This is because if you say "metal" to a random person, there's a good chance that Maiden will be one of the first bands they think of. Awesome at their best and occasionally shameful at their worst, Iron Maiden has held a steady grip on the heavy metal world for quite a while, over the course of these 15 albums. Of course, this means at least 15 versions of their beloved metal mascot, Eddie.
Eddie, as seen during the Final Frontier World Tour.
But enough about mascots; I know what's on your mind. "But Bill, is the music good?" I'm sure that after some of Maiden's more recent albums you may have a few doubts here and there. I'm not here to address concerns about the past, but rather to say that "The Final Frontier" shows off a musical direction that Iron Maiden seems to have been perfecting over their long journey. It's still not quite there, but every cd had a jump of evolution from the last one, and this is by far the biggest.
The songs are longer than usual, with the longest clocking in at around 11 minutes, and all of them carrying a far more progressive feel than previously shown by Maiden. Changes in time signature pop up more often than one would expect from this band, but they (for the most part) don't feel forced and often contribute to the complexity of the songs.
Speaking of which, some of these songs are the most musically complex Iron Maiden songs out there, with riffs and licks not bounded by the contemporary limitations of the minor scale. The guitar harmonies play off eachother wonderfully, and the solos...Oh god, the solos.
The guitar solos on this cd are amazing. Right now I'm listening to the solo from "Coming Home", a piece that begins slowly and builds up to be quite climactic, and frankly every time I hear it I love it more.
Bruce still hits his notes with dignity, and the band keeps up with due force. I've heard rumors that this will be the last Maiden cd to grace the metal world, which is slightly depressing news, but I can totally see it listening to this album. The songs are each strong and masterful, occasionally lacking in certain areas but on the whole each has it's charms. Iron Maiden clearly has put a lot of work in this album, like a frenzied last push against crappy music.
Overall, I think this is a very good album. It showcases all the musical skills that Maiden has been harboring since the beginning, and if it truly is a goodbye album, it leaves a shining metal masterwork in their wake to continue to shape and inspire metal. Some particularly good songs are El Dorado, Mother of Mercy, Starblind, and The Talisman. Check them out if you want a good feel for what the rest of the album sounds like. Expect lots of harmonies, awesome riffs, and face-melting solos.
Viva la metal!
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