PIECE OF MIND

With finally a stable line-up for a few albums to come, with Nico McBrain (ex early-Pat Travers Band drummer), the group has now a steady drummer, the Maiden will now produce a series of classic 80's metal (which I must recognize is not really my cup of tea), even though one can say that right from the debut, they are all masters in the genre.

With Dickinson instantly recognizable voice, the group sails smooth seas, cruising speeds that can be only envied by other NWOBHMB, IM is just content on convincing already conqured metal public. The least we can say is that with this album, Maiden is not on to break new ground (they never were, but with this one even less than other albums of theirs), so this album has an "already-seen" flavour that makes us casual fans wonder why we actually would consider buying YET ANOTHER Maiden album. Indeed, there is nothing new under the metallic sun. The usual two or three shorter tracks (Flight of Icarus, The Trooper, Sun And Steel) to provide potential hits (the first one anyway), longer material to provide a bit of dramas veering towards what complacent fans will call mini-epics (nothing over the 7.5 minutes though) and a few lower quality fillers: one has to learn not to overflow an album of ideas so there are more for the next albums to come (hey career consultancy exists in metal groups also). Yes they got their formula down pat: they even allow for the odd extremely well placed slow intro to give a breathing space to the young metalhead in between the riff-erama heaven that every young male into tough music only dreams to reach. Maiden's professional attitude is to achieve this on a few occasions per record, something that most of their peers could simply not match.

I usually cannot listen ton such an album in its entirety without developing a start of a migraine, this was the case already when I was in my 20's, but is certainly more the case nowadays. Which is why compassionate progheads are welcome to express their sympathies in a sealed envelope (along with consequent financial gratitude ;-) after I put up with two recent listening session of this album in order to write this review.

So Maiden with not invent hot water and in case they did invent lukewarm water, it was rather by accident rather than by an adventurous approach: every step of this album is well-thought out, but that quality is also its weakness: no surprise, no real fun, just business as usual. By winning without risks, one triumphs without glory. Lacklustre for me, but triumphant for convinced fans, the choice is yours.

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