Iron Maiden - Maiden England

This review begins two ways. The first is that Maiden England is the stage set/concert being celebrated this year (2012) by Iron Maiden. Even better is that this is the show they will be representing at Sarnia's Bayfest, which I will be attending to watch Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden share a stage. Holy wet dream Eddie!!!!

The official introduction to this album goes back to 1997 or 1998. I was having a bit of an unofficial "Look what I found" competition with one of my best friends, Drew. We had been picking up all the newly re-released special edition Iron Maiden singles, and kind of preventing each other from completing any specific set. Maiden England I believe was the last album I picked up during this game.

However, I didn't technically pick up the album. I picked up the VHS (Video cassette were before DVD/Blue Ray/Digital Video for those that are too young to know or remember) which included a bonus CD. In fact the back of the CD specifically states, "Not to be sold separately", but I'll just be reviewing the album, not the video. I should also mention that my favourite Iron Maiden joke is that they have more live albums than they have actual albums . With all that being said, let's move on to the album.

For starters the live production is okay, but live production prior to the 1990's wasn't that great. Recorded in Birmingham, England on the 27th and 28th of November 1988, during the Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son Tour. The VHS was released in November 1989, and then the limited VHS/CD edition in 1994. Which is what I have. The sound is a bit thin because of it, and the low end is almost missing. That doesn't mean you can't hear Steve Harris' bass, it just means it's doesn't sound as low as normal.

Nothing like opening a concert with an accoustic and merry little tune, before bringing the Metal. Moonchild starts off the set and CD. This was never a favourite of mine. Not that it's a bad song, it's just not my cup of tea.

My two favourite songs from Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son are The Evil That Men Do and Can I Play With Madness. Sadly only the first one is on this live disc, which is a great and interesting choice as the second track in the set.

You can't have the Prisoner without it's trademark opening from the show, which Maiden happily play live everytime. This live version is nowhere near as good as the original from Number Of The Beast.

Believe it or not, but to this day I always think that Still Life is called Peace Of Mind. I can't offer a logical reason for this except for that the words Still Life appear nowhere in the song, but the words Peace Of Mind do.

Die With Your Boots On, much like the previous song, are from my favourite Maiden album Piece Of Mind. So, clearly I'm not going to say too much against the songs, except that on this recording they are not as good as the album. I do like hearing Bruce say "Die, you're going to fucking die" which is a rarity to me, since he like never swears on an album.

Infinite Dreams is one of those Iron Maiden songs I've never been a big fan of. There's usually one or two an album, so it's rare I will listen to this song. Even more rare that I don't skip this track all together. It just has never done anything for me.

There are only two pre-Dickinson songs on this album. The first one to appear is Killers, from the album of the same name. Now, I will be honest and say that I don't own the original album, but that doesn't mean it isn't good, it is. Just like this song is sweet, but not as sweet as the album version. The production is a bit of a let down.

Heaven Can Wait and Wasted Years are the contributions from Somewhere In Time on here. The first is not a favourite of mine, but I love when Maiden perform it live. Aside from Fear Of The Dark, which hadn't been written at the time of this recording, no other song get's the crowd singing so much. Wasted Years on the other hand is one of my favourite Iron Maiden songs. I pretty much love any song Adrian Smith writes.

I've never been a big fan of The Clarivoyant except for the chorus. The live treatment is a bit more exciting. Which is also how I feel about Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. In fact this is the song I will be using to take a break and go to the toilet, during Bayfest. Not that it's a bad song, it's just really long in ways I don't find overly interesting without the aid of substances.

From there we move into the ever classic Number Of The Beast. At this point it sounds a bit like Bruce Dickinson's voice is starting to go a bit. It get's a bit wobbley and sounds a bit like a drunken slur.

The album then finishes with the bands title track IRON MAIDEN!!! I don't care how cliche it seems, I don't care how cheesy people may think it is. The truth is that "Iron Maiden will get you no matter how far." I love this song, and it is best live, but this is not the best live version.

I can't stress enough how much I hate the production on this album. It's not complete garbage, but I know guys that could get the same sound out of a four-track recorder at a bar show. The set list is awesome, eventhough it represents the Iron Maiden I cared for the least prior to Bruce Dickinson originally leaving the band.

The only two songs that appeared on the VHS that weren't on the CD were Can I Play With Madness and Hallowed Be Thy Name. I really would have prefered Can I Play With Madness instead of The Clairvoyant, but that wouldn't make me listen to the disc anymore than I already do. Which isn't very much, because there are other, much better, live Iron Maiden Albums. Most of them are more recent and have three guitarists instead of just two.

8/10 - content

3/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias