IRON MAIDEN
A Matter of Life and Death
EMI
· The latest reincarnation of Iron Maiden proves there is still plenty to fear from this beast.
While Iron Maiden has explored dark themes on the 13 albums that precede A Matter of Life and Death, never has the band done so at such a human level. Usually the listener is carried back in time, to imagine brave warriors – if you’re not already a metal or Maiden fan, it’s OK to roll your eyes at this point – from centuries ago fighting for honour and glory, or to recall the follies of mythical creatures and characters. In these 10 songs, the horror and futility of 20th- and 21st-century warfare is explored at greater depths. Rather than a mere retelling of tales, one finds an examination of the physical and spiritual consequences of modern conflict – much more nuanced and complex ideas to get across in a six or seven-minute piece of music than, say, the story of Alexander the Great or Icarus.
Musically, these six Englishmen exhibit astounding form and finesse. While many of their metal peers have either long lost their relevance, their chops or their minds – or sadly now belong to the Reality TV universe – they have become the virile senior statesmen of the genre. It’s evident in the way Bruce Dickinson lowers his register on the word "tomb" in the final verse of "The Longest Day" (a terrifying account of the D-Day beach landings), then effortlessly brings his voice back to a vicious shrieking growl – similar to his "Be Quick or Be Dead" style – to deliver the line "blood and sand/ we will prevail!" Nicko McBrain’s machine-gun-tight drums offer a strong foundation for Steve Harris’s trademark gallop – one can visualize Harris firing his bass at the crowd for this number.
The soloing on a track like "For the Greater Good of God" with its questioning rather than accusing chorus "please tell me now what life is/ please tell me now what love is/ well tell me now what war is/again tell me what life is") is nothing short of breathtaking. From the five-and-a-half minute mark, there’s about a minute of guitar work that should send shivers down one’s spine. It’s absolutely devastating in its brilliance.
Although this is not a concept album, much of its lyrical content treads the same dark territory presented in the cover’s artwork. It’s a scene of skeletal troopers marching forward through mud, blood and scorched earth. Behind them, a tank and, of course, Eddie can be seen riding in his rightful place – at the top.
One might say the same about the mighty Iron Maiden.
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