DANCE OF DEATH Sneak Preview
Iron Maiden official web site has a track-by-track guide of the group's forthcoming new album 'Dance of Death':WILDEST DREAMS
Previewed on the recent 'Give Me Ed... Til I'm Dead' tour, this is a dynamic rocker which kicks off the album with a bang. Judging from the number of people in the European audiences who could sing the chorus after only one hearing, it's bound to become a live favourite.
RAINMAKER
Literally a 'storming' (!) song, 'Rainmaker is another racy rocker which keeps up the galloping opening pace. And again, after one airing, the chorus is instantly memorable.
NO MORE LIES
The first of the four 7+ minute epics on the album, this is an opus entirely self-penned by Steve Harris, with typically thoughtful lyrics. The low-key opening gives way to a punchy chorus, with Nicko's drums almost Bonhamesque in their intensity, and the '3 Amigos' also shine on the three-part solo.
For the full preview, go [url=http://www.ironmaiden.com/?section=1&subsection=0]here[/url]
source: [url=http://www.ironmaiden.com]IronMaiden.com[/url]
2 Comments
Also a member of Iron Maiden Bulletin Board have posted a review of it from Sweden Rock Magazine, according to him.
"Okay, here is the entire review of Dance of Death.
"The opening track and the first signle, Wildest Dreams (3:53 - Smith/Harris, which later was played to the Stockholm audience, is a straight rock tune, built by Bruce's excellent voice and a pretty catchy chorus. Exactly the same type of opening track like The Wicker Man was for Brave New World.
Rainmaker (3:48 - Murray, Harris, Dickinson) continues in exactly the same style and the impression is the same as in London (I guess this guy heard the first 4 tracks in London some time) - Maiden did simple rock tracks like this one better before, in the early days. The song melodies, the sound and the performance are admittedly flawless, but it doesn't happen anything. There are no sudden temp changes or memorable riff, and the typical guitar harmonies is conspicious by one's absence (they attract attention by not being present), despite of some lame attempts in Rainmaker. Compared to songs like Aces High, The Trooper and Be Quick or Be Dead, the band feels like a shadow of its former shape.
No More Lies (7:21, Harris) is fortunately better. It sounds as it was from Brave New World and begins with a cosy acoustic intro, supported by ominous bows (stringed instrument). Bruce Dickinson gradually sounds angrier and angrier until it really punches you in the chorus. "No More Lies", Bruce is roaring over and over again and I'm sitting sneering as if I was nine years old and just hade seen McGyver surprise the bad guys with a helicopter built by pieces of a kitchen fan. There it was!
When later a part wih three long guitar harmonies relieve each other and is follows by the equal amount of solos, I'm getting goose flesh for the first (but not last) time. Unfortunately the song suffers of a weakness which characterizes the bands two latest albums - the chorus is repeated too much. The song anyway is excellent, but the chorus gets too boring after a while. For a comparision - listen to The Angel and the Gambler and try not to interrupt yourself on the text line "don't you think I can save ya"...
Montsegur (5:50 - Gers, Harris, Dickinson) surprises immediately with one of the bands heaviest riff in their history, and it sooner sounds like something from one of Bruces later solo albums, rahter than a new Maiden song. The front man spit out words like "satan", "flesh" and "die on the stake" and I think he has not sounded this angry since Be Quich or Be Dead. Brilliant! The chorus perhaps won't become a radio hit, but is more epic and grandiose. About here, I start to become sure that this record is pretty good, after all.
Dance of Death (8:36 - Gers, Harris) opens with a total meaningless acoustic intro in the same vein as Brave New World (the record), but later the song makes a radical turn and starts to revolve around a hot-tempered guitar harmony which actually sounds a bit folk music. Like Jethro Tull on anabola, sort of. One more surprisingly heavy part followes until the folk music harmony comes back in a couple of different variations. In entirety, the dance of death is extremely entertaining and a very worthy title track. A plus in the margin for the great text line "I'll never go dancin' no more / til I dance with death". Totally correct. Real metalheads stays in the bar, drinking.
Track number six and seven, Gates of Tomorrow (5.04 - Gers, Harris, Dickinson) and New Frontier (5.04 - McBrain, Smith, Dickinson) both feel like filling songs. They are simple rock songs without anything that really feels special in the songs.
Fortunately they are followed by the total fantastic PASCHENDALE (8:27 - Smith, Harris), perhaps the best song on the record.
Here the weight of Montsegur is back, and Paschendale is, if possible, even more big and epic. Despite some unnecessary pauses, the track is in the same class as the best the band have ever done. In the end of the song there is a sing along part, like the one in Heaven Can Wait. And if this track is not played live ahead, the band commits a big official misconduct/malpractice.
8 minutes and 27 seconds have never passed by this fast
Face in the Sand (6:30 - Smith, Harris, Dickinson) is started by one more boring acoustic intro. It begins to become inflation of that now. After a moment of guitar play, a couple of bows (stringed instrument) enters the song and takes over, and the song conclude with a mediocre but once again very epic history.
Age of Innocence (6:10 - Murray, Harris) begins with another acoustic intro with bow (string) accompaniment, until a quite ordinary rocker with big "arena chorus" follows. It is not fantastic, but it works (- it is okay). However, I begin to become irritated over all these meaningless acoustic intros. In most cases, they mean nothing to the song and the record as a whole, loses tempo due to them.
In the last song, Journeyman (7:07 - Harris, Dickinson) the band takes the acoustic step to a totally new level. For the first time in the bands historhy they introduce a complete song without an electric note. And believe it or not - it is amazing! "I know what I want, I'll say what I want, and no one can take that away" Bruce preaches in a very defiant way, and the lyrics gets in focus in a way that you are not used to, when it comes to Maiden. Bruce show off totally with his voice on this tracck, which is as awesome as unexpected - and a perfect ending on the record.
The general impression is that after listening to Dance of Death 1½ time, it feels like a great - but not fantastic - record. In the same class compared to what the band has done the latest 13 years, but not as brilliant as the records in the 80's. Bruece Dickinson sounds a little bit more strained in the high notes today compared to how he sounded 15 years ago. But besides, he sings better than ever, on records as well as live.
The band continues to stay within its frames, but still they are not copying their earlier records.
Everyone who likes Brave New World, will like Dance of Death, and those who thinks that the band have had their best days, prbably will not change opinion.
If Dance of Death is not #1 on the Swedish album chart, I promise to jump bungyjump from the Kaknästornet (in Stockholm). Or eat a salad."
- Martin Forssman
There are some words written about the record before he starts reviewing the songs. Here are some quotes:
"This album has some songs which are straight, simple rock songs and a couple of songs which is more complicated and epic, and I guess it always has been that way on our records" - Dave Murray
The writer also says that generally Dance of Death doesn't sound as progressive as Brave New World.
And he says that" you can actually hear that the band uses three guitars on this record. That detail couldn't be found on Brave New World, neither on the Brave New World Tour. Rumours says that the band just used 2 guitars on the BNW tour.
So the fact that a lot of critics honoured the three great guitars on the tour, can be compared to the corresponding social representations like "Metal is dead" (1976), "Funk Metal is the future" (1991) and "St. Anger is a very good record" (2003)."
(Martin Forssman)
I know the sentence became a little fucked up.. you have to figure the point out for yourselves.
"This time, everyone has contributed with their own ideas and that has made the record very miscellaneous" - Janick Gers
"This time, I think we have made succes with the three guitars. Perhaps we haven't reached the optimal level, but we have taken it to a new level." - Dave Murray
SO! That was tough work. Puh. Cheers."
Heres the full thing. I edited the post for the benefit of the news page:
WILDEST DREAMS
Previewed on the recent 'Give Me Ed... Til I'm Dead' tour, this is a dynamic rocker which kicks off the album with a bang. Judging from the number of people in the European audiences who could sing the chorus after only one hearing, it's bound to become a live favourite.
RAINMAKER
Literally a 'storming' (!) song, 'Rainmaker is another racy rocker which keeps up the galloping opening pace. And again, after one airing, the chorus is instantly memorable.
NO MORE LIES
The first of the four 7+ minute epics on the album, this is an opus entirely self-penned by Steve Harris, with typically thoughtful lyrics. The low-key opening gives way to a punchy chorus, with Nicko's drums almost Bonhamesque in their intensity, and the '3 Amigos' also shine on the three-part solo.
MONTSEGUR
Inspired by an infamous episode in the history of the crusading Knights Templar and powered by thunderous riffs, 'Montsegur's high-flying arrangement mimics the horror and confusion of the historic massacre.
DANCE OF DEATH
The centrepiece of the album, 'Dance Of Death' is an eerie tale featuring powerful and graphic lyrics and a guitar-based 'devil's trill' that is taken up by the whole band as they whirl away in a demonic reel. Steve Harris' storytelling at its best and most vivid.
GATES OF TOMORROW
An urgent guitar clarion call builds into a relentlessly fast-paced song, featuring a hard-hitting chorus and enigmatic lyrics. And watch out for the sizzling guitar solo in the middle!
NEW FRONTIER
It's only taken him 20 years, but Nicko enjoys his first writing credit with this tale of the dangers of man trying to play God by subverting nature. That message aside, it's an exuberant uptempo number that kicks serious ass.
PASCHENDALE
The second song on the album inspired by a historic battle, this time one from the First World War, after a sorrowful opening featuring a needle sharp guitar figure, the band burst in with an instrumental arrangement that sounds like an artillery barrage. Another memorable epic.
FACE IN THE SAND
Another enigmatic, atmospheric song which piles on the drama as it builds in intensity, it features a big swinging melody which is echoed in the central guitar solo. A slow grower, you'll suddenly find yourself humming the chorus when you least expect it!
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
After the deceptively mellow melodic opening, the mood turns from sorrowful to scathing, as Bruce spits out Steve's lyrics of disillusionment and injustice and similarly, the surprisingly smooth chorus contrasts with the piledriving riffs of the verse.
JOURNEYMAN
Although it features acoustic guitars and strings, there's nothing soft about this album closer, which showcases Bruce's vocals beautifully. Its truculent chorus with its refusal to compromise echoes the sentiments of 'Wildest Dreams' and rounds the album off beautifully.