Live after Death
Fan Rating:
{$rating} /10
Tracklist
Disc 1
- Intro: Churchill's Speech
Churchill - Aces High
Harris - 2 Minutes to Midnight
Smith, Dickinson - The Trooper
Harris - Revelations
Dickinson - The Flight of Icarus
Smith, Dickinson - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Harris - Powerslave
Dickinson - The Number of the Beast
Harris - Hallowed be thy Name
Harris - Iron Maiden
Harris - Run to the Hills
Harris - Running Free
Harris, Di'Anno
Disc 2
- Wrathchild
Harris - 22, Acacia Avenue
Harris, Smith - Children of the Damned
Harris - Die With Your Boots On
Smith, Dickinson, Harris - Phantom Of The Opera
Harris
We said ...
Live After Death is Iron Maiden's first live album since the 1981 Maiden Japan EP. Most critics agree that Live After Death is one of the best live metal albums of all time. Maiden has always been a "live" band whose power and energy seemed to come really alive on stage, and this power and energy virtually explodes out of the album. The mixing is absolutely superb. Murray's guitar is on the left and Smith's on the right, and each can be clearly and distinctly heard but at the same time they both seem to blend together and complement each other. This album must definitely be experienced with good headphones!
The concert intro, with the sounds of aircraft engines and the voice of Churchill, fits perfectly well to the first song of the set. 'Aces High' is a song about the battle of Britain and Churchill's speech was pronounced on 4th June 1940, at the beginning of the conflict, encouraging British resistance in the face of a potential Nazi invasion after the rout experienced by the British and French troops at the Battle of Dunkirk (26 May -- 3 June, 1940).
3 Reviews
One of the live classics that came to define the concert-going experience at metal's absolute peak, with the overblown scenery and sold out stadiums in all corners of the world. Recorded at the Long Beach Arena, LA (capacity: 52 000), where Maiden banged shut four consecutive nights in March 1985. And this display of power is indeed just that. Many people even prefer some of these versions to the originals, but not me (I virtually never prefer live versions, so hold back your sledgehammers :) ). Having said that, these songs are as good as they can sound under concert conditions, and there's really only one track here I don't find justyfied by the live setting - The number of the beast (this song highly depends on the vocals, and I don't think Bruce cut it). I hold an opinion I share with approx. 0.001% of the metal community - I don't like Bruce's voice live. I really can't stand it. He may still be the showman of ages, and I all but adore his work in the studio, but I don't think he can summon the power when he's about to let his voice fly in concert. It's not like doesn't try, quite the opposite. He screams for all that he's worth, but the effect is lost, and his voice seems to constantly drown in the crowd or the band. Just listen to the beginning of Hallowed be thy name, in the part where all instruments quiet down. That's pitiful, and just one of many occasions where his voice fails him. Rob Halford he ain't. Nevertheless, the Songs are still the Songs, and a quick glance at the tracklisting should be enough to ensure shred of the highest order - even if they had been instrumental (and I can assure you Bruce is not as awful as it might sound). Everything is on the spot, guitars nicely sliding from side to side (too much wah-wah in Mariner, otherwise perfect guitar sound overall, slightly heavier than in the studio), thick, thumping bass in the middle, and Nicko's drums commanding from above. Nothing else to say, except be sure to get the remastered 2-CD, since it includes five more fantastic tracks that made side 4 on the original double vinyl (recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London), but omitted when this album was translated into the language of new technology. It also includes the FULL version of Running free, complete with "...and the left side!", and not the watered down version on the watered down single CD some of us were shameless enough to inhale. Indeed the "Greatest hits live" - sounds pretty good, donnit?
Best songs: Hallowed be thy name; Aces high; The trooper
This is incredible...an excellent album...excellent sound, excellent production..one of the best live albums of a band I`ve ever heard...Powerslave tour was the best they`d made, I think..so, this is and will be the best iron maiden live album forever.
very good with a lot of good song and une bite molle