Iron Maiden - Legacy of the Beast Tour (8-22-19)

Post #379

When it comes to heavy metal concerts, there are few artists that can be compared to Iron Maiden in terms of stage shows. With their Legacy of the Beast Tour they prove once again that they have an incomparable stage show, while also delivering a career spanning set list that left few Maiden fans wanting for anything else.

Their opening number was “Aces High”, and with this song they spared no expense. Mere seconds after the intro of Winston Churchill's speech, there was an enormous cloud from fog machines out of which emerged a life size WWII Spitfire fighter plane! Complete with a functional propeller and suspended like a marionette above the stage, the plane soared, or dove, or banked and turned throughout the entire song. I spent the whole 5 minutes with my jaw agape at the amazing spectacle. And this was just the first song!

They went on to bombard us with great hits, classic concert staples, nostalgic nuggets they've not played live in years, and quite a few surprises- both in song selection and special effects! "Flight of Icarus" included a gigantic winged figure with lines of fire that destroyed the wings, giant canvas back-drops that told the story behind many of the songs. It was a full experience both visually and audibly.

Although there were no tracks performed from either of their 2 most recent albums, that was probably by design- this was after all the Legacy of the Beast tour, so those songs that Maiden’s legacy is built upon deserved their moment in the spotlight, flames, and glory. Their set featured songs off of 10 different albums, and still they found time to include some deep-tracks in addition to the expected classics.

One personal favorite among those 'deep-tracks' was "For the Greater Good of God" from the A Matter of Life And Death album. (See my thoughts on that specific album in this post) Another welcomed surprise was the fact they included songs from both albums from the Blaze Bayley-era; "The Sign of the Cross" from The X-Factor, and "The Clansman" from Virtual XI!

With pyrotechnics and stage props that literally brought the songs to life in some cases I can honestly say that I’ve never been as impressed with a concert as I have with the Legacy of the Beast! This show was one for the ages, and I can’t imagine where they’ll go from here. But I certainly hope I’ll be able to see Maiden again on a future tour.

Iron Maiden's setlist follows:
-Aces High
-Where Eagles Dare
-2 Minutes to Midnight
-The Clansman
-The Trooper
-Revelations
-For the Greater Good of God
-The Wicker Man
-Sign of the Cross
-Flight of Icarus
-Fear of the Dark
-The Number of the Beast
-Iron Maiden
----
-The Evil That Men Do
-Hallowed be thy Name
-Run to the Hills

Happy Headbanging!
#Legacyofthebeast #Ironmaiden

Tribute Night at Reggies: Lights Out, Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell-Chicago (3-15-13)

Post #240
Tribute bands are everywhere. They are essentially cover-bands, but choose to focus on covering and paying tribute to specific artists. Often they will name themselves after a well known song, lyric, album or other theme easily associated with the bands they cover. I have heard of many of these kinds of bands over the years, but this was the first time I made it to an actual show since I began this blog. It was a great night of familiar tunes from some classic heavy metal artists. The tribute bands on this night: Lights Out, Judas Beast and Heaven and Hell-Chicago. The bands they were paying tribute to: UFO, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell/Dio.

Lights Out were the opening act, and they hit us with some killer rock and roll riffs from UFO's back-catalog, as well as a couple Michael Schenker tunes! Their guitarist even played the Gibson Flying V (Schenker's signature style of guitar!) They opened up with 'Hot N' Ready' from UFO's '78 Obsession album. They kept the show rolling from that point on, squeezing 13 songs into their set as the opening act.

They changed things up from one track to the next, covering some power ballads along with the hard-rockers. About half-way through the set they switched to the Michael Schenker Group, covering 'Armed and Ready' and 'Victim of Illusion', among others. My favorite part of their set was the closing number 'Rock Bottom', which featured an extended guitar solo and instrumental jam! Lead guitarist Joe Mazzuca kept the audience captivated for several minutes during this closing number.

I've always felt that Michael Schenker is an underrated guitarist. For some reason he remains largely in obscurity from the mainstream perspective, as most of his following is relegated to 'cult' status. I feel he deserves more respect for his contributions to metal than he seems to get. Lights Out were paying some of that overdue respect, and did justice for these songs from UFO and MSG.

Next up was Judas Beast, prepared as always to deliver "The ultimate Iron Maiden experience!"

This show started with the spoken intro, "Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win..." and they kicked off the show with 'Moonchild' from the Seventh Son album. True to their word, they really nailed the Maiden sound! They even had a 6-man line-up, with 3 lead guitarists (just like the real Maiden). Added to this was singer Dane McCartney sporting an 'Eddie' stocking cap (similar in style to the ones Bruce Dickinson is known to wear during live sets). Immediately following that they jumped into 'The Evil That Men Do', and it was evident that we were in for a wild ride!

It could not go without notice that Dane had an uncanny knack to imitate the sound of Bruce Dickinson's voice to such a convincing degree it would fool many die-hard Iron Maiden fans. In fact, for much of their show I would forget that I was not listening to the REAL Iron Maiden, they sounded that good! I needed to remind myself that this was only a tribute band. However, they performed each song with such enthusiasm and power, I would be tempted to call them a world-class Maiden tribute band.

If you need proof, you can see and hear for yourself in this youtube clip of 'Infinite Dreams'.

My favorite song they performed on this night was 'Still Life', from the Piece of Mind album. More of an obscure song, it has long been one of my favorites. I find the mood and melodies so haunting in this song, it captivates my imagination. I had always hoped to hear Iron Maiden play it whenever I've seen them in concert, but I've been unlucky so far. I must thank Judas Beast for including it in their set. As they did with so many songs on this night, they nailed it!

The band themselves seemed to be enjoying the crowd almost as much as we were enjoying them. They drew the audience into several moments of crowd-participation at every appropriate moment. The set-list itself was even a treat for the fans, as with each successive song it became apparent they were paying tribute to the Maiden England DVD, essentially re-creating that concert for the fans who knew of it. In the end only a couple songs were cut for time constraints. After all, there was still one tribute act left to perform...

...And then it was time for the headlining act: Heaven and Hell-Chicago!

With a large, white cross gracing the stage, and stage-smoke wafting into the room, the signature instrumental  track 'E5150' was played as the intro, while the band members took their places on-stage. Then, almost without warning, they instantly electrified the room with a killer, break-neck riff, we were all pumping our fists to 'Neon Knights'! Through the ages, every incarnation of Black Sabbath has been known to always deliver on one element in their music: heavy! This band had their instruments perfectly tuned and mixed to deliver that aspect with authority.

Since Ronnie James Dio passed away from cancer in 2010, I have been listening to almost every era of his music with near-religious regularity. Now, I was hearing a band with that same level of admiration for one of metal's biggest icons, performing those songs with a dedicated passion that was apparent in every move they made, every note they played. When they played 'Holy Diver', and did the proverbial 'horns' salute, the crowd responded in turn. This cultural phenomenon, \m/, has taken on a new significance when bands perform the works of Dio. This crowd knew that significance, and showed the deepest respect.

Although their singer wasn't quite on the same level of imitating Ronnie James Dio's voice as Dane McCartney was for Bruce Dickinson, he did have the range to sing the songs very well, including several Ozzy-era Sabbath songs! Although Judas Beast were hard to top in terms of the imitation factor, where Heaven and Hell-Chicago really impressed me was their choice of set-list. Not only did they cover songs from both the Ozzy- and Dio-fronted Black Sabbath, but they also did a number of songs from Dio's solo material and songs from his stint with Rainbow! Myself being a huge fan of both sides of Sabbath, this was a set list I had dreamed of hearing. I've seen Ozzy in concert, and I've seen the real Heaven and Hell. Always, I had hoped against the odds to hear one artist go back to the forgotten eras and perform a song or two. I wish I could have heard Ronnie sing 'War Pigs', or Ozzy sing 'Heaven and Hell'. With Heaven and Hell-Chicago spreading their song choices across the whole Sabbath/Dio career, this was the next best thing! The only thing that could have topped that might have been if they played Ozzy's 'Crazy Train', but perhaps that's an idea for another day...

I've never heard a few bands deliver as many timeless classics of heavy metal music as I did on this night. From the often overlooked classics from UFO, to a page from the touring history of Iron Maiden, to the nearly complete retrospective of Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Heaven and Hell, it would be hard to ask for a better combo of tribute bands in one night! Lights Out, Judas Beast, and Heaven & Hell-Chicago are all on facebook, and they play frequently in the Chicago area. Check out any of their upcoming shows, and you will be thanking me for the suggestion in no time.

For now, see what the show was like for us on the evening of March 15th...
Set lists were:

LIGHTS OUT
-Hot N' Ready
-This Kid's
-Only You Can Rock Me
-Mother Mary
-A Self Made Man
-Armed and Ready (MSG)
-Victim of Illusion (MSG)
-On and On (MSG)
-Too Hot to Handle
-Let it Roll
-Love to Love
-Lights Out
-Rock Bottom

JUDAS BEAST
-Moonchild
-The Evil That Men Do
-The Prisoner
-Still Life
-Die With Your Boots On
-Infinite Dreams
-Killers
-Can I Play With Madness
-Heaven Can Wait
-Wasted Years
-Iron Maiden
-Number Of The Beast
-Run To The Hills
-Hallowed be Thy Name

HEAVEN AND HELL-CHICAGO
-E5150 (intro)
-Neon Knights
-Children of the Sea
-Faeries Wear Boots
-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
-Holy Diver
-Don't Talk to Strangers
-Heaven and Hell
-Iron Man
-Bass Solo/Basically/N.I.B.
-The Man on the Silver Mountain
-Stargazer
-War Pigs
-The Last in Line
-The Mob Rules

Slide show of extra pix from the show:

Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell, and Lights Out at Reggie's Rock Club, 3-15-13

Post #235
Calling all fans of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and UFO! This Friday, March 15th, at 8pm three great tribute bands will be playing at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago's south loop: Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell, and Lights Out! Tickets are just $10. For more info visit the event-page on Facebook.

Watch for a review of the show here within a few days after the show...

Happy Headbanging!

Heavy Metal Madness: Sweet Sixteen Summary, Part 1

Post #211

In mid-August, another round of polling closed and your votes have determined who won and who lost in the first half of the Sweet Sixteen of Heavy Metal Madness! It was exciting to see the results unfold, as once again there were upsets, and close matches that came down to the last couple votes on the last day of polling.

In the Classic Metal/Thrash Block:

METALLICA beat IRON MAIDEN 27-22,

and MEGADETH came from behind to beat JUDAS PRIEST 27-25.

While in the Hardcore/Metalcore Block:

TOOL failed to hang onto their lead in the last day of voting as they lost to SYSTEM OF A DOWN 23-26,

and DISTURBED pulled a dominating upset against AVENGED SEVENFOLD 26-18!

Don't miss your chance to vote in the next round!

Now, the recommended songs for those bands now eliminated:

Iron Maiden-2 Minutes To Midnight

Judas Priest-Painkiller

Tool-Schism

Avenged Sevenfold-Welcome to the Family

MAIDEN ENGLAND TOUR 2012: Iron Maiden celebrate '7th Son' anniversary on tour with Alice Cooper

Post #207

(Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper concert review from 7-5-12 at the First Midwest Bank Ampitheater in Tinley Park, IL.)

In regards to Iron Maiden's music, I was late to discover them. 1995 was the first time I actually started to buy some of their albums on CD. Although The X Factor was the newest release at the time, the first studio album I collected was Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. That album was the one that planted the seed of Iron Maiden fandom in me, and I have always enjoyed listening to it. Many songs were instant favorites of mine, while others grew on me over the years.

Seventh Son was Iron Maiden's first 'concept album', and it told an intriguing tale of prophecy, fate, psychic power, corruption, and the classic struggle between good and evil. It is based on the mythology that a seventh son of a seventh son would be born with great psychic powers. When writing music for this album, Iron Maiden's bassist Steve Harris was inspired by Orson Scott Card's novel Seventh Son, which deals with the same concept.

Why all this talk about Seventh Son? Because on the Maiden England tour, Maiden decided to pay tribute to this album; resurrecting or re-inventing many of the stage sets, props, and imagery from the Seventh Son tour. They played a set list that also focused primarily on songs from that tour and the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album, making for the most unique and memorable 'nostalgia tour' I've seen yet!

Not to be overlooked, Alice Cooper was the opening act, and he also filled his stage show with some of his classic props, accessories, and role-playing to interpret many of the lyrics. Always a theatrical rock performer, Alice Cooper made a perfect pairing with Iron Maiden on this exciting night of classic heavy metal.

As the sun was beginning to set, and the crowd was buzzing in the early July heat, the stage became the focal point as sound began to roll out of the speakers. However there were no guitars or drums... yet. The sound that welcomed us to this night of gruesome and theatrical heavy metal was a snippet of spoken dialog. It was taken form Alice's 'Welcome to My Nightmare' album, and it proved to be the intro to 'The Black Widow'.

Now, 'The Black Widow' was a pretty obscure track to kick of a show, and I was loving it, but then it got even better. As Alice began to sing, he raised his arms to reveal he actually had 8 arms! (Actually, it was 6 prop-arms, but they were strung like a marionette's arms so that their movements synchronized with Alice's real arms.) What a cool stage-effect to start the show! Next song was the title-track from the Brutal Planet album, perhaps the heaviest song Alice has ever recorded. It seemed he was hand-picking songs for a metal audience tonight.

Alice proceeded to offer a variety of his best-known hits from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. A memorable moment came when he performed 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' with a live boa constrictor 'round his neck, and for proper context, he change a line to 'My snake bit me on the leg today...' There was also a giant Frankenstein's Monster that came out on stage during 'Feed My Frankenstein'. There was a spotlight guitar solo, featuring Orianthi, who now plays lead guitar in Alice's band. She was phenomenal, but that's to be expected from a prodigy such as she.

The most shocking portion of Alice's show, both for song selection, and theatrics, was when he played 'Wicked Young Man'- a song with lyrics that deal with the psychological mind-set of school shootings. As the antagonist of the song, Alice was apprehended by 3 skeletal figures at the end of the song, placed in a guillotine, and decapitated! While this transpired, the band faded into the song 'I Love the Dead'.

When Alice returned to the stage a few minutes later, it was to perform the anthem 'School's Out'. It got the crowd going again, and back into the spirit of rock n' roll, rebellion, and empowerment. The band even gave the song a unique twist, as they shifted gears and played a refrain from Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in the Wall Part 2' in the middle of the song. All-in-all it was a fantastic set, and Iron Maiden was still to come...

Once the stage was changed over, and the anticipation was again becoming tangible, the UFO classic 'Doctor Doctor' began to play over the PA; the tell-tale sign that Maiden were nearly ready to hit the stage...

"Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win. Seven holy paths to hell and your trip begins..."
The spoken intro of Iron Maiden's classic album washed over a hushed crowd. The same crowd soon began to invigorate as the tempo and energy of 'Moonchild' soon reached full speed. While the band was firing on all cylinders, Bruce made his energetic entrance, running to center stage right as he started singing the first lyrics of the song. Iron Maiden were off and running (literally in Bruce's case), and we were in for a truly special night of epic heavy metal!

'Can I Play with Madness' was the next song, another selection from Seventh Son, and I was again being taken back in my mind to the first time I heard Iron Maiden's music. This song has always been one of my favorites! After that, the set-list slipped into a collection of songs mainly focusing on pre-Seventh Son-era material, with the exception of 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers' from Fear of the Dark. I was into this show like no other. I was living in the moment, even if that moment was 25 years ago. I felt like I was getting a rare opportunity to hear what Maiden were like back in the days before I had even become a fan of theirs. This was an opportunity you don't get with every band you see these days. Maiden were giving me that chance.

Some lesser played songs like 'The Prisoner' and 'Phantom of the Opera' were dusted off and played to perfection. Other classics like 'The Trooper' and '2 Minutes to Midnight' were simply too good to be omitted, and though the band has probably played them thousands of times, they still played them with enthusiasm and 110% effort. Sure, I was lucky enough to have seen Iron Maiden 2 summers ago, but there were people in the audience seeing this band for the first time, and they would not be let down! True to form, Bruce carried a battle-tattered Union Jack flag during the aforementioned 'The Trooper'. At one point he dangled the flag back and forth over guitarist Janick Gers' head during his guitar solo.

This was already an excellent show, but for me it was about to get even better. The stage lighting dimmed, parts of the stage-set shifted around, and a huge pipe-organ was raised of the right side of the stage as the song I had been looking forward to hearing live for 25 years began to play: 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'. This song, which tells most of the story behind the concept album, is over 9 minutes long. It is hard to fit such a long song into a set list when you could probably play 2 other songs in its place. Hence its perpetual absence from live shows since the first time Iron Maiden toured in support of Seventh Son...

But tonight was the exception to the rule. On a tour designed to revisit this specific album, the title track became the centerpiece of the concert. 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' is a progressive metal masterpiece, often overlooked in favor of other progressive songs Maiden have written over the years. 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' comes to mind as perhaps the 'Critics' Choice' among Iron Maiden's collection of 'epic' songs. However, the way 'Seventh Son...' ties together the story line for a concept album makes it well worth exhibiting live in concert. What made the experience even more memorable was the giant Eddie, designed after the Seventh Son album cover, complete with the unborn 'Seventh Son', struggling within the placenta during the performance.

The next song was also from Seventh Son: 'The Clairvoyant'. This is another personal favorite, and my appreciation for hearing so many tracks from this classic album was beyond measure. I may have missed the last couple 'nostalgia' tours from Iron Maiden, where they've revisited other 'classic' tours from their past, but I'm so glad I caught this one. In many ways, it has brought my Iron Maiden listening experience full-circle.

The band's performance was top-notch throughout the entire concert. Weather they were playing the vintage classics, the deep tracks, or some fan-favorites, they performed them with near perfect precision. The current 3-guitarist line-up of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers is always a treat to behold, and on this night they brought new life to a previously dormant section of Iron Maiden's classic past. They also played 'Fear of the Dark' as another post-Seventh Son fan favorite. They closed the main set with the song 'Iron Maiden', but as one would expect, they returned for an encore- which included 'The Evil That Men Do', as one last track from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

"Seven are your burning fires... Seven your desires."

Setlists:
ALICE COOPER
-The Black Widow
-Brutal Planet
-I'm 18
-No More Mr. Nice Guy (with Boa Constrictor)
-Hey Stoopid
-Orianthi Guitar Solo
-Billion Dollar Babies
-Feed My Frankenstein
-Poison
-Wicked Young Man
-I Love the Dead
-School's Out

IRON MAIDEN
-Moonchild
-Can I Play With Madness
-The Prisoner
-2 Minutes to Midnight
-Afraid to Shoot Strangers
-The Trooper
-The Number of the Beast
-Phantom of the Opera
-Run to the Hills
-Wasted Years
-Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
-The Clairvoyant
-Fear of the Dark
-Iron Maiden
---encore---
-Aces High
-The Evil That Men Do
-Running Free

(Photos courtesy of JP Soule of DEADMANSWAKE)

Iron Maiden: The 80's (Part I: Paul Di'Anno Era)

Post # 188
Iron Maiden are the band most responsible for taking heavy metal to new heights in the 1980's. They dominated the genre for nearly a decade, and perfected elements of heavy metal that became a stylistic core from which several other bands took inspiration. For now, I will take a look back at Maiden's early releases, those that featured Paul Di'Anno on lead vocals.

IRON MAIDEN

When the topic of landmark debut albums arises in heavy metal music, Iron Maiden's eponumous debut is almost always in the conversation. It was both a solid, consistent album, with several tracks that remain permeated in Maiden's live shows, as well as it was a genre-solidifying release. Iron Maiden raised the bar a little higher in the (N)WOBHM era as they showcased two guitarists who brought speed and technique with the lead guitar to a higher level. Although the band's line-up would change a couple times over their next few releases, the songs were primarily composed by bassist Steve Harris. Harris has always been the primary composer of music for Iron Maiden, so there is that element of continuity present on their first album.

Essential Iron Maiden tracks from their debut:
-Prowler (The first track gives you a shot of Maiden's essence right away. Lead guitar melody that excels at technique and speed in the same breath.)
-Remember Tomorrow (A favorite track of mine. Underrated, perhaps because it has a slower, melodic feel, but it is no less of a classic!)
-Running Free (90% of Maiden's shows are guaranteed to feature this song as an encore or closing number.)
-Transylvania (an instrumental classic for heavy metal!)
-Iron Maiden (A classic among classics. Shredding lead guitars, fast and heavy riffs. ESSENTIAL!)

KILLERS

Iron Maiden's second album was, overall, very consistent with their first. Songs on this album begin to take inspiration from literary sources ('Murders In The Rue Morgue'), a method that Iron Maiden would repeat here and there throughout their career. Guitar intricacies are still found abundantly on this album. Though this would be Di'Anno's last album with Maiden, he still sings with a lot of emotion, and played a key role on these two albums in Metal's early days.

These first two albums also featured Clive Burr on drums. Killers did, however featured the debut of Adrian Smith on guitar. He has been with Maiden for the majority of their albums since, and has proven to be a natural complement to guitarist Dave Murray.

Songs that I highly recommend from Killers:
-Wrathchild (A good high-tempo heavy metal tune, gets the album rolling after 'The Ides of March' instrumental intro...)
-Murders in the Rue Morgue
-Genghis Khan (An instrumental track. Seems to aim at replicating the feel of 'Transylvania' on the last album. I prefer the former, but you decide which is better!)
-PRODIGAL SON (On this track we get a multi-faceted musical experience from Maiden. They show their true potential best on this track. Clean guitar sections have a neo-classical feel, particularly reminding me of Ozzy's 'You Can't Kill Rock N' Roll' or Ace Frehley's 'Fractured Mirror'. Some progressive elements can be heard, too, perhaps foreshadowing a style they would expand on extensively throughout their career.)
-Purgatory

Heavy Metal Madness-First Round Update (part 1)

Post #187
In the first full round of Heavy Metal Madness 2012 the action got underway in earnest. A few of the matches were predictably lop-sided, however there were a couple surprising upsets. Here's a quick breakdown of the January matches...

Metallica defeated Danzig 52-4 in the most dominating exhibition so far.

Anthrax beat Ronnie James Dio 34-23 in a closer match.

Pantera beat Queensryche handily 47-9

Iron Maiden defeated King Diamond/Mercyful Fate convincingly 49-5

Foo Fighters upset Ramones 31-26 in the closest match since the play-in round

Rage Against The Machine bested The Misfits 36-18 for the biggest upset (as The Misfits were seeded #3 in their category)

Soundgarden beat Nickelback 44-10

and Pearl Jam bested Black Flag 42-12.

As before, I will leave you a suggested track for each band eliminated at this point. The bands that were victorious advance to face a new opponent before long...

Danzig-Mother

Dio-Rainbow In The Dark

Queensryche-Eyes of a Stranger

King Diamond-Abigail

Ramones-Blitzkrieg Bop

Misfits-Where Eagles Dare

Nickelback-Rock Star

Black Flag-Rise Above

There you have it. 8 more bands that YOU have decided are not worthy of the title "Best Heavy Metal Band Of All Time". If you don't think the right bands are getting enough votes, TELL YOUR FRIENDS to VOTE!

Until next time... Happy Headbanging to all!

Iron Maiden-The Final Frontier

Post #124
Iron Maiden, living legends of modern heavy metal, have recently released their 15th studio album, The Final Frontier. The last Iron Maiden album I reviewed, A Matter of Life and Death, I called the best Iron Maiden album ever. That's saying a lot for a band with such albums as The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, and Powerslave in their back-catalog. Do I dare to make such a bold claim again with The Final Frontier? Perhaps this time I'll digress, but not without being strongly tempted! This album continues to solidify the band's reputation for always being able to deliver a quality metal album with well-blended elements of classic, progressive and melodic metal.

If you have followed Maiden's recent works since Bruce Dickinson rejoined the band in 2000, then you may think you know what to expect. However, as The Final Frontier opens with the epic, sci-fi themed "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier", Iron Maiden immediately (and boldly!) go somewhere they've never been before, musically speaking. Drummer Nicko McBrain performs such a unique, intense, and thundrous cacophany of a drum intro the likes of which I've never heard in heavy metal. As this intro builds layer upon layer, as instruments join in, one by one, the listener is drawn in to the song with a truely gravitational force. About two-and-a-half minutes in, there's a bit of a lull during which Bruce's voice comes in and sets the lyrical context of the song, followed with the resumption of the drum-theme, but intensified two-fold. The song builds further like a wave about to break. Then, at the four-and-a-half minute mark, they shift gears for the title track, which rocks out like classic Iron Maiden!

Before you have a chance to catch your breath, the next track, "El Dorado", picks up where the first one left off, and raises the intensity even higher. The guitar riffs are a bit heavier, almost thrash-metal paced. Bruce's vocals soar with the kind of powerful delivery Iron Maiden's fans are used to. By this point you know you're in for an excellent listening experience, and your head should already be in motion!

By turns and twists, this album goes on to explore different facets of epic heavy metal. From intricate guitar solos to the always-masterful vocals of Bruce Dickinson; from the thundering drums to the driving bass riffs, this album has everything. Many songs are built upon melodic, lead-guitar passages, while others take root from Steve Harris' ingenious bass-lines. Thematically and lyrically, The Final Frontier focuses mostly on topics of fiction and fantasy, with the exception of the last number, "When the Wild Wind Blows", whose lyrics read like an indictment of today's current events & politics.

I shouldn't forget to mention that this album is available as a 'Mission-Edition', a version of the CD w/ special packaging (a windowed, tin CD case) that includes a code for special online content, music video, interview, and video game.

Check out this new masterpiece from Iron Maiden, and do not miss out on these recommended songs:
-Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
-El Dorado
-Mother of Mercy
-Coming Home (Bruce's lyrics on this one come straight from his perspective as a jet pilot)
-Starblind
-When The Wild Wind Blows

http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=1

Bruce Dickinson- Heavy Metal 107's 2nd President!!

Post #120 [Poll Winner: Heavy Metal Election 2010-Favorite Frontman]
Bruce Dickinson's Inauguration:
In a landslide reader's poll, Bruce Dickinson scored a decisive victory for president of this blog. This convincing result came in timely fashion, as Iron Maiden have recently enjoyed much acclaim for their newest album, The Final Frontier.

Whether this album title may indicate that Maiden are nearing the end of their career remains to be seen. However, for the next 2 years, Bruce will hold office here at happyheadbanger. In the meantime, keep enjoying Iron Maiden's music as well as Bruce's solo material.

Bruce Dickinson would like to thank every reader of happyheadbanger/Heavy Metal 107 who voted for him. Holding the office previously held by James Hetfield will be a welcomed challenge. May the metal music of Iron Maiden stand as my testament to the enduring quality of heavy metal! To use a lyric as my theme for this term as President, here's one from the song 'Born in '58'

"Justice and liberty. You can buy - but you don't get free."

Heavy Metal Campaign '10!

Post #113
Your Heavy Metal 107 Candidates:


James Hetfield (Metallica)


James runs for re-election because Metallica is still one of the most successful metal bands in the world. The successful Death Magnetic album may only be a sign of what's to come from this band over the next two years. Voting for him wouldn't hurt the chances for a State-side Big-4 tour either! Re-elect James Hetfield!







Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)


After finishing a close second in the 2008 election, Bruce is again seeking your vote for president of this blog. Iron Maiden's latest album, The Final Frontier, stands as the latest testament to their iconic legacy in heavy metal. Does the title suggest the band might be hanging it up soon? Or are they just toying with us? Either way, they still have it after 30 years. Scream for me blog readers! Vote for Bruce!









Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)



Having directed Megadeth's music back to the speed-driven thrash style that was their trademark in their early years, Mustaine's band has been on plateau over the last couple years, recapturing the metal hearts of their faithful fans. Megadeth have also been honoring the 20th anniversary of their landmark Rust In Peace album by playing it live on tour this year. Dave himself has even released his own autobiography earlier this year, giving fans a chance to hear his life story in greater detail than ever before. Calling all Droogies! Vote for Mustaine!



David Draiman (Disturbed)


David Draiman contends for president this term behind the strength of Disturbed's latest album, Asylum. Here again, we see Disturbed both maintaining their strengths, and stretching their talents of songcraft in heavy metal. Asylum touches on several issues relevant in the world today, in the midst of all it's changes. Stop corruption and vote for David Draiman!


Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)


Ozzy has long been associated with the earliest days of heavy metal, having been a founding member of the legendary Black Sabbath. Now, with his new album Scream showing that he still has some fight left in him, Ozzy makes another run for this blog's symbolic president. Ozzy also has a recent autobiography out at bookstores everywhere, inviting fans to hear the story of his unparalleled career, complete with every controversy! Ozzy wants to hear you SCREAM! Vote OZZY!









Corey Taylor (Stone Sour/Slipknot)



Corey Taylor also returns to challenge all candidates this term. He has proven repeatedly that he can front some of the best metal bands, either extreme (Slipknot), or more mainstream (StoneSour). Though the tragic loss of their bassist, Paul Gray, may leave some questions of how Slipknot will continue their career, Stone Sour are back with a new album, Audiosecrecy, and are ready to take it to the metal masses. Here's another Mission Statement: Vote for Corey Taylor!

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier Tour (w/ Dream Theater) 7-18-10

Post #106
On July 18, 2010, I attended my first-ever Iron Maiden concert. Long overdue, I know, but better late than never, and well worth the wait! Here's my review of the show...
On a warm July afternoon I made my way to the First Midwest Bank Ampitheater once again to catch what promised to be a memorable heavy metal concert: Iron Maiden, with Dream Theater as the opening band. This was an excellent combination, I felt, since I'm also big fan of Dream Theater. I could not wait for the show to start.

I didn't have long to wait, as I barely made it to the venue before showtime. I had just found my section and was making my way to my seat when stage lights came on, and John Myung of Dream Theater emerged from the smoke that had filled the stage, playing one of his classic, melodic bass-guitar riffs. The song was 'As I Am', and Dream Theater's set was off to a powerful start!

For a band known for their epic-progressive, and very, very long songs I was a bit concerned that Dream Theater wouldn't get to play too many numbers as an opening act. I was pleasantly surprised, however, as it became apparent they were focusing on their heavier (and for the most part shorter songs). Admittedly, the thrashy side of Dream Theater has always been my favorite. They were able to squeeze in 6 selected songs, closing with their classic 'Pull Me Under'.

Then there was a bit of a break as the stage crew went to work preparing for Maiden. I took the opportunity to head out to the vendors, grab myself a tour T-shirt, a drink, and return to my seat. It also made for less waiting time. I was ready for Iron Maiden.

They opened their set with 'The Wicker Man' from their reunion album Brave New World. A great thrash number to get the crowd pumped off the bat. When the vocals kicked in, Bruce sprinted from the back-stage area, hurdled a row of monitors, and began belting out the song with such energy as I had rarely seen in any rock show! He was sporting a simple black T-shirt which read 'PSYCH WARD' across the front, and his energy continued as such for most of the show.

I was a little surprised how heavily Iron Maiden favored their newer material (i.e. since their reunion in 2000). They did play a few older tracks, but easily two-thirds of their set was selected from the albums Brave New World, Dance of Death, or A Matter of Life and Death. This was fine by me, as I've become a huge fan of these albums. I think Iron Maiden are arguably better now than they have ever been.

One of my favorite moments from the show was when Bruce took a few moments between songs to remember the late Ronnie James Dio. He shared a little story with us of a time he was on tour with Dio and heard him complaining about the song 'Rainbow In The Dark'. Ronnie had said that he hated that song, that he was sick of it. "Well, why do you play it all the time then?" asked Bruce. "Because the fans want to hear it." Dio replied simply. And that was what was always important to Ronnie James Dio, giving the fans what they wanted to hear. For a moment I wondered if they were going to play 'Rainbow in the Dark'. Though they did not, they did dedicated the next song to Ronnie, 'Blood Brothers'.

Maiden continued through a fantastic set, as I've mentioned focusing mainly on their newest 3 albums prior to The Final Frontier. A giant Eddie came out a stalked the stage during 'Iron Maiden', dueling with Janick Gers for a bit. Then when it seemed the show was over, they came back out for an encore, and played three of the greatest classics: 'The Number of the Beast', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', and 'Running Free'.

The set list from this memorable night of heavy metal legends:

Dream Theater

-As I Am

-A Rite of Passage

-Home

-Constant Motion

-Panic Attack

-Pull Me Under

Iron Maiden

-The Wicker Man

-Ghost of the Navigator

-Wrathchild

-El Dorado (the only song from their new album, which had not yet been released.)

-Dance of Death

-The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg

-These Colours Don't Run

-Blood Brothers

-Wildest Dreams

-No More Lies

-Brave New World

-Fear of the Dark

-Iron Maiden

-The Number of the Beast

-Hallowed Be Thy Name

-Running Free

Iron Maiden in the New Millennium

Post #68
As the new millennium dawned in the year 2000, the Heavy Metal scene would be treated to perhaps the greatest band-reunion metal had ever seen: Bruce Dickinson returning to Iron Maiden. With Dickinson's creative genius reunited with that of Steve Harris, the formula from Maiden's golden era was reinstated, and great metal music was sure to be in store for us all...

With three studio albums and 2 double-live CD's (not to mention another Dickinson solo-album) released since this monumental reunion, the band has not disappointed. In fact they've probably raised their standard of quality beyond what it was in the mid-80's, as many songs from this new era show a grander ambition. However, Maiden are well equipped to deliver on such ambitious material, since along with Bruce Dickinson, guitarist Adrian Smith also rejoined the band, thus giving Iron Maiden a six-man lineup that includes three lead guitarists.

One might think that one band with such a surplus of talent and creativity would fall victim to personality clashes, but these are true veterans of heavy metal, and most of them have already traveled that road. With deep mutual respect at every corner of this heavy metal sextet, and a good ole' fashioned British attitude in their hearts, this band plows onward to further their already legendary legacy.

Brave New World ('00)
When I first heard this album, I instantly thought, "MASTERPIECE!", and today I still have no reason to withdraw that comment. With their first album back together, Maiden seem set to prove they are back, and ready to show the world of metal music that they haven't lost a beat. The album title begs to double as a mission statement of renewal. The songs on this album range from the fast-tempo thrashers, to melodic introspective pieces, to progressive-metal epics that rival the likes of Dream Theater. The three guitar attack of Murray/Smith/Gers translates so fluidly in the studio that you can hardly tell they're trading off from one solo to the next.
My recommended tracks:
-The Wicker Man
-Ghost of the Navigator
-Brave New World
-Dream of Mirrors
-The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Rock In Rio (Live-'02)
With much enthusiasm over their successful reunion, both among the band and the fans, Iron Maiden took this opportunity to document their tour with a live album available in either audio or video format. With Rock In Rio as the chosen venue, the insane fanaticism of South American heavy metal fans is captured in vivid clarity. You can hear them singing along at every opportunity, both with the lyrics and the guitar riffs!
My recommended tracks:
-Blood Brothers (Bruce dedicates this song to all heavy metal fans at the beginning)
-Sign of the Cross (Originally sung by Blaze Bayley, now we hear Bruce's vocals on it. An improvement I think- no offense to Blaze or his fans)
-The Trooper (Always a classic, and one of my favorites!)
-The Clansman (Again, hearing Bruce sing one from the Blaze Bayley era is a special treat)
-Fear of the Dark (Great crowd participation on this one!)

Dance of Death ('03)
For their 2nd effort with this lineup, Iron Maiden seem more confident. Their song composition and content take a more conceptual approach, and the progressive elements of their music are strengthened even more. This album is a perfect follow-up to one of the greatest come-back albums in the history of heavy metal. At this point it is as clear as ever that Maiden are on a roll, and bring new meaning to the word consistency.
My recommended tracks:
-Rainmaker
-No More Lies
-New Frontier
-Paschendale

Death On The Road (Live-'05)
Again, Maiden wanted to capture the atmosphere of the supporting tour for "Dance of Death" with a live album (CD or DVD). Having watched this video, I'm very glad they did! They employed an elaborate stage set, an animatronic likeness of Eddie (of course!), and various props to enhance the theatrical elements of each song they performed. Bruce Dickinson frequently changes costumes to fit the context of different songs. If Rock in Rio was to display the commitment of Maiden's fans, then Death on the Road is the showcase for Maiden's performance and delivery at its most sophisticated!
My recommended tracks:
-Wrathchild (Again I'm drawn to the novelty of Bruce Dickinson singing a song he didn't voice the studio version of. He always does a great job.)
-Dance of Death (Bruce does some role-playing on stage during this number)
-Paschendale (Again, Bruce plays the role of a dying soldier in the battle of Paschendale. The recurring lead-guitar theme imitates Morse code. One of the most theatrical performances on this DVD)
-Hallowed Be Thy Name
-Iron Maiden (On the DVD, this is where the giant Eddie come out, pointing at the crowd while holding a sickle)

A Matter Of Life And Death ('06)
Do I dare say this is Iron Maiden's greatest album ever? Yes, I do! I know some of you might be saying I have the bias of this simply being their most recent work, but as much as I've listened to this album in almost 3 years since its release has only strengthened my stance on this opinion. I'm often skeptical of bands trying to outshine their own legacy when they seem to be past their prime, but believe me when I say that Iron Maiden are a true exception to the rule.

With A Matter of Life And Death, Iron Maiden give us a great concept-album that tackles the issues surrounding war. For the first time in a while, Maiden reflect on current events as an inspiration for many of the songs on this album. They manage to get several tough points across without having to be specific about international conflicts or political figures, but you can draw many of your own conclusions if you read between the lines. They also show a good variety of sounds throughout the album, but the prog elements are abundant once again.

A Matter of Life and Death is too good not to recommend the entire album! Here are the tracks:
-Different World
-These Colours Don't Run
-Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
-The Pilgrim
-The Longest Day (this one is my favorite from this album! It feels like I'm watching the opening of the film "Saving Private Ryan" every time I hear it.)
-Out of the Shadows
-The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
-For the Greater Good of God
-Lord of Light
-The Legacy

Powerslave: Iron Maiden's 80's Masterpiece

Post #64 Poll Winner: Favorite Iron Maiden album from the 80's.
As the 1980's began, Iron Maiden embodied the (New) Wave of British Heavy Metal. The movement had begun a few years earlier with bands like Judas Priest & Diamond Head, but Iron Maiden seemed to symbolize the perfection of this metal style. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith, quickly became one of the tightest guitar tandems in heavy metal in the 1980's.

Maiden's '84 release, Powerslave, may be the apex of their golden years. After years of alternating guitar solos in one of the world's most popular heavy metal band, Murray & Smith are again at the top of their game on this album. This is, coincidentally, the last album Iron Maiden recorded without any accompaniment by keyboards or synthesised guitars. The World Slavery Tour that supported this album was the most extensive tour the band had done by this point. It resulted in their first live album, Live After Death.

This great album contains many songs that are both fan-favorites and concert staples. Here are my top picks from Powerslave:
-Aces High
-2 Minutes to Midnight
-Powerslave
-Flash of the Blade (This one is a bit more obscure than the first 3, but it's a personal favorite of mine, driven by a fast, lead guitar riff. This song was also recently covered by Avenged Sevenfold on their "Diamonds in the Rough" CD)
-Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Perhaps the greatest epic, progressive metal song Iron Maiden have ever written; this song parallels the story told in the classic epic poem of the same name. The riff that Steve Harris gives this story-turned-song masterpiece is one of the best on the whole album!)

Heavy Metal Campaign '08!

Post #41
Feeling anxious about the '08 Presidential Election? Relieve some of that stress by casting your vote for your favorite Heavy Metal vocalist right here on this blog! This election is purely for the fun of it, and has no consequences. The winner of this "election" will serve a 2-year term (December '08-November '10) as a symbolic "President" of this blog. Now, here are your candidates and their reasons they want your vote:

Ozzy Osbourne (Birmingham, England) Often referred to as the Godfather of modern Heavy Metal, other times called "The Prince of F***ing Darkness", Ozzy has always been at the top of the list of true Heavy Metal Icons. From his days in Black Sabbath, to his solo career, to consistently holding his own with all of metal's new bands at Ozzfest, to entertaining reality-show viewers with "The Osbournes"; Ozzy has always made the entertainment of his fans a top priority. Though he may owe a great deal of his success to the top-notch management by his wife Sharon, perhaps not enough of us ask where Sharon might be if there were no Ozzy? Ozzy asks for your vote because without him, where would heavy metal be?

James Hetfield of Metallica (San Francisco, California) James has been the leader of Metallica since its inception in the early 80's. In their prime, Hetfield's voice & Metallica's sound became almost synonymous with Heavy Metal itself. When the 90's came around, Metallica were brave enough to experiment with new styles of metal. After perservering through line-up changes and rehab, Hetfield & Metallica have re-emerged with a new album that harkens to their thrash metal roots, and are once again on top in the world of metal music. James asks for your vote, because right now there is no heavy metal band as big as Metallica!


Rob Halford of Judas Priest (Birmingham, England) With his band, Judas Priest, Halford has endured much controversay in his Heavy Metal career. In their early years Priest followed in the footsteps of Black Sabbath and quietly forged a unique Heavy Metal sound for themselves that has proven to be among the most classic of Heavy Metal. In the mid 90's, Halford left Judas Priest after going public about his homosexuality. He launched many solo projects (Fight, Two, and Halford) before at last returning to Priest in '04. Halford is know as "The Metal God" to his die-hard fans. He asks for your vote to support the enduring metal style of both Judas Priest and his solo efforts. He also has perhaps the widest vocal range in Heavy Metal.


Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden (Nottinghamshire, England) Bruce joined the ranks of British metal titan Iron Maiden for their 3rd album, The Number of the Beast. He quickly won over the band's fans and helped Maiden achieve major international success. You can argue there was no Heavy Metal band as consistent throughout the 80's than Iron Maiden. In the early 90's Bruce left the band over creative differences and started a solo career. After some success in this vein, Bruce eventually reunited with Maiden in 2000 (and brought one of his guitarists with him). Bruce is asking for your vote because Iron Maiden still write some of the most significant Heavy Metal music after nearly 30 years.

James LaBrie of Dream Theater (Ontario, Canada) Dream Theater was started by a group of students at Berkley College of Music. They had an ambitious musical vision, and after their first album, began looking for a new lead singer. James LaBrie answered the call and has proven ever since that he has the pipes these guys were looking for. Often composing progressive-metal songs in excess of 10, 20, or even 40 minutes in length, Dream Theater endeavor to prove they are the best at what they do; blending thrash metal with progressive rock. James wants your vote to prove this band's ambition is worth your while.

Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour (Des Moines, Iowa) Whether he's fronting the shockingly horrific Slipknot, or the more down-to-earth but still hard & heavy Stone Sour, Corey Taylor takes being a Heavy Metal singer very seriously. By listening to the 2 extremes of his vocal style in each of his respective bands, you can easily hear the versatility of his voice. Corey has also proven to be open-minded and helpful to several other acts in metal music, having appeared as a guest vocalist on Apocalyptica's "I'm Not Jesus", as well as working closely with Anthrax on their up-coming album. Corey asks for your vote as he carries ever-onward in the world of Heavy Metal.

(British candidates in red, North American candidates in blue)