el_scorcho Wrote:
Still not sure if I can buy into the reincarnated Maiden. This track hasn't completely sold me either. Amazingly AllMusic gave Dance of Death a full 2 stars more than Fear of the Dark. Maybe I should get on board.
DoD is way better than FotD, IMO. I can hardly listen to it and NPftD, actually - those two albums are the sound of a band struggling to figure out
what the fuck to do
now and not coming up with much. DoD has some serious mix issues, but it's a damned good set of songs. The live album from that tour is pretty cool, too.
I'm really excited to check this new one out because it's because it's basically just the band live in the studio with very little futzing around. That's what producer Kevin Shirley has been saying - no mastering. What you hear is what they heard as they played, according to him:
Quote:
Got my copy of the new Iron Maiden album, well a reference disc, and took off early this morning in my car to check it out, top down on an uncrowded ocean highway, and I must say, I'm pretty happy we (well Steve, really) decided against using the mastering! I dig it! For all the little extra hi-fi nuances they add in mastering, the raw attack and bite of the original mixes is quite refreshing to hear! It is EXACTLY as I mixed them in the studio, EXACTLY what the guys in the band heard! In the mastering process, the mastering engineer sometimes takes it upon himself to be creative, say to add certain frequencies which boost vocals or the bass, which makes the balance between the kick and bass guitar change, and on many occasions I've got a mastered CD back, and then have been unhappy - but usually blame myself! Even when we mastered this album (which we didn't use), it had a little analog compression added, which brings the guitars up a tiny bit, and knocks the transients off the snare drum, thus diluting the attack and impact of the snare. Now what you'll hear on the Maiden album, is the way it sounded in the studio, and while it may not be as loud as some other CD's, who gives a fuck! Turn the volume up then...... My three fave tracks are Longest Day, For the Greater Good Of God and Lord Of Light - although that may well change tomorrow!
Dammit if he isn't right - this track sounds INCREDIBLE. Thanks Dalen!
