What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
>I'd cut down every...
What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
>I'd cut down every law in England to do that.
Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you -
where would you hide...the laws all being flat?
Member since:04.08.2000
Reviews:43
Members who trust:39
You never know for sure when an album becomes a "classic". How much time is supposed to elapse? And then what about "instant classics" how do they work? Who knows, cos I don't.
But almost two years after the release of this album it's still sounding great, so I'm taking the opportunity to re-edit this opinion for several reasons: to get rid of the lousy opening paragraph; to fit in with my current theme of reviews of my favouritest albums and in a cynical attempt to squeeze a few more reads out of it! ";^>
FIRST, A THEORY... Once a band have achieved popularity and earned wads of cash, it seems that it becomes increasingly hard for them to come up with a decent record. I bet you could say that about loads of bands who’ve had a decent amount of longevity, without too much fear of criticism (U2? Red Hot Chilli Peppers?). Heck, it happened to Oasis after two albums! Some bands eventually make their way out of the “rock doldrums” and some just disappear under the deadweight of their own fading reputation. Brave New World is an album that farts in the face of anyone who says that was the way that Iron Maiden was going.
...THEN A HISTORY Picture a young boy on the cusp of puberty, the joys and sorrows of adulthood as yet blissfully unknown to him. He’s tucked up in bed tuning in his portable transistor radio that’s shaped like a walkie talkie, combing the waveband known only as “FM Air” listening for messages from outer space, or at least the Police radio. All of a sudden he hears a dark and chilling voice (who we later learn is Vincent Price) reciting passages out of the bible that talk of diabolical deeds, and by the end of “The Number of the Beast” this boys life has been changed irrevocably.
A few weeks later I was in the Arndale Centre, Manchester handing over my birthday fiver to a woman at the checkout in the record
section of WH Smith, in return for a vinyl disc with the picture of a scary monster on the front. And thus I became a metalhead. From then on, it was a slippery slope as I bought in to the dream, the life of Rock. I had pictures of scary monsters, clothes of denim and leather, studded belts, ever-lengthening hair and far too many LPs. I avidly read Kerrang! every month and experimented with every kind of rock from the classics (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), the popular (AC/DC, Motorhead) and the downright strange (Gong, Hawkwind), those early '80s passed in an overdriven fuzz of guitar noise and truly bad lyrics.
LOSING MY MAIDENHEAD! Throughout this time, Maiden was my band. I tried to grow hair like Steve Harris; I failed to replicate Dave Murray’s guitar solos. The release of each album was a significant event in my life. Can you remember where you were when Powerslave was released? (At school, natch!). I loved that band with its galloping bass and drum lines and noodling, drawn out guitar parts, played at intervals of a fifth (the mixolydian mode, for the muzos out there!). To this day I always get a little shiver when I hear two guitars played together that way.
LOSING MY RELIGION!! Then one day, during my final year at University it happened. Maiden released “No Prayer for the Dying”. Would it be worth the three and a half year wait? No. It was rubbish. From then on I drifted aimlessly. My brief flirtation with the progressive rock revival two years previously was scant consolation. I tried to replace them with Northern European twin Guitar titans like Running Wild and King Diamond, but it just wasn’t the same. Disconsolate, I lost contact with The Life – my hair was cut and I even started listening to Radio 1. Crazy. More Maiden albums followed. Adrian had quit, Bruce followed – it was dreadful. No, literally, it was dreadful.
PREACHING TO THE CONVERTED Fast forward a decade and a jaundiced and jaded Paiceyjohn, feasting on the bones of overhyped Metallica albums is introduced to the infamous Napster. Gleefully, I downloaded all this great music. Heaven. During one of my many forays I stumbled upon some Iron Maiden, dated 2000. “Woe to thee...” an aged voice sounded at the back of my mind, Vincent Price resurrected from 18 years previously. “What the Hell” I thought and downloaded the entire album’s worth. Was I blown away? You surely know the answer to that one. I rushed out and PURCHASED the album forthwith (in case anybody of a legal persuasion is reading). Actually I ordered it from CDNow.
BRAVE NEW WORLD Is the twelfth studio album by Iron Maiden, produced by Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris, it was released on the Sony label May 30th 2000. Maiden 2000 was: Bruce Dickinson – Vocal Steve Harris – Bass David Murray – Guitar Adrian Smith – Guitar Jannick Gers – Guitar Nicko McBrain – Drums
This album is SUPERBLY recorded. I don’t go a bundle on recordings that utilize too much of this new-fangled technology stuff. It more often than not ends up sounding overproduced and what I’d refer to as syrupy. But this album sounds exceptionally clear and vibrant – the technology is there but doesn’t get in the way, it just empahsises the Rock.
Secondly, and more importantly these guys really WANTED to record this album. As I was saying earlier many bands seem to go through a mid-career slump, they've made their cash and they're no longer hungry – they couldn’t give a toss – and generally it shows through in substandard material. Brave New World bristles with enthusiasm and energy, the way their previous four or five albums didn’t. It gives the music a new identity and feel. Could it be because Adrian and Bruce have returned to the fold and patched up differences that Maiden has a renewed sense of purpose? Who knows? Don’t knock it, it works.
Not only that, the addition of a few new ideas and styles such as the orchestrations on The Nomad and The Thin Line Between Love and Hate, plus the (what I would describe as) folk influence on many of the tracks has added a further dimension as a counterpoint to the full-on twin guitar metal. Otherwise, this album contains all the ingredients that Maiden fans know and love, the solid backline, chunky riffwork, hooks a-plenty, convoluted guitar passages, over-theatrical vocals and disorientating tempo changes. OK they’re a bit older now and Bruce just can’t make some of those BIG notes any more, and I’ve no idea how they divvy up the guitar parts now there’s three guitarists, but the overall impression is of an unstoppable tour-de-force, a tornado of sound. As it is written, so it is done. Let us Rock.
Here’s a track listing, along with a brief resume:
The Wicker Man A bouncy, well-chosen album opener with an exuberant and infectious chanty bit (not what you’d expect from Maiden); this was the pre-release single which made top thirty I think.
The Ghost of the Navigator Excellent riff-work using “non-standard” chord progressions plus toe-stubbing tempo changes. Probably my favourite track.
Brave New World Starts with a quiet bit, some palaver about dying swans and Bruce thinks he’s down the folk club. Then it’s normal service resumed and it’s time for full-on metal. Shifts down a gear for a bulldozer of a chorus.
Blood Brothers Even more folk-a-rama for this intro sees the chaps in wistful and nostalgic mood for an almost balladic song with a verse in 6/8 time. A highlight.
The Mercenary Above average 4-minute metal outing – compared to the rest of this album, it’s a filler.
Dream of Mirrors Style-wise this one runs through Maiden’s entire cannon, from “slow” to “fast”. Brilliant track, with stonking sing-along-a chorus. (You can hear a mono 8-bit version of the chorus at www.geocities.com/paiceyjohn/music.html and you patiently wait for it to download. But don’t tell anyone or I might get done...)
The Fallen Angel Another 4-minute rocker. Preferable to The Mercenary.
The Nomad Long, drawn out noodler in the style of Hallowed Be Thy Name, or To Tame a Land. Nice orchestration, which really lends atmosphere.
Out of the Silent Planet Not a cover of the Kings X track as I first thought, this was the second single (odd choice). More folk flavoured metal showcases Bruce at his majestic best with the boys playing that monster four chord riff for all it’s worth: “Out of the Silent Planet, Dreams of Desolation, Out of the Silent Planet, Come the Demons of Creation”. Indeed.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate Epic closing track and a real change of style as they experiment with “melodic rock” and other such exotic non-metal stylings. Brilliant, but truly awful lyrics.
Which gives you a tad over 66 minutes of listening pleasure.
As you would expect with any Maiden release, the packaging is extremely good with excellent original cover art by long standing Maiden artist Derek Riggs, featuring the ever present Eddie the 'ead. The CD booklet contains the lyrics (unfortunately) plus bags of info. and copious pictures of the Maiden chaps looking alarmingly old. Still, who wants to live forever!
<...altogether now: I only dream in black and white I only dream cos I’m alive I only dream in black and white To save me from myself...>
WONDERFUL review. I found myself impatient trying to finish reading your review, since I couldn't wait to add you to my "trust" list. This is the best commentary I've ever read regarding this fine album. Thank you.
KronEx 03.12.2002 17:46
Great review of a great album. Greetz
nicolap 06.03.2002 18:27
I love the Wicker Man. It's so rare to come across Maiden fans in this day and age... Wasn't Bruce on the rock show last night? Cheers for a great op that both educated and informed... Nic. :)
One of the most comforting things about living in the UK is knowing what you can rely on: ... more
bank holidays will be rainy, beans will be on the breakfast menu and Britain's homegrown heavy metal heroes will continue rocking well into their twilight years. ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
One of the most comforting things about living in the UK is knowing what you can rely on: ... more
bank holidays will be rainy, beans will be on the breakfast menu and Britain's homegrown heavy metal heroes will continue rocking well into their twilight years. ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
One of the most comforting things about living in the UK is knowing what you can rely on: ... more
bank holidays will be rainy, beans will be on the breakfast menu and Britain's homegrown heavy metal heroes will continue rocking well into their twilight years. ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Lots of good tracks, lots of classic Maiden and an album to suit all1 Disadvantages: More tracks could be on the album! The more Maiden, the better!
Jul 24th, 2001
(Feb 25th, 2002)
very helpful by (100%):
