Legends of heavy metal IRON MAIDEN are back in 2010 with their fifteenth studio album entitled The Final Frontier and aside from vocalist Bruce Dickinson’s obvious drop off in vocal range, the ten song collection impressed this reviewer enough not to completely trash the outing, which I must frankly admit is positively boring in spots. The meandering opener “Satellite 15…..The Final Frontier” starts off tamer than Dickinson’s short “I’m a professional pilot now” haircut, but then thankfully kicks into high gear enough to bring the listener back to full interest.
What you’ve always loved about Maiden is still there: an explosive rhythm section, thanks to finger-picking bassist Steve Harris who still gallops like nobody’s business and the ever rocking drum work from Nicko McBrain. The guitar playing (Murray/Gers/Smith) on the ever potent tracks “El Dorado”, “Mother Of Mercy” and “Coming Home” definitely takes this old school Maiden fan back to the good ole days. I first saw this band live for the classic Number of The Beast… when I was only twelve years old, so I think I know what I’m talking about when I say this group of fifty year olds can still bring it. I would be the first one to admit this album totally sucks if it indeed did, but there’s moments of absolute brilliance on “The Alchemist” and “Isle Of Avalon” that amazingly takes the great act to new levels musically that I thought was not possible.
“Starblind” finds Maiden back in that perfectly epic sonic landscape that you found on earlier cuts like “Aces High” and “2 Minutes to Midnight” and even the most jaded critic will find themselves headbanging
at their speakers on track eight’s passionately written “The Talisman”. Dickinson here gets back to what he is the most famous for, super soaring vocals that would even give today’s twenty-something front man a serious run for their money. All in all, this is Maiden’s best album since 1988’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. So up the irons and much respect to these mates for still hanging around.
ROCKET REVIEW:[starreview tpl=16]
IRON MAIDEN “The Final Frontier” (CD)
(Columbia/Legacy 2010)
1. Satellite 15…..The Final Frontier
2. El Dorado
3. Mother Of Mercy
4. Coming Home
5. The Alchemist
6. Isle Of Avalon
7. Starblind
8. The Talisman
9. The Man Who Would Be King
10. When The Wild Wind Blows
http://www.ironmaiden.com/
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