Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death

Blurb
This is the 14th studio offering from this legendary band, and like all other bands that have been around forever and ever, it becomes harder and harder to judge their work. One part of me wants to hear some of their more 'old school' stuff, another part wants to hear their '2 a.m.' sound, while yet another part wants to hear what new boundaries they can break.

At 72 mins, this is their longest album, filled with some epics - 'The Ghost Of Benjamin Breeg' is the lead single off, and you will want to hear it again and again while you try to find out who Benjamin Breeg really was. Is that who Eddie really was, or is he the real artist of all the Maiden sleeves, or is he a fictional, metaphorical character? Enjoy the search!

This album is a bit of a journey, because Maiden seem to enjoy the idea of making a conceptual album. AMOLAD is about war - any which war, but war none the less. 'These Colours Don't Run' starts as a army recruitment song, but kicks you in the nuts soon after as the grim reality is brought home. 'The Longest Day' typifies that, a song about the Normandy landings in WWII. If WWIII were to break out anytime soon, don't say that Iron Maiden hadn't warned you that the anarchy was about to break out!

Finally, the music? When you play it you know it's Maiden. That's all I'm gonna say, but you must give it time and airplay. Don't fly through it because this one will creep up on you, much like Eddie's bony gnarled fingers crawling up your spine and then grabbing the nape of your neck, scythe in other hand, shaking with laughter as you scream..

Track Listing
1. Different World
2. These Colours Don't Run
3. Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
4. The Pilgrim
5. The Longest Day
6. Out Of The Shadows
7. The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg
8. For The Greater Good Of God
9. Lord Of Light
10.The Legacy

Overall Rating
Maiden are unmistakably back - I will still yearn for 'Wasted Years' and 'The Wicker Man', but I will appreciate this too - 8/10.