Rating

A

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Heavy riffs
  • Timeless lyrics, as always
  • Just the right amount of songs
  • Epic length of some songs
Cons
  • Nothing, to be honest...

A Matter Of Life And Death (Iron Maiden)

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Summary

Iron Maiden's darkest and heaviest album yet...

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Description

Every time Iron Maiden comes out with a new album it is HIGHLY anticipated. For the past 2 albums before this, they have created a new sound for each album as they have been since they began their career. It seems they mashed all their ideas into one dark and heavy album. Every one of Maiden's members were at the top of their game. Most notably Nicko McBrain, who basically drummed his ass off on the album...no doubt about it. The album has themes having to do with war and religion in the songs.

The album's opening song "Different World" is a very strong song for a single. For the previous 2 albums before this, Iron Maiden has had a strong single for each (Brave New World's "The Wickerman" and Dance Of Death's "Wildest Dreams").

Even though the album has 10 songs, it is full of epically long songs, like "For The Greater Good Of God" and "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns". As every Maiden fan knows, epic songs are essential for every Maiden album. Without them, it would never be one.

"These Colours Don't Run" is said to be another song about war, but fans who witnessed the Ozzfest incident of 2005 beg to differ. Lead singer Bruce Dickinson was said to have made this remark as a stance that their mightiness in the heavy metal world will never be brought down. "The Legacy" has an amazing acoustic intro and is probably one of the strongest songs on the album. At 9 minutes long, it is truly an epic song that shows why Iron Maiden has been around for all these years.

"Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" and "The Longest Day" are about the horrors of the World War II era while "Lord Of Light" and "For The Greater Good Of God" have a religious feel to them. All songs on the album have somewhat of a historical background to them.

The second single for the album "The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg" is probably Iron Maiden's second weakest single in since their early years with Paul Di'Anno, according to fans. It still has a heavy riff to it to make it stand out a bit. "Out Of The Shadows" is another weak song on the album since it is considered one of Maiden's few 'power ballads', but it is still an amazing song nonetheless.

Overall, I give the album an A. I'm a huge Iron Maiden fan, there is no way that I could give them anything worse. The album was one of their best attempts to get recognized in the world as a leading heavy metal band. It was the first time the band hit top 10 in the United States and hitting top 20 in 34 countries. They are true legends and proved it with this musical masterpiece.

Up The Irons!

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