe just once, so we can finally hear it live!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Purgatory - Last Played: 1981</b></span><br />
<br />
The nifty little single was first written in 1976 and was titled "Floating". The band changed it up a bit and featured it on their 1981 album. It is one of the band's fastest and shortest songs, clocking in at only 3:20. After the 1981 Killer World Tour, the song was dropped and never seen again. Maybe that was for the best, the song did not really suit Bruce's voice, as is evidenced by the recordings of the final shows of the tour, which were the first he did with Maiden. Still, it would have been nice to see the song revitalized for the 2005 Early Days tour. Iron Maiden should not return this song to the set.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz7zlBo89IWnBdYrqM9W5ik5-rxrxuNiHKBnW77LRRFSokiIyaoNFIQY3CovOVq_lJ3bb7vu89PPaRb5EYn6zbmZyOSpcKddMMsSTnenyRC1PxiI3BwsL_aNh-Fo-4GoRXsIWTim-ptA/s1600/tumblr_lpphs5zIOT1ql40eoo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz7zlBo89IWnBdYrqM9W5ik5-rxrxuNiHKBnW77LRRFSokiIyaoNFIQY3CovOVq_lJ3bb7vu89PPaRb5EYn6zbmZyOSpcKddMMsSTnenyRC1PxiI3BwsL_aNh-Fo-4GoRXsIWTim-ptA/s320/tumblr_lpphs5zIOT1ql40eoo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Twilight Zone - Last Played: 1981</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song follows the same path as Purgatory; Short song, short life. It was first intended as a 'B' side to Wrathchild, but was such a good song that it made its way to being a double-A side with Wrathchild. It was also dropped after the Killer World Tour and never saw the light of day again. With good reason too, it was not suited for Bruce's voice. This song should not return.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Drifter - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The final song on <i>Killers</i> was a staple in Maiden's live show for much of their early existence. The band would stretch the 4 minute song into a 9 minute anthem where Paul Di'anno or Bruce Dickinson, depending who was singing at the time, would chant along with the crowd in the middle of the song to pump them up. It was usually used as a way to close the set and it worked brilliantly. They dropped it after 1983 and brought it back in 2005 but it was clear that the stage presence of this song was lost. Drifter should not return to Maiden's live act.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><i>The Number Of The Beast</i></u> - 1982</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7VrQOdY7UBeSBqQBRA2F5fzcjn9szVDA3ANoSAUC-syOTgncZOg5fgp-oaeVayEei9joqY5pv_NgtCRauNL48SwvOPqinSMqdhrdOIO2gJP0x5Z70gyp7PCpAUJUhxf4s7GqLv8kznM/s1600/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7VrQOdY7UBeSBqQBRA2F5fzcjn9szVDA3ANoSAUC-syOTgncZOg5fgp-oaeVayEei9joqY5pv_NgtCRauNL48SwvOPqinSMqdhrdOIO2gJP0x5Z70gyp7PCpAUJUhxf4s7GqLv8kznM/s320/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Invaders: Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Many of the most iconic metal albums all have stunning classic opening tracks. Metallica's <i>Ride the Lightning </i>has Fight Fire With Fire, Black Sabbath's <i>Paranoid</i> has War Pigs, and Motorhead's <i>Ace of Spades</i> has its landmark title track. <i>The Number of the Beast</i>, often regarded as one of the best metal albums of all-time, seems the odd man out in this scenario as its opening track is often forgotten. Invaders has never been played live by Maiden, and I have always wondered why that is. This song is awesome, I hardly find any Maiden fans who disagree, so why have they refused to play it all these years. There are rumors that it was played in New Zealand in 1992, but there is not valid evidence to support this claim and it doesn't make any sense. This song was originally titled "Invasion". There are two versions of it on <i>The Soundhouse Tapes</i> and the 'B' side to Women In Uniform. That song was played often in Maiden's early sets, but the re-polished version of it appears nowhere. Iron Maiden should play this song live!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWOskSQbS7qgn4x8wxEHU4so7xzeuVE3Z9GDX5L8b_TcURI7AZgNIx-YTz9c0OgNWGBWdM74QVLDU4ewRgXriJ7W29RbEQgaBoAUO4AEFqb4Tjbvp8043Fi3fgQCQ_yudylcn_GW7Jyc/s1600/11262481_679887852115977_2870011910429632607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWOskSQbS7qgn4x8wxEHU4so7xzeuVE3Z9GDX5L8b_TcURI7AZgNIx-YTz9c0OgNWGBWdM74QVLDU4ewRgXriJ7W29RbEQgaBoAUO4AEFqb4Tjbvp8043Fi3fgQCQ_yudylcn_GW7Jyc/s320/11262481_679887852115977_2870011910429632607_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>22 Acacia Avenue: Last Played - 2003</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The sequel to Charlotte the Harlot is heard on <i>The Number of the Beast</i>. It was a crowd pleaser in the first few tours it appeared on as Maiden would often bring a scantily dressed woman on stage to perform to the song. It was played on most tours through 1991, where it was dropped for good. It returned in 2003 for the "Give Me Ed... 'Till I'm Dead" tour and did not have the same spirit as it once had. It is surprising that the song was not even played once during the 2005 Early Days tour considering there was a giant stage icon that said "Acacia Avenue", but oh well. Iron Maiden should not play this song live anymore.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z7RClFcTjOJ8hq6jEcE_Luy2snxLDOhNmrAI7BShJ3XAarPL9ZncEmS5C-cxhUItESmYXFidiLQQrfjBiXf-5YVpcTHvSKtacfTnTmweqsVuQGJaK6AFRitREpfGdo_LrvK4zBixb84/s1600/10308301_677712772333485_2995887522920048160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z7RClFcTjOJ8hq6jEcE_Luy2snxLDOhNmrAI7BShJ3XAarPL9ZncEmS5C-cxhUItESmYXFidiLQQrfjBiXf-5YVpcTHvSKtacfTnTmweqsVuQGJaK6AFRitREpfGdo_LrvK4zBixb84/s320/10308301_677712772333485_2995887522920048160_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gangland: Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
When Iron Maiden was recording <i>The Number of the Beast </i>they had a tough decision to make: Should they include Gangland or "Total Eclipse" on the release. One song would go on the record and the other would be degraded as a 'B' side to "Run to the Hills". Steve Harris and the gang ultimately chose Gangland but later felt this was a mistake. Gangland has always seemed like the bastard child among the <i>The Number of the Beast</i> and is treated so by the band, who have never played it live. Gangland should be played live by Iron Maiden!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Total Eclipse: Last Played - Last Played: 1982</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Do you have a sibling who seems more prosperous and gets everyone's attention while you stand in the corner depressed? That's what Total Eclipse is to Gangland. Iron Maiden cherish it so much that they played it live on the Beast On The Road tour and even included it on the 1998 remastered version of <i>The Number of the Beast</i>. It was the cool kid on the street, or at least it was. Total Eclipse was only played on that tour and never saw the light of day again. Iron Maiden should bring this song back a time or two to the setlist.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Piece Of Mind</u> - 1983</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuaXugFhATNXZMjrhMxy-6Y8cy6dLdo6H7ixziQlrjROzyZV2Zyxn7p0CnrSPOepaKKDh15Bgtl_YJrbRbP4JEpYvQE3tMPiZYMkHVDx_vsfXod7D7_4izbxUKQ8Hu6ruZMiUnjNK9cM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuaXugFhATNXZMjrhMxy-6Y8cy6dLdo6H7ixziQlrjROzyZV2Zyxn7p0CnrSPOepaKKDh15Bgtl_YJrbRbP4JEpYvQE3tMPiZYMkHVDx_vsfXod7D7_4izbxUKQ8Hu6ruZMiUnjNK9cM/s320/album_iron_maiden_piece_of_mind_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Where Eagles Dare - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song has had a ...erm daring life span. It has been played seemingly on shuffle throughout its existence. It of course first appeared on the World Piece Tour, then was randomly thrown in for a leg of the Somewhere On Tour (1986) before disappearing until the A Real Live Tour in 1993. It regained life on the early days tour of 2005 and sounded great as ever. It's a classic song that sounds great when performed live. Iron Maiden should bring Where Eagles Dare back to their set, even if at random.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Flight Of Icarus - Last Played: 1986</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden has never been a radio rock band. Their music is for the most part not heard on radio stations anywhere across the world, unless of course you count UTRGV Radio where yours truly is a DJ. This has been true for most of their career, but in 1983 they released a single in the U.S. for the first time and it went viral. Flight of Icarus is a classic metal track and was set to be one of Maiden's fondest and most recognized, until the band decided otherwise. Steve Harris never really liked the studio version of the song and prefered it live. The song was played on the initial album tour(1983), World Slavery Tour(1984), and Somewhere On Tour(1986), and that was it. The song was never played again despite being a fan favorite. It's time to bury the hatchet with this song. It's time to play Flight of Icarus live.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Die With Your Boots On - Last Played: 2005</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
There are bands made for live concerts and there are those made for the studio. Iron Maiden is a live band. Their studio work is exquisite, but their live act is on an untouchable level. Naturally, there will be songs that sound way better live than on record. Die Wit Your Boots On is one of those songs. It sounds spectacular live. The energy is amazing and the chorus fits perfect. The song was played on every tour until its final curtain call in 1991 on the No Prayer on the Road tour. It was brought back in 2005 and sounded awesome. This song should still be played live, it is still awesome.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYXph_xyxqOMc8gNxV03W_7Iz9E_zNpk0LTDkEPrtVfr9PRFk7euK6DR7OmUPU_tgqaSWsqngF998w1mRcsaokRt7_jAzr0YDWOxV-ObFSP1xpXJhpv2uqNgf5Lq7opZLvKnGQyprYrk/s1600/11168157_766368833480541_2735236034776978252_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYXph_xyxqOMc8gNxV03W_7Iz9E_zNpk0LTDkEPrtVfr9PRFk7euK6DR7OmUPU_tgqaSWsqngF998w1mRcsaokRt7_jAzr0YDWOxV-ObFSP1xpXJhpv2uqNgf5Lq7opZLvKnGQyprYrk/s320/11168157_766368833480541_2735236034776978252_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Still Life - Last Played: 1988</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Everyone knows "Run to the Hills" and "Wasted Years", but there are some hidden gems out there in Maiden's catalog. Still Life is the definition of a a hidden gem. It's great, it's melodic, it's genius, it's.... been almost 30 years since it was last played live. This song needs to be played live again... please!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quest For Fire - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Every album has a filler song or two; <i>Piece of Mind </i>is no exception. Yes, Quest For Fire is a filler song, but it's still a fantastic tune. It's historically inaccurate, but that does not discredit it. Quest For Fire should be played live so we can hear every Maiden song and prove that even their filler songs are gold.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sun And Steel - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Remember what I said about filler songs? Yeah... this is a filler. See above description.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnnihuC6V58k_Rp3nvLL6nC1df-ew7JVhOzGko21syuiBd_7ZbwiU6h7s6EcSWN-n2WfwwTZGJm9FJ_QDSpNhLZSknphuLJer7IgsXndhFr-hIqbq6YrD7KeBVab_mE544U0r2EbqQ60/s1600/ironmaiden_colour494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnnihuC6V58k_Rp3nvLL6nC1df-ew7JVhOzGko21syuiBd_7ZbwiU6h7s6EcSWN-n2WfwwTZGJm9FJ_QDSpNhLZSknphuLJer7IgsXndhFr-hIqbq6YrD7KeBVab_mE544U0r2EbqQ60/s320/ironmaiden_colour494.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>To Tame A Land - Last Played: 1983</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden, along with a lot of bands, like to save their best for last. The final track on an album is almost always the album's epic. The song recognized for superior musicianship.. To Tame A Land is one of Maiden's best written and arranged songs. Steve Harris said at the time it was the best song he had ever written. That is why it is so mind boggling that this song has been ignored since the initial World Piece Tour in 1983. The song tells the story of <i>Dune </i>by Frank Herbert, who told Maiden they could not use <i>Dune </i>as the title of the song because he did not like rock bands. That could play a role in the decision. Iron Maiden should bring this classic back now!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Powerslave</u> - </i><b>1984</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEgSb76SAWDEwDjrQrxFjme7B9t8qVmlekzI8x_xOl00j_P51dtB0zQN0PbFalqSYoNLzGMJ3_VabQhayB-XGe4d4u8uQkfApYMu8Pz7M9jJ7e0FVkiSJzQhp-hIQw4O12VVmhJt_0kg/s1600/album_iron_maiden_powerslave_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEgSb76SAWDEwDjrQrxFjme7B9t8qVmlekzI8x_xOl00j_P51dtB0zQN0PbFalqSYoNLzGMJ3_VabQhayB-XGe4d4u8uQkfApYMu8Pz7M9jJ7e0FVkiSJzQhp-hIQw4O12VVmhJt_0kg/s320/album_iron_maiden_powerslave_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Losfer Words(Big 'Orra) - Last Played: 1985</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Go ahead and look at my description of "Transylvania" if you want to know what I think of instrumentals in live sets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Flash of the Blade - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
One thing that's always bugged me about Iron Maiden is that they produce absolute masterpieces but refuse to play them live. There are several examples of this and Flash of the Blade is a prime one. There are obviously reasons that are not made public as to why this is but this is one I can just not get over. Flash of the Blade needs to be played live.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMElWb5h0ClrDBmDBCRgWWup4MahzltGpdBhfDmjJKjPIh7B3WmNGqHyTWejbJ7TrfFZ5Z6uMGF-mwEawZAoqy6uIk7AVe-ZBLuki5SRhqnAI-WJ2HYgdlZLdVHvgOZ8Ja4g9gJudnQGs/s1600/10632738_674216609349768_1650338546023060515_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMElWb5h0ClrDBmDBCRgWWup4MahzltGpdBhfDmjJKjPIh7B3WmNGqHyTWejbJ7TrfFZ5Z6uMGF-mwEawZAoqy6uIk7AVe-ZBLuki5SRhqnAI-WJ2HYgdlZLdVHvgOZ8Ja4g9gJudnQGs/s320/10632738_674216609349768_1650338546023060515_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Duelists - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Another terrific song off <i>Powerslave</i> that has yet to see the stage. Please Maiden, play this song... and Flash of the Blade.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back In The Village - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I'm starting to sound like a scratched record, but Iron Maiden needs to perform every song! Iron Maiden needs to play ever song! Iron Maiden needs to play every song! There are rumors that this song was played on the first dates of the World Slavery Tour, but none of them can be confirmed as fact.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhinLPOJyp3X_hdWmXG8QBZCqK5nioqpfQwbX49DgsB1-fbP4A4RP7JNVQo1pjO7jbTQu_T1GV1Do-W_m2OPMY9Y2i1-gYnT7Vs1EEgtNi9i7MvzTzk0fNc_u_t2KiPB1POikr-ZZ-RY/s1600/ironmaiden_colour308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhinLPOJyp3X_hdWmXG8QBZCqK5nioqpfQwbX49DgsB1-fbP4A4RP7JNVQo1pjO7jbTQu_T1GV1Do-W_m2OPMY9Y2i1-gYnT7Vs1EEgtNi9i7MvzTzk0fNc_u_t2KiPB1POikr-ZZ-RY/s320/ironmaiden_colour308.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - Last Played: 2009</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
"What's your favorite song Nate?" "Hey Nathaniel what's your favorite Iron Maiden song?"<br />
I'll always answer Rime of the Ancient Mariner! I love it! It's a hefty song, standing at 13 minutes(their 3rd longest song) of metal superiority. They played it live a few times; The World Slavery Tour(1984-85), a random addition to Somewhere On Tour(1986-87), and of course the Somewhere Back In Time Tour(2008-2009) where Bruce Dickinson said it was his favorite to bring back to the set. Even though it is my favorite song, I understand that the large spectacle needed to be performed along with the song might be too out of place with the current setlist Maiden has. I want Maiden to play this song if they can do it right, which I know they would.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Somewhere In Time</u><b> - 1986</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGR5tQCxXlBUUtGDDc924bbQbdk38hk5rhsgJhPuUM2neqDSQqpIo5gcuYZSnXsbqLjNxqQeUoD71uPdfpBI8W-ieJTfoyLKGFSLsR4sJRBUMem4acTfmBAjd5pNqyLdZdJSCMuF7sCM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_somewhere_in_time_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGR5tQCxXlBUUtGDDc924bbQbdk38hk5rhsgJhPuUM2neqDSQqpIo5gcuYZSnXsbqLjNxqQeUoD71uPdfpBI8W-ieJTfoyLKGFSLsR4sJRBUMem4acTfmBAjd5pNqyLdZdJSCMuF7sCM/s320/album_iron_maiden_somewhere_in_time_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Caught Somewhere In Time - Last Played: 1987</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
There are sometimes that Maiden dedicates an opening track to the album tour and it is never seen again. We see this with Different World(A Matter of Life and Death), Aces High(Powerslave) until 1999, and Caught Somewhere In Time. Sometimes this makes sense, I honestly cannot see this song being performed on No Prayer on the Road or the Brave New World tours. Still, this is a great song and I'd be in awe if it was played live. Maiden missed a big chance to revitalize Somewhere On Tour when they redid Maiden England in 2012-2014. So it's likely we'll never see this song again. Iron Maiden should return this song to the set along with a tribute to Somewhere in Time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sea Of Madness - Last Played: 1987</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Madness? I'll tell you what's madness: Having a brilliant album like <i>Somewhere In Time</i> and not paying any respect to it. Bring Sea of Madness back with the whole album in tow!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Last Played: 1986</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song was played as many times as I've had hope in my life: one time. One time this song was played. And on that fateful night of September 10, 1986 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia(now Serbia), all was right in the world. Then, suddenly Iron Maiden decided to drop the song and chaos erupted. The world has not been right since this song was dropped. People have died, prices have risen, United Airlines has partaken in heinous acts. Please Iron Maiden, play this song, you're our only hope!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MQ2RkweoI0Uv0gDATK95w01-XyTqAvrjRPFDgjnQEmf1uY5HL0V8IDQGhcfmyPG73_iFvHkRGkdLTqTPN3KTkT_kd0vqG2k4OUs0vqJxfWCkqjirYY7HU2qf7uXRQultNDS5nmAMGSc/s1600/10341946_765358176914940_6203902832912796683_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MQ2RkweoI0Uv0gDATK95w01-XyTqAvrjRPFDgjnQEmf1uY5HL0V8IDQGhcfmyPG73_iFvHkRGkdLTqTPN3KTkT_kd0vqG2k4OUs0vqJxfWCkqjirYY7HU2qf7uXRQultNDS5nmAMGSc/s320/10341946_765358176914940_6203902832912796683_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stranger In A Strange Land - Last Played: 1999</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
If you haven't noticed by now, I'm very bitter about Somewhere In Time's exclusion from Maiden's setlist. This may be the zenith of my anger. This is my favorite song on the album and it has barely been touched since the initial Somewhere On Tour in 1986-1987. In 1999, Iron Maiden held an online fan-vote for their 20 best songs to be chosen for an upcoming compilation album. Stranger In A Strange Land was voted on. The band embarked on the Ed Hunter Tour which marked the return of Bruce Dickinson on vocals and Adrian Smith on guitar who left in 1993 and 1990, respectively. All was right. Stranger In A Strange Land was even in the setlist and was played on five shows of the tour. Five time!?!? Five, the amount of times I've cried about this subject today. Iron Maiden, I beg, I plead, play Stranger In A Strange Land.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Deja-Vu - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Even the less desirable <i>Somewhere In Time </i>songs like Deja-Vu upset me for their exclusion from the set. Play it please!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsOYraoiuX1fF-tgEyzmflD16lqYyDuqXvuDfro2gtOTKZ8Sq9IyCCq8XKnik_Pcuqp4dzH3OhHV9826GO6k6sIPCL2-1_cWTL5CvhNHI5lEdu2B7RKSILgJ9FUWE4gjqsR6g_67zurU/s1600/ironmaiden_colour68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsOYraoiuX1fF-tgEyzmflD16lqYyDuqXvuDfro2gtOTKZ8Sq9IyCCq8XKnik_Pcuqp4dzH3OhHV9826GO6k6sIPCL2-1_cWTL5CvhNHI5lEdu2B7RKSILgJ9FUWE4gjqsR6g_67zurU/s320/ironmaiden_colour68.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alexander The Great - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Is there a song that Iron Maiden fans panhandle for to be played live more that Alexander the Great? This is the quintessential Iron Maiden song to have never been played live. This album and tour are perhaps the most unappreciated in Maiden's history. The Somewhere On Tour was a massive spectacle and there is no live album or video to cherish, a true regret from the band and fans. If the band truly regrets not filming it, why not recreate the show along with Maiden England and give the fans double the amazement? At the heart of this disappointment is the fact that Alexander the Great has never been played live. Is this song destined to live in legacy? I sure hope not. Play this song. Hell, play the whole album live!<br />
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Seventh Son of a Seventh Son</u> - <b>1988</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq4fnYoyigegzoLry_5KZ2Ktx_0d1z4AaGUljrUWcd66qpMVoX4Otiju0dX6kepRlCjRbQuNZav94P-OYA8rvs3P8zPTQyw7q_ekH-ZOE-G60Of1lRlJ-p2kLTj3n65uoi74p9pa15FA/s1600/album_iron_maiden_seventh_son_of_a_seventh_son_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq4fnYoyigegzoLry_5KZ2Ktx_0d1z4AaGUljrUWcd66qpMVoX4Otiju0dX6kepRlCjRbQuNZav94P-OYA8rvs3P8zPTQyw7q_ekH-ZOE-G60Of1lRlJ-p2kLTj3n65uoi74p9pa15FA/s320/album_iron_maiden_seventh_son_of_a_seventh_son_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Infinite Dreams - Last Played: 1988</b></span><br />
<br />
Iron Maiden pleased a lot of fans when they embarked on their Maiden Engalnd World Tour in 2012-2014. Most fans were eager to hear Infinite Dreams for the first time in almost 25 years. Those fans were let down when Maiden decided not to play their 1988 classic. Why this amazing song was not played is beyond me. Maiden, bring this song back!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6j3lTrzy2VIcc3qMiOjQBTHgUwA3ugKVheIUvPNrQWvEcEm9JCSehim0RIIMVddnv74PUhvqs3Eir0g4T-uIdv2SDeCW7OwcmJtdmhAaqE7cSUqFJ4WpIbp_E3VMZjgPbSDoIwK_TX3E/s1600/383703_581338041881288_657755319_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6j3lTrzy2VIcc3qMiOjQBTHgUwA3ugKVheIUvPNrQWvEcEm9JCSehim0RIIMVddnv74PUhvqs3Eir0g4T-uIdv2SDeCW7OwcmJtdmhAaqE7cSUqFJ4WpIbp_E3VMZjgPbSDoIwK_TX3E/s320/383703_581338041881288_657755319_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Seventh Son of a Seventh Son- Last Played: 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
Maiden might have pissed off some with the Maiden England World Tour's setlist, but a lot of fans were happy with what they got. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, the mammoth title track, returned to the stage in great form. It was a great close for the song's life. It's a great song, but it has seen its final days. Iron Maiden should not return this song to the set.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Prophecy - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<i>Seventh Son of a Seventh Son </i>is a concept album, or an album that tells a story. Any story cannot be told unless every part is acknowledged... well unless it's a movie adaptation. I guess consider Maiden's live show a movie and The Prophecy a chapter the director did not care about. Maiden should play this song because it was never played live.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMjAVTGwi_pHpjhj1VBdhBzIANe7dZwBRPT8Xide_YTt2HG2ZS8C9WQzL4s6KDGcfhkYdREULryKfNDM7iH8GKtuXlhiuECYh8ubWx5lUM_ky351q-UXf6-HqP4wYto1zPFloMRaRy0E/s1600/1503502_640672096037553_7654770189950381984_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMjAVTGwi_pHpjhj1VBdhBzIANe7dZwBRPT8Xide_YTt2HG2ZS8C9WQzL4s6KDGcfhkYdREULryKfNDM7iH8GKtuXlhiuECYh8ubWx5lUM_ky351q-UXf6-HqP4wYto1zPFloMRaRy0E/s320/1503502_640672096037553_7654770189950381984_n.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Only The Good Die Young - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song is great. It is actually one of my favorites on the album. The description of "The Prophecy" could be added here. Play it live!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">No Prayer For The Dying</u>- <b>1990</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UH7jvPyLqle0vnlXmQCWYLo0pjDs6sCSGjBEDffEMFOqHYwA1l8Rb1v7X0b0qqAsuHTsW3ZRtCi2xzDvooJ3jAhO_FDv0Mys88Z7BRHC5WASnfeBE-F9TaxSpr18CKqHcPkR8fQr4GE/s1600/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UH7jvPyLqle0vnlXmQCWYLo0pjDs6sCSGjBEDffEMFOqHYwA1l8Rb1v7X0b0qqAsuHTsW3ZRtCi2xzDvooJ3jAhO_FDv0Mys88Z7BRHC5WASnfeBE-F9TaxSpr18CKqHcPkR8fQr4GE/s320/album_iron_maiden_no_prayer_for_the_dying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tailgunner - Last Played: 1992</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Tailgunner was voted onto the aforementioned 1999 compilation album, Ed Hunter. When the band emarked on the Ed Hunter Tour, 18 of the 20 songs were played live. Tailgunner was one of the two not played. To be fair, Tailgunner might have been 20th on the list, but it was still voted in and deserved to be played. Iron Maiden should play this song and other 90s songs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Holy Smoke - Last Played: 1990</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden has released 33 singles straight from the album throughout their career. Each of these with the exception of two have lasted at least one full tour. The first that didn't make the cut is Empire of the Clouds, the 18-minute behemoth off Maiden's 2015 album <i>The Book of Souls. </i>The other is a less beloved song. Holy Smoke is that song. Holy Smoke has not been played since 1991 and was abandoned by the band on the final four dates of the No Prayer on the Road tour, hammering the nail on the coffin of its fate. There are three things I would really love for Maiden to do in the future: The first of course is to do a tribute to <i>Somewhere In Time</i>, the 2nd is to do a revival 90s tour, the third will be revealed later in this post. The 1990s were a tough time for Iron Maiden, and metal as a whole, with low album sales and concert attendance. It may be a far-fetched, ridiculous idea financial wise, but it would make us hardcore fans really happy. Holy Smoke should be played when Maiden answers my wishes, unless there really is no prayer for the dying.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>No Prayer For the Dying - Last Played: 1991</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden has some awesome title tracks for their albums. Powerslave, Brave New World, Killers, The Number of the Beast, the list goes on. Then there's a song called No Prayer For the Dying. Maybe the title was foreshadowing for what was to come later in the decade. It's not their best, but if a 90s tour were to happen it would be a great addition.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSGT-49w-VWsB9c4URHSjDRcu3hZZSAk1Mncp457PU7mxODreHh3AQ5UAIkrTi-8TCouqBtUl_vV_uyIi_1Le8md98idoMfcqCgDZjvAnWFxON0NaqYHYnhzBoTw3Q67Z8QQySOSvOEY/s1600/11222383_764797523635244_3559148190149202211_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSGT-49w-VWsB9c4URHSjDRcu3hZZSAk1Mncp457PU7mxODreHh3AQ5UAIkrTi-8TCouqBtUl_vV_uyIi_1Le8md98idoMfcqCgDZjvAnWFxON0NaqYHYnhzBoTw3Q67Z8QQySOSvOEY/s320/11222383_764797523635244_3559148190149202211_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Public Enema Number One - Last Played: 1991</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I'm almost surprised this song was played at all. The 1990-1991 era of Iron Maiden really facinates me. Janick Gers had just joined as a guitarist replacing Adrian Smith and the band tweaked their sound a bit while recording the album in Steve Harris's barn! How exciting, yet we hardly hear any comments from any members about this period. That's why it is crucial to me that if there is indeed a History of Iron Maiden Part 4 that it does not cut corners and tells the full story. Oh yeah, this song could be played live again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fates Warning - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I never thought I would be happy about a song never being played live, but here I am. Don't get me wrong, Fates Warning is a good song, there is also a great band named Fates Warning you should check out here. However, the song would not work live. Thank you Iron Maiden for not playing this song, but I still would like to hear it at least once please.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Assassin - Last Played: 1991</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Don't crucify me for this, but I think The Assassin is a classic Iron Maiden song. It rules! However, it is in the middle of a long list of songs that do not get their due on this album. If you want to hear it live it's a 'B' side to "Wasting Love" which you can get on Ebay for anywhere between $50-$150. You could do that, or Maiden could grant my wish and play this on a 90s tour.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Run Silent Run Deep - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song has never been played live, wow what a surprise, but I would see it work. Play it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aLR80RQtNj6q_X0zj9yOUrP7GXAMnxrpJq_p5g8W9jsXzvgrJJC-ar8m2YmdMwyMZFgWO_Z4Vi0aQJeNZLMWRoz7RH0l_FlGCkRN77kSrG6bASCGLkqZoGO-XRr1rJ2KT7bg2vSAMdM/s1600/ironmaiden_colour353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aLR80RQtNj6q_X0zj9yOUrP7GXAMnxrpJq_p5g8W9jsXzvgrJJC-ar8m2YmdMwyMZFgWO_Z4Vi0aQJeNZLMWRoz7RH0l_FlGCkRN77kSrG6bASCGLkqZoGO-XRr1rJ2KT7bg2vSAMdM/s320/ironmaiden_colour353.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hooks In You - Last Played: 1991</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">This song sounds cool live. It fits the early 90s vibe Maiden had going at the time. Which is why it should follow other songs from this album and be played on a 90s tour.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaugher - Last Played: 2003</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The UK #1 hit that was voted "Worst Song of 1990" was featured on Nightmare On Elm Street Part Five with Bruce's solo band. It had the longest live life of any <i>No Prayer For the Dying </i>song before being abandoned in 2003. The song worked well live. Bring it back!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mother Russia - Last Played: 1991</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden has some epic album closers like Rime of the Anicent Mariner, Empire of the Clouds, and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Oh yeah, <i>No Prayer For The Dying </i>closes with Mother Russia. Yeah I'm having a laugh at this album one more time, but jokes aside this is a great song. It was never played live but it should be!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Fear of the Dark</u> - <b>1992</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1EpI2IrPlioxwp8fwEqwE8jiZGczbl2dKTGVe8kW8keNl1-qRIxH3DaUP6d2NYahNjohlXUCTlK3qdEqEZglIXjfYTnoD_qFHQwBBPeAqXzomyTIKLBP_KmpjolnGC68K21Q9DndxsM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1EpI2IrPlioxwp8fwEqwE8jiZGczbl2dKTGVe8kW8keNl1-qRIxH3DaUP6d2NYahNjohlXUCTlK3qdEqEZglIXjfYTnoD_qFHQwBBPeAqXzomyTIKLBP_KmpjolnGC68K21Q9DndxsM/s320/album_iron_maiden_fear_of_the_dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Be Quick or Be Dead - Last Played: 1993</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The first song from the 1992 album was the other song omitted from the Ed Hunter Tour despite being voted in, but maybe that was the best choice. This song sounded rather poor live and should not come back to the set.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>From Here to Eternity - Last Played: 1993</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Speaking of songs that are not great live, here's From Here to Eternity. This song would most likely be brought back if a 90s tour is done, and it may be good.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Afraid to Shoot Strangers - Last Played: 2013</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden shocked a lot of fans by playing this song on the Maiden England World Tour for the first time since 1998. Personally, this is the only original Bruce song I prefer sung by Blaze Bayley, who replaced Bruce Dickinson from 1994-1998. It is a great song, but its time has passed. Hopefully it's a sign that they will play more obscure songs in the future.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fear is the Key - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Get ready or a long list of songs never played from this album. Fear is the Key starts us off. Would it be good live? I don't know just play it for Eddie's sake so we can know!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA9Py-karvcuYpeBYSTbBBjT7_8JnD95lA7CdviHTnQVy2cOdZAxkTqmlUCQ_pxbm7210wgOic8PZmvEs6as_mQglABD0bClxikUMTsScdNKHM2E-QFCA6a_SKe4V9opiuYDB0HHiGlQ/s1600/10995686_663554880415941_5090386595637296568_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA9Py-karvcuYpeBYSTbBBjT7_8JnD95lA7CdviHTnQVy2cOdZAxkTqmlUCQ_pxbm7210wgOic8PZmvEs6as_mQglABD0bClxikUMTsScdNKHM2E-QFCA6a_SKe4V9opiuYDB0HHiGlQ/s320/10995686_663554880415941_5090386595637296568_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Childhood's End - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Would probably not sound good live, but gee I wish I could hear it live once so it could be judged.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wasting Love - Last Played: 1993</b></span><br />
<br />
How this song became a single is beyond me, but it is a good song and sounded great live. Bring it back what the hell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Fugitive - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is actually one of my favorites on the album. I know I'd be happy if they randomly whipped out this track on stage one day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chains of Misery - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Yet another song that has never been played live and maybe you've noticed my effort has dwindled from song to song, hey kind of like the band on this album huh! Play the song sure go ahead.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Apparition - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Noooooo! Don't do it!! Okay just once I guess.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineKMtSJrT7YwMQYeg8B6l4mENYBtHNm4huU772sGN6qnqZSugoyshp1Qzc-XRU3fu_CNkX3y4o5P0qo7RJr0UG3-7egY1bekqRcVDmvOe6y2TKIrB7A1StzZeDRRmywTQjp3JmKVdtxY/s1600/302704_383996381718728_372372542_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineKMtSJrT7YwMQYeg8B6l4mENYBtHNm4huU772sGN6qnqZSugoyshp1Qzc-XRU3fu_CNkX3y4o5P0qo7RJr0UG3-7egY1bekqRcVDmvOe6y2TKIrB7A1StzZeDRRmywTQjp3JmKVdtxY/s320/302704_383996381718728_372372542_n.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Judas Be My Guide - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I often joke that this song is about Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford who "guided" Bruce Dickinson to leave Iron Maiden after he shocked the metal world by leaving Judas Priest in 1992. Bruce would leave after this album was released and this mysterious song was never played live. Now that both are back in the bands they belong, it's time to play it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Weekend Warrior</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
No thanks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">The X Factor</u> <b>- 1995</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6fJaUxKy_PtZO3tulhnRguRsKEnkgbMFLEcc2u5pX1iCj5sZwMYVQ2kF7HdK8Xw0Bu0VDtPdZYopU9chiWaIsLV9RH6IXTkNKqiSTdtE2GWRfDn7DUuUC0EhmhfZMzNwZiBoDuTv5-E/s1600/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6fJaUxKy_PtZO3tulhnRguRsKEnkgbMFLEcc2u5pX1iCj5sZwMYVQ2kF7HdK8Xw0Bu0VDtPdZYopU9chiWaIsLV9RH6IXTkNKqiSTdtE2GWRfDn7DUuUC0EhmhfZMzNwZiBoDuTv5-E/s320/album_iron_maiden_x_factor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sign of the Cross - Last Played: 2001</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
We've reached everyone's favorite, the Blaze Bayley era!(sarcasm implied) Sign of the Cross is 1995's answer to Rime of the Ancient Mariner and it works well, not perfect like Mariner, but it's good. It is one of the most liked Blaze songs and was even performed by the band when Bruce came back until 2001. I always preferred this song with Blaze on vocals so this song should be retired.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lord of the Flies - Last Played: 2003</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is the last song from the Blaze era that has been performed live. It closes the chapter on what is the most unforgotten and most unfairly treated era of the band. My 3rd and final request from Iron Maiden is to honor the Blaze Bayley years as if they actually existed and this song would be a big part of it. Play it!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Man on the Edge - Last Played: 1999</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is probably my favorite song on the album and I know I'm not alone. If you haven't realized by now... this album is underrated! Bring these songs back already.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fortunes of War - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song sounded good when it was done on the initial album tour, dubbed The X Factour. It was so good that they brought it back for their 1998 Virtual XI World Tour and played it a whole two times. Where's the fortune in that? One of those two shows has a bootleg recording on YouTube and it sounds great. The crowd even sounds enthused, which was rare for Blaze concerts. It would probably sound great with Bruce at the helm, and there's only one way to find out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9f7G6TPhS-omCs73bo6bxemxXos_wwIfoRFFIzBTxojX5t7TTylR6nd6-UJwMDMkVRTOGilwHAr3II1LokPnRPIlzmUrQBlIMBrtR-ZnN50z5dHfTStFVizoWUuRMAX8eCP7P3uhPEeA/s1600/69338_535567386456643_86192382_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9f7G6TPhS-omCs73bo6bxemxXos_wwIfoRFFIzBTxojX5t7TTylR6nd6-UJwMDMkVRTOGilwHAr3II1LokPnRPIlzmUrQBlIMBrtR-ZnN50z5dHfTStFVizoWUuRMAX8eCP7P3uhPEeA/s320/69338_535567386456643_86192382_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Look For The Truth - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This post has become a cliche of me saying every other Iron Maiden album is unappreciated and guess what? I stand by those statements. The X Factor is great and has some awesome songs on it. Look For The Truth may not be one of those awesome songs, but I'll request it to be played live just because it have has been.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Aftermath - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The Aftermath saw "Fortunes of War" and its two performances in 1998, laughed in its face and only got played once in '98. The live performance of this song from The X Factour in '96 was put as a 'B' side to 1998's "The Angel and the Gambler". So it's puzzling as to why they took it off so quickly. Are live 'B' sides put there because the band legitimately liked the take, just to fill air, or to ward off people like me who demand every song be played live and recorded? I'll go with the latter and take their word for it. Do not play it live Maiden.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blood On the World's Hands - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Steve Harris is what led me to first picking up a Bass guitar. His style, drive, energy, it all inspired me so much. Blood On The World's Hands is a change in his usual style with a 70 second bass solo to start off the song, something rarely found on Iron Maiden songs. It would be great to hear that powerful solo again live! Bring this one back.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Judgement of Heaven - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Works well when Blaze does it with his solo band, but probably not with Bruce. Play it live so we can find out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAickhiTpzx_UHu-8RqII2qScaBuFeSb8fqW-baR0WTAhUZ6j1YELU1mAMWChwWiiboafjaHMQei9PfgNvLmyBoxc26HcnDLLHBnpEzuk2POxhooce08lGsI9A47x7gi3KJ5-pKMJnol4/s1600/312636_561180107228704_1094970411_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAickhiTpzx_UHu-8RqII2qScaBuFeSb8fqW-baR0WTAhUZ6j1YELU1mAMWChwWiiboafjaHMQei9PfgNvLmyBoxc26HcnDLLHBnpEzuk2POxhooce08lGsI9A47x7gi3KJ5-pKMJnol4/s320/312636_561180107228704_1094970411_n.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Edge of Darkness - Last Played: 1996</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is another song that had a live version as a 'B' side and yet it was not played live in 1998 or any other year. Bring it back with the Blaze reunion tour! Oh I didn't mention that in my 3rd wish?<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2 AM - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The X Factor is a rare Iron Maiden album in that they did not really upset anybody by not playing some of the songs live. 2 AM is a great song, but would not work with Maiden's live show. Play it one time only.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Unbeliever - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Remember that joke I made about "Mother Russia" not being a great closer? Well I take it back, this song makes "Mother Russia" look like "Hallowed Be Thy Name". It makes Sam Dyson look like Mariano Rivera(Baseball joke). Play it live once, and then banish it back to the depths from which it came.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Virtual XI</u> - <b>1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSY6iPK0AurPUuTRivk-NN4EHFhdWMGT-HU3zFJZiqe0LbaldoMcaz7b03-tZ3MUmUJeAMvjqXX-MpsD5d68PkD1WIVR6F_f6Y7KW270E6GvhUPhG5kRBYwx1lujzmYAmxYFk3jIC5Ro/s1600/virtual-xi%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSY6iPK0AurPUuTRivk-NN4EHFhdWMGT-HU3zFJZiqe0LbaldoMcaz7b03-tZ3MUmUJeAMvjqXX-MpsD5d68PkD1WIVR6F_f6Y7KW270E6GvhUPhG5kRBYwx1lujzmYAmxYFk3jIC5Ro/s320/virtual-xi%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Futureal - Last Played: 1999</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song sounds good with both Bruce and Blaze singing, do I smell a duet? It worked then and it could work now. Bring it back!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Angel and the Gambler - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Most people that know of this song's existence regard it as the worst Iron Maiden song. I do not agree with that but it's far from their best. Maybe it's for the best if this one stays on the shelf.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lightning Strikes Twice - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is my favorite song of the Blaze era and I really feel like it deserves more respect. Bringing it back live would do just that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYG3_9o_32SMBg3PrF6GRIC8flvZuh-MrZXIlhWQRNeLLE9iqDaXO5nRgNgnoaAAKn1UZNUH8W2yptV9DxGNE86bHp-w84Gr9zEAsj2mmTu2bRrzpO5yFgcq1XFeyjkQq3k3EMcakGPk/s1600/306624_530106637002718_1796251105_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYG3_9o_32SMBg3PrF6GRIC8flvZuh-MrZXIlhWQRNeLLE9iqDaXO5nRgNgnoaAAKn1UZNUH8W2yptV9DxGNE86bHp-w84Gr9zEAsj2mmTu2bRrzpO5yFgcq1XFeyjkQq3k3EMcakGPk/s320/306624_530106637002718_1796251105_n.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Clansman - Last Played: 2001</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is one of the better remembered songs of the period and it deserves it. It's the only song from the album to have life in this century so why not play it again?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>When Two Worlds Collide - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
What? Another <i>Virtual XI</i> song that has not been touched in 19 years? Wow I'm so shocked. They must played it immediately.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Educated Fool - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Iron Maiden get philosophical on this track. If I listened to it more than 4 times maybe I'd know the meaning behind it. I could either listen to my copy of <i>Virtual XI </i> again or Iron Maiden could play this song again so I can finally decipher it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh172kS9e3hkcpscevM08xfs6SXMLZjHV-8asHswLBYk2GeG_ZLnR8UsopW7zMdSG9Cd5R-jeEtyHPsarJDbkcp0Ig6-6B-SdhJ-YIiejXGwNtfLABMvLvhgujfdfbNMg_jlBNii44xkRg/s1600/ironmaiden_colour513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh172kS9e3hkcpscevM08xfs6SXMLZjHV-8asHswLBYk2GeG_ZLnR8UsopW7zMdSG9Cd5R-jeEtyHPsarJDbkcp0Ig6-6B-SdhJ-YIiejXGwNtfLABMvLvhgujfdfbNMg_jlBNii44xkRg/s320/ironmaiden_colour513.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger - Last Played: 1998</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
If you want to fool your friends into thinking your CD/Vinyl/iPod is scratched, play them this gem from <i>Virtual XI</i>. The words "don't look to" are repeated over 60 times you'll have a hell of a time. Amazingly this troll song was actually played live, albeit only 5 times. So you mean to tell me this band refuses to play Alexander the Great but actually played this nonsense of a song? I mean don't get me wrong it's a great song but what the hell Maiden? Steve, Dave, Nicko, Janick; what on Earth were you thinking? Sorry Blaze but we know you had minimal input by this time. To my knowledge this is one of the few Blaze era Iron Maiden songs that Blaze Bayley has not performed with his solo band so maybe even he thought it was a bad idea. Oh well, you know what, play this song every concert! That'd be awesome actually. At least I know all the words.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Como Estais Amigos - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The first of two Iron Maiden songs with Spanish titles. Maybe the British lads could not remember any Spanish and decided not to play it. We have Google Translate now guys, go ahead and play it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Brave New World</u> - <b>2000</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp99qpgoTU34eEoQTByy9ludQMav2huEPRkxPR_5NFgM4bISrWFwIelRxOeIj3WwR683oEK_MENQ_Sm6ZBwCtHe6hG_QPFdtkwUSFLR_kt7Py4i5HB1LBXgvPnEETQNIVVz0HD0WI_bUk/s1600/album_iron_maiden_brave_new_world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp99qpgoTU34eEoQTByy9ludQMav2huEPRkxPR_5NFgM4bISrWFwIelRxOeIj3WwR683oEK_MENQ_Sm6ZBwCtHe6hG_QPFdtkwUSFLR_kt7Py4i5HB1LBXgvPnEETQNIVVz0HD0WI_bUk/s320/album_iron_maiden_brave_new_world.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Wicker Man - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I was almost sure this song was played more often. It's the song that solidifes the new era of Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson on vocals, bassist Steve Harris, the guitar trifecta of Dave Murray, Janick Gers, and Adrian Smith, and the man behind the drumkit making all the noise Nicko McBrain. It's a great song synonymous with 2000s Maiden. Play it up!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ghost of the Navigator - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Or as I like to call it: 2000's Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It's an epic song but I'm not so sure if it's the best song live. We have seen enough it for now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brave New World - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Brave New World might be the best Iron Maiden album of the 2000s decade and the title track is a big reason why. It rules live and should be played more often.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Mercenary - Last Played: 2002</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song probably fits only on the Brave New World Tour. Leave it there for now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv7gCsKD8t6rFp4FShV9D9qm5G18o6aP-5YzX6atSdFTpBwFIV0mH2KAgFLcC9GphFNdCx5S9W4ZfHi6TPjyd4ScsQoCkU4-toeWD3PL7n5AEgB0egdak4sikmsp84AO1yaKS1n3R06g/s1600/946060_384458125005887_1672603065_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv7gCsKD8t6rFp4FShV9D9qm5G18o6aP-5YzX6atSdFTpBwFIV0mH2KAgFLcC9GphFNdCx5S9W4ZfHi6TPjyd4ScsQoCkU4-toeWD3PL7n5AEgB0egdak4sikmsp84AO1yaKS1n3R06g/s320/946060_384458125005887_1672603065_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dream of Mirrors - Last Played: 2002</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Honestly, I am surprised they played "Ghost of the Navigator" over this in 2010. It could work again. Play it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Fallen Angel - Last Played: 2001</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song was played sporadically on the Brave New World Tour, only appearing nine times. Maybe that's for the best. No more of The Fallen Angel for now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Nomad - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
It is actually very surprising that this song has never been played live. That should end soon. Play it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswNvgEcExYkG7L7j6NzYDQ2YY5NYhYJlg_VoKMY2A3ZVCVDtb6pOEVikPQ4jH__Vf_I08ofiVKv0Q5i_1np8n-xWVw7xCnTPIa5iACcz4Ja_uOuSvSDLuy3F-IS-xrut5TPYvWdePYdM/s1600/420684_383996925052007_1959240620_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswNvgEcExYkG7L7j6NzYDQ2YY5NYhYJlg_VoKMY2A3ZVCVDtb6pOEVikPQ4jH__Vf_I08ofiVKv0Q5i_1np8n-xWVw7xCnTPIa5iACcz4Ja_uOuSvSDLuy3F-IS-xrut5TPYvWdePYdM/s320/420684_383996925052007_1959240620_n.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Out of the Silent Planet - Last Played: 2001</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song was somehow released as a single despite only being played four times on the homestretch of the Brave New World Tour. I mean were they going to pick a song they played more or what? Those four times were enough, no more.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
If this song was shortened a bit it could work great live. Do it Maiden!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Dance of Death</u> - 2003</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Btn6YxRsdIuZpVbL7MIvqDnF2prq1zBl75_pFtdx8iAjaxRsGXqUKtK7FhSwKtqfNLsyAqk_oL81VR_tYoxPpTuPq9GqUIlz68-tIzGglOTK7TorF7qb7rfZLw_3p_GviqGoknHoIU/s1600/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Btn6YxRsdIuZpVbL7MIvqDnF2prq1zBl75_pFtdx8iAjaxRsGXqUKtK7FhSwKtqfNLsyAqk_oL81VR_tYoxPpTuPq9GqUIlz68-tIzGglOTK7TorF7qb7rfZLw_3p_GviqGoknHoIU/s320/album_iron_maiden_dance_of_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wildest Dreams - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song really should not have even been played in 2010. The stage time it got in 2003 was enough. Goodbye for now Wildest Dreams.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rainmaker - Last Played: 2004</b></span><br />
<br />
This is the better single from the album, the other one is "Wildest Dreams". It deserved to be played more than its counterpart. On with the show!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>No More Lies - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This song deserved its time on stage and has seen its best days. For now though, it's time to retire it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Monstegur - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been a while in this post that I have been actually upset about a song's exclusion. This is one that really boils my blood. Monstegur is one of Iron Maiden's best songs. Yes, you can print that, depending on your web browser there are various steps to do so. I love this song and demand it be played live soon!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLPEkQeWTqX2jb9JKp69lupLl6EIeNftPYDZVxfm1DHBb_N2xq7izYBULWuyE0F79tf_jdVOko1c3ixvri-VosEiX7gox81VN9-j3J6QDT8IoDdlZuaSzpqnCjga2akrwb4bwBZiLLA0/s1600/2807482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLPEkQeWTqX2jb9JKp69lupLl6EIeNftPYDZVxfm1DHBb_N2xq7izYBULWuyE0F79tf_jdVOko1c3ixvri-VosEiX7gox81VN9-j3J6QDT8IoDdlZuaSzpqnCjga2akrwb4bwBZiLLA0/s320/2807482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Dance of Death - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know if people will get more upset at me for saying I love <i>The X Factor </i> or that I don't really care for the song "Dance of Death". It's a great song don't get me wrong, all Iron Maiden songs are awesome, but it is far from one of my favorites. I will admit that it is amazing live. So yeah, this song can be played live from time to time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Gates of Tomorrow - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember when I said "Quest For Fire" was a filler song on <i>Piece of Mind</i>? Well Dance of Death is full of filler songs. There are good filler songs, there are bad filler songs, it has them all. Gates of Tomorrow is a good filler song and probably would have sounded good if it was performed on the Death on the Road Tour.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>New Frontier - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Nicko McBrain has been in Iron Maiden for a long time. He first joined the band in 1982 and first appeared on <i>Piece of Mind</i>. In that time he has acquired quite the resume of some badass drum lines. However, he had never written a song in his tenure with the band until one night when lightning struck McBrain's pen and the "madman" laid down song lyrics. The song was largely forgotten and never played live... the end.<br />
Epilogue: New Frontier is a good song that could be played live.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paschendale - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is a spectacular song and put on quite the show when it was put on live. This song would be great if it was played more often.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnKxWv69AVWTQB5F4lxZDabb0zi6suE9h6BRj2tfjNncKU8He-jG5E3n9krTnTgQ31odA6OcgBaQGz1Wz0hJpQxX7XTJrYa2gHzd7oyCD5jCQKf6jBz4-xwGK2fDEOEIbI1deunScOo0/s1600/ironmaiden_colour141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnKxWv69AVWTQB5F4lxZDabb0zi6suE9h6BRj2tfjNncKU8He-jG5E3n9krTnTgQ31odA6OcgBaQGz1Wz0hJpQxX7XTJrYa2gHzd7oyCD5jCQKf6jBz4-xwGK2fDEOEIbI1deunScOo0/s320/ironmaiden_colour141.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Face in the Sand - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is another great filler song on <i>Dance of Death</i>. It has some great lyrics as well in it. This is not my Iron Maiden lyrics post so don't expect commentary on that until later. Nicko McBrain is one of few metal drummers who does not use a double-pedal, calling it "undrummerish". Face in the Sand is the first song that features a double-pedal on board. That double-pedal has never seen the stage as this song has never been played live, but it should!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Age of Innocence - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is the filler song on the album that is not very good. It just seems boring and lost without any real purpose. There exists a hilarious rendition of the song with Nicko McBrain on vocals. If this song is ever played live it should have him singing it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Journeyman - Last Played: 2004</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is one of Maiden's most unique songs and is a great way to close out the <i>Dance of Death </i>album. It is Iron Maiden's only full-acoustic song and that is no gimmick, it is just plain awesome! I love this song and wish it would be played live more often.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">A Matter of Life an Death</u><b> - 2006</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpai02cM_4ho3l6ADw00c6MnPPbIn1WdY2NdAHtVoDuY3KIJko2pjjHQjbrelF0d0zpoIZZUNnkzJ4FvJADjhYkm0hpkH-YE2ey4wxp3FOdDa09X_sLu6jVACyYxh7i1ts73EpNaZ2mDM/s1600/album_iron_maiden_a_matter_of_life_and_death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpai02cM_4ho3l6ADw00c6MnPPbIn1WdY2NdAHtVoDuY3KIJko2pjjHQjbrelF0d0zpoIZZUNnkzJ4FvJADjhYkm0hpkH-YE2ey4wxp3FOdDa09X_sLu6jVACyYxh7i1ts73EpNaZ2mDM/s320/album_iron_maiden_a_matter_of_life_and_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Different World - Last Played: 2007</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
There has been a theme with Maiden on their last couple of albums of releasing one of the weakest tracks as the lead single. Different World is not a bad song, but it is far from the best on the album. It's time on the A Matter of Life and Death Tour was all it needed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>These Colours Don't Run - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
It is rumored that this song was against Sharon Osbourne, who notoriously egged Maiden in 2005 after a few comments Bruce made about reality TV. The band has stated that the song's inspiration did not come from that but who can tell. It's a great song and fit well with their 2000s vibe of war and desperation. This is a song that could be played live.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brighter Than A Thousand Suns - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<br />
Iron Maiden made a bold effort during their Final Frontier World Tour(2010) when they made a commitment to playing mostly new material on their album. This received mixed reviews from audiences. The band opted to play 2000s songs such as "Dance of Death" or Brighter Than A Thousand Suns rather than classic material such as "The Trooper" or "Run to the Hills". Brighter Than A Thousand Suns is a song that I personally wish had been left out. They could have switched this song out for another 2000s great like "Journeyman" or "The Longest Day".<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jiomTSLP1GI_4fJ7W14Pbe5maEYK-Rd49T5zH_0ppZO7ajHz2EwW0T6PvC7Zh7DroHBGnjDCGNhCkLuoC_W_OaZHE4VVL_EvoIJcpQr4jOaopmKF3ewxWI9uaB19gd7GqCya1GIVB4Y/s1600/395592_385893371529029_974531644_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jiomTSLP1GI_4fJ7W14Pbe5maEYK-Rd49T5zH_0ppZO7ajHz2EwW0T6PvC7Zh7DroHBGnjDCGNhCkLuoC_W_OaZHE4VVL_EvoIJcpQr4jOaopmKF3ewxWI9uaB19gd7GqCya1GIVB4Y/s320/395592_385893371529029_974531644_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Pilgrim - Last Played: 2006</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Speaking of noble efforts, in 2006 Iron Maiden played their newly released <i>A Matter of Life and Death</i> album in its entirety. This was of course seen differently by the fans. Classics of course were cut out in favor of songs such as this one. On the 2007 leg of the tour, Maiden pleased most of their fans by playing a majority of their 1982 album <i>The Number of the Beast </i>to honor its 25th anniversary. The Pilgrim was one of the new songs that got axed from the set and that was a bad idea. This is one of the better songs on the album and deserves to be played live.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Longest Day - Last Played: 2006</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is my favorite song on the album and I absolutely despise their decision to play "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" over it on recent tours. This song needs to come back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Out of the Shadows - Last Played: 2006</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Another song that got cut from the setlist on the 2007 portion of the A Matter of Life and Death Tour. This is one decision that I agree with. This song has seen its last days on the stage.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJe3qAwQFK8yoSkJ95zVz70pLnSZ0M62237Rl4ot9nKZdLIhTRMEUv71jT0bajDtUffOGnt7he_VXRFeUBqdQtF-kCSYrav-ENnCLMCnRWdc7BXMmaS96BzAK12TG0nmnk8k7OlltVKE/s1600/ironmaiden_colour200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJe3qAwQFK8yoSkJ95zVz70pLnSZ0M62237Rl4ot9nKZdLIhTRMEUv71jT0bajDtUffOGnt7he_VXRFeUBqdQtF-kCSYrav-ENnCLMCnRWdc7BXMmaS96BzAK12TG0nmnk8k7OlltVKE/s320/ironmaiden_colour200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - Last Played: 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song was released as a single after the album was released and features one of the better artworks in recent Iron Maiden history. This gave it an even better feel when the backdrop was raised on stage when it was played. That reason, coupled with the fact that it's an amazing song, gives it the nod to be played live more often.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For the Greater Good of God - Last Played: 2007</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is a song that was surprisingly not brought back to the setlist for the 2010 tour. Again I'll ask, why "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" and not this song? It's great and should come back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lord of Light - Last Played: 2006</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is a great song, from a great album, but has seen its last days on the stage. Hey here is something that has not been said in a while: This album is severely underrated! Why is this album not cherished as much as it should be? I believe this stems from the fact that it falls in between two colossal Iron Maiden ventures, the History of Iron Maiden Part 1(2005) and the Somewhere Back in Time Tour(2008). These were two circumstances that elevated Maiden to a level that they had not even achieved in their "heyday"(the 1980s). Iron Maiden has grown to achieve a level of popularity that has never been seen in their career and the 2008 tour was a large part of that. Because of this, <i>A Matter of Life and Death</i> is kind of forgotten. This is a sad fact, but maybe it's better that way because of the amount of amazing exposure and respect Maiden has received the past decade.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Legacy - Last Played: 2006</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The beginning of this song is fairly polarizing. The acoustic mythical sounding into is different than the entire album, and most Iron Maiden songs. This held me back from the song for a while, but if you listen to the whole thing it is actually a great song. Unfortunately the beginning of the song slows down the album a bit and would not work live.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">The Final Frontier</u><b> - 2010</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LshjDrMLDw_DiIoEGsi9QkFIJ5pOXDtcuw2HkidfbqmJ4AES8eL92BT_nkQ0wVHLPFBqrf_ePhgLQbCmzV2m71uExq8iSO5M_ZdFxubIvPoxBFTdlm2GevLj5ohktpAI7Lw2JHdEIiw/s1600/album_the_final_frontier_iron_maiden_2010_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LshjDrMLDw_DiIoEGsi9QkFIJ5pOXDtcuw2HkidfbqmJ4AES8eL92BT_nkQ0wVHLPFBqrf_ePhgLQbCmzV2m71uExq8iSO5M_ZdFxubIvPoxBFTdlm2GevLj5ohktpAI7Lw2JHdEIiw/s320/album_the_final_frontier_iron_maiden_2010_ironmaidenwallpaper.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Satellite 15... The Final Frontier - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This might be the poorest song on the album and it's the opening track. It is good for the album tour that ensued, but it's best if this one does not come back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>El Dorodo - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The second of Iron Maiden's Spanish-titled songs. This one however, was played live and sounded great. I could see it being brought back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mother of Mercy - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is a great song. How has it never played live? Why was Brighter Than A Thousand Suns played and this song was not???<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Coming Home - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<br />
The single from this album received mostly praise from fans. It's a great song and should be returned to the stage someday.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjditXBcMqHVWNlA_QU3IFZYe3HnHhuS5M1uXSBCdKmlNJaD3HbBOwW82JOpmm013ExY8J-4rWEl3nwnxkOZcJ_JC6v_rF1EkcJU-FZab_Zk7OmuhpZnpKdYuzS-VYdjbm9mTZKXIdv0JY/s1600/Iron-Maiden-en-Chile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjditXBcMqHVWNlA_QU3IFZYe3HnHhuS5M1uXSBCdKmlNJaD3HbBOwW82JOpmm013ExY8J-4rWEl3nwnxkOZcJ_JC6v_rF1EkcJU-FZab_Zk7OmuhpZnpKdYuzS-VYdjbm9mTZKXIdv0JY/s320/Iron-Maiden-en-Chile.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Alchemist - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is a great song. How has it never played live? Why was Brighter Than A Thousand Suns played and this song was not???<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Isle of Avalon - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I see a lot of fans say that this is their favorite song on the album. I don't know about that but it is a good song and could have definitely tagged along in the setlist with "The Talisman".<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Starblind - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<br />
<i>The Final Frontier</i> features better material that most people, including myself, give it credit for. This is a good song and should be played live a time or two.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Talisman - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I would love to go behind the scenes of a Maiden concert and find out why some songs they decide to play over others. This is a terrific song and I'm surprised that they played it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D8afgN1cnucuWwVeDJnO1jYHze484BwpGF_zH0dpiZ1y8R0PpzJhRMZM8Q9sgrw8XejfPat9SmaavafK6VgzCFwPnKr3nLlSv5uzfMyTmEot1RIgd5xdlWu_9uFaBypmUw9di_TxDdA/s1600/500px-Iron_Maiden_at_Soundwave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D8afgN1cnucuWwVeDJnO1jYHze484BwpGF_zH0dpiZ1y8R0PpzJhRMZM8Q9sgrw8XejfPat9SmaavafK6VgzCFwPnKr3nLlSv5uzfMyTmEot1RIgd5xdlWu_9uFaBypmUw9di_TxDdA/s320/500px-Iron_Maiden_at_Soundwave.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Man Who Would Be King - Never Played Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This is one of my least favorite Iron Maiden songs, I'm talking bottom five, so I whole-heartily respect their decision to not play the song. It should still be played live just because it never has been.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>When the Wild Wind Blows - Last Played: 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
This song features some great imagery, as many Maiden songs do, but it feels like a let down. It is definitely far from my favorite on the album and it should stay away from future sets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="font-style: italic;">The Book of Souls</u> - <b>2015</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdY6WSCuYAXPEYs6ustVKGNp7OFpciK10uKvl3oP9MhsfGSWp1f0d7nhFHedl3JMfAJs4vbLtTjLP3LPfSlVlk4lhIoQdrtcNTVxK7kPfYBvIk6ef-t31BIyvG0jr_UWHr0X7tknFaog/s1600/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdY6WSCuYAXPEYs6ustVKGNp7OFpciK10uKvl3oP9MhsfGSWp1f0d7nhFHedl3JMfAJs4vbLtTjLP3LPfSlVlk4lhIoQdrtcNTVxK7kPfYBvIk6ef-t31BIyvG0jr_UWHr0X7tknFaog/s320/CS585318-01A-BIG.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<br />
The second leg of the Book of Souls World Tour is set to kick off soon. It might be too early to determine whether some songs should be played and others should not, but I don't care.<br />
<br />
Six of the album's eleven songs were played on the 2016 tour and it looks like we'll get more of the same in 2017. Here's a quick run down of the songs that were played in 2016 and whether or not they should be still played:<br />
<br />
<b>If Eternity Should Fail<i> - </i>Yes</b><br />
<b>Speed of Light - Yes</b><br />
<b>The Red and the Black - Yes</b><br />
<b>The Book of Souls - Yes</b><br />
<b>Death or Glory - Yes</b><br />
<b>Tears of a Clown - No</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yWyV9hq8PM7EytRiOb51Bb2v7vFPRQiTpz1wbW92CsJSQ00UGd_CiVWFQn-vt21h5bVc0FlpyV63F4m5Qvs3lTWct71gEMt8hDkBWE5uFXLcBjJdzsmQdkF52ifvxaA1ZnnziS8iFoA/s1600/Iron-Maiden-Live-2016-LM-134-600x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yWyV9hq8PM7EytRiOb51Bb2v7vFPRQiTpz1wbW92CsJSQ00UGd_CiVWFQn-vt21h5bVc0FlpyV63F4m5Qvs3lTWct71gEMt8hDkBWE5uFXLcBjJdzsmQdkF52ifvxaA1ZnnziS8iFoA/s320/Iron-Maiden-Live-2016-LM-134-600x480.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
Now, here are the songs that were not played live and how often they should be in the set:<br />
<br />
<b>The Great Unknown - Just a few times</b><br />
<b>When the River Runs Deep - The whole damn tour</b><br />
<b>Shadows of the Valley - Just a few times</b><br />
<b>The Man of Sorrows - Just a few times</b><br />
<b>Empire of the Clouds - On special occasions, it's an 18-minute song after all</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv0YSIBI2C79hv1iGPhAvFr4Vd8sp0Hkd9MgtScTGlxooZqA614_7Y7JTDbxnOPWrpnyWNVDQI4CW_8BqcGeICBvMpOhujqsTPbbXCMqpOIJowdtb5eYWeSxg8D1A9GYobvoc8dlE0z8/s1600/thumb_6867_default_big.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv0YSIBI2C79hv1iGPhAvFr4Vd8sp0Hkd9MgtScTGlxooZqA614_7Y7JTDbxnOPWrpnyWNVDQI4CW_8BqcGeICBvMpOhujqsTPbbXCMqpOIJowdtb5eYWeSxg8D1A9GYobvoc8dlE0z8/s320/thumb_6867_default_big.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
So, there you have it. Every Iron Maiden song that has not been played often in the past ten years and whether or not they should come back. I love every Iron Maiden song, and if they ever decide to do a "Least of the Beast Tour" with their disliked and unknown songs I would be the first to buy tickets. If I had a dream Iron Maiden setlist consisting of their average 15-18 songs(usually lasting 90-120 minutes) it would look something like this:<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Aces High<br />
2. The Wicker Man<br />
3. The Evil That Men Do<br />
4. Revelations<br />
5. Man on the Edge<br />
6. Stranger in a Strange Land<br />
7. Killers<br />
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner<br />
9. Monstegur<br />
10. Coing Home<br />
11. Tailgunner<br />
12. Die With Your Boots On<br />
13. Children of the Damned<br />
14. Iron Maiden<br />
<br />
<u>Encore</u><br />
<br />
15. The Number of the Beast<br />
16. Death or Glory<br />
17. Journeyman<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
I made that list up on the spot so it is not perfect.<br />
<br />
If you can make up a better list, have any opinions on songs I think should be played, or want to tell me I am an idiot, go right ahead and leave a comment.<br />
If not, stay tuned for the next post on Heavy Metal Mania!<br />
<br />
<br />
NPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-27850802720488669112017-04-11T21:13:00.002-07:002018-04-17T21:59:28.649-07:00Tuesday Top 10: Rush Lyrics<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We here at Heavy Metal Mania love a good Top 5/Top 10 list. That's why from now on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be dedicated to ranking the topics of rock and metal history.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Today's topic is Rush lyrics. When Rush lyrics are the subject, it is easy to get lost in visions of humans sailing towards black holes(Cygnus X-1) and stories of protagonists defeating a futuristic empire to restore music to the public(2112), but believe it or not they have laid down some deep stuff. Drummer, and main lyricist, Neil Peart has done an excellent job of delivering some literary masterpieces to Rush songs. He has been one of the most respected at both of his Rush duties since joining the band in late 1974. Peart has been able to touch on a variety of topics in his lyrics ranging from humanitarian issues to real world problems.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">It is hard to nail it down, but here are the best 10 songs Neil Peart has written for Rush:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;">10) <u>The Trees</u> - <i>Hemispheres</i></span></span></h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JnC88xBPkkc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JnC88xBPkkc?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neil Peart delivers a poetic slamdown with this 1978 song. The lyrics are simple; Maple Trees feel they are not getting their fair share of sunlight and demand more from the greedy Oak trees, who in turn deny their request. Many fans from both sides of the political spectrum see this song as a jab at their opposed side, but to me it is just a great song about trees. The end of the song is my favorite part. The trees are brought down to Earth from their political battles by hatchet, axe, and saw! They are cut down and no more. Just like how in the end we will all be cut down and be equal in death.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Best lyrics:</span></span><br />
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">So the maples formed a union</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">And demanded equal rights</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">'The oaks are just too greedy</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">We will make them give us light'</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">Now there's no more oak oppression</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">For they passed a noble law</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">And the trees are all kept equal</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">By hatchet,</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">Axe,</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">And saw</span></span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span></i>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">9) <u>Losing It </u> - <i>Signals</i></span></span></h3>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/scFykNMqaws/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/scFykNMqaws?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><span style="font-size: 13.747px;">Rush takes us inside the mind of a depressed, estranged poet on this 1982 deep cut. A common theme with artists of any variety is a yearning to be as great as they once were. As performers of any profession grow older, their skills begin to diminish and their self-worth plummets. The struggles of an old brittle man are felt in a monotone form by bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee while Ben Mink makes a cameo performance with an electric violin accompanying the monologue. Ben Mink of course is not a relevant member of Rush, unless you count his work on Lee's solo album </span><i style="font-size: 13.747px;">My Favorite Headache</i><span style="font-size: 13.747px;">, but he is one of many musicians who Rush allowed on their records in one-off fashions throughout their career. And maybe his inclusion is vital to the song's importance; Here is an artist who is playing among rock legends and perhaps is envious of their fame and wishes it was his own. This song can not be fully described without mentioning how it is a tribute to late novelist Ernest Hemingway, who heavily inspired Peart and committed suicide in 1961 after years of depression. The thoughts that must have gone on in his head during the final painful years of his life are plastered on this piece of work done by a Canadian rock band 21 years after his death.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Best lyrics:</span></span></span></span><br />
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">Some are born to move the world</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">To live their fantasies</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">But most of us just dream about</span><br style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6796px;" /><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">The things we'd like to be</span></span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;"><br /></span></i>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">8) <u>Afterimage</u> - <i>Grace Under Pressure</i></span></span></h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aalJT3GS_m8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aalJT3GS_m8?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">A
tribute to Robbie Whelen, a dear friend of the band, appears on Rush's 1984
album<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="font-family: DroidSansRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.747px;">Grace
Under Pressure</i>. It is a tale that is somber in tone. The melody of the song
gives an optimistic attitude that even though their friend is departed, he
is still in their heart and their memory. Death of loved ones would be a
reoccurring theme from Neil Peart throughout Rush's extensive career.
There are not a large array of lyrics on this song like most of the others on
this list, but perhaps it is a mirror of how when you lost someone close there
aren't many words to say, just empty thoughts and feelings. Anyone who has lost
a friend, family member, even a pet can definitely relate to the message
portrayed in this song.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best lyrics:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "droidsansregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I learned your love for life</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I feel the way you would</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I feel your presence</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I remember </i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">7) <u>Marathon</u> - <i>Power Windows</i></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Kiz5jyG5j4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Kiz5jyG5j4?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most people would agree with me when I say that time moves too fast and it seems like we never have enough time in the day and our lives. Neil Peart agreed with our frustrations and wrote a song about it. Neil and I agree about a lot, we do share the same initials and sign them in the same branding-type manner after all. It seems like most people in society want things done in the quickest way possible. The average person gets overwhelmed by this concept and feels like the entire world passes them by before they have the chance to do anything. However, realizing that we have an entire lifetime to complete our goals should calm a lot of people.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;">Best lyrics:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">It's not how fast you can go</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">The force goes into the flow</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">If you pick up the beat</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You can forget about the heat</i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...</span></i><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You can do a lot in a life time</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">If you don't burn out too fast</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You can make the most of the distance</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">First you need endurance</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">First you've got to last</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;">6) <u>Something For Nothing</u> - <i>2112</i></span></span></h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ip-vRmUxfBA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ip-vRmUxfBA?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">One of my favorite Rush songs
makes it on the list at number six. The final song on Rush's 1976 prog-rock
landmark album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><i><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">2112</span></i><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">, is a message to
everyone that you indeed do not get something for nothing. The song starts off
describing a character waiting as oppurtunites pass them by as they wait for
someone to do their tasks for them. We are all in charge of our own destinies
and make our own decisions on how they pan out. When opportunity knocks on your
door, you answer it! Rush affirms this on the song. It features perhaps my
favorite verse in Rush history.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
<span style="background-color: black;">Best lyrics:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="text-align: center;">What you own is your own kingdom</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">What you do is your own glory</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">What you love is your own power</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;">What you live is your own story</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: white;"><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></i></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5) <u>Bastille Day</u> - <i>Caress of Steel</i></span></span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/azc_FNZXaRw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/azc_FNZXaRw?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The history major in me comes alive when reviewing this song. Bastille Day commemorates the storming of Bastille that took place on July 14, 1789 where the French people started the French Revolution and eventually overthrew the royal family in charge and played their hand in running their own country. The Rush song loosely follows these events in a loud and aggressive manner. The first verse even alludes to the most famous quote of the revolution spoken from Queen Marie-Antoinette, <a href="http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake"><span style="color: white;"><i><b>a quote that she never actually said</b></i></span></a>. Bastille Day is one of Rush's heaviest songs and the most remembered song from an otherwise lackluster <i>Caress of Steel </i>album from 1975. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best lyrics:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lessons taught but never learned</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All around us anger burns</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guide the future by the past</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Long ago the mold was cast</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4) <u>Freewill</u> - <i>Permanent Waves</i></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6hH15UhALQw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hH15UhALQw?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">A song that says a lot to make a simple point: We all have freewill to believe what you want. Some people have described this as a song with spiritual or religious connotations. Neil Peart's religious beliefs are usually described as "Agnostic", another thing we have in common yay, and it could be evident from these lyrics that this song is pushing agnostic ideals. Should we conform ourselves to constricted views because everybody else does? Freewill says no, choose your thoughts however you want and don't be afraid to show it. As an agnostic person myself, I usually run into the problem of the typical comments of "how can you believe in nothing." But our choice has been made, the choice of no choice. It looks confusing in writing and even in dialogue, but makes sense to us and that's all that should really matter huh. This song shows that even though you are not deciding, you still have made a choice!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best lyrics:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You can choose a ready guide</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">In some celestial voice</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">If you choose not to decide</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You still have made a choice</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;"><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">You can choose from phantom fears</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">And kindness that can kill</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I will choose a path that's clear</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">I will choose Freewill</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3) <u>Nobody's Hero</u> - <i>Counterparts</i></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fIDL9JWB1MA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fIDL9JWB1MA?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This hidden gem from Rush's 1993 album, <i>Counterparts</i>, is what inspired me to do this list in the first place. The lyrics deal with the idea of heroism, and how we idolize movie stars, musicians, or athletes who we will never encounter, even though there are brave triumphant people who live among us who we choose to ignore. The song's two main verses focus on two people. The first is about a homosexual man who manages to live a normal life despite the disapproval of others. This was an especially brave effort for a band in the early 90s in a society that had just started to accept homosexual people for who they were. The second verse speaks of a woman who was murdered and was a big loss to her family and loved ones. It is a very powerful and emotional song. It is one of Rush's most underrated songs. We are all heroes and should appreciate those people who do so much to make our days work the way that they do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) <u>Limelight</u> - <i>Moving Pictures</i></span></span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZiRuj2_czzw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZiRuj2_czzw?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">This might be one of Rush's most known songs, but that does not discredit it in any way. Many people have a desire to gain fame; to be known worldwide and loved by many people. Most people never get to experience this as reality and instead spend their whole lives wishing to live their 15 minutes of fame. For the few that make it to the big time, fame is fleeting. Once people make it famous they find that a lot more is expected of them and their lives are viewed under a microscope, a feeling not looked too fond upon for a Canadian farm boy like Neil Peart. Fame was overwhelming for Peart and he expresses it on this hit from Rush's 1981 album </span></span><i><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Moving Pictures.</span></span> </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best lyrics:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the world's indeed a stage</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And we are merely players</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Performers and portrayers</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each another's audience </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Outside stage gilded cage</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) <u>Subdivisions</u> - <i>Signals</i></span></span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EYYdQB0mkEU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EYYdQB0mkEU?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">This is the definitive Rush lyric song. Just about every Rush fan is the nerdy kid in class who enjoys reading, listening to music, and playing video games. They are uninterested in what the popular kids are doing because they know they would not include them anyway. They are usually described and seen as loners, but normally find salvation with a small group of friend who share the same predicament. I briefly described my high school</span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> experience and that of many other Rush fans. That is why we feel such a connection to this song. If there is one song to describe teenage outcasts it is this one. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best lyrics:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In the high school halls</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In the shopping malls</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Conform or be cast out</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In the basement bars</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In the backs of cars</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Be cool or be cast out</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, there is the definitive list of the best Rush songs based on lyrics. All other lists shall be burned and taken to the Temple of Syrinx for review. If you or someone you know have a better list, leave a comment on what it is!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What will be the next Tuesday Top 10? You will just have to wait and see!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-NP</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-57916635418126252122017-04-07T02:45:00.002-07:002017-04-07T12:32:20.017-07:00A Feeling Like No OtherIt's 10 PM, Thursday night and there's two drunk women standing behind me that are yacking away like no tomorrow. There is a tall bald man that's obstructing most of my view to the left of me. I am packed like a sardine in a smelly bar. <br />
There truly is nothing as special as a rock/metal concert. For 2-3 hours you surround yourself in a tiny jam packed room to see a performance of epic proportions take place. You travel hundreds of miles, in my case over 300, to see your idols damage your hearing and take you to another planet. It brings a euphoria like no other that encompasses your entire being from start to finish.<br />
This time, at the Scout Bar in Houston, it was UFO and Saxon, two British Heavy Metal bands who stole my life away for that one occasion where I would become a true Stranger In The Night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-_WAhWvnfmT6mAT-n7pr9f19Y0cCeq1x4_g2w-4Er_IgX8q2-v1vVmtcjd9FrQL5IPQJ00KCYxls3t2gye0Zk92VdLlye7bqBe_lHgPpAAyqepfrwjcbwTLD0ZtFPzEMfo_2HIMsUkc/s1600/17201034_1266971940017466_5883352398729665361_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-_WAhWvnfmT6mAT-n7pr9f19Y0cCeq1x4_g2w-4Er_IgX8q2-v1vVmtcjd9FrQL5IPQJ00KCYxls3t2gye0Zk92VdLlye7bqBe_lHgPpAAyqepfrwjcbwTLD0ZtFPzEMfo_2HIMsUkc/s320/17201034_1266971940017466_5883352398729665361_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Upon arrival to the scene, you get the sense that this is the place to be for a concert. The Scout Bar is located in a remote part of Houston, smooshed in between a couple shopping centers. This might seem like an unorthodox location for a concert venue, but trust me, the crummier the location of the joint, the better the atmosphere. The smell of beer and the sound of rock music is scented from about a block away from the bar, almost like some sort of smoke signal welcoming all who dare enter this realm. The tickets are flashed, the door is open, it is time to rock on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq7Aj4lEPI6pKENEY4bFm-XbzKU6C00FlYqOijoYZht0U-zMDTNEpNRNIukMbjhCo4a1vf-qMnb5usnOS2QaVUMPok8AoytW9dYs4-eF-wn2CYFwR2qypii-yDy3A8AfxwhOfNSF3iLE/s1600/17202768_10154380062692966_3594561721161232747_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq7Aj4lEPI6pKENEY4bFm-XbzKU6C00FlYqOijoYZht0U-zMDTNEpNRNIukMbjhCo4a1vf-qMnb5usnOS2QaVUMPok8AoytW9dYs4-eF-wn2CYFwR2qypii-yDy3A8AfxwhOfNSF3iLE/s320/17202768_10154380062692966_3594561721161232747_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The first band on the stage when we arrive is a relatively unknown one. James Jared Nichols is up there rocking about and making a lot of new fans doing it. Opening bands are usually a hit or miss, some create a name for themselves, while others warrant stuff being thrown at them with their heinous performance, this is not condoned in my book but it happens. This band was definitely the former as they kicked major ass on stage. Their live presence was great and they gave a great 70s feel to their music, clashing the likes of Ted Nugent and Creedence Clearwater Revival into one. James Jared Nichols, along with bassist Erik Sandin and drummer Dennis Holm, won my heart over and made a fan out of me. I would recommend a name change, but their performance gets a A+ from me!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sgfKriW8bsIHyRjrynHgKnxKxWtuuDIKF1qCXJ74sISxU_pI3sBIs9dh8heG8qPgAbugfCTacnBYNw5Y1oED9U5tJnUPT6ecmzbTjMgiyxdYULhqRfkmCQi9ItbQD8aImYfbbHe9H-U/s1600/17126851_1130555257067356_1330929636825104384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sgfKriW8bsIHyRjrynHgKnxKxWtuuDIKF1qCXJ74sISxU_pI3sBIs9dh8heG8qPgAbugfCTacnBYNw5Y1oED9U5tJnUPT6ecmzbTjMgiyxdYULhqRfkmCQi9ItbQD8aImYfbbHe9H-U/s320/17126851_1130555257067356_1330929636825104384_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I first heard of this concert in late 2016, I was well aware of who Saxon and UFO were. They pioneered the movement known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, or NWOBHM, in the late 1970s-early 1980s. They were always cool in my book, but I had never dived too deep into their discography. Between the two, my favorite had to be UFO. Their 1974 album <i>Phenomenon </i>is one of my favorite albums of all time and I knew all the members' names, they were just the band I knew more. As the months went on and my research grew and grew on the two bands and by the time the concert arrived it was clear on who I was more excited to see. Saxon had grown into one of my favorite bands by the time the concert inched closer and I was more than ecstatic to see vocalist Biff Byford and the whole gang. Their song "747(Strangers In The Night)" had become possibly my favorite song in the waning months and I was so pumped to hear it live. As the minutes ticked away, I knew that this would be one of the greatest experiences of my life. The band walked on the stage with the echoing of AC/DC's "Long Way To The Top" blasting through the speakers. There they were, Saxon, the band that rocked my eardrums and my room with their albums <i>Wheels of Steel</i>, <i>Strong Arm Of The Law</i>, <i>Crusader</i>, among many others, and I am here front row to witness the whole event. The set starts with "Battering Ram", a song off their 2015 album of the same name, letting the whole venue know that this is a Heavy Metal concert and not for the faint of heart. "This Town Rocks" follows suit, a song made for live performance, made to stroke the ego in attendance that their town does indeed rock. Their 2013 rocker "Sacrifice" is played, another rather new song from the old band who are clearly not afraid to play their new material. The band takes us back to 1983 with "The Power and The Glory" after a quick discussion between the band members on what year the album was actually released. Byford makes a joke that "When you have 21 albums you forget when each one was made." The band then dedicates their next song to the late Lemmy Kilmister with "Rock N' Roll Gypsy". "Dallas 1PM" makes its way to our ears after confirmation that it is not yet 1PM and we are several miles southeast of Dallas. Several more Saxon hits are played before the final song is <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-t_lcfNowz0o9OmjOrtL9qD406Qxbsc1AuXe20BcPot0FFnZyCrJMETuOQrY1jIadKC0rQuIZbDBXDgW2X8yD_8BB5FCiRSQ1WmBxo45F9v-dCBgiwQL1S-0UzyzKGxMY7Onveio2_Uw/s1600/17127116_1237821509605799_8252838891157979136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-t_lcfNowz0o9OmjOrtL9qD406Qxbsc1AuXe20BcPot0FFnZyCrJMETuOQrY1jIadKC0rQuIZbDBXDgW2X8yD_8BB5FCiRSQ1WmBxo45F9v-dCBgiwQL1S-0UzyzKGxMY7Onveio2_Uw/s320/17127116_1237821509605799_8252838891157979136_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
announced. The band thanks the audience before signing off with their finale. "Princess of the Night" is the swan song tonight. It caps off what was a heavy mixture of power and aggression. Saxon still has it, and I am glad I was able to witness this concert. But wait, where was "747"? Where was my favorite, and perhaps Saxon's most famous song? Where was what I was waiting hours to hear? I am torn between feelings of sheer joy and heartbreak. I decide to let the feeling pass because Saxon was really freakin' awesome! I give Saxon's performance a 9/10. Only missing the perfect 10 because of their exclusion of my favorite song. I will definitely go see them again if they tour the USA again. The mighty Saxon fights on!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBC6Bs_hGlF6iolFQiF6mWYh1YycU5Uu4cERZqPf2RlWG0LzhDha8vav_7OU1Mi2dO3jq3wEbToCUtJnXP3y-fjPtY2Yjk1toL7x5Lj3n5FgOUYRMDE6Ovco2tg1yvsNpl_UCHAs4XVM/s1600/17125547_1842126792703467_1784445150689230848_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBC6Bs_hGlF6iolFQiF6mWYh1YycU5Uu4cERZqPf2RlWG0LzhDha8vav_7OU1Mi2dO3jq3wEbToCUtJnXP3y-fjPtY2Yjk1toL7x5Lj3n5FgOUYRMDE6Ovco2tg1yvsNpl_UCHAs4XVM/s320/17125547_1842126792703467_1784445150689230848_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Concertgoers are usually a happy bunch. They take pride in their music and just want to see a good show and have a great time. They usually know which band is the one they are there for and will make it well known. On this night, it was UFO. They were the main headliner after all, and one look at the crowd would show why. The audience was glittered with UFO shirts, and it was clear that they were the band most people were here to see. I could not blame them, UFO was a great band back in the day. They made a huge name for themselves with albums like <i>Lights Out </i>and <i>Force It</i>. They were well on their way to being regarded a giant in the rock world in the late 70s before internal problems proved their downfall. Today, the are relatively forgotten and it is quite a shame, but us hardcore Hard Rock fans will not let their name die just yet. Personally, I have always been more of a fan of UFO's early space rock material on <i>UFO 1</i> and <i>UFO 2</i>, and the aforementioned <i>Phenomenon</i> is one of my favorite albums ever. I knew the contents of these albums would be largely omitted from their setlist and was ready to hear what their hard rock stuff was all about. The band chooses to come out to a long drawn out keyboard intro, a more classic approach to entering the stage. All the preparation is about to pay off and UFO is ready to abduct us all. They start off the set with the 1981 ballad "Long Gone", a good choice for a concert of this magnitude. UFO proves they are also brave in their set selection with a song off their 2012 album <i>Seven Deadly</i> with the song "Wonderland". They take us all the way back to 2015 with "Run Boy Run", showing that they choose to play their new songs early and get them out of the way rather than spreading them in between their more known material. The band continued with their classic "Lights Out", a song that truly demonstrates the vocal ability of Phil Mogg, one of my favorite vocalists. The color blue illuminates the venue and the band plays their 2004 ballad "Baby Blue". The band returns to rock form with "Ain't No Baby". Dave Raymond, who duos as the band's keyboardist and rhythm guitarist, gets to show off both of his skills on this number. UFO plays classics like "Too Hot to Handle" and "Only You Can Rock Me" before wowing the crowd with their performance of "Love to Love". "Love to Love" is regarded by Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris as his favorite song, UFO bassist Rob De Luca does well on this song and proves that he is the man for the job of filling the shoes of former UFO bassist, the legendary Pete Way. When talking about UFO, it is hard not to mention Michael Schenker. The blonde bomber is often regarded as one of the greatest guitar virtuosos of all-time. Unfortunately, personal conflicts led to his departure from the band years ago. In his place, UFO have found a great person and great guitar player in Vinnie Moore. One of Schenker's fondest moments was on the epic Rock Bottom, which the band chose to close tonight's set with. It sounds just as awesome live as it does on record, if not better! After a couple amazing solos by Moore, the band closes the set and the night is done. That is until the band return to the stage for the well-anticipated encore. After addressing a heckling fan about not calling people wankers, the band plays their most famous song, Doctor Doctor, to extreme fanfare. It is the moment in the show that most have been waiting to hear, and it was well worth the wait. The much loved and respected drummer Andy Parker gets to show off his skills here as the band take us to a new level. The band signs off of their final performance of "Shoot Shoot", a song leaving us satisfied but wanting more. The trance is over, the concert is over, and I spent a good $33 tonight.<br />
<br />
After the concert, with my hearing impaired, I purchased two shirts, one of each band, a James Jared Nichols vinyl, and even got to meet James Jared Nichols himself! We went home and the night was history.<br />
<br />
<br />
Rock/Metal music is amazing to listen to, and even better to experience. If you have never been to a concert, I strongly advise it. There is NOTHING that compares to it. Thank you to Saxon, UFO, and James Jared Nichols, for giving me a night that I will never forget!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-90742368831926975392017-03-08T10:12:00.002-08:002017-03-11T10:21:39.144-08:00The True Wrathchild<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqLUitkB6JudWps-FMISSVdPC5tHjvqOzlInYmpM5-GS5IfcUESyfhXYakJco1xqS3zrBYIKKCnfKQlphraUoM7zi5CNjpOcIdsasPqW7FbJC2MR4TXuR1XzWar4LWIp_4qNGTjVb4Mg/s1600/12804816_989703237770549_3343449424910002611_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqLUitkB6JudWps-FMISSVdPC5tHjvqOzlInYmpM5-GS5IfcUESyfhXYakJco1xqS3zrBYIKKCnfKQlphraUoM7zi5CNjpOcIdsasPqW7FbJC2MR4TXuR1XzWar4LWIp_4qNGTjVb4Mg/s320/12804816_989703237770549_3343449424910002611_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Today is Wednesday, March 8th. Today I am going to Houston so I can see two of my favorite bands, UFO and Saxon. Today, I look at the date with joy and despair. Today would have been late, the great, Clive Burr's 60th birthday.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-55037854271167385912017-03-07T14:15:00.000-08:002017-03-08T10:05:38.341-08:00Album Covers: Art or Satanism?For years Heavy Metal music has been accused of being "Satanic" or "sacrilegious". Whether or not this is true is up to artistic interpretation. That's exactly what Heavy Metal is, it's art, it's music, it's ideas expressed in a dark and sometimes disturbing way. Let's review some popular Metal album covers are debate whether or not they truly are "Satanic".<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBXpx_SJYoCEx_D-BTeEMr4tQlXoM-fN2kgerE4y4jfy-wEB8fPkEze6WFfO-5czauIJrWcq73Yq70vgs_xDEAR0df2QWeY-yrrTkM79GDoev4x5bmNUsrX4tXU6JVkdl_3TkIGu6IuM/s1600/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBXpx_SJYoCEx_D-BTeEMr4tQlXoM-fN2kgerE4y4jfy-wEB8fPkEze6WFfO-5czauIJrWcq73Yq70vgs_xDEAR0df2QWeY-yrrTkM79GDoev4x5bmNUsrX4tXU6JVkdl_3TkIGu6IuM/s320/iron-maiden-number-beast-900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span id="goog_2018374058"></span><span id="goog_2018374059"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Iron Maiden - <i>The Number of the Beast</i></span></b><br />
<br />
Iron Maiden's 3rd album, <i>The Number of the Beast</i>, hit the stage in 1982 and instantly became a classic. It is perhaps Iron Maiden's most recognized album and one of the most iconic metal albums of all-time!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>SATANIC: No. Read the lyrics</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
The album's title song ,"The Number of the Beast" is the song most often slandered as "Satanic". These claims are simply untrue. In a 1983 interview, Iron Maiden bassist and main lyricist Steve Harris states on the song's subject matter, "Basically this song is about a dream. It's not about devil worship." Iron Maiden has laughed at these claims throughout the years and has gone on to use "The Beast" as somewhat of a nickname for themselves.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvsseXthT-MXAV7_gnhJJLxR9za9TtIBQ3FD57-gPMD2gHrAhTj24106tB_yLuVmwGqrHUGboGowRMW0JQf2TU6EHZA1B4C9FCYnRxk1KN6KiVASoF4hjUeEOpKTfndbfcOVJeu4Tp3s/s1600/b48bed03b7b25461d1b1c52d15710d0f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvsseXthT-MXAV7_gnhJJLxR9za9TtIBQ3FD57-gPMD2gHrAhTj24106tB_yLuVmwGqrHUGboGowRMW0JQf2TU6EHZA1B4C9FCYnRxk1KN6KiVASoF4hjUeEOpKTfndbfcOVJeu4Tp3s/s320/b48bed03b7b25461d1b1c52d15710d0f.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dio - <i>Holy Diver</i></span></b><br />
Dio, piloted by lead singer Ronnie James Dio, stormed the scene with their debut album <i>Holy Diver</i> in 1983. The record spawned hits such as "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Holy Diver" while Ronnie James Dio would go on to become one of metal's most prolific and talented vocalists.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SATANIC: No. Not even a little bit</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
From the first glance of the album cover, it looks like a demonic Satan like figure is chaining up a man and doing some wicked act to him. The demonic figure is no spawn of Satan, but instead it is Murray, the mascot that appears on most of Dio's album sleeves. Murray's story is an interesting one and has nothing to do with the devil, the link to his bio is below. The music on the album in fact makes no mention of the devil or Satan. There is no derogatory or foul language, it is 100% clean, 100% Metal, and 100% NOT Satanic!<br />
<a href="http://ronniejamesdiosite.com/NewsInterviews/Interviews/Murray.html">http://ronniejamesdiosite.com/NewsInterviews/Interviews/Murray.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmeFh9tMYFCtZDcwwmIvrSifMiVhRsLPo3k3_U6SMyk_ZUjxZMGr0BiTjO2rb0Fsk2-Qx8tKZgQWUmcKqC6J2VnIPx33X1OjhgzMni3-yGd8yjiHOz3uTpR9T3VpzoNFl8I6LRMJ7OcE/s1600/51A-3t4uSDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmeFh9tMYFCtZDcwwmIvrSifMiVhRsLPo3k3_U6SMyk_ZUjxZMGr0BiTjO2rb0Fsk2-Qx8tKZgQWUmcKqC6J2VnIPx33X1OjhgzMni3-yGd8yjiHOz3uTpR9T3VpzoNFl8I6LRMJ7OcE/s320/51A-3t4uSDL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Venom - <i>Welcome to Hell</i></span></b><br />
Venom's debut album, <i>Welcome to Hell, </i>hit record stores in late 1981 and was a huge shift in the genre. It is regarded as one of the first true Speed Metal albums and a pioneer of the Black Metal movement. A general darker tone was felt on songs such as "Welcome to Hell" and "In League With Satan". It influenced many Thrash Metal bands such as Metallica and Slayer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SATANIC: Yes. In performance only</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
An album such as <i>Welcome to Hell </i>does introduce some satanic themes that are present throughout the entire album. When there's a song titled "Live Like An Angel(Die Like a Devil)", it's hard to dispute any claims of Satanic context. However, it is merely an act and those quick to accuse Venom of being satanists should learn their backgrounds before doing so. In a 2015 interview with blabbermouth.com Venom Lead vocalist and bassist, Conrad "Cronos" Lant, attests on Venom's satanic imagery "we're normal people. But then we put on a show... Gary Oldman played Dracula in a film, but if you met him for an interview, he wouldn't be sitting there with fangs." There is a definite separation between expressive music and real life personality for many rock/metal bands.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigB-cK4A0hSPWQg80-Mpoi2G4KxiHfXBxPeOVW9R-RRXz0tND1R0Fg_-NjERlKEQEhK3rHzSDJqjOAPbx1ENhg6vWv7MNvDqSYccUTNiOb5XOWir73B4ruSqsSuhiitPqJvVUpn9XXrFE/s1600/Coven_-_Witchcraft_Destroys_Minds_And_Reaps_Souls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigB-cK4A0hSPWQg80-Mpoi2G4KxiHfXBxPeOVW9R-RRXz0tND1R0Fg_-NjERlKEQEhK3rHzSDJqjOAPbx1ENhg6vWv7MNvDqSYccUTNiOb5XOWir73B4ruSqsSuhiitPqJvVUpn9XXrFE/s320/Coven_-_Witchcraft_Destroys_Minds_And_Reaps_Souls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Coven - <i>Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls</i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
Coven's debut album from 1969 brought a new element to psychedelic rock. Lead vocalist, Jinx Dawson, brought her shrieking vocals to life on <i>Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls. </i>Coven's sound and image is definitely heard on later bands like Black Sabbath, Black Widow, and Behemoth.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SATANIC: Yes. You got one right</span><br />
<br />
Yes, Coven's members submitted to Satanism and the wicked acts that come along with it. This was the first music album to feature the "sign of the horns", the inside sleeve features various people including the band members flashing the sign while a naked Jinx Dawson lay flat on a table, (link below). It is true that Coven was a true satanic and occult themed band, though why this is a problem in the first place troubles me. Is Satanism different than any other religion or belief? Well that's an argument for another day, but as far as this one is concerned... Coven is a satanist band and proud of it!<br />
<a href="http://people.com/music/jinx-dawson-coven-overlooked-heavy-metal-influencers/">http://people.com/music/jinx-dawson-coven-overlooked-heavy-metal-influencers/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Are there any other album covers that are confused for Satanism ? Leave a comment on some of your favorites!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202369713736426541.post-85706045266024737282017-03-06T22:48:00.000-08:002017-03-06T22:49:17.722-08:00Debut PostHello world, this is our blog's first post!<br />
<br />
A little background on me:<br />
<br />
My name is Nathaniel Puente, I'm a Social Studies Major at UTRGV and work for UTRGV Radio. As you can probably tell, I love Heavy Metal, especially Iron Maiden. The subject of my research paper is Heavy Metal and its inaccurate accusations of being satanic. I will post weekly trying to dispute these claims. I will also post various topics of metal and Iron Maiden that amuse me.<br />
<br />
Hope whoever finds this blog enjoys it!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
<br />
-NateAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110221427324791851noreply@blogger.com0