Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

[Metalmilitia2000]

The majority don't sadly though. The record sales and industry data definitely proves this. Nothing wrong with sampling at all, but be careful when supporting torrents and the like as many of the leechers have no intention of supporting the band as you plan to do (just be sure to keep this in mind). Most bands have started putting several songs to the entire album on the website or myspace to help promote sampling as well.

If one were to test drive a car and then take it home w/o paying.. what happens? At a recent show we promoted for smaller band there were ~300 attendees which were surveyed on entrance as to owning the headliners current album. 261 had heard the album and possessed a digital copy of it. Only 23 had bought a physical copy. The problem is that this album was not available through the digital retailers yet. This really hurts the labels ability to prmote the artist and in this case was really frustrating as the latest release took alot of effort from everyone involved.

Also all the record stores outside of the US i have been to always allow for listening of the albums before you buy them. Very good practice.

Before reacting with blind anger, think about the further-reaching ramifications of the actions that are supported.

I did think, I just don't care. The majority of the blowhards here that bitch about illegal downloading only see black and white. They don't bother to think about those of us who download the album, and then buy it if it's worth keeping. They deem that all pre-release downloading, or even after release downloading, without immediately purchasing first, is wrong. That was mainly for them. The people you are talking about, they are just lazy PoS. (No, not Pain of Salvation, but they are synonymous! )

 

[Saladbar]

Back on topic.

The album has sunk in finally, it is one long ass album and although I am more familiar with it it's still kinda hard to get all the way through. I now find myself hitting the skip button on 3 songs that I just don't like plus El Dorado which I already played to death.

I just hope they don't get crazy and play the whole album on tour once it's out. :zombie:
I loved AMOLAD from start to finish but I can't say the same with this one.

Having said all that I CANNOT wait to hear When The Wild Wind Blows live. :Smokin:

 

[Fire breath]

Further thoughts after more plays.

Final Frontier is quite a cool song but that intro is a god damn waste of time. El Dorado gets no better. It really is the worst song on the album. The chorus is ok but the rest of the song is Boriiiingzzzz... Mother of Mercy is ok but the chorus is disappointing nothing special about it. Coming Home - I like the melody in the chorus a lot and the theme of returning to one's homeland after a journey is one that Maiden probably have used somewhere before with them being ultra patriotic and that. I think I might be in the minority in saying this might be in the top 3 songs of the album.

The Alchemist is pretty cool and has a very cool line where he says Strange Alchemy is it part of the pre chorus or the chorus I can't remember off hat but the lines around that are very melodic. Isle Of Avalon sounds like 70s prog rock in that mid section and damn it's growing on me. That solo is excellent. Starblind left me lukewarm but with a few more plays the chorus is starting to work it's magic on me. THe song reminds of a previous Maiden song which I can't recall right now but there are huge similarities to something.

The Talisman is just a great great song that's all I can say with typical seafaring story telling about a mission of somekind. The Man Who Would Be King is leaving me a bit cold, still can't get into it much as yet. The chorus seems unmemorable. When The Wild Wind Blows sounds better the more you play it and is a fitting end to the album. Of the 4 Bruce comeback albums I would rate this joint 3rd with AMOLAD with Brave New World top, DoD second. Does anyone else get an X Factor-y vibe from some of the songs? It seems very dark at times although with a much better production than the weak X Factor album. This album sounds like a mix between AMOLAD and The X Factor to me. There's not much in the way of smile inducement to be had at all. I think both DoD and Brave New World had a bit of the jolly rollicking old Maiden but the last two are too serious. Who pissed in their pint I wonder!

 

[General Zod]

Why do I get the sense that the hardcore Maiden fans are trying to force themselves to like this disc?

 

[Corsair]

You forgot

6. A debate over the ethics of illegally downloading this album.

OH MY GOD CAN YOU SEE INTO THE FUTURE!?

 

[Saladbar]

Why do I get the sense that the hardcore Maiden fans are trying to force themselves to like this disc?

I think that happens with most hardcore fans of any band or any thing.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I only listened to it once ... average at best. I didn't have high expectations to begin with so it's no bid disappointment for me. One thing that did disappoint was Bruce's performace. It's probably mostly because of the songs on hand, but there weren't any moments where I was in awe of his vox. For some reason I was annoyed by his vox this time out.




Britt

 

[Harvester]

I gave it a listen. My plan:

1. Purchase disc the day of release.
2. Rip to mp3.
3. Edit mp3s by cutting out those fucking slow 2 minute intros.

 

[General Zod]

I only listened to it once ... average at best. I didn't have high expectations to begin with so it's no bid disappointment for me.

I was considering giving this a spin, but this seals it for me.

I gave it a listen. My plan:

1. Purchase disc the day of release.
2. Rip to mp3.
3. Edit mp3s by cutting out those fucking slow 2 minute intros.

Interesting. I don't think I've ever purchased a disc that I felt I needed to edit myself. Honestly, I can't even raise my interest level high enough to queue this thing up. Would it have been a good disc had the intros not been overblown?

 

[Saladbar]

I gave it a listen. My plan:

1. Purchase disc the day of release.
2. Rip to mp3.
3. Edit mp3s by cutting out those fucking slow 2 minute intros.

LMAO.

Would it have been a good disc had the intros not been overblown?

I think with a lot of editing you can have 10 good 4 minute songs but it wouldn't be Maiden imo. Ever hear the difference between the regular version of The angel and the gambler and the 4 minute edit?

 

[Megawozniak]

Bad cd, won't listen again, but Winds will be going on many mixes in the near future. Great song and lyrics.

 

[Saladbar]

I was considering giving this a spin, but this seals it for me.

So you're not even gonna listen to it to hear for yourself if you like or not?

 

[skyrefuge]

I love it. I think there's a reasonable chance it could become my favorite Iron Maiden album.

If "The Alchemist" is one of your favorite songs from the album, I think you're probably listening to the wrong band. Yeah, they've thrown one or two "classic"-style songs like that onto each album from 'The X Factor' onwards, but those are really just bait used to drag the old fans along, to get them to listen to where the band's heart has *really* been for the last 6 albums, which is long-form, dynamic, atmospheric songwriting.

To my ears, there aren't any "intros" on the album. The quiet parts are integral to the entire song, and without them, the scope and range and atmosphere would be destroyed.

Both a 100 meter dash and a 1500 meter run generally end with heart-racing excitement, as the sprinting runners are separated by a small distance. But I would never want to see the 1500m race eliminated just so everyone could cut to the chase and run those exciting 100 meters instead. The 1400m buildup to that final 100m is exactly what gives the 1500 its unique scope and feel during that final, exhausting sprint. They're both exciting races, but entirely different, so it would be strange to try to turn one into the other.

While they've participated in both races throughout their careers, Iron Maiden gave up the 100m a long time ago, and has been a 1500m specialist for many years now. And this latest race may have been their best yet.

Obviously I come at Iron Maiden from a quite non-standard perspective, so I expect my view to be in the minority of Iron Maiden fandom.

Neil

 

[mad_taffer]

I like the "epic" Maiden tracks best. (Paschendale, Dance of the Dead, The Longest Day...), so if this CD is full of those I will be in heaven.

 

[Saladbar]

Obviously I come at Iron Maiden from a quite non-standard perspective, so I expect my view to be in the minority of Iron Maiden fandom.

Neil

I'm actually glad you're the one that has a lovefest with this album cause if *I* was the one that posted this it would be seen as crazy fanboy talk. Although I think you like the album lot more than I do.

 

[Qrusher14242]

i listened to it a few times...didnt care for it much. Bruce didnt sound too good sometimes. I like BNW way better than this one. The first tracks are just bad. if i ever listen again, i'll just skip those.

 

[Iced Dog]

I'm disappointed...just like AMOLAD, I'm not feeling this new style of Maiden...boring and plodding. I absolutely love Brave New World and Dance Of Death, perhaps they'll return to that style someday

 

[Sumeet]

I'm waiting until I get the CD in my hands on release day before I sit down and listen to it.

LOL... I almost had a Scanners-like head explosion when I read that line!

 

[euleria]

Apologies, this isn't related to this LP.... And we're not up to page 3 of the thread....

Interesting. I don't think I've ever purchased a disc that I felt I needed to edit myself.

I've been editing a lot of mp3s lately. Live concert recordings, mostly just snipping out the drum solos. (Wolfgang's Vault, anyone?)

Offhand I can't think of any studio albums I'd edit after ripping. I've had some recent albums whose production I disliked, but mostly for being too reverby or for using auto-tune. I'm not proficient enough to fix those sorts of flaws.

 

[The Fiddler]

Why do I get the sense that the hardcore Maiden fans are trying to force themselves to like this disc?

Why do I get the sense that all the hardcore naysayers are trying to force themselves to not like this disc (that is, if they have even listened to it)? :Smug:

As a Maiden fan, I'll wait to buy the actual compact disc (which hasn't been released yet), and listen to it on my stereo system before passing judgement on it (versus listening to compressed, leaked files through the speakers/headphones on my computer or iPod).