Iron Maiden follows the success of Brave New World with Dance Of Death.

 

Here is an index of all the other album reviews:

Iron Maiden(1980): http://www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-iron-maiden-iron-maiden

Killers(1981): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-killers-iron-maiden

Number Of The Beast(1982): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-number-beast-iron-maiden

Piece Of Mind(1983): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-piece-mind-iron-maiden

Powerslave(1984): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-powerslave-iron-maiden

Somewhere In Time(1986): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-somewhere-time-ion-maiden

Seventh Son(1988): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-seventh-son-seventh-son-iron-maiden

No Prayer For The Dying(1990): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-no-prayer-dying-iron-maiden

Fear Of The Dark(1992): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-fear-dark-iron-maiden

X Factor/XI(1995/1998): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-x-factor-and-virtual-xi-iron-maiden

Brave New World(2000): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-brave-new-world-iron-maiden

AMOLAD(2006): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-matter-life-and-death-iron-maiden

The Final Frontier(2010): www.screwattack.com/news/album-review-final-frontier-iron-maiden

 

Dance Of Death(2003) by Iron Maiden

What the?? Check out that cover art. It looks hideous! The CGI looks like it belongs on a crappy Dreamcast game. Probably the worst cover art of any Iron Maiden album. Even worse than the god awful X Factor cover art.

 

Luckily, the cover art is the worst part about this album. The album it self is a great follow up to the excellence displayed in Brave New World.

 

Wildest Dreams – Iron Maiden

 

The songwriting is excellent like before. Like Brave New World, it has many memorable rifts that will not leave your head. The subject matter of the songs are based less on fiction and more on real life issues or historical events. “Face In The Sand” is based off the media coverage of the Iraq war. “New Frontier” express concerns about human cloning. “Paschendale” is a reference to a famous world war 1 battle. “Montsegur” is about a famous stronghold in the 13th century and how history repeats itself.

 

The guitars and vocals are almost on par with some of their earlier albums like Number Of The Beast. Having three guitars as opposed to two adds more depth to already deep melodies. This album also has the first and only fully acoustic song in Iron Maiden's 37 year history. The track in question is “Journeyman”. While far from the best song in the album, it's a nice change of pace from their usual style.

 

Journeyman – Iron Maiden

 

This album, as good as it is, has a few problems that it suffers from. For one, it has the same problem as Fear Of The Dark to an extent. Some songs have one or two interesting and cool rifts but ultimately fail to keep your attention through out the entire song. This problem isn't as bad as it was in No Prayer For The Dying and Fear Of The Dark but still takes the album down a notch or two. The length of this album may try your patience as well. It's about the same length as Brave New World but because of the inconsistency of this album it may be hard to sit through the entire album. Of course, I'm only nitpicking here. These flaws are either few and far between or easily over looked.

 

This album, like Brave New World has many memorable songs worth getting. The album's best are: “Dance Of Death”, “Wildest Dreams”, Gates Of Tomorrow”, “Rainmaker” and “No More Lies”.

 

Dance Of Death – Iron Maiden

 

Rainmaker – Iron Maiden

 

Gates Of Tomorrow – Iron Maiden

 

Despite my harsh treatment of this album, it's really good and essential to your Iron Maiden collection. If you can ignore the cover art, you will discover a damn fine album.

 

I'll give it an 8.75/10

 

Very good.

 

My favorite track at this moment.

No More Lies – Iron Maiden

 

So far, Iron Maiden is on a roll in the 2000's. But can they keep it up?? Find out next time, when I review A Matter Of Life And Death.

 

Thanks for reading!! Feel free to criticize and UP THE IRONS!!!