IRON MAIDEN (UK) - Fear of the Dark (LP, EMI, 1992)

RATING: ***

Though it’s fair to say that “No Prayer for the Dying” turned out to be the lowest point in Iron Maiden’s career by that time, treat it as a disastrous misstep or even a serious setback for the band’s fortunes would be a significant exaggeration. “Bring Your Daughter… To the Slaughter” remains the group’s sole number 1 single in the UK to this day, and the tour to support the album (with a surprisingly stripped-down and basic stage set and lightning rig) amassed over 120 shows and over 2 million tickets sold, so it’s safe to say that the lackluster results of the record should be seen as more of a scratch rather than any major blow to the band’s reputation. The notion of Iron Maiden as a band that could do no wrong was tarnished, there’s little doubt about that, but it wasn’t that much of a big deal anyway, and the heavy metal scene sure wanted to hear whatever music the lads would come up with next.

Now I must admit I never fully made up my mind on “Fear of the Dark”, the 1992 effort that signaled an important end of the line for the band, as it would be the group’s last studio record with Bruce Dickinson for a while. It’s an obvious improvement over its rather disappointing predecessor, and nearly half the songs on it are top-drawer Maiden stuff, which would be more than enough to make it a worthwhile investment for any dedicated metal fan. But it also struggles with some questionable songwriting in places (though new man Janick Gers does a pretty commendable contribution most of the time around here), and its lack of cohesion is something of a harbinger of bad days to come, both for the band themselves and for the heavy metal scene as a whole. Yeah, the 1990s were truly confusing times for metal with a lot of misfires, and though “Fear of the Dark” is actually quite a decent album when compared to what most of their competition would release at roughly the same time, it’s still not a winner by any stretch, and surely not a match to anything they released in the 1980s.

The band kept most of the back-on-the-streets aesthetics of “No Prayer for the Dying” intact, with all that leather-jackets-and-Levi-jeans, unshaved-men-with-long-hair looks and stuff, and I must say it works markedly better this time around, as the package holds better songs to give credence to the whole thing. The production is fairly basic, but doesn’t lack in energy or bite, and the world-conscious lyrics on most songs have a much stronger grip on reality, being far more interesting than the rather perfunctory drivel of “Public Enema Number One” or “Fates Warning”, to name a few. I also like Bruce’s vocals a bit more this time around: granted, he is no longer singing as he used to on “Piece of Mind” or “Powerslave”, but his raspy variation sounds more on point here, maybe because he’s a bit more confident about how and when to use it to the fullest extent. Opening track “Be Quick or be Dead” showcases it beautifully, with a surprisingly aggressive, but still highly skilled and layered vocal performance. The song as a whole kicks serious ass BTW, a fast and furious tirade on stock market’s recklessness and avarice that brings some surprising heaviness to the table, not to mention one of the most intense guitar riffs the band ever penned (congratulations, Janick Gers). Despite its undeniable merits, I guess it’s actually little surprising that the band dropped this tune from their setlists as soon as the original tour was over, as I’m sure it is a truly demanding song to play live. What a great opening tune, and if you’re not hyped about the album after listening to it, I guess you should really question if metal is your thing after all.

The CD keeps on doing fine right afterwards, with “From Here to Eternity” being a hard-rockish, good-time tune about Charlotte the Harlot and the Devil himself having a meeting on the road to Hell, or something. The lyrics are pretty inconsequential, and hardly anyone will list it as one of Maiden’s undisputed classics, but it’s all quite funny and engaging nonetheless, and I tend to think that this is the precise kind of track “No Prayer for the Dying” needed to fulfill its own promises. It came a little too late for that album, but better late than never, I guess. “Afraid to Shoot Strangers” is also quite good, a meditative epic about the Gulf War with heartfelt lyrics and trademark Maiden instrumentation. Some have pointed out how similar it is to “Infinite Dreams” in terms of both structure and guitar melodies, and I think the critics might have a point, but it’s a far more somber track when compared to its supposed twin brother, and I think that’s OK that bands sound a bit self-referential from time to time, as long as they don’t slide to self parody, which is surely not the case here.

It’s when “Fear is the Key” comes out of the speakers that the problems begin to appear. I know some fans really enjoy it, a few even regarding it as an underrated classic of some sort, but I beg to differ: it’s confusing, its parts poorly sewn together, with lyrics (supposed to be about AIDS) that hardly make sense and some metal-meets-jazz semi-improvisations that are frankly cringeworthy, if truth be told. I’m not unamenable to some experimentation, you see, but this particular track simply doesn’t work, and it ruins the flow of the record to a great extent.

The ride gets quite bumpy from this point onwards, with some seriously great tracks being paired with substandard tunes that hardly add to the album’s strength. “Wasting Love” is a truly excellent ballad with simple, but very effective guitar work and a stellar performance from Bruce, while “Judas Be My Guide” is a short-and-sweet heavy rocker that does everything right and easily could have made its way into the band’s live set on occasion. On the other hand, songs like “The Fugitive”, “Chains of Misery” and “Childhood’s End”, though decent enough, lack the necessary features to become really memorable, whereas “Weekend Warrior” is actually quite alright, but perhaps too hard-rocking for its own good, sounding more like a solo track or a B-side rather than a pure-blood Maiden Metal tune. And “The Apparition” is honestly a very poor track, one of the most disappointing songs ever penned by the band, and it shocks me that it actually made it into the finished product, as it has the feel of an impromptu recording rather than a proper effort in songwriting. Fortunately, the final spins come to the rescue, as “Fear of the Dark” is easily one of the most memorable songs ever recorded by Maiden, a truly engaging rumination about, well, being afraid of the dark that has all the hooks to become an all-time heavy metal classic. Some naysayers complaint about the fact that nearly every setlist ever since has "Fear of the Dark" on it, but how many bands out there can claim to have recorded an undisputed metal classic so late in their careers? Outstanding, really, and I can't help but feel humbled by Maiden's enduring mastery of their craft.

All things considered, “Fear of the Dark” may be an uneven listen, but it’s a good enough album nonetheless, and there’s little doubt that anyone familiar with the way Iron Maiden does things will find a lot of things to enjoy on that record. Just don’t keep your expectations too high and you will be fine, I guess. Unfortunately, things weren’t going that well in the Maiden camp already back then, and soon some internal friction would result in some pretty drastic changes. But there’s no less than three live albums to go through before we get to the next studio record, so let’s save all the commotion around the departure of Bruce Dickinson for the next installments, shall we?

Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Janick Gers (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko McBrain (D).

01. Be Quick Or Be Dead (Dickinson, Gers) 3:21

02. From Here to Eternity (Harris) 3:35

03. Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Harris) 6:52

04. Fear is the Key (Dickinson, Gers) 5:30

05. Childhood's End (Harris) 4:37

06. Wasting Love (Dickinson, Gers) 5:46

07. The Fugitive (Harris) 4:52

08. Chains of Misery (Dickinson, Murray) 3:33

09. The Apparition (Harris, Gers) 3:53

10. Judas Be My Guide (Dickinson, Murray) 3:06

11. Weekend Warrior (Harris, Gers) 5:37

12. Fear of the Dark (Harris) 7:16

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! 

IRON MAIDEN (UK) - No Prayer for the Dying (LP, EMI, 1990)

RATING: **

I'm sure it seemed to be a good idea at first: a back-to-basics approach to Iron Maiden, moving away from the increasingly progressive overtones of the three previous albums in order to rejuvenate the band and plant the seeds for new and exciting things to come. Instead of fully metamorphosing into a metallic answer to Pink Floyd (some may say it happened eventually, but let's not rush things), their collective option would be to reconnect with their denim-and-leather looks and street-level attitude from the early 1980's, not to mention less artsy, way more aggressive lyrical subjects. While the whole pop-meets-metal thing was rapidly becoming a thing of the past, and with the advent of caustic variants such as death metal and even black metal, the turn of the decade seemed to suggest a collective move towards heavier, more straight-to-the-point waters - and bands like Judas Priest (always the trendsetters), Metallica and Pantera were already testing the water for some exciting developments ahead. Iron Maiden thought they could do the same by recapturing some of the magic from their "Killers" days as a new starting line, and I honestly don't see anything fundamentally wrong about that; in fact, I stongly think that 1990's "No Prayer for the Dying" LP could have been a hell of a great record under different circumstances. But the road to hell is full of good intentions, as Bruce Dickinson himself would state in later years, and the resulting album never really threatened to take the world by storm, instead becoming the opening act for a whole decade of confusion and instabilities (not to mention a handful of painfully poor songs to match).

Well, maybe we should all have seen it coming when Adrian Smith announced his departure in January 1990, with the dreaded artistic differences playing a major role in such decision. In fact, after recording a pretty decent (but ultimately unsuccessful) solo album under the name ASAP - which explored the same progressive avenues of previous Maiden records, though going to some decidedly different directions - the guitarist felt the idea of a stripped-down Iron Maiden was a step backwards and something of a non-starter, his preference being towards an even more adventurous, prog-oriented sound. Unable to bring substantial creative contributions to the table, and feeling increasingly unattached to the whole Maiden thing, Smith decided to pack his bags and take something of a sabbathical, being very much of a family man for  number of years. The thing is, Adrian had been one of the band's main songwriters since his arrival in 1980, and his absence meant that much of what made Iron Maiden such a powerplant of metal classics simply wouldn't be there for a full decade. With new axeman Janick Gers (ex-White Spirit/Gillan, and a colleague of Bruce Dickinson in his solo effort "Tattooed Millionaire") still being too shy to contribute to songwriting just yet, the group had little usable ideas to work with for their new record - and it shows, unfortunately. I won't delve into the stylistic differences between Smith and Gers right now, as it's my intention to give it a proper analysis in later reviews, but let's just say that Adrian Smith is missed, and the group would continue to have a hard time without him in later years.

The decision to keep things raw and simple resulted in at least two other significant changes - both not coming for the best, IMHO. First, singer Bruce Dickinson decided to adapt his vocal delivery to the new decade, leaving his operatic intonations behind in order to pursue a raspier, aggressive sound. Now, I know some Maiden fans love it to death, but I'm generally less charitable about it, and I tend to think it marks a significant low point in Dickinson's career. It's not at all atrocious, and it sounds good enough on record, but it was surely the less impressive Bruce The Air Raid Siren ever sounded upon a stage, and some of his performances (available in a number of bootleg recordings from 1990-1993) are simply not good enough for such a enormous entity like Iron Maiden. Similarly, the decision to record in Barnyard Studios (basically, a Rolling Stones Mobile Studio parked in a farm owned by Steve Harris in Essex) must be seriously called into question, as it resulted in a thin, generic sound that doesn't add any fuel to the fire, if you know what I mean. I'm sure Martin Birch did his best, but a quick comparison with the stellar results from albums like "Killers" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" show in no uncertain terms how the whole let's-record-it-at-home-and-in-a-very-relaxed-manner thing was a mistake.

Though not an unmitigated disaster, fact is that "No Prayer for the Dying" is easily the least enjoyable album released by Maiden up to this point, and still ranks as one of the lesser points in the band's discography. And it doesn't take a masters degree to understand why: the songwriting simply wasn't there. Let's take opening track "Tailgunner" as an example: though a pretty decent song in its own right (in fact, it's one of the best tracks on display around here), it's honestly little more than a restrained, less intense rehashing of "Aces High" (the subject matter is very similar, and the song structure is pretty much the same), and it simply doesn't hold enough fire in itself to be a suitable opening number. The fact that it is followed by "Holy Smoke" (easily my favorite here, with tons of energy and funny, tongue-in-cheek lyrics about televangelism) sure help matters to a considerable extent, but it's still not enough to really get the party started. And it doesn't get better, believe me - in fact, we have just passed through the highlights, and it's mostly a struggle from this point onwards.

The title track is a more laid back, highly melodic tune with guitar harmonies that bear more than a passing resemblance to "Infinite Dreams" - it's not bad, really, just lacking the ingenuity and bite to make it genuinely interesting. Songs like "Fates Warning" and "Run Silent Run Deep" are plagued by the same lack of imagination, with weak choruses and melodies that one will forget as soon as the songs are over; "Public Enema Number One" is a bit better, admitedly, but suffers from the same hindrances for the most part. "Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter" is the hit single from the LP, and arguably the most memorable tune from the entire package, but I don't think it stood that well the test of time, as it's so cheesy that you need to appreciate its unintentional humor in order to really enjoy it. And don't get me started on "Mother Russia", a weak pastiche of former epics that is pretty much a clumsily edited version of "Alexander the Great" (c'mon, even the atmospheric part in the instrumental section is near identical!). I love you, Steve, but this one is embarassing, easily one of the worse songs ever penned by band. 

I wouldn't really list these as standouts, mind you, but I tend to consider "Hooks in You" (nice, hard-rocking riffing, and some vocal lines you can sing along with without much effort) and "The Assassin" (nice twists and turns in instrumentation, and I like the "better watch out" part in the chorus, though Bruce's rendition is perhaps too over-the-top for my liking) as decent songs for Maiden's standards, both adding some depth and color to the proceedings - just never compare it to previous records and you will be fine, I guess. Still, it's too little to save "No Prayer for the Dying" from its fate: let's face it, the whole back-to-street-level thing just didn't work out as planned, and the resulting album clearly shows Maiden in a descending curve, for the first time in their glorious career. It still wasn't enough to really tarnish the band's reputation, you know, and the tour to support the album was a great success for the most part, but the heroes were no longer invincible, and the lackluster results of the record were something of a bad sign of things to come. As for the album itself, you'll probably like it if you're a fan, but newcomers must be warned that there's not a single brilliant song on sight, and more casual listeners will have a hard time trying to listen to it without skipping.

Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Janick Gers (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko McBrain (D).

01. Tailgunner (Harris/Dickinson) 4:13
02. Holy Smoke (Harris/Dickinson) 3:47
03. No Prayer for the Dying (Harris) 4:22
04. Public Enema Number One (Murray/Dickinson) 4:03
05. Fates Warning (Murray/Harris) 4:09
06. The Assassin (Harris) 4:16
07. Run Silent Run Deep (Harris/Dickinson) 4:34
08. Hooks in You (Dickinson/Smith) 4:06
09. Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter (Dickinson) 4:42
10. Mother Russia (Harris) 5:30

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! 

IRON MAIDEN (UK) - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (LP, EMI, 1988)

RATING: *****

Let's get straight to it: for me, "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" is the best album ever recorded by Iron Maiden. It's not my personal favorite (as of today, that would go to "Powerslave"), and surely not their most influential and/or groundbreaking (you can either pick the eponymous debut or "The Number of the Beast" and you won't go wrong with any of these); I wouldn't even say that it's an underappreciated turning point in the group's career, or words to that effect (that would have to be "The X Factor", but let's not rush things). But I strongly tend to think it's the only Maiden album with not a single filler and/or perceivably minor song in sight (maybe only the 1980's self-titled LP would give it a fight on that regard), and the one who best encapsule all the elements associated with Maiden's sound, balancing the epic and ambitious aspect of the band's personality with the usual catchiness and dynamism we all learned to love and admire. It's a huge improvement to the somewhat lacklustre "Somewhere in Time" (though most of its many admirers will never agree with me on that), and it comes as a culmination to what is undeniably one of the very best runs ever experienced by a rock band, regardless of genres. If you somehow happen to not have a copy in your collection, the only thing I have to say is that you're quite a lucky person indeed, as you still can enjoy the extremely rewarding experience of listening to it for the first time. 

After pretty much keeping the show on the road and not much else with the competent (but mostly unimpressive) "Somewhere in Time", Iron Maiden found themselves in something of a crossroads: they could either rest on their laurels and re-record the same album every two years in order to make a (very respectable and wealthy) living, or else they could, well, take some risks and try something different this time around. Fortunately, they picked the second option. After reading Orson Scott Card's "Seventh Son" novel, Steve Harris felt that exploring the paranormal gifts of a child destined to be the chosen one would be quite a fitting storyline for a concept album - and the prospect of writing and recording such a project seems to have invigorated the whole band, most of all Bruce Dickinson. He is undoubtedly one of the highest points on "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son": his soul and energy were pretty much absent on "Somewhere in Time", but he's surely back with a vengeance here, co-writing over half the songs and delivering some of the most inspired performances from his career. Take "The Evil that Men Do" as an example: it's a way more difficult song to sing than it seems to be at first, and the man moves from a truly expressive low register to gloriously soaring belts and high notes that many singers out there would sell their mothers to reach - all in a seemingly effortless manner that is genuinely impressive, to say the least.

Some may argue (like Dickinson himself did in later years) that "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" is not a full-blown conceptual album, being more a collection of songs loosely connected by a central subject. But I feel such criticism kind of misses the point, you know: Iron Maiden is not trying to draw conclusions or defending a thesis about good and evil, but rather taking the artistic quest started on "Piece of Mind" (and, to some extent, hinted on classic songs like "Phantom of the Opera") to its logical conclusion, stretching their storytelling abilities and instrumental dexterity to the limits of a full LP. It's more of a challenge they set for themselves, let's put it that way, and the resulting album sounds truly cohesive and engaging, perhaps the most well-rounded record Iron Maiden ever did - maybe not like you're moving from chapter to chapter while reading a book or something, but with a consistent flow that never stumbles and keeps the listener's attention from start to end. The storyline may demand an extra bit of imagination from the listener in places, but still it makes perfect sense: the first 4 songs (the A side, that is) tells us the story of the seventh son, who is tormented by dreams and visions he can hardly understand, while songs 5 to 7 are about the seventh son of the seventh son (surprising, heh?), who can predict his village's doom but cannot foresee his own demise. Track 8 is there to round things off, more like a meditation about good and evil rather than bringing any moral to the tale.

The keyboards, although with quite simple arrangements most of the time, are a markedly improvement on the rather tepid synths from the previous record, as they're now a very significant element on many songs (most of all during the opening tune "Moonchild" and the title track). To some, it gives the record a slightly dated vibe, as a strong reminiscent of the sugar-coated production jobs many metal artists received during the mid-to-late 1980's, but once again I beg to differ: it has a lot more to do with the atmospheric use of the instrument by prog rock bands from the 1970's and early next decade, something done to create open, slightly otherworldly landscapes rather than make songs more palatable. And it connects emotionally with the lyrical subjects quite well: though Maiden were never a philosophical band per se, songs like "Infinite Dreams", "The Clairvoyant" and "Only the Good Die Young" easily rank among the most thought-provoking ever written by the group up to this point, or ever since. 

All songs herein are great, and it's remarkable how the group managed to write such dissimilar tunes while still keeping a feeling of connection and coherence between them. Nothing is interchangeable around here: the furious (and brilliant) "Moonchild" doesn't sound at all like the catchy (and brilliant) "Can I Play with Madness", which is also totally different from the surprisingly convoluted (and also brilliant) "The Prophecy" and so on. Everything is right into place, nothing sounds excessive, no tune could be substituted by anything else - and everything kicks serious ass, believe me. As personal favorites, I would pick the bombastic "The Evil that Men Do" (one of the most memorable songs the band ever written, no less), the immensely epic "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", and the radio-friendly "Can I Play with Madness" (aah, if all rock-oriented radio would play only awesome songs like that) - but it's entirely subjective of my part really, as all songs are great and full of positive features. Maybe "Only the Good Die Young" is a slightly less impressive track in comparison with the rest, but still is a hell of a good song in its own right, and it works perfectly well as an album closer, with a powerful, triumphant vibe that definitely round things off with a bang. All individual performances are impeckable as well, and the resulting record is truly a joy to listen to.

Not that Iron Maiden was in need of a definitive record or anything (they already had a handful of those under their belts), but it's fair (and perhaps necessary) to say that "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" was something of a career-defining achievement for the band: they wanted to prove they could conceive an album as an artistic statement, and oh man did they succeed or what. In light of that, it's somewhat surprising to verify that it was something of a last hurrah, rather than the beginning of a new, glorious chapter. The back-to-basics approach they would adopt on next album "No Prayer for the Dying", though not an unmitigated disaster, would turn out to be a failure - and it didn't cost only the presence of Adrian Smith, but also headed the band's vessel towards some very troubled waters, with a diminishing profile within the metal world coming as a result. I would call it 'the difficult '90s', and God knows how difficult the whole ride indeed was for Iron Maiden, but let's save such polemics for a new entry, where the subject can be developed in greater detail.

Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Adrian Smith (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko Mc'Brain (D).

01. Moonchild (Smith/Dickinson) 5:38
02. Infinite Dreams (Harris) 6:08
03. Can I Play with Madness (Smith/Dickinson/Harris) 3:30
04. The Evil that Men Do (Smith/Dickinson/Harris) 4:33
05. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Harris) 9:52
06. The Prophecy (Murray/Harris) 5:04
07. The Clairvoyant (Harris) 4:26
08. Only the Good Die Young (Harris/Dickinson) 4:40

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! 

IRON MAIDEN (UK) - Somewhere in Time (LP, EMI, 1986)

RATING: ****

To say that the World Slavery Tour was exhausting would be a glaring understatement. In fact, the Iron Maiden camp were totally drained when the seemingly never-ending jaunt finally folded in July 1985, to such an extent that an extended break was granted so everyone (including the almost-unsung heroes from the road crew) could get themselves together before working on a new album. Releasing the (remarkably enjoyable) 2-LP live set "Live After Death" proved to be a wise move actually, not only to immortalise an immensely sucessful tour, but also to have something to sell while the band enjoyed a much-needed vacation. 

From the musicians involved, Bruce Dickinson seems to have been the most burned-out of all; he famously commented that, towards the end of the tour, he felt like he was "a piece of machinery, a part of the lightning rig", and it transpires that the vocalist seriously contemplated quitting the music scene altogether, questioning himself if the gruelling touring schedule would be a life worth living after all. Fortunately, his decision was to keep playing the game - which is not to say he was immediately back with all guns blazing, mind you, as no contributions from his part made it into "Somewhere in Time", Maiden's sixth studio LP released in September 1986. It seems that Bruce wrote a handful of semi-acoustic tunes, trying to take the whole venture towards a different direction - something that would hardly have been a wise move for a band that had just conquered the world by playing uncompromising, highly focused heavy metal, so I guess the fact that this particular batch of songs never saw the light of day in its original form was all for the best, really.

Now please allow me to make myself clear: "Somewhere in Time" is undoubtedly a very good record. I'm aware that many people actually pick it as a personal favorite, a decision that is perfectly understandable in a sense: it's a more progressive-leaning, instrumentally-driven album, and those who love Iron Maiden's ambitious instrumental sections (and who doesn't?) will get quite a kick out of listening to this LP (I know I do, for instance). Still, after long deliberation, I have to be honest with myself: this is perhaps the weakest Maiden album from the 80s (as I consider "No Prayer for the Dying" to be a 90s album in both sound and spirit, even if we could argue about the year 1990 being technically part of the 80s and so on), and the band sounds tired - in fact, very tired - and a bit unfocused throughout. Bruce Dickinson may have been the one who suffered the most, being the frontman and all, but there's no doubt in my mind that the entire band were still trying to catch their breath by this juncture. And it shows.

Let's start by taking a closer look to the choruses, for instance. Only "Wasted Years" and "Sea of Madness" present something more thoughtful and ellaborate: the rest are rather unimaginatively centered around the song titles, or else simply repeating a phrase or motif to no end (c'mon, "feel like I've been here before" four times in a row may be one of the less inventive choruses ever penned in major-league metal). The lyrics mostly suffer from a dip in quality as well, being less interesting in both craft and topics when compared to previous efforts: I mean, they used to write thought-provoking lyrics about the doomsday clock or the final moments of a man about to be hanged, and now they're resorting to commentary about feeling a deja-vu or running a marathon. "Alexander the Great" is a good example when it comes to this particular shortcoming: where previous epics like "Hallowed Be Thy Name" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" cruised with amazing storytelling, "Alexander the Great" stumbles while giving something real close to a history lecture, with a list of dates, battles and occurences that fail to create any emotional connection with the figure the song sings about. It's clear to me that Steve Harris did his research before writing about Alexander III of Macedon, so let's give him credit where is due - but he's a songwriter, not a teacher, and the lyrics he came up with are seriously lacking in artistry, being rather bland as a result.

In fact, maybe the overall lack of imagination is "Somewhere in Time" undoing. The instrumentation is great, and some particular moments are close to brilliant, though the piece of experimentation with synth guitars/bass doesn't really add much to the band's sound. But it's hard to pick a song that is flawless from start to end: maybe only "Wasted Years" could have been part of "Powerslave" without being perceivably weaker than the rest, and I seriously doubt that "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" or "Deja-Vu" would have been more than B-sides on any of their previous records, you know. "Caught Somewhere in Time" is perhaps a perfect opening number for this particular LP: it's pretty nice in places, and quite engaging as a whole if you're in the right frame of mind, but there's no real inspiration going on (apart from Adrian Smith's truly impressive solo), just a hugely talented bunch of musicians getting their job done on autopilot. Iron Maiden by the numbers are leagues ahead of 99% of their competition, but it's still by the numbers, if you know what I mean.

Not all is lost, though - and, in the case of "Somewhere in Time", not all is lost at all. It's the record that finally consolidated Adrian Smith as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to songwriting; with the band seemingly in a shortage of usable ideas, he came up with what is easily the best song around here, "Wasted Years" - a heartfelt commentary about life on the road that still ranks as one of the most memorable songs from Maiden's entire repertoire. He also contributed with "Stranger in a Strange Land", a song that would have benefit from a little more variation in places, but that tells a moving story about an explorer lost in the Antarctic and is also one of my personal favorites from the album. OK, "Sea of Madness" sounds a bit too half-baked for its own good, but at least it's miles better than the self-parody of "Deja-Vu" (I really don't like this one, in case you didn't notice), so kudos for trying something different, Adrian. From the four songs penned by Steve Harris, I'd say that "Heaven Can Wait" is the best of the lot: despite a repetitive chorus that really annoys me after a while, it's a very cohesive, entertaining (and not overly ambitious) tune about a near-death experience that successfully delivers all of its promises. On a more conceptual level, it's commendable that the five-piece kept things going without compromising the drive and heavy edge of their sound, in a time when many metal champions were seduced by pop-rockish flirtations and the keyboard-coated aesthetics of the era. And oh well, it's 80s Maiden, and Iron Maiden were nearly invincible throughout the 80s, so you can all rest assured that great music will come out of your speakers when you press 'play'. It's a 4-star rating, because it's still a bloody good record, and you should definitely give it a few listens if (God knows how) you haven't done so until now.

Still - and it pains me to say so, because I really enjoy listening to it - the fact is clear for any inquisitive ears to hear: "Somewhere in Time" is not as good an album as you may think it is, and it did not stood that well the test of time. For the first time in Maiden's glorious history, they sound predictable and slightly contrived, like they were trying to please rather than being natural leaders of the heavy metal pack. The band were tired, and "Somewhere in Time" is undoubtedly a tired (though very decent) record from a tired band. Maybe it's a natural development after a band gets so huge: some sort of stagnation starts to settle in, and you may need one or two unimpressive releases (or perhaps dozens) before you're really able to shake it off. They would really top all expectations next time around though, releasing what is arguably their only 100/100 album, so I'd say that "Somewhere in Time" didn't cause their fortunes any perceivable harm, being more of a hiccup rather than an ominous sign of things to come. Still totally worth buying, though.

Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Adrian Smith (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko McBrain (D).

01. Caught Somewhere in Time (Harris) 7:22
02. Wasted Years (Smith) 5:06
03. Sea of Madness (Smith) 5:42
04. Heaven Can Wait (Harris) 7:24
05. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Harris) 6:31
06. Stranger in a Strange Land (Smith) 5:43
07. Deja-Vu (Murray, Harris) 4:55
08. Alexander the Great (Harris) 8:35

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! 

IRON MAIDEN (UK) - Live After Death (2 LP, EMI, 1985)

RATING: *****

Many bands out there are renowned for being top-class live acts, as we all know; similarly, many live albums can easily be ranked among the very best in the history of rock music (and we're dealing with one such record right here, no doubt about that). But it's interesting to find out there are not that many classic tours connected to the metal scene, if you know what I mean - jaunts that became something of a legend in their own right, so eventful and significant in a band's (or subgenre's) history that, as soon as someone mention it, we all know what we're talking about. We all love "Strangers in the Night", for instance, but many may not even know that UFO recorded that one during a series of shows in the USA; we all know Deep Purple recorded "Made in Japan" in Japan (duh), but you possibly don't know a single fact about that particular tour, because there's nothing too extraordinary about it to be regarded as a piece of heavy metal lore. On the other hand, if I stick my head out and say "The Big 4" everyone will immediately know what I mean, even if the live registers from such tour are not regarded as classics of the metal genre.

I guess this is a good way to define "Live After Death", the first full-length live release from Iron Maiden: it's a classic live album from a classic world tour - the immense and bombastic World Slavery Tour put together to promote the career-defining "Powerslave" LP, that is. As we all know, Iron Maiden played everywhere and made no prisoners on their way, a year-long excursion that pretty much redefined what should be considered "huge" in a heavy metal setting. Whether we would regard this particular tour that highly, had it not resulted in a kickass 2-LP package like this one, is open to debate; I personally think the album was pretty much imposed by the superlative numbers and impressive achievements associated with the jaunt, as it would have been a bummer to have such an impressive effort of mass domination failing to be immortalised on vinyl. 

I won't delve too deep into a track-by-track analysis around here, as I'm positive you all know that every single tune here featured is a heavy metal classic, as simple as that. Similarly, there is no point in a peroration about the production values (come on, Martin Birch damn sure knew how to get the job done) or artwork (Derek Riggs could do no wrong in the 80s): instead, let's try to focus on what makes "Live After Death" a strong (possibly unbeatable) candidate for the best metal live album ever, with only a minor concession to a discussion about songs along the way, as I can't leave this one behind without bringing one particular subject to the table. Fine? Let's go, then. 

First, the repertoire. It's not about particular songs, see: the thing is, they managed to create a live experience that runs smoothly from start to end, with every single piece being in the exact place it should be to achieve maximum effect. It doesn't say much about the final five songs, admitedly, as these are cuts from a different series of shows (London's Hammersmith, that is, instead of the Long Beach Arena performances compiled in tracks 01-12) and have more of a "bonus side" vibe rather than being part of the main setlist. Still, sides A to C conjure an atmosphere that is no less than spellbinding, and it has a lot to do with the fact that one great song comes right next to the other, with not a single letdown and no chance for the adrenaline levels to drop. The crowd surely has a lot to do with that too, as they show their appreciation in no uncertain terms and react to the band's interactions in a way hardly any other metalheads do. If you have ever been in a Maiden concert, you sure know what I mean.

Another strong element in "Live After Death"'s appeal has to do with the band's performances. Every single musician is at the top of their game here, to such an extent that sometimes you just can't decide who you should pay attention to, as they're just killing it all at the same time. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray are easily one of the most impressive guitar duos to have ever walked the face of the Earth, and their interplay works beautifully throughout, not to mention some exhilarating solos by both players. Nicko McBrain shows himself to be totally at home with the Maiden setup, and his very intense, high-energy performance is sure to keep necks in motion throughout the listening experience. And Steve Harris is something of a revolutionary on bass, even though few outside of metal are immediately inclined to admit it: more than simply supplying a backbone for the songs, good old 'Arry is consistently moving things forward with his commanding basslines, giving Maiden's sound most of the ambition and dynamics it is renowned for. As for Bruce Dickinson, I sincerely think he would become an even more complete singer in later years (the late 90s / early 2000s, that is), but it's undeniable he was an impressive force of nature back then, with a powerful, soaring voice that is as confident as it is impressive. Furthermore, Bruce's penchant for theatrics was getting stronger with every gig, and it's a joy to hear (or behold, in case you're watching the video) his ability to command a crowd really coming to full strength.

Then you have to consider the timing of this release. Halfway through the 80s, heavy metal as a genre was consolating its shift towards pop-infused, radio-friendly waters - a changing of tides that would inflict us embarassing releases in droves, most of those totally devoid of artistic integrity or even the slightest glimpse of a meaningful thing to say. On the other hand, the "sex, drugs and rock n' roll" bullshit had truly become the ethos of the metal scene, with concepts as profound as getting laid and drinking yourself unconscious being regarded almost as a identity, something to be proud of rather than just things you do when you feel like doing it. To summarise, heavy metal was turning into something immature, innofensive and silly all at the same time - and Iron Maiden were something of a symbol pointing to a different direction, champions of a metal fanbase that never really felt like selling out or joining the mainstream party, even though the band members never fancied themselves so. In such a context, "Live After Death" is like a shower of honesty, a testimony of commitment and work ethic from a band that got almost as big as you can get, but without compromising a single note of their spirit and vision in the process. It comes as no surprise that bands as disparate as Anthrax, Slipknot, Slayer, Ghost, Metallica, Arch Enemy and Cannibal Corpse (to name a few, and leaving Lady Gaga out of the picture!) have named Iron Maiden as heroes - because, well, they are.

And now to a small commentary about songs. Personally, I have four main candidates for the "best metal song ever written" award, that take turns in the top position depending on how I'm feeling at a given time - and two of such songs are featured here: "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (my other two candidates would be Rainbow's "Stargazer" and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs"). When you come to think of all the aspect that make a metal song truly memorable - the heaviness, the energy, the atmosphere of power, the ambition, the ability to surprise the listener, the lyrical subjects, the technical dexterity, the inventiveness and so on - these are the songs that rank the highest IMO, and this is the very first release to include two of such landmark tunes on the same package. At the time of writing, I'm inclined to say "Hallowed Be Thy Name" wins by a small margin: the poignant story of a man about to be executed is as thought-provoking as it gets, and the way the song moves towards its dramatic conclusion is awe-inspiring, to say the least. It's a bit like "The Godfather" or "Citizen Kane" in the shape of a heavy metal song, and it pretty much defined what a metal epic should be from that point onwards. "Live After Death" brings one of the very best renditions Iron Maiden ever delivered, and it's something of a crowning jewel for this insanely classic live album.

I have no hesitation to say that "Live After Death" is the best live package ever released by a metal band - and we're talking about a genre that gifted us with beauties like "Unleashed in the East" and "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith", to name a few! In fact, it's easily one of the very best live albums ever, regardless of genres, a tremendous record that any self-respecting rock fan should hold in high regard indeed. If you don't have a copy, I really don't know what to say, unless that you should stop whatever the hell you're doing (reading this review, perhaps?) and move straight to your local (or virtual) record store to buy it. I don't care if you don't have the money right now: go there and get one. It's like a foundation for any metal collection, you know - if you don't have it, risks are that it will soon start falling apart.

Thanks a lot to ximmix for front and back cover scans!

Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Adrian Smith (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko McBrain (D).

01. Churchill's Speech / Aces High (Harris) 5:16
02. 2 Minutes to Midnight (Smith/Dickinson) 5:52
03. The Trooper (Harris) 3:59
04. Revelations (Dickinson) 5:59
05. Flight of Icarus (Smith/Dickinson) 3:21
06. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Harris) 13:03
07. Powerslave (Dickinson) 7:06
08. The Number of the Beast (Harris) 4:48
09. Hallowed Be Thy Name (Harris) 7:17
10. Iron Maiden (Harris) 4:11
11. Run to the Hills (Harris) 3:52
12. Running Free (Harris/Di'Anno) 8:16
13. Wrathchild (Harris) 2:54
14. 22 Acacia Avenue (Harris/Smith) 6:04
15. Children of the Damned (Harris) 4:19
16. Die With Your Boots On (Smith/Dickinson/Harris) 4:51
17. Phantom of the Opera (Harris) 7:01

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!

UFO (UK) - Lights Out in Tokyo - Live (CD, Razor, 1993)

RATING: **

When it comes to contemporary reviews and album sales, "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" will never be regarded as one of the year highlights from 1992, but the good response from most of those who had a chance to listen to it must have been quite reassuring for UFO, a band still struggling to find their feet after a series of studio failures and never-ending line-up changes during the second half of the 1980s. Understandably reticent to take huge risks, the lads decided to keep things going with a safe bet: a live album recorded in Japan, one of the few places where their popularity never waned and they were always sure to be warmly received, no matter what. Augmented by touring keyboardist Jem Davis (ex-Tobruk), this persevering flying saucer managed to put together a decent CD release with "Lights Out in Tokyo - Live" - and though I'm not really excited to write about non-classic live albums most of the time (even moreso when you consider the sheer number of such releases in UFO's discography), let's just type a few words about it, so the Lawrence Archer chapter may be complete around here.

Quite confident about their latest compositions, the outfit delivers nice renditions of no less than five songs from the previous CD, with "One of Those Nights" and "She's the One" (a song that, being slightly unremarkable in its studio version, fares unexpectedly well in the live environment) being particularly enjoyable. The overall atmosphere is pretty relaxed and entertaining throughout, and you can clearly hear that the five musicians here involved were happy with their roles and enjoying the night. It must have been nice to be in the audience, and the very respectable production values manage to capture the good vibe quite effectively. If you're a fan, this is a CD worth picking up when the opportunity arise, and don't be afraid to spend a few bucks on it, as it will surely be glad to find a nice shelf to call home.

There would a few worries on the horizon, though - and most of it must be credited to Lawrence Archer, I'm afraid. Don't get me wrong, it's not like his performance was laughable or disastrous or anything. But it's just too damn clear that, if he was more than comfortable with the songs he wrote himself, filling Michael Schenker's shoes in concert was a whole different (and very difficult) challenge for him. In crucial songs like "Only You Can Rock Me" and "Doctor Doctor", his riffs and solos are no more than adequate; in more subtle and intense numbers like "Love to Love" (you're all going a bit too fast on this one, lads), he just can't achieve the required standards, unfortunately. A particularly worrying situation appears on "Rock Bottom", where he just can't play the main riff as he should, delivering some sort of reinterpretation which is just downright annoying. Sorry about the criticism, I really don't want to be rude or anything (I love you, Mr. Archer, believe me), but this is one of the most fantastic riffs in the entire history of heavy rock: you just GOTTA play it right, exactly how it was recorded, no room for "creativity" here!

The pauses halfway through the songs (where the lads attempt some semi-jazzy improvisations for some unfathomable reason) are also completely disposable, and adding a softer session in a tune like "Lights Out" is something that should be banned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, no less. Though not enough to really spoil the listening experience, these shortcomings were unequivocal evidence to the fact that UFO still had some ground to regain if they wanted to fully recapture their former glory. And they seem to have understood, as they would almost immediately promote some serious changing in the ranks - a resshuffle that would surely fulfill the wet dreams of many a hardcore fan. Both Archer and Edwards would be the casualties, but I guess it was unavoidable really, and I sincerely hope they still keep some good memories from these days: they sure had an important role in pushing UFO to the right direction, and I'm sure all fans are really grateful for that.

Phil Mogg (V), Lawrence Archer (G), Pete Way (B), Clive Edwards (D), Jem Davis (K). 

01. Running Up the Highway
02. Borderline
03. Too Hot to Handle
04. She's the One
05. Cherry
06. Back Door Man
07. One of Those Nights
08. Love to Love
09. Only You Can Rock Me
10. Lights Out
11. Doctor Doctor
12. Rock Bottom
13. Shoot Shoot
14. C'mon Everybody

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!

UFO (UK) - High Stakes & Dangerous Men (CD, Razor, 1992)

RATING: ***

I guess we can forgive everyone that, after such an exhausting batch of unmemorable releases, considered UFO to be dead meat by the turn of the 90s. But vocalist Phil Mogg is a stubborn individual, you know, and it seems that he never wanted to lay UFO down to rest after all. After the almost non-existant response to 1988's "Ain't Misbehavin'" mini-LP, the flying saucer stayed into the hangar for a while, but in early 1991 things were already in motion once again, with the invaluable presence of Mr. Pete Way on bass guitar. I personally think this mini-reunion was decisive to put UFO's career back on track, as it recovered much of the musical identity that seemed to be lost during the second half of the 80s. After a long period of fooling around with countless hopefuls, Mogg and Way recruited drummer Clive Edwards (who were doing the rounds with Uli Jon Roth in recent years) and axeman Lawrence Archer (ex-Stampede / Grand Slam / Wild Horses, and most recently playing with Rhode Island Red) to write and record what would become "High Stakes & Dangerous Men", featuring the much-needed help of keyboardist Don Airey and released by the humble Razor label (a subsidiary of Castle Communications) sometime in 1992. 

Though far from a remarkable moment in the band's career, this unpretentious record turned out to be quite a surprise actually, as it is a mostly very good album, easily the best thing they did since "Mechanix" in terms of songwriting and enthusiasm. It's a relief to find out that UFO no longer tries to join the trend of the moment (thankfully, I would add, as it would be tragic to hear them trying to be a grunge band) and, seemingly giving up all hopes of having any impact at the charts, this once high-flying entity concentrated their efforts into delivering what they always did best: hard/heavy music with catchy melodies and a somewhat confessional vibe. After such a series of album misfires, and with tales of recent unprofessional behavior abound, it was a balm to find these still much-loved heroes in a confident and relaxed mood, leaving all the bullshit behind them in order to give us some pretty respectable rock and roll. 

Lawrence Archer fits quite well into the UFO setup, and his guitar histrionics are totally adequate, leaving not much room for facile that's-OK-but-Schenker-was-better commentary on this particular occasion. Listening to it in retrospect, there's a lot to connect Archer's tasteful delivery to what Vinnie Moore would do in later years, a functional fusion of dexterity and bluesy intonations that really clicks with Mogg's soulful, maturing voice. The band as a whole sounds more tight than on previous records, and though both Way and Edwards tend to keep things simple most of the time they sure create a strong backbone for Archer and Mogg (the two clear protagonists of the record) to exert their creative muscles.

Some songs are undoubtedly better than others ("Let the Good Times Roll" and "Burning Fire", for instance, are just as unmemorable as their names suggest, and "Primed for Time" is just plain bad), and perhaps a more concise 10-track package would have been a better move after all, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" have lots of replay value for any long-serving fans of the group's sound and vision. My personal highlights would be "Borderline" (that shows itself to be quite a non-obvious and well-crafted opening song when you pay some extra attention to it), the poignant "Don't Want to Lose You", "Running Up the Highway" (with nice, groovy riffing and a easy-to-sing-along chorus) and "One of Those Nights", a song that clearly highlights Phil Mogg's voice and sense of interpretation in the best possible manner. OK, tracks like "Back Door Man" and "She's the One" are little more than a rehashing of old ideas, but at least they're presented in a more sincere and assertive manner, being quite serviceable as a result. Surely not a record that you're likely to hear on a weekly basis, granted, but I guess it won't become an outcast from your CD player if you're already a fan, and it's well worth adding to your UFO collection if you can locate it for a fair price.

It didn't cause any major surprises when it comes to album sales, and most people in the music business probably just ignored it altogether, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" showed to anyone paying attention that UFO still had something to say, being not only an enjoyable souvenir for loyal fans, but also a significant step towards recovering some of the credibility around UFO's name. After many years in the wilderness, it was surely good news, and an album that would (at last) be a clear signal for better things to come.

Phil Mogg (V), Lawrence Archer (G), Pete Way (B), Clive Edwards (D). Guest musicians: Don Airey (K), Terry Reid, Stevie Lange (backing vocals). All songs by Mogg/Way/Archer, except 4 by Mogg/Way/Archer/Edwards.

01. Borderline 5:17
02. Primed for Time 3:22
03. She's the One 3:44
04. Ain't Life Sweet 3:42
05. Don't Want to Lose You 5:37
06. Burning Fire 4:02
07. Running Up the Highway 4:39
08. Back Door Man 5:06
09. One of Those Nights 4:11
10. Revolution 4:06
11. Love Deadly Love 4:53
12. Let the Good Times Roll 4:12

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!