Artist : Iron Maiden
Album : The Book of Souls (2015 Parlophone/Sanctuary)
Tracks : 11 [6 on disc 1 and 5 on disc 2]
Artist website : www.ironmaiden.com
OVERVIEW :
This is the 16th studio album from a band that should need no introductions. Iron Maiden is about as synonymous to heavy metal as Metallica. I was surprised to find out that this album consists of two CDs. That’s a lot of music from this band.
I first heard of Iron Maiden when their album “Seventh Son of the Seventh Son” was released and the hit single “Can I Play with Madness” was constantly on MTV. I’ve been a fan ever since.
One word will describe this album: epic. It is truly that in all ways. The melodies are epic. The songs are epic. Dickinson’s singing is epic. The guitar solos are epic. The bass lines are tight in an epic way. The drum fills are epic. The whole thing is epic.
This album dishes out classic metal. It is an unmistakeable trademark sound that I enjoy. Fans of the band will undoubtedly love it and anyone not yet familiar with Maiden can get a good idea of what they sound like by listening to this album.
HIGHLIGHTS :
When the River Runs Deep and Tears of a Clown
FIRST IMPRESSIONS – PLAY BY PLAY:
[Disc 1]
Track 1 – If Eternity Should Fail
Pretty cool track, but it didn’t grab my attention the way a 1st song should.
Track 2 – Speed of Light
This rocks! This has the kind of energy that an opening track should have. Classic Maiden!
Track 3 – The Great Unknown
Very mellow at the start – just waiting for it to explode. And there it goes. Really good solos here!
Track 4 – The Red and The Black
Classic gallop rock. That’s what I call it when I hear a song in this style with the du-du-dum-du-du-dum rhythm guitars. Cool tune. Kind of has a “Flight of Icarus” thing to it. I like “Flight of Icarus” better.
Track 5 – When the River Runs Deep
This one starts out really well with lots of energy. Instant classic! This embodies that classic Iron Maiden sound.
Track 6 – The Book of Souls
Good song. A true epic!
[Disc 2]
Track 1 – Deaf or Glory
Solid song with great energy.
Track 2 – Shadows of the Valley
I don’t know why I felt like there is a bit of a Lacuna Coil vibe in this one. Don’t get me wrong, this song sounds nothing like Lacuna Coil, but the intro has a bit of a LC feel. This feeling went away quickly when they go into the next musical section.
Track 3 – Tears of a Clown
Instantly my favorite track so far! Fantastic intro! The melody is instantly locked in to my memory. Very catchy! This deserves to be a single.
Track 4 – The Man of Sorrows
Mellow start which builds up. Very pretty beginning. Almost lulled me into thinking this was going to be a ballad. It rocks, but this track is probably the weakest track on the entire album.
Track 5 – Empire of the Clouds
This is a true epic! At 18-minutes long, I don’t think there are too many tracks like this in Iron Maiden’s history. I found myself asking myself if this was a Dream Theater song based on length before I heard a note. Once it got started, I felt like this was going to be epic, and indeed, it is epic. It is not a Dream Theater-esque or a prog-rock like epic. Perhaps more akin to “Stairway to Heaven” than anything else if it had to be compared to something else. Cool tune, though a bit repetitive in places.