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Ok, so you've been around for a good 20 years, and
have released 12 albums. Not a bad innings is it? So
what do you do next? You release your 13th album, which
peaks at number 2 in the charts, and still somehow manage
to slip in a few arenas on your latest national tour.
Iron Maiden should be, and are entitled to be
collecting their rock pensions by now and yet the godfathers
of British metal continue to show all those young upstarts
how it was and should be done without selling out, or
having to reinvent themselves. Commendably, Iron Maiden
are still together and hell bent on producing music
for their hordes of hardcore fans (Taking notes Axl?).
Unfortunately for those fans, the genre itself is one
for history book. A book of epic magnitude, admittedly,
perhaps even one of Biblical proportions. Anyway, whatever
the scale there would be a sizeable chapter reserved
in it for Iron Maiden.
Although classed by many as a ‘one trick pony’, they
have worked it well enough to return again and again,
and you can see why. Bruce Dickinson is in as fine a
voice as ever, and while the three pronged attack of
guitarists - Janick Gers, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith,
the pounding basslines of Steve Harris, and the animal
like drumming of Nicko McBrain are as sharp and anthemic
as ever, it’s just a shame they now resemble the group
of middle-aged metallers who congregate down your local.
The worrying thing is that if Maiden can last this long,
we could still be listening to the Darkness in 20 years
time! Ah well.
Whilst Iron Maiden keep it old school, support act
Funeral for a Friend bring down the average age
to a respectable level, but seem to fall short of converting
any hardcore Maiden fans. Their juggernaut style of
chugging guitars and the quiet, loud, quiet technique
offers a serving of new wave metal that many of the
classically trained find a bitter pill to swallow. Unfortunately
the music detracts from front man Matt Davis’ emo, powerful
voice that easily fills the arena. Minus the typical
angst filled screaming, the melody of his voice could
create metal lullabies (there could be such things).
The sensitive side shines through, even if you cant
understand what he's screaming. It does give Funeral
for a Friend an edge that the majority of 'the hoodie
generation' may find appealing.
The fact Maiden have stuck by ‘it does exactly what
it says on the tin’, is a testament to what they were
and the iconic status they still hold amongst fans and
peers alike. Classics like 'Brave New World', 'Can You
Play with Madness?' and the legendary 'Run To the Hills'
have 15,000 fists pumping the air, the moshpits in full
swing and those thinning, L'Oreal locks flailing. The
bottom line is they can still put on a show. A stage
based on a castle, eerie poetic interludes, 'The Dance
of Death', performed by the fucked up jack in the box,
that is a masked, caped Bruce Dickinson, enough dueling
guitarist Kodak moments to last a life-time AND a cameo
from 'Eddie the Reaper', it wouldn't be out of place
in the West-End. It offers an alternative venue. Whilst
there’s still a chance for dads to desperately try and
educate their kids in music from 'back in the day',
how long will it be before Eddie makes one last appearance
and finishes the job for good?
Relevant sites:
www.ironmaiden.com
www.funeralforafriend.com
Sherief Younis for Crud Magazine 2003©
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