ALBUM REVIEW: IRON MAIDEN'S "THE BOOK OF SOULS"

To quote Alec Chillingworth:

"Preface 666: I fucking love Iron Maiden. This band is the living, breathing, triple guitar-playing embodiment of heavy metal. Bruce Dickinson is indestructible. Janick Gers likes putting his leg on things. These are facts."

Iron Maiden's 16th studio album, "THE BOOK OF SOULS", was released last week and I've been listening to it non-stop since. Overall its a great album and I will say one of their best since "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son". Bruce's vocals are incredible (seriously, how does his voice get BETTER with age?) and the band sounds AMAZING! They definitely have a renewed sense of energy and creativity that I found lacking in their previous 2010 release "Final Frontier". It almost sounds like a live album, sans crowd cheering in the background. 

I'm still trying to decide where this album falls on my "Maiden Ranking", but its at the very least on par with 2006's "A Matter of Life and Death" (which I thought was brilliant)... or is it better?! Only Time will tell....

"The Book of Souls" showcases the how the band continues to creatively press forward while simultaneously encapsulating their entire catalog. I'm kind of proud of them.

Noteworthy songs ready to be added to my Maiden Playlist: 

"If Eternity Should Fail", "Speed of Light", "The Great Unknown", "The Red and The Black", "Book of Souls".... maybe "Tears of a Clown"

Here's a quick, stream-of-conscious rundown of the tracks:

DISC 01:

Track 01: "IF ETERNITY SHOULD FAIL"

I love this track and feel its reminiscent of the great moments on "Somewhere in Time". However, I advise to skip to the next track near the end, once the goofy "I am Necropolis" dialogue kicks in. Still, its one of my favorite tracks off the album!

Track 02: "SPEED OF LIGHT"

When I first heard this song my initial reaction was negative. Having listened to it numerous times now, its grown on me. It stumbles initially, but after about the 1:00 mark it finds its footing and becomes a real catchy, energetic song. Its now one of my more favored tracks on the album. Funny how things can work like that.

Track 03: "THE GREAT UNKNOWN"

One of my favorite tracks on the album. This feels akin to their 2006 "A Matter of Life and Death" album.

Track 04: "THE RED AND THE BLACK"

This might be my favorite song on the album. Its chock full of classic galloping Maiden and has the most live feel of all the tracks. I love the lead guitar in tandem with Bruce's vocals. And you'll be challenged not to sing along with the "WHOA-OH-OH-OH!"

Track 05: "WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DEEP"

This one starts off with a "Seventh Son synth" vibe, but quickly becomes its own. While I'm not a huge fan of this song, I do enjoy listening to the band jam out! Like I said, the band sounds amazing on this album!

Track 06: "THE BOOK OF SOULS"

Heavy, dramatic groove with Bruce guiding you through his tale. Classic! Did I mention Bruce sounds incredible on this album?

DISC 02:

Track 01: "DEATH OR GLORY"

The chorus is fun, but not great. With eye-rolling lyrics like "Climb like a monkey out of Hell" and a sense of stagnation found on 'Final Frontier', this is the first song I now skip through about mid-way.

Track 02: "SHADOWS OF THE VALLEY"

This oddly starts off with a slowed-down 'Wasted Years', then moves on and becomes its own. I'm not a fan of this song and find the guitar solos less ...sophisticated... than the other tracks. The 2nd track I now skip.

Track 03: "TEARS OF A CLOWN"

Upon hearing the title of this song weeks ago, I began to question whether or not I'd actually buy the album, haha. But his is a great song, which probably has the most "classic Maiden" feel to it. The title and lyrics are a bit corny, and part of me wishes they were something else while maintaining the music aspect. However, its their tribute to Robin Williams, so all negative critiques are cast aside. 

Track 04: "THE MAN OF SORROWS"

The only song on this album co-written by guitarist Dave Murray. A bit slower, yet steady, song. This feels like it could have been on 'Final Frontier'. I find my thoughts drifting during this track, which isn't a good thing. Its not bad per se, it just doesn't hold me. 

Track 05: "EMPIRE OF THE CLOUDS"

This 18-minute epic is Bruce's love letter to Airships of Old, specifically telling the tale of the fateful day of the R101 airship crash in 1930. By the song's conclusion, you feel like you've just watched a dramatic war movie. Many are calling this song a "masterpiece", however I'm personally not a huge fan.  It has truly great sections and I love the subject matter, but I find it bit too hokey and "Spinal Tap" in parts to wave the flag. Although as I write this last bit, "Empire of the Clouds" is playing in my headphones and I'm grooving to it. Maybe its starting to grow on me.... 

Overall, "The Book of Souls" is a stellar album! 

UP THE IRONS! \m/