The big change happened here, and listening back to the album time and time again, it's clear what Bruce brings to solidify their sound. Bruce came on strong with an in-your-face ripper, and an underrated Miaden song, as this song does not get as much love as the other live staples from this album. It's one of my favorite songs from this album. The dark power ballad "Children of the Damned" finds a new snese of melody and dynamic being embraced in a way that only Bruce could have made possible, despite the band having already ventured in this direction with Paul. Beuce brought the intensity we now know as being metal into the song.
I have always loved the syncopation of the drums leading into "The Prisoner," it's one of the album's best grooves. This song also shines a spotlight on the fact that when it comes to metal guitar solos, Miaden does it right by not just wanking off with shredding but using it to build on the melodic themes of their songs. Part 2 of the Charlotte saga continues on "22 Arcaia Ave ". This is darker than what they did on the "Killers." Then there is the title track, which is one of the best songs of all time, and has some tricky timing in the verses.
What do I need to say about "Run to the Hills" aside from the fact that it's an iconic metal anthem? If you have heard any Maiden song, it has to have been that one. "Gangland" is my least favorite song on this album, but it still holds its own against their legacy. "Hallowed By Thy Name" closes the album in the most perfect manner possible. They took the epic songwriting formula they had been fine-tuning on the previous albums and made it bigger and darker. This is beyond being just a perfect album and hit a place that changed the shape of metal. I will give it the rare 11, setting it alongside the best albums ever made.
This band from France is, in some ways, like a more high-speed Kamelot. The vocals are the kind of dramatic yodelling that some times allwos it's over the top delivery to sacrfice the hooks in favor of vibrato and power, which might be why I do not give new musicc like this much of a chance and tend to stick to the classics who were not influenced by other metal bands but rock or prog bands so they jsut added the metal to the equation rather than trying to emmulaqte it. I guess Helloween is the first band that I noticed was trying to be like another metal band in this regard. The Iron Maiden influence was obvious, though now listening back, I can hear some Scorpions. With these, Queensryche and Iron Maiden are the big ones, but their gallop needs to be dialed up to fully capture the epic quality.
These guys are releasing this album themselves so there are some budget constraints in the production, though the layers of vocals were given some love as they still manage a very larger-than-life sound until it gets to things like guitar solos that are sometimes sitting back in the mix rather than stepping into the spotlight. 'Walls of Past" is the first song where it feels like the barrage gets chaotic until the layers of guitars settle in. Less is more when it comes to this sort of thing, and when they give the vocals room to not have to yodel over things, it works best. Maybe 10 bpms slower would have benefited them and made it have more purpose. It feels like they are all over the place here.
"Tell Me Why" has a similar energy as the previous song, but a little more purpose, and the vocals benefit from this. Though another problem is revealed in the chorus, as it sounds too bright and is not dark enough for me. The lyrics are not that great either. If you want a band that will dedicate a section of a song to a guitar solo, these guys are for you. There is a more Iron Maiden-like sound to "Rise Again," but it brings that Helloween feel to mind. Sure, this guy can hit high notes, but I would be more impressed by hearing some low ones as well; it's not range if that is all you do.
"As Darkness Falls" should certainly feel darker, but will it ?" Well marginally. The vocals are grandiose but not catchy like something Maiden would do that gets stuck in your head, though this is an improvement, and perhaps the best song so far. A beefier guitar tone would also benefit these guys, though I know they like this one for the shredding. 'The End of the Road" finds them slowing it down enough to gain more purpose. This makes it another one of the album's strongest songs, as they are approaching things with more wisdom as the slower build creates the dynamic Overall they did a good job of making the album they wanted to make on the budget they had, so for that I will give this album an 8 as they are formidible musicians. .
This is an important album for the band as it featured Adrian Smith, as well as being the first to be produced by Martin Birch. After the instrumental intro "Ides of March' they start kicking as with "Wrathchild", which might be the best of the Paul era songs. Paul's voice has more command here. The bass line also carries more grit. "Murders in the Rue Morgue" is more grandiose. At just over four minutes, they pack a bunch into this song. The verses are almost more punk-paced, where the chorus has a more signature Iron Maiden hook. Harris' bass playing is the obvious backbone that sets the stage for what was to come here.
Smith and Murray's guitar harmonies are more fluid on this album than on the debut, with Dennis. "Another Life" finds Clive Burr's playing more confident. Riff-wise, these themes would get a more aggressive re-exploration with the feel of the "Powerslave" album that would come about years later."Genghis Khan" finds them locked in what we now think of as a variation of the Iron Maiden gallop. It's a compact instrumental under four minutes. Despite the opening bass line, "Innocent Exile" is more of a rock song. Di'Anno brings more of a swagger here.
The title track is a little darker. It is also the only song Paul is credited with co-writing with Harris. Some of the album's best lyrics are featured here. "Prodigal Son" is more of a ballad, which finds strummed guitars rather prominent and some of the album's best guitar solos. It is one of Paul's best vocal performances. "Purgatory" is one of the album's faster songs, with a frantic bass line moving it. "Drifter" is another more rock-oriented song, but it works with the mood of this album, which did not find the band in a total metal prog direction yet.
Some Asian kids based in Atlanta are trying to crank out metla that is rooted in the 80s. The vocals make me concerned about how easy it is going to be for me to make it through this album. They are this band's weak link. The guitar harmonies are their strength, though I like the raw Combat Records feel to the sound captured here that strikes me as being legit. There is a more Judas Priest-like sound for the guitars on "Marching Maniacs". Lyrically, it's terrible, and the guitars are really the only thing keeping me invested. The vocals are even grittier than the previous song, though it is clear this guy can't actually sing, as it is more spoken with a mock attitude.
The drums could stand to come up in the mix and add some heft to their sound. There is a more thrash feel to the taunt riff that keeps " A Talkonautic Alchemist' moving. The vocals go up higher and sound not only strained but also very pitchy. When the vocals attempt to harmonize, it makes it even more apparent just how out of key they are. It almsot sounds like Elmer Fudd doing Iron Maiden karaoke. The guitar solos are the best part, but not something you can hang a whole song from. The only similarity to Iron Maiden is the fact that they, too, have an eponymous song. The vocals are more snarled here as they move in a thrashing direction. The melodious section of the song would have worked better with real vocals.
"Nomadic Warfare" brings a more aggressive hug to life. I am cautious to get excited for anything, as it can anticipate the vocals coming in to ruin things. They wait for a minute and a half to do that, but they are pretty god-awful. There is a more melodic tension to the title track. The taunt palm muted riffs work well. If these guys were smart, they would have leaned more into the harsher vocal sound, as nothing is saving this singer. Midway through this song, there is a cool riff that feels like it belongs on a Dio album. They close the album with the twelve-minute-long."Bizarre Pilgrimage to the Cubik Mansion" Three and a half minutes into it, they go in a weirder, darker direction. It reminds me of Celtic Frost, which should also give you a glimpse into how the vocals on this album work, because often they sound like Tom Warrior trying to cover Judas Priest. They have potential as a band; they just need to get an actual singer and find a producer willing to work with them and help dial these sounds in. I will give this one a 7.
The Miami-based goth project continues their journey away from their death rock beginnings into somewhere new yet not far removed from the more new wave sound they expanded upon with 2024's "Resolution of Happiness." On the lead single for this EP, "Dry Shampoo X," there is more of an explosive rock element to contrast how the album opens with a more kaleidoscopic new wave sound that pulls from different corners of the 80s without being pinned down to any of them.
The first darker moment does not come until "Lemon Yellow Tangerine," which carries a creepy more ethereal glaze, while the verses carry more open space for the vocals to wander, then plead longingly at the chorus, making this the best song thus far. Not that I did not enjoy the previous two songs, but this is just more of what I want from this band. The reverbed ring of the guitar adds to the cold goth ache. If you miss their earlier goth days, then it delivers what you want it to.
They included a revamped version of the "Unisex Games" single released last year, so it's good to have that song included here. I like this song more in this format than when it was released as a single last year. "Miss Rain On My Parade" is more up-to-date and is another single that was released last year, being released on this album, which is good to have for the collection. It's upbeat, but not as hooky as "Unisex Games". The last song, "I Lack Nutrition," finds the band going back toward the more 80s sounded synth driven sounds. I like how his vocals are produced here, they mix the guitar further in the back so it's more of a texture, and his vocals feel more likea Gary Numan thing is going on, which is not the first time this has come to mind since it first arose on the last album. I will give this album a 9.5, putting it toward the top of the heap when it comes to goth so far this year. I like that overall the mood is darker and more melancholy than the previous album.
This 1980 classic redefined Heavy Metal with a sound that carried an even more punkish aggression than Judas Priest, but also the songwriting smarts of progressive. Steve Harris and Dave Murray, the only original members who played on this, are also in the current incarnation of the band. Drummer Clive Burr had a raw, energetic style that would evolve, with Harris' bass playing the most nuanced element in a song like "Sanctuary." The twin harmony parts that we now think of when it comes to this band were not at the forefront.
Paul Di'Anno's vocal style is grittier than Dickinson's more operatic belting, but he worked well for what the band was doing at the time, which was not far removed from bands like Thin Lizzy. Murray's playing feels more dominant than Dennis Stratton's. The yare both following the wandering path Harris leads them down on the power ballad "Remember Tomorrow," which also shows that Paul can actually sing really well when he puts his mind to it, though his voice breaks into falsetto way before Bruce's. Midway into the song, they are the gallop we know them for.
The more upbeat "Running Free" follows the formula for what would become their anthemic arena rousing side. It remained one of their live staples. "Phantom of the Opera" is more overtly progressive than the other songs up to this point. The guitar solo on this is clearly a Murray, as it showcases his melodic phrashing. Dennis is handling the higher background vocals, a role Adrian Smith would later take on. The instrumental "Transylvania" was written by Steve Harris for his previous band Smiler. It has faster riffs that would go on to inspire thrash bands to come. "Strange World" is another strong ballad that Paul shines on. Perhaps even more than "Remember Tomorrow". There are more interesting guitar tones and phrases on this one as well.
The more in your face "Charlotte the Harlot" is the first of four songs Dave Murray would write about this prostitute that he claims is based on a true story. I like the melodic middle section of this one. The album closes with the eponymous theme song, which they still play live. I will give this album a 10; it's one of the strongest debuts from a metal band. I would rank above the debuts of Priest, Slayer, and Metallica.
For a while I have been brainstorming ways to dedicate a month to heavy metal in the more traditional sense and being that May is my birth month it only makes sense that it should be dedicated to Heavy Metal, since it was the first genre of music I was into as a kid as my earliest beginnings as a music fant started with Kiss, Alice Cooper, Ozzy, Iron Maiden and Motely Crue. Yeah, I think it's fair to count the first two Motley Crue albums as metal. Granted, over the years, the definition of metal has changed from the 80s to now.
So for the first annual Maytal Month, I'm going to review every single Iron Maiden album that I have not yet reviewed here. Might not be as long a list as you think, since I have already reviewed these
So that is 6 of their 17 albums, and Hell, I might just throw somebody like Dio in as well, along with more traditional metal bands, which might include things more along the lines of thrash and power metal, which spawned from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Not saying that I am not going to continue my coverage of the more extreme sub-genres, I'm just not placing more focus on death metal, black metal and doom, since those all have their own month dedciated to them. I feel like there is a great deal of more traditional metal out there that gets overlooked since the focus seems to fall on those or the related sub-genres like sludge, which gets covered during our doom month in November. So I'm not just going to focus on the classics, but new music that falls into this more epic and melodic point from which the genre is rooted in.
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