Iron Maiden Book of Souls

[shramiac]

Am I the only one out there that thinks it's as bad as Virtual XI?

Woeful production, songs that are way too long and repetitive, drums that sound like cardboard boxes, Bruce is very strained (okay, he had cancer so I'll cut him the deserved slack), lackluster guitar tones (go back to the GK amps please!)....did I say it sounds like poo?

At least the bass volume was wound back for once!


My opinion anyway...

[Snoogans]

It's bloody awful. There's possibly one okay(ish) album's worth of material there, at a push.
I was genuinely shocked and amazed at how bad it sounds. How can a band of their calibre be content releasing crap like this? It sounds like they just spent a weekend dicking around in the studio and then just said "Fuck it - that'll do".
Someone in the IM camp is either an idiot, or just doesn't care anymore.
Obviously, as far as everyone else is concerned, it's another Maiden masterpiece...

[neilli]

I think it's probably the best thing they've put out since Brave New World, but that's not saying very much. The last two have been proper stinkers IMO, and since BNW, there's been like 1 standout per album and the rest is fit for the 'never listen to again' pile.

I agree the production sucks, but I don't think it's any worse than the previous couple of albums. They seem to have forgotten how to write concise songs with hooks, and I think they dial back the gain on the rhythm guitars tones so they can get all 3 guitar players in the mix, which just means all the balls are gone. Unfortunately, it's not 1982-1988 any more

[Snoogans]

I must admit that I've not really listened to any Maiden albums for years. Seventh Son was probably the last one.
So is this the way they record albums now? That's pretty shocking, but I guess The Name will always sell, so why bust a hump working?
At least the cover art isn't as embarrasingly pathetic as some of their other offerings.

[toejam]

I think it's probably the best thing they've put out since Brave New World, but that's not saying very much.

I loved Brave New World, and that's the last thing I bought from them. Maybe I'll check this one out eventually...

[Jackson8090s]

BNW was ok, I listened to it once or twice. The albums I listen to the most or go back to ( by no means regular rotation) would be Piece of Mind, Somewhere in Time, Seventh Son.

[horns666]

Way too long winded, and the entire production is truly dull. Their tone is amazing live. Same with Judas Priest, and The Black Sabbaths. The Book of Souls..Redeemer of Souls. Bruce is straining..Halford too. Ozzy just reading lyrics. These guys are legends. Damn you to hell !!

Production, lack of ideas, age are the problems.

Your ballbag stretches like nuts with age. That could obstruct any amp & SM-57, covered with a grey fuzzy meat blanket.

[Nightbat]

For me, Maiden is killers - 7th Son
With Adrian's departure and the move to "Steve's Shitty Productions Shack", only some songs were passable on No Prayer and Fear of the Dark
but with Bruce fulfilling his desire to not be Steve's personnel, it all went to absolute fuck (Not blaming Blaze, wrong choice BY the band, saw blaze solo a while after that live and he fucking rocked) with boring ass, lackluster songs
Birch' 'retirement' may just be the biggest factor in that (No one to kick Steve's ass around when it came to experience I guess)
Maiden was practically defunct for me for the 2 Blaze albums

Brave New World,... Now that's what I call a fucking Comeback album!
I sometimes accuse it of playing it safe and a rehash of previous albums, but all in all, it got that pre-1990 atmosphere
Too bad they didn't retain it, which arguable set the tone for the rest of the albums

[VitaminG]

Woeful production, songs that are way too long and repetitive, drums that sound like cardboard boxes, Bruce is very strained (okay, he had cancer so I'll cut him the deserved slack), lackluster guitar tones (go back to the GK amps please!)....did I say it sounds like poo?

Easy, man. You're making it sound like a Metallica album. It's not THAT bad.

I think there are some good moments on it. A fair bit of it sounds loose & under rehearsed.

This is how I imagine the tracking went for EVERY one of Janick's solos:

JG: Done! That's in the bag. Brilliant
Shirley: uh, you sure?
JG: Yep. Nailed it. I'm off
KS: How about we just grab one more, for safety. Maybe once you listen back, you'll pick up a couple of ideas you'd like to develop further
JG: Nope. Off to the pub.
KS: [fuck] Come on, man. People are actually spending their hard-earned for this album
JG: Yea, good, sounds great guys. I'm down the The Queen Vic for a pint. Let me know when you need me back *slam

[Mr Sandman]

lol, They sort of lost me when Adrian left, then they really lost me with Virtual XI. Brave New World was a good comeback though but after that meh....

I was a long time fan. I saw them twice here on their retro tour. I thought Janick could`ve stayed at home for that. His playing on Adrians` parts sort of ruined it for me.

[MartinBarre]

I think the new album is great and, although I love their work from 1980-88, I don't listen to much of the stuff after that. I don't think BNW was that good an album, bar a handful of songs like "Dream of Mirrors" and "Wicker Man", but that seems to be the pattern since NPFTD. A handful of great songs and a handful of forgettable ones.
On the new album I like ALL the songs.

[xenophobe]

I really hate it when people make threads like this and can't at least post a youtube video. :p

I saw the speed of light video before. Sounds like Iron Maiden. I don't see a point. All these old bands... you really don't give a shit about any new material... they're only still around because of their old material and that's all people want to see is the old material. That's why all these bands are either doing or will do or have done tours where they only play old tunes, and that's what everyone wants.

Nobody wants to hear new geriatric dogshit metal. Sorry, but I can't really recall any album from any band that had it's peak in the 80's or 90's come back with an excellent album 20+ years later. It just doesn't happen with metal especially while trying to do the same old shit over and over again.

[toejam]

For me, Maiden is killers - 7th Son
With Adrian's departure and the move to "Steve's Shitty Productions Shack", only some songs were passable on No Prayer and Fear of the Dark
but with Bruce fulfilling his desire to not be Steve's personnel, it all went to absolute fuck (Not blaming Blaze, wrong choice BY the band, saw blaze solo a while after that live and he fucking rocked) with boring ass, lackluster songs
Birch' 'retirement' may just be the biggest factor in that (No one to kick Steve's ass around when it came to experience I guess)
Maiden was practically defunct for me for the 2 Blaze albums

Brave New World,... Now that's what I call a fucking Comeback album!
I sometimes accuse it of playing it safe and a rehash of previous albums, but all in all, it got that pre-1990 atmosphere
Too bad they didn't retain it, which arguable set the tone for the rest of the albums

I felt pretty much the same way. No Prayer and Fear did nothing for me, and I just didn't care much for the band any more.

I did love X Factor even with Blaze... Blaze kinda sounded like a young David Lee Roth, even though I've never been much of a fan of DLR's vocals. And Virtual XI was total shit with choruses rambling on and on and on and on, and it seemed like they just programmed a drum machine to play basic beats without really any drum fills, and Nicko just smacked a bunch of cymbals. I only liked the first song, Futureal.

[neilli]

but I can't really recall any album from any band that had it's peak in the 80's or 90's come back with an excellent album 20+ years later.

Exodus 'Tempo Of The Damned' is probably my favourite thing they did..

[MartinBarre]

I really hate it when people make threads like this and can't at least post a youtube video. :p

I saw the speed of light video before. Sounds like Iron Maiden. I don't see a point. All these old bands... you really don't give a shit about any new material... they're only still around because of their old material and that's all people want to see is the old material. That's why all these bands are either doing or will do or have done tours where they only play old tunes, and that's what everyone wants.

Nobody wants to hear new geriatric dogshit metal. Sorry, but I can't really recall any album from any band that had it's peak in the 80's or 90's come back with an excellent album 20+ years later. It just doesn't happen with metal especially while trying to do the same old shit over and over again.

Motorhead's Inferno album was possibly their best ever.
Overkill's Killbox 13 is my favourite of theirs.