Iron Maiden

Dance of Death

Depends on what you're looking for

Review Score:

(6/10)
Maiden plays it pretty safe on this one, turning in another CD's worth of twisting, turning, galloping, precision-tuned melodic metal that sounds like it could've been recorded at the same time as 2000's "Brave New World". This is thanks in part to repeat-producer Kevin Shirley's typical treble-heavy production (how `bout a fresh set of ears next time out, guys?). Every song has a been-there-done-that feel to it, adding nothing to their legacy, nor taking anything from it.

Maybe it'll grow on me, but as it stands after a couple spins, "Dance of Death" is an album that I feel is as uinspired as it's title. But then I really like Metallica's "St. Anger" because it dared to be so different, which a lot of fans hated about it. Of course, there have been far more experiments-gone-horribly-wrong in the past ten years (Motley Crue's "Generation Swine" anyone?) than there have been sucessful forays into new ground, so I supposed I'm more or less happy that Maiden stayed the course. This way, no one gets hurt.

Lead singer Bruce Dickinson promised a few weeks ago that the new Iron Maiden album would "not[be bad]". Well, it doesn't, but it doesn't exactly turn anyone's world around, either.

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