Let's Discuss Iron Maiden's 14th Studio album "A Matter of Life and Death" this would be the third album after Bruce returned and it was a natural progression in Iron Maiden's new more progressive sound.
I re-listened to this album a lot recently. I also remember the lacklustre reviews when it originally came out. I think this could have been one of their best albums. This is a solid album, they wanted to make something bigger after DOD and there are some great and epic songs on it. Some of the lyrics are outstanding. Musicianship is also great, especially Nicko's drumming. So the pieces are there, still what's missing though, as usual with Maiden lately, is production. Sound and album production as a whole. Sometimes I wonder with the resources, personnel and money they are given (this was recorded in a top notch studio in London) why can't they utilize that momentum properly. They managed to get a very dry sound which together with the lengthy songs can be very tiring for the ear. It was a distinct choice by Steve and the internal arguments about it culminated in the Final Frontier sessions. Steve views this type of sound as unique to Maiden. Others in the band (Adrian etc.) would prefer a larger sound. And I agree that it should depend on the actual album. Here, this album would have deserved much more soundwise. But production is not "just" sound. This album is considered as proggy. Maiden has had a huge progressive rock influence from the 70s. It shows in Harris' compositions all the time, but the lack of proper production (the active participation and influence of a producer) some of these come out as simply flat and uninteresting. Sometimes it just drags unnecessarily. My favorite songs off this album are Breeg and Lord of Light.
If i remember correctly they did some different on this album ..somethimg where they didnt touch anything for the mastering...i remember this tour ..they opened with the album ..they played the whole thimg in order beginning to end...then ended the show with some classics..its the only tour i can remember that didnt have a live album n bluray too
Yeah, I think you’re right. I do remember Steve talking about “dance of death“ and feeling like the mastering was too loud and thus the dynamic range suffered so on “a matter of life and death“ they sort of went in the opposite direction and didn’t or didn’t really master it. I think they may have overcorrected a tad but I still think the album sounds good.
My favorite from the new Bruce era since Brave New World.... loved it when it came out. Saw the tour as well. You’re right it could be edited down a bit as all their recent stuff. They tend to not only drag the songs out too long in the new era but repeat the chorus too many times. Still it’s the Best of the new Bruce era. Think they will do one more? Glad you put a spotlight on this important maiden album - nice one!
Thanks and yeah..I think they will keep playing as long as everyone is healthy. They seem to be really happy and comfortable with where they are at right now.
The last maiden album i listened to start to finish was seventh son, kinda lost intrest in them after that, i still listen to the older albums, piece of mind being my favourite, i think even seventh son was a step to far for me, but i guess im stuck im a metal time warp⌚
You offer one of the more technical channels on RU-vid. I'm a self-taught musician and I know that musicians hear music differently than other listeners.
I absolutely love this album, it's right up there among my favourite Maiden records. I think there's some wonderful light and shade, Bruce sounds amazing, really exploring his range. The three Amigos, as ever, are fantastic, some brilliant solos. Like you, I really love how Steve's bass sounds on this record, special standout for me there is on "Lord Of Light". I think I understand some people's criticism of the production but it really works for me, it's one of Maiden's heaviest albums and I love how hard it hits. And for me, Kevin Shirley really knows how to get the best out of Nicko, I feel like he really "gets" him. I'm an old school Maiden fan but I'd argue that the second era with Bruce and Adrian has been, if anything, even better than the first!
I seen it too but thought it was way too soon to play the full album, the best part of that show was when the album ended and they played the few classics the crowd erupted where I was. Also although it's a good album it's not worthy of a full play. Only classic albums like NOTB or Holy Diver or back in black deserve this treatment in my opinion, actually any of maidens first 7 would better deserve this treatment. Apart from killers which I'm not over fond of, the debut is a masterpiece.
The second best one for me behind Brave New World since Bruce returned. Book Of Souls is actually my least favourite of the last 5 albums. This is also the last album where I feel his vocals still actually sound great and not just good.
I tried to listen to it with headphones but I kept getting interrupted by family members so I have to take them off to hear them and also when I tried to listen when doing chores the sweat goes into the headphones. Then if I tried to listen without headphones the music is only appreciated when it is somewhat loud but then the neighbors complain about loudness. Then When I listen to music in my car stereo it's gotta be fast short songs so I can keep alert at all times and not get drowsy,. So those post 2000s Maiden albums don't get played in my car. Basically those albums are impractical for my way of living
I seen that show too but my complaint is that this album was too knew when they done it. This album grew on me later but i didnt get into it at first and hearing it all live was too much at the time for me.
This is my 2nd favorite of the last few, after B.O.S. It is a long listen, however The arrangements are memorable and interesting enough to keep my attention, and keep the flow going. I think the mellow intros work, as they are effective in contributing to epic atmosphere of the songs. "Epic" is a perfect word to sum up this album) Ironically, I love the song "Lord of Light", but I like it more when I listen to it in by itself. When I listen to the whole album through, it will occasionally give me a feeling that the album is too long, by the time I finish " The Legacy". That's happened only a few times out of way over 100 listens, so it's nitpicking. I like the production, but sometimes I think that went too far out of their way to give it a natural " organic" sound. The tour was amazing (I have been fortunate enough to see every maiden tour since 1981, at least once). it was obvious who the real fans were, and who was just there to se Number of the Beast, and Fear of the dark. Up the Irons!
The last studio album i purchased from Iron Maiden after Seventh Son was Brave new world .... i didn't get into it and sort of lost interest after that. Maidens early stuff is fantastic IMO , got it all on vinyl , cd and cassette. Same with Priest , never purchased anything after Painkiller until Firepower. Cool video John.
Thanks and I can understand how you feel, the newer Maiden stuff is different, sometimes I'm in the mood for it. T he classic era will always be my favorite.
Love that Album, was lucky enough to see them play the whole thing live in concert, great night thou most of the crowd didn't seem to know the songs, their loss i loved every minute !!
Saw them play the whole thing on that too. Pretty ballsy thing to do, and a LOT of people were pissed off at so many classics being dropped from the set, but I thought it was great👍🏻
@@ianmacdonald7987 What i find weird about it is that Maiden tells the fans before the tour what they are gonna do and still some fans get upset cause they don't play the hits all show..i wish more bands would play the new stuff more live..
Absolutely agree! This and Book of Souls are my favs from the ROB era! However I believe that art has to be appreciated as intended by the artist so trimming might not be applicable: a piece of art as a creative conception is not just a mathematical sum of individual parts. It's a whole that either works or not. How would we trim down a painting for example? Would we like the same this or Book of Souls at 50 mins? Empire of the Clouds at 6 mins? Maybe... who can tell...
I know what you mean about trimming things down. It's almost become their thing now to do these long songs so it's hard to guess what they would sound like edited down. Some things work longer for me like "Empire of the Clouds" others like "The Red and the Black" just feel bloated.
Just want to say thank you for doing your part to keep this stuff alive I am by preference a fan of the Paul D albums and that’s probably because I became a fan in 1980 when I was 14. Saw them open for Judas Priest with Bruce and so the early stuff is predominantly my favorite I will however say that this is one of the top 2 album covers. Maybe just behind Killers I will agree with you that some of the songs are a bit long.specifically the longest day and lord of light The album came with a dvd letting you see the making of I also believe this is the best album they’ve done since it was released. Just saw them live on the latest tour and although they were amazing the set list did not include anything from this album So I was somewhat disappointed but the stage show was amazing Maiden forever...up the irons Oh and invaders is the most underrated song they’ve ever done and never played live It’s also probably the best studio album they put out since PowerSlave
in my opinion Iron Maiden were "ripe" at this record... It was the end of their peak abilities ... After 2010 they kept losing something... gradually but steadily.. AMOLAD is my favorite Iron Maiden album... But after the first leg of tff tour in 2010 were they played mainly post 00s songs, and were great live, and with the actual album the final frontier, they produced my bottom 3 maiden albums.. and live post 2010 they kept losing something as well.. First the solos became sloppy, then the tempos starting slowing down and finally Bruce... Listening to the latest live album is pretty sad.. for his standards.. Anyway.. Love this record and band to bits... The last and greatest offering by Iron Maiden in my opinion came in 2006.. Hail AMOLAD!! Up the Irons..
AMOLAD is great with Pilgrim, Benjamin Breeg, Out of the Shadows my favorite tracks. All of the ROB albums I really dig. Dance Of Death as primus inter pares, Paschendale and Montsegur is Killer stuff. The Final Frontier maybe the weakest of the new era. I love the first two with Paul singing because of the raw and dirty attitude. I love all with Bruce, I even like some songs of the Blaze era and really like the 200012015 albums.
I must admit I haven’t listened to this album for a long time. I never really got into it. Too long. I probably should go back and give it another chance. The last album I really listened to a lot was Dance of Death. Great analysis!
In some ways I do...it has a more cohesive feel and it has a nice dark vibe which sometimes I'm in the mood for. I do really dig Brave New World though..I just find this album to get better with age for me.
@@LairoftheAlchemist I like Brave new world and book of souls alot, but the rest is not so good if you are Maiden and I like some Dickinson solo stuff more than Maiden albums of this times.
Why so many long songs when it was just 1 song per album like rhyme of the ancient mariner Can't they write short fast galloping songs anymore or is this the kind of material that they are comfortable making specially with 3 guitarists?
Even though i really like a lot of maidens later albums i think they should get a different producer than Shirley for a change. There albums are starting to sound all the same.
@@LairoftheAlchemist yeah id like to see them change it up a bit for there next album cause it might be there last maybe more shorter punchy songs and maybe one longer epic like on earlier albums.
Boring, every song sounds the same. 2 minutes of slow meandering intros followed by a mid paced slog and so many repeated lyrics. Nothing really memorable and the artwork is like the album, drab.
I disagree but I can see how someone might feel that way, it took some time for me to really appreciate this album and this era of the band. I still love the early stuff the best but I do enjoy some of these later albums.
@@LairoftheAlchemist , I enjoy this era of the band especially Brave New World and Book Of Souls. AMOLAD and Final Frontier not so much. Up The Irons !
This album has the best post Bruce's return song (Lord of Light: Fast galloping guitars Bruce is soaring like never before and is just pure metal, unlike many other newer maiden songs) This album also has the most disappointing song from them to me (The longest Day: Awesome build up intro that is followed by a repetitive boring predictable song).
I always had pre conceived idea as a friend bought it and I asked him if it was good and he said it’s okay. I pretty much feel the same since getting it. Really all the albums are okay after brave new world which was a brilliant return to form after 90’s b grade albums.
