Brave New World

Great album, sounds awesome.

In my opinion, this is one of the greatest comeback albums of all time, although I see nothing wrong with the previous album (Virtual XI). It's a purchase that I will never regret, hopefully the same for you WHEN you buy it. So here is my Track by track explanation of the album.The Wicker Man; I still remember hearing this track for the first time on "From Fear To Eternity; The best-of..." and falling in love with it. It was love at first hear! Anyways, it's just a rocking track, from beginning to end, especially at the chorus when the rocking drummer Nicko bursts out with an almost impossible drum beat. No wonder it was the lead single from the album. It's just awesome! 10/10Ghost of the Navigator; Starts out a little mellow with no drums, kinda epic-ish, and then it bursts out into one of the best songs on the album, and of the year. Around the end of the bridge section, before the last chorus, it gets faster, heavier, and awesomer before the last chorus. Just a fantastic song. 10/10Brave New World; Starts out kinda like the previous track, and then bursts out into awesomeness. Never giving up, it's a great song. 10/10Blood Brothers; A nice track. Kinda mellow throughout. A really cool song. 9/10The Mercenary; Another rocking song, fast, heavy, just a fantastic song 10/10Dream of Mirrors; Clearly the epic on the album! The first couple minutes (The first two verses and the first chorus) start out mellow and then bursts out into full epicness. Around the 4-5 minute mark it bursts into an almost impossible drum beat at a kinda high speed and lasts for about 3 minutes before the last chorus appears. So alaround it;s just awesome and epic. 10/10The Fallen Angel; Kinda sounds like it could be a filler, but lets face it: There is no such thing as an Iron Maiden Filler Song! It has a rocking beat, heavy, and awesome! 9/10The Nomad; Another fantastic epic. That's it; Just epic! The end! Another one of my favorites. 10/10Out of the Silent Planet; A rocking, heavy track, another one of my favorites. This one was the second single from this album (released in a numbered Digipak!) 10/10The Thin Line Between Love and Hate; A great way to close an album. It's a cool track. 10/10So I think if you don't have it yet, well, buy it soon!

I had almost given up on Iron Maiden ever releasing another album after Blaze Bayley took over as vocalist after 'Fear of the Dark'. IM had been going downhill a little since Seventh Son... and then Bruce Dickinson left and IM released two albums I just couldn't really stand (but have recently given them second chances and liked them). Not that 'X-Factor' and 'Virtual XI' were wastes of time, it's just that I was ticked off that Bruce had left and might not be coming back...Then 'Brave New World' was released and I heard "The Wicker Man" on the radio and thought, "Who the hell is that that sounds like Iron Maiden/Bruce Dickinson?!" I couldn't believe it. I did a quick search on Amazon.com and found this album, almost 4 years ago now. I still pull this album out almost on a weekly basis and listen to it, and I still can't believe how they've recaptured the "old sound" from their earlier days. This album is a masterpiece that never gets old. By far my favorite album they've ever released, I'm now just hoping they will be able to release another one soon and be able to at least come close to it. And if not, then they have certainly capped off an amazing career with an excellent comeback that I never thought they had in them.I like every single song on this album and can't really pick a favorite. There is a complete range of styles from melodic ballads to heavy powerhits that are all equally top-notch in their own ways. There's not a bad song on this album, but depending on what mood I'm in at the time, I might prefer one or more songs over the others (temporarily). I don't see how they can ever top this album, but I can still hope...Lyrically and acoustically one of the best albums of all time. Only Blind Guardian and Iced Earth can compete, and then only because depending on which mood I'm in at the time I prefer different things.I don't really care to write song-by-song reviews (but I do enjoy reading other peoples' reviews of them!) so I will just say this:The thought-provoking, lyrically sweet songs. Most have slow, driving tempos that hint of what's to come (the heavy, highly-singable choruses):*Ghost of the Navigator*Brave New World*Blood Brothers*Dream of Mirrors*The Thin Line Between Love and HateThe driving, heavy, non-stop metal songs that you can't help but turn up really loud!:*The Wicker Man*The Mercenary*The Fallen Angel*The Nomad*Out of the Silent Planet

This 2000 release from Iron Maiden proves that classical metal is still alive and well. Back in the fray are Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals (where he should be) and Adrian Smith on guitars (ditto). A little more progressive than Maiden's earlier efforts, to me that merely signifies that they are keeping up with the times and evolving while not producing drivel merely to make money (unlike some band that has released crap ever since their black album. Oh and most of the bands on K-Rock too.). From the opening of "The Wicker Man" to Nicko's "Oh I f---in' missed it" at the end of "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate" there is no one song that you can say is really bad on this CD. "The Mercenary" and "The Fallen Angel" harken back to Powerslave and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in songwriting, while "Dream of Mirrors", "Blood Brothers" and the title track show us a glimpse of the aforementioned new, progressive Maiden. The only complaint I have with the album is the guitars, or lack thereof. What ever happend to the crunching sound that they had on Piece of Mind and Powerslave? I defy anyone to tell me that the production on Brave New World is better than the job Martin Birch did on Powerslave. If what Janick said on the Maiden website is true, that they plug in with no effects and turn the amp up to 10, then someone please donate a distortion pedal to these guys. But, I guess after what we had to listen to during the Blaze era (which I personally think wasn't so bad, but it looks like I'm in the minority) to have Bruce and Adrian back in the band and churning out some quality music, I can live with that. Highly recommended, if only to wash away the aftertaste of X Factor and Virtual XI.

'F*** I missed it' the drummer chirps at the end of this fine record. Just listened to this a second time and Im impressed - Sits comfortably with their best albums - has a classy feel with each song strongly crafted and some really memorable tracks too.So yes 'F*** I missed it' was the perfect way to end the album because I was thinking exactly the same thing.......Nomad is astounding unto itself but every track is memorable and adventurous and hardrock tastic!Anyway MAIDEN TOP ALBUMS EVER that you should check out if you are a newbie.....1 The Number of The Beast (THE ALBUM)2 The Book Of Souls (almost THE ALBUM - but BEAST has the history)3 Piece Of Mind (a REVELATION - contains my new fave tracks ever)4 Seventh Son of the Seventh Son (one of the strongest full of classics)5 Somewhere in Time (full of catchy choruses - some of the best lyrics of all the albums)6 Fear Of The Dark (The last of the iconic records from their first peak years - now is their new peak era of course.....)7 Powerslave (love it but love the above more!)9 Iron Maiden (whilst outside the top few - some all time brilliant tracks and I like the production on this record despite its rep as poorly mixed - I think it really works and it takes you back - Strange World is a fave- it all is!!)8 Brave New World (my newest addition to the top 10 - its really good and has just moved up my chart - but just look up further from here...its a pretty steep climb for any album to get in there.......love out of the silent planet..the talisman....the wicker man is a great opener..but the Nomad is one of their best ever....)10 A Matter Of Life And Death - Very strong return to form this one - Just listen to These Colours Dont Run.....great tracks mostly from start to finish.......Id say this Brave New World and of course BofSouls are the albums which truely rock from the last 16 years.......Anyway - a brilliant band - there is no denying these guys along with Black Sabbath are the initiators of true Heavy Metal....great great stuff!!!!!!Pop Quiz - which album was more important Beast or Paranoid???!!!

This had the same impact on me as when I first listened to Piece of Mind or Powerslave et al - instant classic. Many will quibble after the fact and disagree, but in times to come the run of releases from the newly reformed Maiden will be mentioned in the pantheon of the heavy metal hall of fame in the same breath as their first 7 albums. And Brave New World was where it all began - again.In all fairness, they already had the sound nailed, they just needed to revisit it, so it may not have been as hard to formulate a tone as some of their previous efforts, but that doesn't really matter. What does matter is the fact that Maiden had returned, not only with Bruce, but with their first stone cold classic since 7th Son.'The Wicker Man' is crucial, brutal, precise and bone-crushingly powerful. It is the perfect track to reintroduce the awesome engine that is Maiden. 'Ghost of the Navigator' is classic, reminiscent of 'Revelations' from Piece of Mind, and equally as good. The title track is a little different in composition than a normal Maiden track but it is nevertheless another tick in the classic box. 'Blood Brothers' and 'The Mercenary' are filler but, if they had been on any of their previous 4 albums, would have been the best therein. 'Dream of Mirrors' is a great track, showing the band's comfidence in their material, slowly building up to an awesome chorus, making the listener wait for the climax, as it is a very long track. 'Fallen Angel' is another filler song but it rocks like a demon. 'Nomad' is one of my favourite tracks, which is odd as it is one of the most lumpen, plodding things they have done since X-Factor. But it is powerful and understated at the same time - it is truly stunning work. 'Out of the Silent Planet' and 'The Thin Line Between Love & Hate' are both great songs, not quite classics but very near.In tone and subject, this is more akin to Piece of Mind and in my opinion is just as worthy.Welcome home Maiden. We've missed you.

I’m writing this review having had a break from Maiden since Fear of the Dark, I saw flight 666 and I realised they are still great so decided to catch up on their more recent albums and started at Brave New World, as it’s where the classic line-up were reunited. I’m not one of those Maiden fans who gives every album a 5 star rating regardless as that’s just not helpful to people who genuinely want to know if the album is any good. Right – onto the review. Brave new world opens with Wicker Man, a fast-paced, kick-ass rock song with a really catchy guitar riff. Some Maiden songs are slow burners but Wicker Man is instantly likeable. It’s a great start to an album. Next comes Ghost of the Navigator. Oh my word! One of my fave three songs on the album. The intro is superb, a slow build-up that gathers pace until it breaks into a killer buzzsaw guitar riff. Ghost has several parts to it, all of which I like and it’s very much in the classic mould of the great storytelling Maiden songs, the story is great and musically it’s superb. Song 3 is Brave New World. Slow intro which unsurprisingly turns into another quality rock track. I love the music of Brave New World but it wasn’t my favourite song on first few listens, mainly because Bruce sings ‘a Brave New World’ what seems like a thousand times. It’s grown on me though and it’s still a great song. Blood Brothers (song 4) is probably the slowest song on the album, a catchy melodic song that has a chorus that you’ll find yourself singing along to ‘We’re blood brothers’– I bet this is a great live song as it’s a perfect singalong song. The Mercenary (song 5) is a shorter song, straight into a fast rock song and again another killer chorus ‘show them no fear, show them no pain’, a kind of standard Maiden track this one which I mean as a compliment, perfectly decent song. Dream of Mirrors (song 6) is over 9 minutes long but is still not long enough, it’s that good! On first listening this was my favourite song, and it still is. It’s just bloody awesome. Really emotive song, a slower song for a lot of it, Bruce’s singing is perfect as the song builds and builds. Another in a long line of the great ‘storytelling’ Maiden songs, the types of Maiden songs I love. When the guitars kick in it’s perfect and the chorus ‘I only dream in black and white’ is just so goddam catchy, it really gets under your skin this song and shows why Maiden are not just another metal band, they are superb musicians – dream of mirrors isn’t just a great Maiden song or a great metal song, it’s just a great song full stop. It’s some 6 minutes in before dream of mirrors speeds up to a more standard Maiden pace and when the chorus is sung at this faster pace it’s even better! The Fallen Angel (song 7) is the shortest track at just 4 minutes long. Heavy intro which leads to yet another catchy as hell chorus ‘could it be it’s the end of our world’ with a fabulous riff, one of the heavier songs on the album and really good song. The Nomad (song 8) – the only song I’m not that crazy about. It’s another 9 minute song but I just don’t like the weird circus-like guitar riff in this song. That said the intro features a few seconds of harmonies which come later as well – I love bits of this song but not the song as a whole. The next two songs are about the best end to an album you can get. Out of the Silent Planet (song 9) is a brilliant song. A melodic intro which gives us something rare for Maiden – harmonies, and boy does that make this song. A great story, the harmonies on Silent Planet are just plain special, this is Maiden showing off, showing how good they are. Silent Planet is pure class, brilliant vocals, catchy as hell guitar riff, and just for good measure a little bit of funk in the instrumental in the middle of the song. If you don’t like Silent Planet then there really is no hope for you. Thin Line Between Love and Hate finishes the album. Another epic at over 8 minutes long. I love Bruce’s vocals on this song, it’s understated but better for it, show’s that he doesn’t have to hit the high notes to sound great. It’s quite a funky guitar on this song which is right up my street, also love the drums on this song. Thin Line is heavy but slow and funky. The song is great but at the end it slows right down unexpectantly and becomes incredibly poignant and to be honest, quite beautiful, not something you normally say about Maiden but there you are. It’s an amazing end to an amazing album, and it leaves you wanting more. In case you haven’t guessed, I highly recommend Brave New World, it’s right up there with Maiden’s very best albums. Enjoy.

Iron Maiden have been a favourite of mine since the eighties when I bought the LP piece of mind & the two singles The Trooper & The Flight Of Icarus. Brave new world is another incredible chapter for the band & sees Bruce Dickinson back in the fold with a powerful performance. This has some epic tracks I'm so proud to add this to my vinyl collection!

This was my coming of age Maiden album. It was so many things to me! My first proper metal gig. The first Maiden album was pre ordering for myself. And the coming together of the legendary lineup we all know and love. Not faultless but a bloody fantastic album.