Iron Maiden: Keeping the metal lamp burning

The Final Frontier (This hopefully isn't also their final record, as widely speculated!)

Maiden's latest 'epic' album - out earlier this month - is likely their best since 2000's Brave New World . As it tops charts in several countries, TFF seems to have given metal a second wind at the end of the 1st decade of the century.

I actually saw something about Maiden edging out Eminem at the top of the UK charts (now how often have those two shown up in the same sentence!)

TFF tells the story of some kind of space explorer that's going out to the dark beyond. It has just ten tracks, and yet is Maiden's longest album ever. Most numbers are over six minutes each.

Never mind the strange start with that bizarre first half of Satellite 15/The Final Frontier - everything is made alright right after. Look especially for the 2nd part of the title track, The Man Who Would Be King, and the final (11 min) track When the Wild Wind Blows. 

For a band made up of six fifty-plus year olds, they're still coming up with excellent work. I now don't regret not being around for Maiden at their 'peak in the 80s' as much as before.

The Final Frontier, like most Maiden albums will take a few listens before you like all of it. Recommend that you play it in the car over and over for a while.

Like the new Eddie?