Ok, let's keep it simple on this one. Under usual circumstances, there would be close to zero reason to review "Ed Hunter" around here - it's mostly a video game, you see, and this sort of multimedia is of little interest for the purposes of this blog. Oh yeah, there's an accompanying 2-CD set as a soundtrack for the game, but there's very little in the way of new and/or unusual material on it, so it would hardly be a collectable for anyone but the most passionate fans of Iron Maiden. But timing is everything, you know, and the period when "Ed Hunter" hit the shops coincided with one of the most significant changes in line-up ever witnessed by metal, no less: out was Blaze Bayley (a man that, despite his genuine dedication and commendable character, never managed to be the singer the Beast really needed) and back in were not only Bruce Dickinson, but guitarist Adrian Smith as well - the outfit still keeping the services of Janick Gers in order to become a six-piece, three-guitar assault. To be frank, this seems an obvious solution now, over 25 years since it was first figured out, but it wasn't a safe bet back in early 1999: as it transpires, the name of Doogie White (who had already done well in a few auditions with the band a few years previously) was even considered for a short while, before Steve Harris asked Rod Smallwood (who still had a hand on Bruce Dickinson's solo career back then) whether or not Bruce would be willing to be back into the fore.
It was little more than a passing idea at first, but it started to gain momentum when, after a conversation between Smallwood and Dickinson, the singer made clear that he would be willing to discuss the possibility. Let's face it: no matter how good his solo career was doing at the time (and "The Chemical Wedding" is a hell of a frickin' great record, your know), good old air raid siren Bruce would hardly ever get the crowds he once had alongside Maiden, and the chance to have a second bite at the cherry was surely one not to be turned down. After getting Harris and Dickinson in the same room, things pretty much fell into place, including the potentially difficult issue of bringing Adrian Smith back into the picture as well: the vocalist made clear it was a mandatory condition in order for him to sign the dotted line, but Steve Harris also felt it would be nice to have three guitarists, and Adrian himself admited he wouldn't feel comfortable if his return to the band meant that Janick Gers had to go. All things considered, turning into a six-piece was not only the right thing to do, but also a mostly natural move given the circumstances, while also creating an immediate feeling of excitement and renewal around the band.
"Ed Hunter" was already comissioned by this juncture, having very little (if any) weight in the whole reunion thing, but the fact that it was hitting the shops offered Iron Maiden the perfect opportunity to spread the word around with a celebratory tour. It was very fortunate, and the jaunts to promote it were all a resounding success, but that doesn't mean one should see "Ed Hunter" as a more important release than it actually is. The tracklist was put together via a poll on the band's website, which is a charming move, but there's nothing nowhere near a surprise in the running order, and the only minor highlight here is a semi-new version of "Wrathchild", where the original 1981 recording is remixed with Bruce Dickinson singing instead of Paul Di'Anno. He does a good job out of it, that's for sure, but a classic is always a classic, and I can hardly imagine anyone playing this compilation on a weekly basis just because he likes Dickinson's version so much better, if you know what I mean. I personally never bothered about the game, and I never played it, so I have no idea of how good or bad it is (though some friend who are way more into the gaming world than I used to say it was a bit of a corker, so there you have it) - but, when it comes to music, we all have the original albums anyway, this package therefore being of interest only for those who really can't live without having every single item ever released by the band they love (nothing wrong about that, of course). If you don't fit the description, rest assured there's far more better purchases you can do with your hard earned cash.
Whatever turns the story took afterwards, fact is that any major changes need some transitional period to fully come to fruition, and the whole "Ed Hunter" thing, though mostly irrelevant in terms of music (the fact that there's zero prospect of any reissues in the foreseeable future is quite a giveaway on that matter), sure served an important purpose when it comes to make the Iron Maiden reunion into a tangible reality. By the time these honourable and talented gentlemen decided to put their minds into writing new music, everybody already knew that the three guitarists could work quite well together, and the collective feeling around the upcoming record was of genuine anticipation, with very little doubt that they could do things right and get their career back on track for good. After years of turmoil, the dreary '90s were fizzling out in a way more hopeful mood, and soon a new era of world domination would begin for the lads.
CD 1
01. Iron Maiden ("Live After Death" live vrs)
02. The Trooper
03. The Number of the Beast
04. Wrathchild
05. Futureal
06. Fear of the Dark
07. Be Quick or Be Dead
08. 2 Minutes to Midnight
09. Man on the Edge
10. Aces High
11. The Evil that Men Do
12. Wasted Years
13. Powerslave
14. Hallowed Be Thy Name
15. Wrathchild (1999 vrs)
CD 2
01. Run to the Hills
02. The Clansman
03. Phantom of the Opera
04. Killers
05. Stranger in a Strange Land
06. Tailgunner
Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário