Written by Angel Of Mercy on 23.09.2009 at 00:10

Better than Fear Of The Dark? ok, In my opinion No prayer is the weakest with Dickinson on vocals, they tried to achive there "classic" sound. And I felt that it didn't really work.

Nah man thats BS I enjoyed No Prayer .. way more than Brave New World and AMOLAD
sorry..

I like Fear Of The Dark less than No Prayer...

maybe i would even call FOTD weakest album with Dickinson...for me

I guess, everyones entitled to an opinion, even me! lol

Written by Angel Of Mercy on 27.09.2009 at 21:34

I guess, everyones entitled to an opinion, even me! lol

Lol Yeah you're right on that

Written by Angel Of Mercy on 30.09.2009 at 14:07

Ok that was posting for the fun of it... wasnt it lol ?

Lol is this -

Guib yeah I was posting for the fun of it. And for the fact I couldn't think of anything to say.

Ellrohir is right though! even I make mistakes lol

I actually really like No Prayer For The Dying, I think this album is totally underated, I enjoy every second of it!

Fear of the dark one of my favorite maiden albums

I would say "No Prayer For the Dying" is the less awful album Maiden released in the 90s.
"Fear Of The Dark" has a few good songs but it's way too inconsistent. Some very crappy songs on this album + I hate the sound.
But everything Maiden released after "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" sucks donkey balls, from my point of view.

Written by thewall30 on 20.01.2010 at 03:29

I actually really like No Prayer For The Dying, I think this album is totally underated, I enjoy every second of it!

I think the exactly same thing about that album!

"Fear Of The Dark" was the first time for anyway, that Maiden's quality really started slipping. Not that there arent some really great songs on the album, but it's inconsistent, and patchy. "Be Quick Or Be Dead" and "Afraid To Shoot Strangers" are amazing songs, whilst the title track is rightly regarded as a classic. I also love "Judas Be My Guide", and think its one of Maiden's most underrated numbers. Songs like "Weekend Warrior" though (which sounds like a cast-off from Bruce's first solo album. ) are really average, and quite dull.

"The X Factor" actually contains some pretty stellar stuff, and though Blaze is a far inferior vocalist to Bruce, his voice actually suits the darker vibe of the album's material. Though this album does have the dubious honour of featuring probably the Maiden track I dislike most. "Fortunes Of War". Which could be used as a cure for insomnia. lol

"Virtual XI"s biggest problem, is repetitiveness in some songs, with "The Angel And The Gambler", and "Dont Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger", being the worst offenders. Its like Steve was having to resort to being repetitiive to string songs out, whereas his previous epics never did that...

Written by Angelic Storm on 01.01.2011 at 13:01

"Fear Of The Dark" was the first time for anyway, that Maiden's quality really started slipping. Not that there arent some really great songs on the album, but it's inconsistent, and patchy. "Be Quick Or Be Dead" and "Afraid To Shoot Strangers" are amazing songs, whilst the title track is rightly regarded as a classic. I also love "Judas Be My Guide", and think its one of Maiden's most underrated numbers. Songs like "Weekend Warrior" though (which sounds like a cast-off from Bruce's first solo album. ) are really average, and quite dull.

Extremely inconsistent. A few good songs, yes. But the bad songs are not only bad: they are beyond awful. "From Here To Eternity", "Fear Is The Key", "Wasting Love", "Chains Of Misery", "The Apparition" and "Weekend Warrior" all suck so bad it is a pain to hear this puke-inducing crap.

Written by Angelic Storm on 01.01.2011 at 13:01

"The X Factor" actually contains some pretty stellar stuff, and though Blaze is a far inferior vocalist to Bruce, his voice actually suits the darker vibe of the album's material. Though this album does have the dubious honour of featuring probably the Maiden track I dislike most. "Fortunes Of War". Which could be used as a cure for insomnia. lol

"Fortunes Of War" is indeed an exercise in boredom. The entire album is. 71 minutes of excrutiatingly dull music that drags on and on, with cringe-inducing vocals.
But the album would have sucked, Blaze or not. There is simply nothing worth listening to.
"Suits the darker vibe", you say? Sorry but I never saw this so-called darker vibe some people claim this album has. It only has a shitty vibe, if you ask me. Also, Blaze sucks and can't stay in tune for the sake of his life.
For me, this album is an auditive atrocity.

Written by Angelic Storm on 01.01.2011 at 13:01

"Virtual XI"s biggest problem, is repetitiveness in some songs, with "The Angel And The Gambler", and "Dont Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger", being the worst offenders. Its like Steve was having to resort to being repetitiive to string songs out, whereas his previous epics never did that...

"Virtual XI"s has only one problem: it exists. I don't know how a band can be fucked up enough to record and release this musical abomination and believe it is any good.
The repetitiveness you mention is quite dumb and a complete lack of inspiration.

I actually really like Fear of the Dark

Fear of the Dark is actually a good album. Be Quick or Be Dead, From Here to Eternity, Afraid to Shoot Strangers, Childhoods End, Chains of misery, Judas be my Guide, and the title track are all fine tunes. That's seven good songs, which while not the quality of their 80's albums, still makes for a fine collection of songs. The problem with the album is that the bad decided to record a bunch of useless songs, simply because the then new inention of the c.d allowed them to. The X factor comes a close second-It just lacks the standouts like Afraid to Shoot Strangers and the title track.

The only album I dislike from the 90´s is no prayer for the dying thingy.....it doen't have one song i like...not even half a song is good

Fear, and I think Brave New World is way better than No Prayer.

I like No Prayer.... maybe because the songs in this album is so less to be heard nowdays. Mother Russia, No Prayer for the Dying is a good song. The X Factor is also has its moments.

All the 90's albums have their moments. None capture the greatness of the 80's material and the 00's material would be better but 90's Maiden is seriously underrated. No Prayer for the Dying is my favourite of the 90's stuff as it has more songs I enjoy and in places still has that vibe I really enjoyed on Seventh Son. Fear of the Dark is probably my least favourite because Maidens worst songs are on this album. Sure it has Be Quick or Be Dead and the classic title track, but most of the others are really dire. I liked the Blaze-era even if it is the worse period for the band. The repetitiveness became annoying and the addition of Blaze Bayley just wasn't a good fit (as much as I DO like him). X Factor is a really good dark album with some great songs, and Virtual XI suffered on song writing, production and consistency levels.

So, best = No Prayer for the Dying
X Factor comes second
Virtual XI comes third, but only because it slightly more bearable that FotD overall
Worst = Fear of the Dark

Written by Silent Jay on 19.04.2011 at 15:32

90's Maiden is seriously underrated

On the contrary, I find it quite overrated nowadays. I remember how it was almost universally considered as crap in the 90s. And rightfully so.

Fear of the Dark
The X Factor

Written by blacktooth85 on 02.04.2011 at 06:07

I actually really like Fear of the Dark

Me too

Written by [user id=41780] on 20.05.2011 at 16:48

Written by blacktooth85 on 02.04.2011 at 06:07

I actually really like Fear of the Dark

Me too

Me three

Damn this is like choosing which finger i would like to have cut off.... If i had a gun to my head id probably go with Fear of the dark. Some good songs but overall a mediocre release, sums up 90's maiden perfectly IMO.

Bruce Dickinson is greatest but X Factor is better than FOTD and NPFD so I vote for X Factor.
Worst is Virtual.

I really enjoy the X Factor the most, though Fear of the Dark comes at a very close second.

X Factor is definitely my favorite, Sign of the Cross is a glorious epic. Fear of the Dark is like second best for me.

It's so funny how this very old thread of mine pops up from time to time.
I was saying in the initial post (6 years ago already ) that I like'em all ; I don't these days, NPFTD and FOTD are patchy and uneven and Virtual XI is IM worst work. I still enjoy listening to X Factor from time to time though (there went my vote) .

In order:
1. The X Factor
2. Fear of the Dark
3. No Prayer for the Dying
4. Virtual XI