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Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark review



Reviewer:
7.3

1861 users:
7.95
Band: Iron Maiden
Album: Fear Of The Dark
Release date: May 1992


Disc I
01. Be Quick Or Be Dead
02. From Here To Eternity
03. Afraid To Shoot Strangers
04. Fear Is The Key
05. Childhood's End
06. Wasting Love
07. The Fugitive
08. Chains Of Misery
09. The Apparition
10. Judas Be My Guide
11. Weekend Warrior
12. Fear Of The Dark

Disc II [1995 reissue bonus]
01. Nodding Donkey Blues
02. Space Station No. 5 [Montrose cover]
03. I Can't See My Feelings [Budgie cover]
04. Roll Over Vic Vella
05. No Prayer For The Dying [live]
06. Public Enema Number One [live]
07. Hooks In You [live]

Damn! How do you rate an album like this? 'Fear Of The Dark' must be one of the most uneven albums released, and for sure the most uneven Iron Maiden album. There are really two sides of this album, and before I can even talk about the rating I have to evaluate them.

First of all we have the good side. And it's a really good side. There are some tracks on 'Fear Of The Dark' which are just brilliant and deserve very high ratings. They are not only good, but also show that the band has developed, they have very well written lyrics and incredible solos - 'From Here To Eternity' contains my favourite Maiden solo ever. Other tracks that belong to this side are of course the title track, 'Afraid To Shoot Strangers' and 'Wasting Love', plus some other unknown tracks like 'Chains of Misery' and 'Judas Be My Guide' which I like a lot.

If there are two sides and one is good, then the other one has to be bad, which it unfortunately is. 'Fear Of The Dark' doesn't only contain some of the best later Maiden songs, it also contains some crap that is amongst the worst they've ever released. I find fillers on almost every Maiden album which is okay since they have written so much material, but the bad stuff is to bad here. 'Fear Is The Key', 'The Fugitive' and 'Weekend Warrior' are the only really bad tracks but I really despise them.

So, how do we rate then? If the good songs are worth 9-10 and the bad songs 4, the average should be somewhere around 7. I can't stop myself from thinking 'Hey, 'Somewhere In Time' only had 8 tracks - why didn't you excluded four fillers and made an album worth a 9'? Since there is more good stuff on the album and that stuff is really, really good, it stretches over 7. And I'd say it's worth buying for the good songs.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 8
Production: 8

Written by Spyroid | 28.07.2008




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Guest review by
omne metallum
Rating:
7.8
An album with a maligned reputation that has tarred some of the best songs the band ever produced with the same brush, Fear Of The Dark is more than just the title track; those who have written the album off as such are missing out in a big way. The album does have its flaws, but they are more than made up for in what it does right. If you are still sceptical then pause here and go listen to "Judas Be My Guide" right now?? Do you see what I mean having given just one song a go?

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published 15.04.2020 | Comments (2)


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 36   Visited by: 269 users
06.04.2011 - 14:28
RavenKing

Written by Angelic Storm on 06.04.2011 at 06:22

Although both albums are definitely the harshest Maiden albums from a vocal standpoint... there's not much difference between the 2, I don't think. His vocal style is similar on both albums. *shrugs*


He sucks ass on both albums. I would not qualify his performance as harsh, however. I would say it's simply awful, dull, uninspired.
Dickinson was loosing interest in Maiden at that time and it clearly shows in his sub-par vocal performance.
----
They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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27.04.2011 - 19:11
JeffreyAgente
Account deleted
''Fear Is The Key', 'The Fugitive' and 'Weekend Warrior' are the only really bad tracks but I really despise them."

Dude, you are crazy... these are some of the best album tracks! I do say that "Chilhood's End" and "The Apparation" are the bad songs.

Oh, and i rated it with a 9!
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27.04.2011 - 19:13
JeffreyAgente
Account deleted
Written by Spyroid on 29.07.2008 at 02:37

Written by Stuart on 29.07.2008 at 01:05

I couldn't disagree more, I think its one of their most consistent releases, I absolutely adore Weekend Warrior, my favourite on the album after the opener and the title track, it is like the anthem to so many peoples lives. Great album.


I consider Weekend Warrior to be their worst song ever together with 'Drifters' from Killers. I find the lyrics incredibly cheesy... I find it quite interesting that you like it, I've always been sure there's a fan of every Maiden song although I never found somebody who liked 'Weekend Warrior'


Hey, i liked so much Weekened Warrior... the only bad tracks here are "Childhood's End" and "The apparation"...
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28.04.2011 - 06:27
Rating: 10
Vikcen
Metálico
@Mauro[Jeffrey]Ag : Seriously? "Childhood's End" is a masterpiece, one of their best songs of their whole discography, it is absolutely epic this song.
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25.05.2011 - 14:09
Rating: 8
Nyoink

Written by Guest on 27.04.2011 at 19:13

Written by Spyroid on 29.07.2008 at 02:37

Written by Stuart on 29.07.2008 at 01:05

I couldn't disagree more, I think its one of their most consistent releases, I absolutely adore Weekend Warrior, my favourite on the album after the opener and the title track, it is like the anthem to so many peoples lives. Great album.


I consider Weekend Warrior to be their worst song ever together with 'Drifters' from Killers. I find the lyrics incredibly cheesy... I find it quite interesting that you like it, I've always been sure there's a fan of every Maiden song although I never found somebody who liked 'Weekend Warrior'


Hey, i liked so much Weekened Warrior... the only bad tracks here are "Childhood's End" and "The apparation"...

I agree about the apparation, though childhoond's end is awesome!
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25.05.2011 - 20:39
Cuca Beludo
Account deleted
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.07.2008 at 02:40

Written by Spyroid on 29.07.2008 at 02:37

Written by Stuart on 29.07.2008 at 01:05

I couldn't disagree more, I think its one of their most consistent releases, I absolutely adore Weekend Warrior, my favourite on the album after the opener and the title track, it is like the anthem to so many peoples lives. Great album.


I consider Weekend Warrior to be their worst song ever together with 'Drifters' from Killers.


worst Maiden song ever is without a doubt Bring Your Daughter To Slaughter


No more lies is even worst.
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