Iron Maiden Album Reviews (Part 2: The 90s)
WORDS: Ross Donald
As you’ll come to find out, they had a bit of trouble during this decade, as they went through some major lineup and stylistic changes. It’s so strange looking at the 80s and 90s periods back to back as it’s like looking at the before and after photos on a botched cosmetic surgery just wondering what went wrong. And that’s coming from a fan that has three tattoos of the band. But more on that later. Let’s get into the albums from the 90s first.
The recording of Maiden's eighth studio album firstly began in a bit of a sombre way as we have the first lineup change since 1982. Longtime guitarist Adrian Smith left the band as he didn’t agree with the direction the band was going. As will be shown throughout the rest of this review, I don’t blame him at all... As if this wasn't enough, a few months before this album’s release, Bruce Dickinson released his first solo album with Tattooed Millionaire and it seems that his head was elsewhere during recording as a result. Changing things up even further, Dickinson would then bring Janick Jers (the guitarist for his solo work) to replace Adrian.
After that song though, there aren’t too many memorable songs. They try a ballad with ‘Wasting Love’ but it just doesn’t work for me as it goes on a bit too long and is pretty forgettable. Maiden should not be trying to write love songs. Ever. A couple of tracks are thankfully a bit more memorable, like ‘Childhood’s End’, and ‘The Apparition’. Even though I’ve listened to this album a ton over the years, I always forget how the others go though. That’s how memorable they really are. ‘Judas Be My Guide’ ends up being a little hidden gem amongst the roughage though. Even at only 3 minutes long, it deserves another listen as it’s an energetic little track with a killer chorus. Add this one to the "majorly underrated" list.
Continuing this more positive streak, the final title track is of course just freaking dynamite. This is such a killer song and has become a true Maiden classic to boot. I don’t even think I need to say much about it, it's so well known and revered. If you haven't seen live footage of this track though, just search for the Rock in Rio 2001 performance. Listening to 200,000 people singing along to this killer track will give you a greater sense of appreciation for the song. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing this one in person twice and I would happily welcome a third time. It’s a rite of passage for all metal
Before I get to my thoughts on the overall album, I have to also add here that I think this is the darkest album the band ever released, due in part to the fact that Steve Harris was going through some personal issues. Another big difference is the fact that this is the first time since the debut album that Martin Birch did not produce the album as he had retired from the business. So this time round, bassist Steve Harris took charge of production alongside Nigel Green. I can't say it really went well here, as the messy approach feels pretty detrimental to almost every song on here.
Take the first song ‘Sign of the Cross’ for example. It’s well known at this point that this is an epic masterpiece of a Maiden track and one of the best they’ve ever done. But you wouldn’t really know that from the recording here. I’ve listened to this version so many times and I struggle to enjoy it. There’s just no sense of energy or urgency that you would expect from Maiden. Everything sounds so quiet when the sound should be ramped up to the max. Even poor Blaze Bayley (who seemed like he was really trying), sounds like he was recorded from the first take without a re-do. It’s really a mess and this feel pretty much persists throughout the album. Do yourself a favour and find the Rock In Rio live version, with Bruce singing as this is how this wonderful song was meant to be heard. I was even privileged enough to have experienced this song live and I was memorised by the performance. It deserves better than this recorded version.
The next couple of big singles suffer the same issue, as ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘Man on the Edge’ sound so much better on live albums that were released later on. Both of these tracks just lack that classic Maiden energy that’s just so crucial to their sound which is another shame as these are 2 damn great tracks worth checking out. There are at least a couple of hidden gems on here worth checking out since there’s no other way to listen to them, such as ‘Fortunes of War’ which starts slow and just ramps up the tension and speed til the very end, or ‘Judgement of Heaven’ and ‘Blood on the World’s Hands’ that show up with surprisingly catchy choruses and finally some ripping guitar solos to sink your teeth into. The rest of the songs do come across as decent but mostly filler as they are pretty forgettable, especially album closer ‘The Unbeliever’ which did not need to be 8 minutes in length. Just boring.
This is a hard one to give an overall view on given that it’s such a mess. Most of the songs are good to great for the most part, but the lacklustre production really lets them down and the bigger tracks can be heard on better live albums. They did try here, but unfortunately it might just go down as the mighty Maiden’s worst album yet. Did I mention that it’s over 70 minutes in length? Yeah that’s a deal breaker right there
Tracks to check out: 'Sign of the Cross', 'Lord of the Flies', 'Man on the Edge'
Oh boy… This album... This is pretty much universally considered by Maiden fans to be the worst album they ever released. And this is where the angry mob comes after me. Not only do I disagree that it’s the worst album, but I believe that it’s the best album they released in the 90s, period. Let me explain why.
First off, we have Steve Harris and Nigel Green heading up production once again. Yet, it seems they learned their lesson from last time. The production here is not perfect for sure, but at least I’m not thinking about it during every song like the ones in The X Factor. Here Blaze’s voice is much more pronounced and while it’s still lacking a bit of that vital sense of energy, it’s much more enjoyable this time around.
Even with the first track 'Futureal', there’s a feeling of relief that the Maiden of old has made a return as it just tears your ear drums apart with some absolutely ripping solos. This is without a doubt one of the most energetic opening tracks the band have ever done. It’s just a shame that the following song, 'The Angel and the Gambler' is probably the worst song the band has ever put to tape. Yes it’s that bad, and I think it’s the sole reason why this album is despised as much as it is. It’s pretty much a meme at this point with how much that awful chorus is repeated. The fact that it’s almost 10 minutes in length as well really doesn’t help as it just feels never-ending. A real misstep by the band.
Thankfully once that song is over, we have a pretty kickass album to go through. There are so many underrated tracks here that I truly believe deserve another look. Big hitters like ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ and ‘The Educated Fool’ pack a punch with their big singalong choruses and the fact that they bring back that iconic twin guitar sound is an additional cherry on top. The album closer ‘Como Estais Amigos’ is a rare emotional ballad-like track from the band but it does feel very powerful. The fact that it pays respects to the fallen soldiers of both sides of the Falklands War really brings a sense of realism to the whole thing as well. The best song on the record though does have to go to ‘The Clansman’. This is a definite Maiden classic and as a proud Scotsman, of course it’s one of my favourites. The song was inspired by the movie Braveheart and so of course we have a massive chorus of shouting “Freedom” which gives me chills every time I hear it. Just a tremendously epic track that gives you more and more after each listen. I’d also recommend listening to the Rock in Rio version of this track as having a gigantic crowd sing along is something to behold and it further enhances the experience.
Overall, I do believe this is an unfairly overlooked album that deserves a second chance in the spotlight. Even if you just aren’t used to Blaze Bayley as the frontman, it’s still worth trying again. Just skip ‘The Angel and the Gambler’ and you’ll be fine... While it still doesn’t hold up to the classic albums of the 80s, it still has its place in the band's discography. Here, it finally felt the band had a true direction to go in as the new millennium approached. Just as some major changes were brewing as well...
But more on that in the final part of this Iron Maiden special next time!
Tracks to check out: 'Futureal', 'The Clansman', 'Como Estais Amigos', 'The Educated Fool'
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8) No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
The recording of Maiden's eighth studio album firstly began in a bit of a sombre way as we have the first lineup change since 1982. Longtime guitarist Adrian Smith left the band as he didn’t agree with the direction the band was going. As will be shown throughout the rest of this review, I don’t blame him at all... As if this wasn't enough, a few months before this album’s release, Bruce Dickinson released his first solo album with Tattooed Millionaire and it seems that his head was elsewhere during recording as a result. Changing things up even further, Dickinson would then bring Janick Jers (the guitarist for his solo work) to replace Adrian.
Musically, the band didn’t have much direction at this time either, so they decided to go back to the raw sound of their self-titled debut for something a bit different. Looking back, it really wasn’t the best idea. I mean how do you go from the massive high of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son to this? It was always going to be hard to make it work and in the end, they just weren’t able to.
Bruce’s voice is one of the more disappointing aspects of this album as it never really has a chance to soar like it usually does and his more raspy voice here makes him sound like he’s trying to sound like former Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno. And it just doesn’t suit him at all.
As for the songs, it’s not all bad. But there aren’t any classic standouts like you would expect- just songs that can be classed as ‘decent’. In the end, I’m here for the cheese more than anything. Oh yes, this album has more cheese than a Wallace and Gromit animation. Maiden do have their cheese-laden moments (looking at you, 'Wasted Years'). But this whole album takes the (cheese)cake. I mean look at ‘Holy Smoke’. I love this song but only because it makes me laugh. Just look at this opening line; keeping in mind that this song is about corrupt TV evangelical priests taking money from gullible religious people:
As for the songs, it’s not all bad. But there aren’t any classic standouts like you would expect- just songs that can be classed as ‘decent’. In the end, I’m here for the cheese more than anything. Oh yes, this album has more cheese than a Wallace and Gromit animation. Maiden do have their cheese-laden moments (looking at you, 'Wasted Years'). But this whole album takes the (cheese)cake. I mean look at ‘Holy Smoke’. I love this song but only because it makes me laugh. Just look at this opening line; keeping in mind that this song is about corrupt TV evangelical priests taking money from gullible religious people:
“Believe in me and send no money, I died on the cross and that ain’t funny”
Such a weird line. That riff after the chorus is pretty great though so it receives a pass from me.
Other ‘highlights’ include the title track. This is a bit more of a ballad with some heavier elements thrown in so it’s not bad. While 'Tailgunner' is another decent track that is quite a fun album opener and shares some similarities to the classic 'Aces High' with its World War 2 subject matter, it doesn't really hold a candle to such an epic track. 'Hooks in You’ gets a bad rap from fans, but I quite enjoy it as it has a catchy as hell chorus that’ll stay in your head for quite a while afterwards. Even if the innuendos are pretty awful... (“Hooks in you, hooks in me, hooks in the ceiling for that well hung feeling, no big deal, no big sin, strung up on love I got the hooks screwed in”, for example). For a band that is well known for their fantasy epics, this more sleazy style of songwriting really doesn’t suit them.
Other ‘highlights’ include the title track. This is a bit more of a ballad with some heavier elements thrown in so it’s not bad. While 'Tailgunner' is another decent track that is quite a fun album opener and shares some similarities to the classic 'Aces High' with its World War 2 subject matter, it doesn't really hold a candle to such an epic track. 'Hooks in You’ gets a bad rap from fans, but I quite enjoy it as it has a catchy as hell chorus that’ll stay in your head for quite a while afterwards. Even if the innuendos are pretty awful... (“Hooks in you, hooks in me, hooks in the ceiling for that well hung feeling, no big deal, no big sin, strung up on love I got the hooks screwed in”, for example). For a band that is well known for their fantasy epics, this more sleazy style of songwriting really doesn’t suit them.
Of course ‘Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter’ is the big hit from this album and even ended up as Maiden’s first and only number 1 single. It’s just a shame that the song doesn’t hold up too well nowadays. It was originally intended as a Bruce Dickinson solo track for Nightmare on Elm Street 5 but Maiden ended up taking it on for some reason. It is pretty catchy at least but will get old after more than a few listens. Believe me.
Overall, this isn’t a terrible album but it’s not one really worth going back to either and it’s quite easily the worst Maiden album up to this point (and arguably one of the weakest in their entire back catalogue). While there are some enjoyable tracks, there’s nothing too memorable and there's just way too many filler tracks that I end up just skipping over if I ever decide to listen again. Come for the cheese only and then leave for better Maiden works afterwards.
Tracks to check out: 'Holy Smoke', 'No Prayer for the Dying', 'Hooks in You'
And then we make our way to this album which is considered the hidden gem which contains the best song of this period for Maiden by many fans. I’m still on the fence about that idea, but I’ll get to that later... There's not too much to say about the band around this time when compared to the last album as nothing had really changed other than the artwork not being designed by Derek Riggs for the first time. While it’s still a kick ass cover, future covers would go on to suffer as you’ll soon see...
Overall, this isn’t a terrible album but it’s not one really worth going back to either and it’s quite easily the worst Maiden album up to this point (and arguably one of the weakest in their entire back catalogue). While there are some enjoyable tracks, there’s nothing too memorable and there's just way too many filler tracks that I end up just skipping over if I ever decide to listen again. Come for the cheese only and then leave for better Maiden works afterwards.
Tracks to check out: 'Holy Smoke', 'No Prayer for the Dying', 'Hooks in You'
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9) Fear of the Dark (1992)
And then we make our way to this album which is considered the hidden gem which contains the best song of this period for Maiden by many fans. I’m still on the fence about that idea, but I’ll get to that later... There's not too much to say about the band around this time when compared to the last album as nothing had really changed other than the artwork not being designed by Derek Riggs for the first time. While it’s still a kick ass cover, future covers would go on to suffer as you’ll soon see...
In terms of musical and thematic direction, the album is quite unclear once more. While I do enjoy the album, it feels like they were making a record for the sake of making one. For some reason, they kept the more raw edge of ‘No Prayer’s production, while also mixing it up with their more classic songwriting formula (to somewhat mixed results). Fear of the Dark happened to contain the most songs and featured the longest runtime for a Maiden album up to that point. As will be described below, I can’t help but feel like they were just throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck most of the time. Even if they did manage to pull out a couple of classics for the first time since ‘Seventh Son’...
Starting things off strongly then, 'Be Quick or Be Dead’ is a damn fine opener as it’s one of the heavier songs that Maiden have ever released. It gives an impactful first impression, especially when compared to the more mediocre ‘Tailgunner’ on the previous record. ‘From Here to Eternity’ is a decent and catchy track to follow this. Someone once mentioned that it sounds a lot like a track AC/DC would write though and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Make of that what you will. The next track, ‘Afraid to Shoot Strangers’, is my favourite on the record and is an all-time Maiden classic in my book. Here, it feels like the band is back on top form even if it’s only for just under seven minutes. The song is just gorgeous. It begins with quite a quiet sombre tone, but as soon as that angelic guitar riff kicks in, I’m just in heaven. If that wasn’t enough, the faster section brings back that classic Maiden gallop that's been missing from the band for a while, and you just find yourself moshing along as a result. If you’ve never heard this one before, I’d urge you to give it a try.
After that song though, there aren’t too many memorable songs. They try a ballad with ‘Wasting Love’ but it just doesn’t work for me as it goes on a bit too long and is pretty forgettable. Maiden should not be trying to write love songs. Ever. A couple of tracks are thankfully a bit more memorable, like ‘Childhood’s End’, and ‘The Apparition’. Even though I’ve listened to this album a ton over the years, I always forget how the others go though. That’s how memorable they really are. ‘Judas Be My Guide’ ends up being a little hidden gem amongst the roughage though. Even at only 3 minutes long, it deserves another listen as it’s an energetic little track with a killer chorus. Add this one to the "majorly underrated" list.
Continuing this more positive streak, the final title track is of course just freaking dynamite. This is such a killer song and has become a true Maiden classic to boot. I don’t even think I need to say much about it, it's so well known and revered. If you haven't seen live footage of this track though, just search for the Rock in Rio 2001 performance. Listening to 200,000 people singing along to this killer track will give you a greater sense of appreciation for the song. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing this one in person twice and I would happily welcome a third time. It’s a rite of passage for all metal
fans out there.
All in all then, I find Fear of the Dark to be a pretty mixed bag of an album. It’s definitely better than ‘No Prayer’. Without a doubt. But the band still couldn’t match up with their classic material. It must have worried tons of fans at the time as well, thinking that the band had lost their direction. There are a few tracks worth listening to, but just too much filler here for me to really enjoy it. The best album Maiden recorded in the 90s? Not quite. The worst album Maiden recorded in the 90s? Read on and see...
Tracks to check out: 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers', 'Fear of the Dark', 'Be Quick or Be Dead', 'Judas Be My Guide'
Before I start with Maiden's tenth album The X Factor, can we just quickly look at that album artwork? What on earth did they do to poor Eddie?! He looks positively ghastly and honestly, the style of it all kind of disgusts me. Unfortunately, the rest of Maiden's fortunes around this album aren't much better either... In 1993, after one last farewell tour, Bruce Dickinson left the band to focus more on his solo work. This had to have been a massive drawback considering he’d now been with the band for over a decade and his voice was such a big part of the band’s ascension to the top of the metal landscape. Pushing forward, the band would then bring in Blaze Bayley (formerly of Wolfsbane) to replace Dickinson, in the hope to pull the band back into a focused and creative direction.
All in all then, I find Fear of the Dark to be a pretty mixed bag of an album. It’s definitely better than ‘No Prayer’. Without a doubt. But the band still couldn’t match up with their classic material. It must have worried tons of fans at the time as well, thinking that the band had lost their direction. There are a few tracks worth listening to, but just too much filler here for me to really enjoy it. The best album Maiden recorded in the 90s? Not quite. The worst album Maiden recorded in the 90s? Read on and see...
Tracks to check out: 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers', 'Fear of the Dark', 'Be Quick or Be Dead', 'Judas Be My Guide'
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10) The X Factor (1995)
Before I get to my thoughts on the overall album, I have to also add here that I think this is the darkest album the band ever released, due in part to the fact that Steve Harris was going through some personal issues. Another big difference is the fact that this is the first time since the debut album that Martin Birch did not produce the album as he had retired from the business. So this time round, bassist Steve Harris took charge of production alongside Nigel Green. I can't say it really went well here, as the messy approach feels pretty detrimental to almost every song on here.
Take the first song ‘Sign of the Cross’ for example. It’s well known at this point that this is an epic masterpiece of a Maiden track and one of the best they’ve ever done. But you wouldn’t really know that from the recording here. I’ve listened to this version so many times and I struggle to enjoy it. There’s just no sense of energy or urgency that you would expect from Maiden. Everything sounds so quiet when the sound should be ramped up to the max. Even poor Blaze Bayley (who seemed like he was really trying), sounds like he was recorded from the first take without a re-do. It’s really a mess and this feel pretty much persists throughout the album. Do yourself a favour and find the Rock In Rio live version, with Bruce singing as this is how this wonderful song was meant to be heard. I was even privileged enough to have experienced this song live and I was memorised by the performance. It deserves better than this recorded version.
The next couple of big singles suffer the same issue, as ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘Man on the Edge’ sound so much better on live albums that were released later on. Both of these tracks just lack that classic Maiden energy that’s just so crucial to their sound which is another shame as these are 2 damn great tracks worth checking out. There are at least a couple of hidden gems on here worth checking out since there’s no other way to listen to them, such as ‘Fortunes of War’ which starts slow and just ramps up the tension and speed til the very end, or ‘Judgement of Heaven’ and ‘Blood on the World’s Hands’ that show up with surprisingly catchy choruses and finally some ripping guitar solos to sink your teeth into. The rest of the songs do come across as decent but mostly filler as they are pretty forgettable, especially album closer ‘The Unbeliever’ which did not need to be 8 minutes in length. Just boring.
This is a hard one to give an overall view on given that it’s such a mess. Most of the songs are good to great for the most part, but the lacklustre production really lets them down and the bigger tracks can be heard on better live albums. They did try here, but unfortunately it might just go down as the mighty Maiden’s worst album yet. Did I mention that it’s over 70 minutes in length? Yeah that’s a deal breaker right there
Tracks to check out: 'Sign of the Cross', 'Lord of the Flies', 'Man on the Edge'
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11) Virtual XI (1998)
First off, we have Steve Harris and Nigel Green heading up production once again. Yet, it seems they learned their lesson from last time. The production here is not perfect for sure, but at least I’m not thinking about it during every song like the ones in The X Factor. Here Blaze’s voice is much more pronounced and while it’s still lacking a bit of that vital sense of energy, it’s much more enjoyable this time around.
Even with the first track 'Futureal', there’s a feeling of relief that the Maiden of old has made a return as it just tears your ear drums apart with some absolutely ripping solos. This is without a doubt one of the most energetic opening tracks the band have ever done. It’s just a shame that the following song, 'The Angel and the Gambler' is probably the worst song the band has ever put to tape. Yes it’s that bad, and I think it’s the sole reason why this album is despised as much as it is. It’s pretty much a meme at this point with how much that awful chorus is repeated. The fact that it’s almost 10 minutes in length as well really doesn’t help as it just feels never-ending. A real misstep by the band.
Thankfully once that song is over, we have a pretty kickass album to go through. There are so many underrated tracks here that I truly believe deserve another look. Big hitters like ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ and ‘The Educated Fool’ pack a punch with their big singalong choruses and the fact that they bring back that iconic twin guitar sound is an additional cherry on top. The album closer ‘Como Estais Amigos’ is a rare emotional ballad-like track from the band but it does feel very powerful. The fact that it pays respects to the fallen soldiers of both sides of the Falklands War really brings a sense of realism to the whole thing as well. The best song on the record though does have to go to ‘The Clansman’. This is a definite Maiden classic and as a proud Scotsman, of course it’s one of my favourites. The song was inspired by the movie Braveheart and so of course we have a massive chorus of shouting “Freedom” which gives me chills every time I hear it. Just a tremendously epic track that gives you more and more after each listen. I’d also recommend listening to the Rock in Rio version of this track as having a gigantic crowd sing along is something to behold and it further enhances the experience.
Overall, I do believe this is an unfairly overlooked album that deserves a second chance in the spotlight. Even if you just aren’t used to Blaze Bayley as the frontman, it’s still worth trying again. Just skip ‘The Angel and the Gambler’ and you’ll be fine... While it still doesn’t hold up to the classic albums of the 80s, it still has its place in the band's discography. Here, it finally felt the band had a true direction to go in as the new millennium approached. Just as some major changes were brewing as well...
But more on that in the final part of this Iron Maiden special next time!
Tracks to check out: 'Futureal', 'The Clansman', 'Como Estais Amigos', 'The Educated Fool'
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Thanks to Ross for writing this review on Iron Maiden's 1990 albums, and thanks to you for checking it out! Feel free to leave a comment below to tell us what your favourite Iron Maiden songs or albums are from this period, or support RWEI by giving us a like/follow over on the socials.
Cheers!
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