I never thought that Iron Maiden would be able to top their most popular album, “Number of the Beast”, but today I may have to eat my words. And you know what? I’m damn glad to do it because they’re brand new album, “The Book of Souls”, is f**king spectacular on a level that I never could have seen coming before today. I’ll be honest with you all – I was not a huge fan of the single “Speed of Light” when it came out. The sound just didn’t approve with my ears for whatever God forsaken reason. But upon hearing tracks like the title track, “The Red and the Black” (my personal favorite), and “When the River Runs Deep” I found that this album truly is f**king great albeit it’s not perfect in my opinion. Everything from the simple riffs, atmospheric and complex guitar and bass combos, magnificent beat of the drums, and the traditional (and legendary) vocals just molded together in such a way that I cannot help myself but to approve of as it is near perfect. What really helped me love “The Book of Souls” was its length. Over 90 f**king minutes of pure Iron Maiden is far more than enough for me to approve of. F**k, I would’ve been happy with a little less than 40, but no, they went all out and it works! They really flesh out some tracks, make them feel organic, create them with a classic sound mixed with modern elements like a really nice acoustic guitar that gives me chills every time I f**king hear it for all the right reasons. I’ll admit something else: I was ever so slightly worried that Iron Maiden may try and go for a totally new sound than what they’re known for. And thankfully, that’s not even close. They’ve kept their legendary sound that have attracted millions (hello!), and I can say with confidence that it has not wavered one single f**king metal iota. “The Book of Souls” will without a doubt go down as another amazing creation by Iron Maiden alongside some of their greatest albums. This is truly something to be heard if you even think about saying “Yeah, I like Iron Maiden“. Because otherwise you’re a f**king liar (not really, I’m just being an asshole).
You can stream the entirety of “The Book of Souls” via Spotify here, buy the album via iTunes here, and also watch the music video for “Speed of Light” via YouTube below.
Track Listing:
- If Eternity Should Fail
- Speed of Light
- The Great Unknown
- The Red and the Black
- When the River Runs Deep
- The Book of Souls
- Death or Glory
- Shadows of the Valley
- Tears of a Clown
- The Man of Sorrows
- Empire of the Clouds
Just a metal head who loves just about all metal. I want to spread the word about the REALLY great bands out there, well known and underground. I do this for fun and don’t want any sort of money from doing reviews. It’s its own reward. I also do daily reviews for my own review site, Head-Banger Reviews, where the reviews are longer and daily as mentioned. No bullshit, just here to have some fun, listen to cool music and meet cool people.