Iron Maiden

Rock In Rio

Good but not as good as Live After Death

Review Score:

(8/10)
This is a really good live album and is much better than A Real Live/Dead One but not as good as their masterpiece Live After Death. I haven't heard Live At Donnington so I won't compare to that. First off, these are the things I don't like about this album:
1.) The song selection:All of the songs from Fear of the Dark back have already been on previous live recordings, many of them 4 times!
2.) Steve Harris copied Bruce's vocals over some of the crowd singing(these were live vocals from the concert that were repetitive so it wasn't studio vocals being recorded over live vocals). This is a small complaint but I like my live albums left alone except for mixing.

Okay, here is what you get:
1.) Wicker Man
2.) Ghost of the Navigator
3.) Brave New World
These first 3 songs are all from the new album and are pulled off pretty well.
4.) Wrathchild
5.) Two Minutes to Midnight
These songs are pulled off pretty well but they were pulled off well on previous live albums so why are they here again?
6.) Blood Brothers
One of the best songs on the new album and the audience participation on this song is awesome.
7.) Sign of the Cross
The best of the Blaze Bayley era however Blaze butchered it as usual with his horrible out of key singing. Now it is heard here as it should have been with Bruce singing it. This song along with The Clansman is the main reason I bought this CD.
8.) The Mercenary
Another from the new album but the weakest. The closest to filler you'll get on this album and it isn't bad.
9.) The Trooper
This Maiden classic has already been recorded live before and this version sounds like [junk] so I don't know why they included it. The three guitars make the dual lead that makes this song so great end up making it sound like mud. I don't know why they decided to keep Janick Gers in the first place. It's just a wasted salary but that's another story.
10.) Dream of Mirrors
Great song from the new album and pulled off really well here.
11.) The Clansman
See my comments on Sign of the Cross.
12.) The Evil That Men Do
13.) Fear of the Dark
These were both recorded previously but the Evil That Men Do sounds better here.
14.) Iron Maiden
This has been recorded several times but it will always be in Iron Maiden concerts so a live album wouldn't be complete without it.
15.) The Number of the Beast
16.) Hallowed be thy Name
Two Maiden classics but again, why do we need another live version?
17.) Sanctuary
The fourth live version if you count the fact it was on the original CD version of Live After Death. One live version is too much if you ask me. This certainly isn't one of Maiden's great songs.
18.) Run To The Hills
I'll excuse the addition of this even though we have previous live versions. It is Maiden's biggest hit so I don't blame them.
Overall, despite my negative comments, this is still a good live album and a must for any Maiden fan but I wish they would include some old songs we don't have live versions for such as Murders in the Rue Morgue, Still Life, To Tame A Land, Somewhere in Time, Wasted Years, Stranger in a Strange Land, Infinite Dreams, or Edge of Darkness just to name a few.

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