"That which seems most feeble and bewildered in you is the strongest and most determined."...
"That which seems most feeble and bewildered in you is the strongest and most determined."
Gibran Khalil Gibran
Member since:20.05.2004
Reviews:51
Members who trust:46
When I had just entered the "quagmirish" world of adolescence in my Lycée in Lyon, France, back in the early 80s, the place appeared to be a fertile ground for the flourishing of Heavy Metal "freaks" with their eternal Iron Maiden and Metallica T-shirts on.
While I cannot deny that I felt physically attracted to many of these rogue-looking males, I developed an as-yet- to-be-understood repulsive symptom for the name Iron Maiden. I internally proclaimed to myself that this band was rubbish and not worth even attempting to listen to. Only one of my many unfounded decrees towards anything I did not wish to delve into out of sheer unscrupulous presumptions as a teenager. (If I should ever meet myself again as a teenager, I shall give myself a good lesson!)
Then I came to London and was immersed in the music world like a fish in the sea. Music has always been my closest and most loyal friend and I felt like a traitor for not having listened to it more attentively.
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In London, I developed an even more acute love for music in its every shape and form. I started getting acquainted with classical composers (I still have a lot to learn), Latin American music, what is referred to as "World" music (are the rest of them extra-terrestrials??), and everything else….
I met my husband, whom, incidentally, was a musician as well (Guitar and vocals, Latin, Latino Rock music mixed with African drums and heavy stuff… ahem!!
There were a couple of CDs he kept listening to and I soon found myself humming the melodies to most of the songs on them. Then I thought it a good idea to ask: "Who is this band?"
Obviously he wasn't and didn't quite understand why I seemed so surprised. (I gave him a long explanation afterwards as to my previous metamorphosis as an "adolescent".)
It took me a while to convince myself that I totally loved the music of this band. Their lyrics are what most surprised me. Yes, Satan was a topic often mentioned, but then again, fallen angels have never troubled me.
But the lyrics were actually going somewhere, some of them were beautiful. And the songs had melodies! They were not the screeching, yelling, destroyers I had made them to out be, they had lyrics that talked of sensible things like love, friendship, hatred, war… (You will of course, agree with me that war and hatred are very sensible things.. to talk about…) and life in general.
And the music, far from being destructive to my nervous system, actually quite enhanced it!
The arrangements of the songs are very well thought and harmoniously put together. The melodies are extremely grabbing and the whole thing is rounded up by very interesting guitar solos and an envelope of intricate changes that give each song its very own special character.
In one sentence:
I was moved. (Even physically! : )
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I don't know the whole story of Iron Maiden, or rather I sort of do but it would be too long to mention here and I am by no means an expert.
They are however, a band with a long and interesting history, which goes all the way back to the early 70s, I do believe they formed in 1975.
I know that their extremely talented lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, left them for a while in the late 90s and then returned for the album whose review this is about (or should be at the very least): "Brave New World". Bruce Dickinson was a latecomer, having replaced their first lead singer whose name I forget. Iron Maiden fans please do forgive me!
I must here point out that Bruce Dickinson is an opera trained singer and by no means a "yeller". His voice sprouts from within and is as powerful as it is beautiful. Singing an Iron Maiden song can be as easy as singing Nessun Dorma "a la Placido Domingo"! I've tried; my vocal chords are still aching!
But the main composer (both of music and lyrics) is Steve Harris, the bass player of the band, without whom I doubt whether the band would have even existed.
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Brave New World, as many of you may know, is the title of one of Aldous Huxley's most famous novels, or indeed, the most striking. I read it when I was 14 and it is one of the few novels whose details I can still recall extremely well.
The cover of "Brave New World" depicts a view of London, with London Bridge in the foreground and lots of "modern" looking buildings, as one may imagine them in a Brave New World; above this scene is a heavily clouded and menacing sky with a devilish face forming in its centre.
When the album came out I went out and bought it. I did not copy it or borrow it. When I really appreciate an artist, I don't mind spending my money to have the "original" thing.
I loved the album from the first time I listened to it.
There is a power to Iron Maiden's songs that helps get the anger out, if that is something you sometimes need to do and breaking doors and slashing curtains is not an option.
Of course, we all have our own special way of doing this, but I find that putting an Iron Maiden album and dancing like the devil Has actually taken possession of my body and my senses does help at times.
Avoid doing this with the window open, lest your neighbours should inform the police or Social Services (especially when your kid is a very active performer in the ritual!)
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There are 10 tracks on "Brave New World".
The Wicker Man This is the first one and a perfect accompaniment to banging your head against a wall or preferably thin (or thick) air. The guitars lash out at you. My son loves to put this on just to watch me electrically whip my brains out of place for the first few seconds. I am usually nicer to him after this, because the lobes of my brain having switched places, a slight confusion prevails which makes me agree to many things I wouldn't normally consent to.
Energising song to say the least.
"You watch the world exploding every single night, Dancing in the sun a new born in the light, Brothers and their fathers joining hands and make a chain, The shadow of the Wicker man is rising up again…"
Ghost of the Navigator is slightly calmer, but not quite a slow, if you know what I mean. But you can actually sit down while listening to it. It starts with toned down guitars and bass and the drums then build up to gently explode into more gently angry guitars and vocals. The chorus is full of energy. I shall be using this word: "energy", a lot.
"Chasing Rainbows all my days, Where I go I do not know, I only know the place I've been Dreams they come and go, ever shall be so, Nothing's real until you see…."
Brave New World is a seriously beautiful song. It starts ever so calmly, again with guitars and bass and some cymbals… and when you get to the chorus, the volcano explodes. The melodies blend perfectly well with the lyrics, but then again most of Iron Maiden's songs marry music with lyrics with a talented harmony.
"Dying Swans, twisted wings, Beauty not needed here, Lost my love, lost my life, In this garden of fear, I have seen many things in a lifetime alone, Mother Love is no more, bring this savage back home... … What you see is not real, Those who know will not tell, All is lost, sold your soul, In this Brave New World…."
Blood Brothers is one of my favourite songs. I find it almost painfully moving somehow. It seems quite personal, I say "seems" because you are never quite certain when it comes to artist's lyrics, I reckon they are all "personal" to an extent.
It is a rather calm song, in Maiden's terms, it seems to float on water (and I am not on drugs), easy to follow; the lyrics are picturesque (can I say that about lyrics?)
"And if you're taking a walk through the garden of life What do you think, you'd expect you would see? Just like a mirror reflecting the moves of your life And in the river reflections of me?
Just for a second a glimpse of my father I see And in a movement he beckons to me And in a moment the memories are all that remain And all the wounds are reopening again…"
"…And if you look all around at the world in dismay What do you see, do you think we have learned? Not if you're taking a look at the war torn affray Out in the streets where the babies are burned…
…We're Blood Brothers…"
The Mercenary is another head banging experience, although I prefer to bang my hips to this one, it somehow works perfectly. It is a furious song, and I am a furious woman, so we go together well. Lots of guitars again, well, all the songs have lots of guitars, which is… normal I guess for Iron Maiden.
The lyrics are very… hmm… fleshy? Shall we say fleshy or bloody? I prefer furious again. When I say furious, I feel less furious, so let's say they are furiously furious.
"Pay to kill, die to lose, Hunted Hunter, which are you? Diablo come again To make trophies out of men…"
Dream of Mirrors starts angrily and calms down a little afterwards, only to erupt again. Most of Maiden's songs have this flux and reflux attribute, they flow like waves, they go up and down (but not round and round) and carry you with them. It gives you time to gain some breath back.
"Have you ever felt the future is the past, But you don't know how… A reflected dream of a captured time… Is it really now, is it really happening?..."
The lyrics to this one are very long, but very nice.
The Fallen Angel This angel doesn't fly, it takes off and drags you with it. You can "gently head bang" on this one and your brains should remain in place - if brains you have - mine do float in a lot of liquid already, so it's like a mild lulling of them. It is again… very energetic, but not deafening, this is what I like about Iron Maiden, you do not end up with a headache. Unless of course, the music is very loud, and you are trying to have a conversation. Only have a conversation with yourself and the music is my advice.
"Beaten fallen angel but I've risen again And the power is inside me, I've decided to pray As I wait for Armageddon and it's coming my way It's an honour to be chosen and await for the day…"
The Nomad The music to this song is very… "heavy". In the sense that you feel the bass weighing up on you somehow. The sense of a nomad is well conveyed through it. It is not my favourite song though, I usually change it when it starts, but my son absolutely loves it and tells me off.
It is not as "energetic" as the rest of the songs, but I think this was done on purpose.
"Like a mirage riding on the desert sands Like a vision floating with the desert winds Know the secret of the ancient desert lands You are the keeper of the mystery in your hands…"
Out of the Silent Planet Is another of my favourite songs on this album. Once more, it starts gently and takes off at a very comfortable angle (use your imagination now!), with lots of bass and drums pushing you forward (and guitars of course). It's very "mysterious" and the voice of Bruce Dickinson sounds even more powerful than usual.
"Withered hands, withered bodies begging for salvation Deserted by the hand of gods of their own creation Nations cry underneath decaying skies above You are guilty, the punishment is death for all who live…
Out of the Silent Planet, dreams of desolation Out of the Silent Planet, come the demons of creation.."
The Thin Line between Love and Hate This is the last track (yes I know you are saying "Phew", if you were actually reading this). It starts with a "heavy drag" of bass accompanied by drums (yes and the guitars of course), and then guitars try to take over the scene but they end up dancing tango (not quite) with the other instruments. The whole thing is well woven, as usual, and the chorus changes the whole thing as if trying to separate the dancers, but that was only a show, at the end of it, the dance continues… Again, this is a "calmer" song compared to others, but there is a very … energetic guitar solo. Towards the end, Dickinson uses his voice like a violin accompanied only by sleepy notes. What a voice!
"At what point do we begin Fighter spirit a will to win But what makes a man decide Take the wrong or righteous road…
There's a thin line between love and hate Wider divide that you can see between good and bad There's a grey place between black and white But everyone does have a right to choose The path that he takes…"
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Voila.
I have come to the end of the album.
I have depicted images that I see or feel personally when listening to the songs, but music listening is a very personal things and you may see and feel different images.
As a conclusion, I would say this is an absolutely excellent album, all the songs are "mature" and lack no limbs. Musically, it is very rich and some of the lyrics are very beautiful.
Funnily enough, I do not feel that Iron Maiden is a "Heavy Metal" band, it is heavy rock certainly, but its weight is light on the mind and the heart.
Do you know that most "Heavy Metal" bands have been very inspired by classical composers such as Vivaldi? Vivaldi's violins have the power to portray an anger that is quite comparable to some excellent guitar solos I have heard. The instrument is not the same, but the feeling is similar.
Iron Maiden are to me an icon of musical talent. Their anger is not just for show, and their show is not just for anger. I have reviewed this album only, but their other albums are just as worthy to me.
If you like that "kind of stuff" and are the sort of person who likes to or can channel their anger into music listening and brain shaking (hehehe), I have a feeling you may love this.
Put your prejudices away and listen to them, you may find a friend, as I have.
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Iron Maiden are (at the moment):
Steve Harris: Bass, Keyboards
Bruce Dickinson: Vocals
Dave Murray: Lead and rhythm guitars
Adrian Smith: Lead and rhythm guitars
Janick Gers: Lead and rhythm guitars
Nicko McBrain: Drums
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Their discography is (as far as I am aware):
• Iron Maiden (1980) • Killers (1981) • The Number of the Beast (1982) • Piece of Mind (1983) • Powerslave (1984) • Live after Death (1985) • Somewhere in Time (1986) • Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) • No Prayer for the Dying (1990) • Fear of the Dark (1992) • A Real Live Dead One (1993) • Live at Donington (1993) • The X Factor (1995) • Best of the Beast (1996) • Virtual XI (1998) • Brave New World (2000) • Rock in Rio (2002) • Edward the Great (Best of) (2002) • Beast over Hammersmith (2002) • Best of B Sides (2002) • The BBC Archives (2002) • Dance of Death (2003)
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. ...
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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...
Sep 23rd, 2005
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