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IRON MAIDEN
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
2006
REVIEW BY ERIC
Review:
It's rare that a band that has been together 30+ years can slightly alter their sound while staying true to their trademark sound. Maiden are one of the select few. A Matter Of Life And Death interlocks their classic and progressive songwriting masterfully. This is one of their most progressive releases to date. Many of the songs have introductions with keyboards and lush, clean guitars (The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg, These Colours Don't Run). Don't let the word 'progressive' mislead you. The songs have plenty of bite :) The three guitar arsenal of Murray, Smith, and Gers can be heard clearly throughout the disc (Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, The Pilgrim). This was lacking on their last effort Dance of Death. Different World is a great opening track that kicks the cd into high gear. The Longest Day is a brooding song that has a powerful interlude. This song has grown on me the most over time. Out Of The Shadows is one of the more melodic tracks. I would have to say that it has the most memorable guitar solo on the album. Lord Of Light is one of the slower songs. Dickinson uses a flanger effect on his voice to give it a psychedelic sound. The Legacy is an epic ballad (clocking in at a whopping 9:20!). Dickinson displays a variety of his vocal abilities on this track. The tempo change along with the guitar melodies towards the end of the song are absolutely brilliant! For The Greater Good Of God is an instant Maiden classic. It could be because of its' grand scope (the track is actually four seconds longer than The Legacy). Maybe it's due to the vastly multi-layered music. Or perhaps it's because the lyrics are the deepest on the album. The middle section of the song is nearly on par with the interlude of the classic epic Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Lyrics. The central theme of A Matter Of Life And Death is war. In short, the disc covers the politics of war, holy war and the soldiers emotions, actions, and sacrifices during war (and long term post-war effects on them). Iron Maiden continues to write great and timeless music without compromising. Go buy A Matter Of Life And Death if you don't already own it.Fav Cuts:
For
The Greater Good Of God, Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, The Longest Day