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Iron Maiden - The X Factor
I know what some of you are thinking. "BLASPHEMY! HERESY! NONSENSE! How could The X Factor be your favorite album of all fifteen Iron Maiden albums?" This album is the apex of an acquired taste. It obviously isn't for everyone from Bruce Dickinson fans all the way to metal fans in general. Blaze Bayley's voice is not Bruce Dickinson's and it isn't even close. I hated this album first few times I listened to it. It felt like nails on the chalkboard listening to a different voice with great musicians around him. However, with more and more listens the album grew on me. I'm not one for lyrics but this album struck a chord with me. Gone were the fantasy lyrics that were prevalent during the Golden Years." They were now replaced with real, gritty, dark lyrics that were sung wonderfully by the vocally limited Blaze Bayley. Songs about war, loneliness, and the questioning of a God are prevalent also songs that are based off a book (Lord of the Flies) and a film (Apocalypse Now.) The introspection of the album is a first for Iron Maiden at the time. This is an album you can play from beginning to end and never skip a track. If you could look past the different vocals of Blaze Bayley and appreciate it for what it is rather than what it should be based off past Maiden albums, you'll enjoy it! |
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2.
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Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
I was barely passing first year of Maiden fandom when this album was announced. I was giddy with joy to get this album that I went to Best Buy during my lunch hour during senior year of high school just to nab the CD to listen to it during class. Needless to say, I was hooked immediately. It was a bit more progressive, which I was for since I had recently also gotten into Dream Theater and Symphony X. Bruce Dickinson's voice, you can tell, has aged but it is a more refined like wine age. If his 1986 voice was in this album, it wouldn't do the same effect. This has similar themes as The X Factor did, but it is delivered with less to no introspection. That isn't a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. Songs like "The Legacy" and "For the Greater Good of God" are some of my favorite Maiden songs of all time. That's not to say this album doesn't have it's shortcomings. "The Longest Day" and "Out of the Shadows" are my lesser favorite songs on the album due to the former being a snooze fest and the latter sounding like something from Bruce Dickinson's solo works. From start to finish, it's an amazing listen of great muscianship regardless. I just wouldn't actively pick the two songs I mentioned prior to listen to. |
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3.
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Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
There is a funny story about this album and how I purchased it. I was in Disney World in Orlando when I found this album. I took my CD player everywhere so immediately after I bought it, popped it in, and WHAM! The intro to "Caught Somewhere in Time" blared and took me on a ride. Then, "Wasted Years" started playing and I fell in love. To this day, "Wasted Years" remains my favorite Iron Maiden song. The album itself is great and all but suffers from filler. Songs like "Deja Vu" and "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner," although fun to listen to, just didn't do it for me the way the other tracks did. Also, "Alexander the Great" wasn't the typical kind of closer Maiden song we have all grown accustomed to and was bit of a let down. I love this album regardless though and despite my nay-saying on the tracks above, they are still great songs to listen to in shuffle or from the start of the album to the very end. |
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4.
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Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
This album is equally loved similar to Somewhere in Time. Although it isn't "out there" like Somewhere in Time was and didn't have the effect on me like "Wasted Years" and "Caught...," it has shining moments. The concept of the album is alluring as listening the album from start to finish doesn't feel like a chore and the story is easy enough to comprehend. The title track is a masterpiece as well as "The Evil That Men Do." The other songs are great listens but arn't as endearing on their own as much as "Somewhere in Time." |
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5.
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Iron Maiden - Killers
There are albums that have songs that are all good listens on their own but when listened as a whole in an album, it is something special. Killers is one of those albums. Being the 2nd album in the Maiden discography and the first to feature Adrian Smith at guitar. This album just flows like wine all the way from The Ides of March to the closing track Drifter. Paul D'ianno (spelling?) has an amazing voice that fills greatly in every song because it is fast paced. Some songs are repetitive on their own and can't stick out on their own. In no way though am I saying the songs are bad because as a whole, they are all great! |
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6.
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Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast |
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7.
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Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death |
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8.
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Iron Maiden - Brave New World |
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9.
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Iron Maiden - Powerslave |
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10.
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Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier |
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11.
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Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind |
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12.
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Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden |
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13.
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Iron Maiden - Virtual XI |
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14.
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Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark |
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15.
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Iron Maiden - No Prayer For The Dying |
