I just read today that Iron Maiden is planning to head in the studio towards the end of this year to record a new album, and to hopefully tour in 2010. Like in every other music genre, when a titanic band like Iron Maiden plans to release a new album, it's still considered important news.
Here's a common objection: why should it be important? After all, Iron Maiden are the old guard, they had their time in the spotlight, we have the hits and classics on our Ipods, why should they bother with new material that will never surpass their glory days? In other words, why give a f**k?
Because Iron Maiden is one of the few bands of the older generation to accept their old age. In a business where the "young, edgy, cool and dangerous" get placed in the forefrunt by their labels, Iron Maiden displays confidence in their old material, their talent and their artistic visions.
Usually when bands get older, they can take two options vis-a-vis their music. We can take two examples: Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. In Bon Jovi's case, old age is making them slow down and to play more country-oriented ballads. Hell they even played an acoustic show on CMT a few weeks ago. This could be good or bad depending on the tastes of fans (citing the obvious, yes, but still a point to remember). Motley Crue seems to want to recreate their Glory Days with their albums "Saints of Los Angeles" by borrowing a LOT from their "Dr Feelgood" album. So while certain bands are letting old age get to them by slowing down and only relying on their past hits to rock, others try depseratly to cling on to the simple recipe that made them famous. Some had success, some hadn't.
Iron Maiden stayed clear from those two stereoypes and wanted to keep on inovating their own style. Like all bands from the 80s, they were hit hard by the "alt/grunge/pop-punk/nu-metal revolution" in the 90s. Adrian and Bruce's departures from the band didn't help at all. But they came back stronger than ever with the following three albums "Brave New World", "Dance of Death" and "A Matter of Life And Death".
In those albums, there are a lot of differences with the old Maiden from "Number of the Beast" (for starters, an extra guitarist). But Maiden's new material is just as melodic as ever, Bruce's vocals still proove that clear voices have a place in metal and the guitar works are still as splendid. "Dance of Death" should be re-listened to by all Maiden fans...it is seriously underrated.
But what sets this band apart from everybody is the setlist they play at shows. They even inlcude newer material as shows go by. During the tout for "A Matter of Life And Death", they played the entire album! In "Death on the Road", they include the title track from "Brave New World". They even play songs from the less-liked period where Blaze Bailey used to fron the band ("Sign of the Cross" in Rock in Rio, "Lord of the Flies" in Death on the Road) and there should be no doubts that in futur tours, songs from "Matter of Life and Death" will be inlcuded.
Depsite the fact that the crazy hey-days of "Number of the Beast" are gone, and that any Disney Channel actress can debut at number 1 on the Billboard, the fact that albums like "Dance of Death" can still debut at number 12 shows that Maiden is still rocking harder than ever.
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Iron Maiden still rocking! blog
