The Final Frontier

So I haven't actually posted for like *counts* *Okay, too lazy to count,* a while now... But that is probably because I have been rather distracted with THE FINAL FRONTIER!!! IRON MAIDEN'S new album!!! HOOOOOOO \m/ x100'000'666'701

It was actually released on the 16th, but what I did...was that I preordered the LIMITED EDITION SUPER HOOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME version, which Amazon decided to not deliver to me instantly, at first I figured I'd have to wait like 3 or 4 days and then rock out, but nooo, after like 3 amazingly painful days, I received an email which said that it won't be shipped until the 31st and alas the thought broke me down and I caved and illegally satisfied my ears :(

I was hoping to listen to it for the first time when I get the CD, but alas fate is cruel to me. Ah well, it was worth it anyways.

So This album is different, it's a lot more direct that some of Maidens other efforts and it's also very progressive but at the same time heavy and kindve straight forward, it's hard to describe but it's definitely very great to listen to. I think that for a lot of people it'll take some time to grow on them, since it's so dense but I loved it the moment I played it =S

I shall now go into my song by song detail :D

1. Satellite 15...The Final Frontier (8:41)
Okay, well this song is basically two songs which are lyrically linked and the same track, but they are very different. I heard the second part before the album was released, because it was pre released in a video and I always loved it. It's a very straight forward rocker with some great solos by Dave and Adrian. The vocals are different, and more atmospheric but I still like them very much.
Now, the first part (Satellite 15) is so different. When I first played it, my reaction was some what like "huh...woah...weird...sweet...coool....AWESOME" It's really experimental and it reminds me of the anguish of some poor astronaut abandoned in space, very interesting vocals at this part as well, great song that probably doesn't work for every one. Very very very experimental =p

2. El Dorado (6:48)
This was the other track I'd already heard, and I've heard it a lot since June as it was released as a single. Great song, it just makes you bob your head, you just do it to the pumping base and groovy drums. The guitars also work great and add the whole rock feel. My only complaint was I KINDVE wish that there was a bit more variation in the vocals during the verse, but I think Maiden and Bruce knew what they were doing best. It's a lyrical song, reminiscent of Somewhere in Time (Wasted Years like intro and stuff) I loved it because it also has great great solos from all 3 guitarists

3. Mother of Mercy (5:20)
The moment this track started, I knew it was Maiden. Beautiful melodic intro with folkish vocal melodies that leads into pretty heavy carnage with some overwrought Bruce vocals. I love some of the guitar work on this track as well as the vocal melodies, it's great. Adrian has a really cool solo (I think it's Adrian) A song about war, which I always love and as always, Iron Maiden captured the essence of it all perfectly, really not much else to say. I really really enjoyed my first listen.

4. Coming Home (5:52)
Although it starts out relatively heavy, this really is a beautiful balad song, I think it's a bit more of a powerbalad, but it's still really great. It has the signature Maiden soaring chorus, the kind which would reduce grown men to crying blubbers during a concert. It's a touching song, I'm thinking it's about coming home from a long journey which for Maiden would be a tour. Once again, I loved this song from the very first listen, Dave does a really cool little balad solo followed by a trademark Adrian one.

5. The Alchemist (4:29)
The first thing I thought when listening to this song, was that it belongs on Fear of the Dark!! It has such a Janicky feel to it, it's very bouncy, and generally fun, some great harmonies on it. Love it =p

6. Isle of Avalon (9:06)
ZOMG, my mind was blown over like 10 times when I first heard this song and it still blows over every time I hear it. What a song!!! It has this amazing atmosphere and the trademark Iron Maiden epic feeling. I love it. It's the kind of song which, when it ends you sit there and reflect on just how amazing it is. That, is the Iron Maiden epic. It also has a bit of an environmental feeling to it, makes me feel bad for destroying mother earth.

7. Starblind (7:08)
On first listen, I think I missed the first 2 minutes because I was still totally mind blown from Isle of Avalon. This how ever is another very epic song. It's pretty heavy, and it has some amazing lyrics, very very very strong song lyrically. During the verses there are these aweessomee little guitar fills going on in the back ground, they never get old!! =D I love it, great song =) Love the harmonies near the end as well =D

8. The Talisman (9:03)
K.O. I was dead, it was tooo much!!! So epic!!! This song blew my mind, again. It has this awesome little camp fire intro, and I got into that so much when all of a sudden BAM HEAVY CALAMITY I was like WOAH, YEAHH!!!!! Some great great singing on this one, great solos, great everything. Great performance, Good job Iron Maiden!!!!! This song kindve reminds me of The Legacy, it also has a bit more of a Janick feel on it then the some of the other ones, there's this Janick solo under a harmony and that's pretty cool.

9. The Man who would be king (8:28)
Same thing as Starblind, I was still recovering from The Talisman when I heard this. It's a really good song, I suppose it may feel less grand and epic than some of the previous ones, but It's still really good, most people seem to like it less, not me. I love the acoustic part with the vocals near the end. There's quite a bit of cool synths in the intro, I think it creates a pretty awesome atmosphere =p

10. When the wild wind blows (10:59)
YES!!!! 11 minute Haris epic! What a song! :) This really has some amazing vocal melodies, amazing harmonies, amazing solos, cool bass parts and a great atmosphere. It doesn't even feel like 11 minutes, because of how awesome it is. It's hard to describe it even. A very very touching song about a Nuclear holocaust. When I first heard it, it did sound very different to what I was imagining, but I think it sounded better, it's really different with some great rhythmic elements. I admit I was tearing up at the end of it, because of it's structure, meaning and the fact that it's the last song from an amazing album from an amazing band! :D

I am such a Maiden fan boy =)

The Final Frontier is a really good album, it has reduced me from a civilized man into a blubbering wreck where I can't really describe it without sounding a little bit stupid. Worth the listen, go take a listen! do it!! =D

UP THE IRONS!!!!



Note* When I say "Iron Maiden epic," I'm not always really referring to the song as being better than most other Maiden songs, no. Rather, it is one of the Maiden songs which has their signature grandness to it, a great and bold like BIG song that has a really epic feeling, the kind that leaves something behind when it's gone.