Maiden for the New Millennium (Brave New World - Iron Maiden)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Brave New World - Iron Maiden
Date:	15/04/04 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some classic songs, Mix of Maiden's styles, Not just re-treading old ground

Disadvantages: Let down by overlong songs and some unwise decisions, Some people will dislike the 'prog' elements

In the year 2000, British metal pioneers Iron Maiden released their most acclaimed album in over a decade, due in no small part to the return of the screaming Bruce Dickinson to the band. One successful single brought Iron Maiden back into the spotlight for fans old, new and hairy alike. ?Brave New World,? while not being a fitting title if applied to the twenty-year old, world-touring band itself, does represent the start of the modern Maiden era which continued in 2003 with their successful ?Dance of Death,? whether you like this fact or not.


HISTORY

Arguably the leading force in heavy metal music throughout the 1980s, differences of interest by band members led to the amicable departure of guitarist Adrian Smith in 1988 and frontman Bruce Dickinson in 1992. Try as they might, the Iron Maiden that survived with ex-Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley could never return the band to their peak of performance and although the hardcore fan base and band dedication remained, it became clear that Maiden were on the way out when they were dropped by their major record labels.

By 1999, all that was to change; Adrian Smith had expressed an interest in returning, performing as a third guitarist alongside Janick Gers, having appeared as a guest musician at several Maiden concerts anyway, but the main interest lay in the return of Dickinson fresh from his moderately successful solo projects. Iron Maiden instrumentals are intricately layered affairs that keep the listener engaged, but the real power of the band clearly lay in Dickinson?s excellent vocal range. Picked up by record giants EMI, where they still remain today, Iron Maiden had bounced back in a way that Alan Partridge didn?t.


STYLE

Mu
sical development has always been an important issue for Iron Maiden. In the 80s they went from being a rock and roll band producing songs that sounded almost punk rock, to a heavy metal band capable of producing ballads and epics, and finally a progressive heavy metal band utilising keyboards and the full range of guitars to add to the music. Through the 90s Maiden abandoned the synthesisers in the majority of their tracks and returned to producing more straightforward heavy metal, but the influence of progressive metal bands from America and Europe was clear on their ?Virtual XI? album. ?Brave New World? sticks with these heavily progressive elements while allowing the band?s newfound confidence to again shine through.


TRACKS

1. THE WICKER MAN

In typical Iron Maiden tradition, the album begins with a short and punchy number released as a single. The song doesn?t survive many listens in the manner of their earlier classics, but the chorus and excellent guitar work made this a popular release. The main delight lies in hearing Bruce Dickinson singing about horror films again after all these years.

?Hand of fate is moving and the finger points to you. He knocks you to your feet and so what are you gonna do??

2. GHOST OF THE NAVIGATOR

The first long(ish) song at over six minutes, this seems to showcase the instrumentalists of the band and allows Dickinson?s great vocals to aid the songs rather than overwhelm them. The beginning is a little mysterious and slow before the heavy riff kicks in and the band?s latest sea-bound tale is told. Not in the same league as ?The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,? but at under half the length of that 1984 epic i
t isn?t aiming to; just a really great song with interesting bridge and chorus sections, definitely a highlight of the album. The speed of the guitar solo is also fantastic, especially when the squeaking of Dave Murray?s fingers become audible at the end. Lyrics regarding curses and the un-rude version of seamen are also welcome.

?As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea; the sirens of the rocks, they beckon me.?

3. BRAVE NEW WORLD

Maiden?s title tracks always suggest something longer, harder and better than the majority of their tracks, although in some ways ?Brave New World? isn?t all it could have been. A dull, slow and quiet opening isn?t typically Maiden and could be seen a little too ?prog? for a lot of people, although when the song gets going it?s very memorable and has the usual infectious chorus. There is no sense of this being a Maiden classic however. For anyone who?s wondering, the song and indeed the album cover are based upon Aldous Huxley?s 1931 book of the same name, and the lyrics convey some of the messages of danger present in Huxley?s nightmare future.

?You are planned, you are damned, in this brave new world.?

4. BLOOD BROTHERS

A very different, experimental song from the band features a full orchestration throughout in addition to clean-sounding guitars and bass, which would undoubtedly make this popular with fans of more orchestral musical tastes, but I like a bit of metal. I have nothing against symphony aspects of metal songs, but in this instance they are far too overpowering and do make the song drag on much longer than necessary. The lyrics urge the human race to work together and stop hurting each other as we?re all in the same boat, and the loud chorus features some of Bruce?s
best vocals.

?Keep on making the same old mistakes, makes tipping the balance so easy.?

5. THE MERCENARY

The word ?filler? can be applied to this, as it is the first unremarkable and unoriginal offering of the album. Not a bad listen, but the vocals and instruments do seem a little less enthusiastic in narrating this tale of a man who kills for money. The lyrics are also annoyingly repetitive for Iron Maiden standards, giving the impression of a last-minute studio job. Despite being forgettable, this is still worth listening to as a breather between the longer songs.

?Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, you?ve got to kill to stay alive.?

6. DREAM OF MIRRORS

Another very experimental and ultimately very different song, this one also isn?t to my taste, mainly due to its length. The first three minutes are led by a quiet bass riff with occasional guitar whines, vocals and sparse drum whacks creating a deliberate sense of emptiness which does get tedious. The chorus is repeated too many times during the nine-and-a-half minutes, and it only really seems to get going at the end, which doesn?t redeem it. Still, the band seem to relish this song and it apparently went down quite well during their ?Metal 2000? tour. I wasn?t clever enough to like them or have heard them back then though, sadly.

?Dread to think what might be lurking, that my dream is reoccurring.?

7. THE FALLEN ANGEL

This song is nothing new, but I really like it. Iron Maiden at their simple, short and punchy best, with a truly excellent mix of high guitars and vocals in the chorus, even if it does sound like a rip-off of the first track. The song knows when it is time to end though, unli
ke many of the others, and for this reason, as well as its ability to convey lyrics regarding an approaching Armageddon in an upbeat and fun way, this is one of my favourites on the album.

?As I wait for Armageddon and it?s coming my way. It?s an honour to be chosen and I wait for the day.?

8. THE NOMAD

The only true epic on the album, ?The Nomad? is a very diverse and well-played Iron Maiden song. If their earlier classic ?Alexander the Great? was ?the best Iron Maiden song never played live? (Steve Harris), this is another in that tradition. The layers of instruments and lack of any commercial or ?pop? appeal make this a straight-to-disc song of high calibre, and its lyrics of a mysterious wanderer in the desert bring a fresh tone to the album. The orchestration on this track is excellent and almost subliminal, and does not take over the song as it did in track four. This is how the other long tracks should have sounded, although obviously not identical as that would be rubbish.

?Legend has it that you speak in ancient tongue, but no one?s spoke to you and lived to tell the tale.?

9. OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET

A catchy and memorable song, this begins with some high pitched guitars before Bruce softly sings the title, five words that you will hear far more than expected in these seven minutes, and the heaviest riff on the album kicks in. The lyrics are again a little repetitive and the song drags on again, but the quality of the playing and the vocal range make this one of the best on the album. Well done. The slow, fade-out ending of this track also shows that it really, really should have been the end of the album?

?Nations cry, underneath decaying skies above. You are gui
lty, the punishment is death for all who live.?

10. THE THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE

An accurate description of this song would be, Iron Maiden?s least interesting moment fused with the worst 80s pop song. Another description would be god-awful. There is unfortunately nothing at all to redeem this song, which sounds very half-hearted and so unlike the high quality Maiden fans are used to; it is depressingly slow, has uninteresting lyrics, and leaves the listener thinking ?that was a crap album. Oh wait, that Nomad and them early ones, whatever they were called I can?t remember, they were good. A bit long but still.?

?At what point do we begin, fighter spirit a will to win. But what makes a man decide, take the wrong or righteous road.?


VERDICT

The band has returned to its former glory, but this album may have been released too soon. The nine songs are very interesting, especially for fans of modern progressive metal, but lack the commercial appeal of their earlier work. Bruce?s vocals haven?t lost anything, but the use of three guitarists seems unnecessary at this point; their full potential is shown in their 2003 release. Despite almost obsessive production by bassist/songwriter Steve Harris, who also composed the orchestrations and played the keyboards, the majority of songs seem unnecessarily long and this counts against the album a little. On the positive side, when compared to the band?s other releases this is refreshing and different at least, but unfortunately isn?t up to the band?s own high standards.

?Brave New World? will be remembered as the album that saw the return of Bruce, and Maiden got great again. For fans of the band I would recommend th
eir latest release ?Dance of Death,? which advances the style of this album while also being less over-the-top and with much better songs, or some of their early albums; anything from 1982 to 88. Up the Irons!

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