VIRTUAL XI

Warning: this is clearly one of Iron Maiden's weakest efforts ever, if not the weakest. Being a long time fan I was writing a Maiden biography for a brazilian site when I got this CD. Aside from some average good material, like Futureal and Lightning Strikes Twice, the rest of it is really dire. Gone are the great solos, there are too much misused keyboards and an almost total lack of inspiration. Honestly, The Educated Fool is the worst song Iron Maiden has ever recorded. And please don't blame Blaze Bailey, the new singer, he did all he could.

Unless you are a die hard fan, stay way from it. I'll rate this album 2 stars because no Iron Maiden is a total disaster, but it is the one that comes closest to that. Being a admirer of the band for over 20 years this is the only Iron Maiden CD I ever gave away to friend a few weeks after I bought it and never bothered to get it back after all these years. That tells it all.