Good but not good enough. Review on No Prayer for the Dying - Iron Maiden

No Prayer For The Dying

- Iron Maiden

For almost six months now, Iron Maiden has been my favourite band and I am proud to say that I possess all Maiden albums belonging to the Dickinson era. NPFTD is a decent enough album, but I wouldn't rate it as one of their best ones. Some of the tracks are pretty good while the rest seem to lack something. In any case, I wouldn't recommend you to begin your IM experience with this album. You'd do better with their earlier stuff or Brave New World.

This album marks the exit of guitarist Adrian Smith (a great pity, but at least, he comes back. But an even sadder event was the exit of Bruce Dickinson, but then, he also returned. :D) and the entrance of Janick Gers. Janick Gers, although a superb guitarist himself would have found it really tough to fill the huge hole created by the absence of Adrian.

This album can be considered a bit closer to Hard Rock than Heavy Metal. Some of the choruses and guitar riffs are quite amazing and it seems as if the band could have made it just a bit better. But well, I'm not complaining. Its good enough as it is, at least for me.

Nicko McBrain drums on quite well. In fact, all the band members handle their instruments flawlessly. Maybe its the entrance of Janick which led to the album being more Rock than Metal, but I don't believe it. Bruce Dickinson's voice sounds a bit hoarse and rough to me. But its quite clean and he again shows why he should be considered as one of the greatest vocalists ever. I don't have anything to say about Steve Harris or Dave Murray. They are simply much too great for adjectives to adequately describe them.

1. Tailgunner - I love this song. It has a very memorable guitar riff. Many people complain that this is a thin song. I don't quite understand. As songs go, this one is very melodic.

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1. Holy Smoke - One of the best songs of the album. Typically Maiden, I guess. Straightforward and convincing. It has almost all the features of a great IM song.

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1. No Prayer for the Dying - An amazing song. Much better than those before it. Its one of the all time IM classics. Great solos.

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1. Public Enema Number One - Memorable riffs but not one of my favourite Maiden songs.

Ratings - 1/2

1. Fates Warning - I'm not very sure about this song. I didn't like this the first time I heard it but it seemed to get better every next time I heard it. Many fans love this song, though.

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1. The Assassin - Has a bit of an Eastern sound to it. Its decent but not decent enough considering IM's old standards.

Ratings - 1/2

1. Run Silent Run Deep - Its a song about submarine wars. The chorus is Ok but I don't really like this song.

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1. Hooks in You - More of a Hard Rock song.

Ratings - 1/2

1. Bring Your Daughter... ...to the Slaughter - Another one of the better songs of the album.

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1. Mother Russia - Its a great number. Sounds quite Russian for a major part. It has great music. Very catchy.

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