 Jimmy K here, Metal Voice. Look at this. The Metal Voice shirts are now on sale, just go to a video description to find out on how you can purchase one. Metal! Here we are. Well, we're in Canada, Charles is in Germany, and oh my god, where is Stefan? Stefan is... Northern British Columbia. I'm about a few hours away from the Yukon border. For those of you to sleep in White Forest tonight. For those of you who don't know where Yukon is, it's next to Alaska. In fact, I'm driving right now on the Atranta Alaska Highway. Wow, very cool. I saw a few bears, a few buffaloes. And you're eating a deer right now, right? Well, I found a baby dog with three bars on the cell phones. I figured if I don't stop now. We should probably get on with it as well. He's drinking his beer. What is that? Like a canned super beer? No, that's a Coca-Cola. Okay, all right. Brought to you by Coca-Cola. On the show today. A bit of a Jim Leahy vibe going on, Stefan. Iron Maiden, 17th studio album, Sinjitsu released. Today, it's been six long years, double album produced by Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris. Okay, so I already did a review on YouTube, but you know what? What does everybody else think? Now that we've had a little time, or not that much time, but just a little bit of time to sort of digest it a little bit. First impressions. I'm going to start things off. I think what we should do is let's go track by track, because if each one of us talks about a double live album, this might just take until a double album, sorry, double studio album. Here we go. All right, let's start things off. As we go through the track listing, you guys can comment about what you thought about the songs, what you thought about the production, the vocals, the musicianship, the writing, and all that fun stuff. All right, starting it off. Title track, Sinjitsu. Let's Stefan start things off with Sinjitsu, the first song on the album. What do you think, Stefan? Well, it's like any opening track of any Maiden album. It's always this big smack in the face. This is what you're about to get, a very, very powerful song that sort of gives you an idea where they're going. I like it. It's not my favorite track of the album, but it's definitely a very strong opening track, and I even liked it better than the opening of, I can't remember the opening track of Book of Souls, but this is definitely a good segue into an album that is turning out to be far superior than what I anticipated. It's not Bruce's finest vocal work, but structurally, I think it's a great track. I've listened to it three times since this morning when I got the album, and it works for me. You know what? Feel free, everybody, to just weigh in. We're not going to do one at a time, 10 songs. I just thought Stefan should start things off. All right, guys. Let's just go through it, and we can debate it as we're going through it. Whoever. Charles, go. Are we still talking about the opening track? The opening track, my friend. It's actually the one, one of the songs I'm having a few issues with on the record. I don't think it's a great opener. I think it would have suited better to be a bit more like Seventh Sun of a Seventh Sun was right in the middle of the album. I would actually, I thought the album should have kicked off with strategic, whatever you want to say that, or what's the other one that's that form that's long? What's the other one? Help me out, somebody. Are you sure the one you mean? Days of Future Pass. Days of Future Pass would have been a great opener, then into Stratejo and then into maybe The Darkest Hour or something like that. It's got kind of a children of the damn kind of vibe to it, but not a great opener for me. The album kind of comes to life with track two for me a bit. Very good. Just quickly, you know what? I think the opening kind of drums and guitar that lead off Senjutsu, that grabbed my attention right away. That's cool. And then I was waiting, but I was waiting for the song to kick in and it didn't really kick in the way I wanted it to. So it's, things kick in and track two. Right. But see, I would have gone from the intro of this opening track with those tribal drums and the guitar, and then went right into Stratejo. I just think the rest of the song, I don't want to say it's lackluster because I think it's a good song. Like I gave everything two thumbs up, one thumbs up. It's not an opening track. I couldn't see them playing it live. I have to say a lot of their opening tracks, I can see them opening the show with it. I can't see how they would open the show of this because it's too kind of slow and flooding. Knowing them, they probably wouldn't open it. How did they start off the book of souls? What was the opening track? Yeah, but it starts off slow. More uptempo than this. It was a little more uptempo than this is. Okay, what does everybody think about Senjutsu, the opening track? Art, hello. Gabriel, hello. David, hello. Benoho, hello. Tony Wade, hello. Up the Irons. Alexander, nice shirt. You like that, Stefan? Look at that. Not your friend there. Martin says, hi, everybody. I can't see him. Sorry, Dean. Oh, yeah. It says Def Dealer. Okay. Hey, Metal Voice is a teenager from the 80s who's been a fan of Iron Man since 1987. I've seen five of their live concerts. All right, great. I think the opening track was exactly what we all didn't expect. Loved it. Tribal. And I think it doesn't lose one. I think it's like that's one of my favorite tracks. All right, let's move on to number two, unless somebody else has another comment to say about this. I think we've talked a lot about tracks two and track three, right? Because Stratigo and the writing's on the wall. I think that Stratigo is one of the, it's like a maiden highlight. I see that being a very strong track in years to come even. And I see that being played at concert. I'd open the show with that. If they often do open with a new song, so I would probably open with it. And I have to say, when Stratigo first came out, I remember I wasn't able to do a show, but I think a couple of you guys did the show on it. And I wasn't in love with it. And it's really grown on me to the point where it is one of my favorite songs on the record now. Like I gave it a two thumbs up. I felt like, and at that trademark galloping bass, you know, there's going to always be at least a couple of songs with the Harris galloping bass, and it has that. You know, I kind of hear a little brave new world, a little final frontier, a little matter of life and death. So I think strong second track that maybe should have been the first track, the Giles's point. All right, Stratigo and the writing on the wall since they were both the first two singles. Stefan, what'd you think? Stratigo, I like much better than writing on the wall. The more I listen to writing on the wall, the more I realize it might be one of the weaker tracks on the album, especially considering what else there is to come on this record. I, you know, I was curious and anxious when it came out. I remember I gave it a relatively good review, but now that I get to hear the rest of the album, writing on the wall. Nah, it's, it sort of reminds me of when peace of mind came out and Flight of the Karris was like, you know, the leadoff single. I thought, really, you know, I hope there's better material than this. And this is exactly what I'm getting this time, which writing on the wall. All right. I think, I think it's one of the most memorable choruses on the record. I just, I just find that Bruce, and I've said this many times now, Bruce sounds muffled on this song. Like he's, somebody said, he sounds like he's singing underwater. Well, what are you gonna do about it? I mean, this is what Bruce sounds like in 2021. No, no, this is just, this is the, this is the production of his vocals. And I'm talking about how he's singing is. I don't think it's the production of his vocals. I think it's his vocals. Maybe it was in a telephone booth. I don't know, you know, dialing it in. Now I'm going to go to the next track, because we've got a lot to go through lost in a lost world. And before I say anything, I just want everybody to know that when I bought the number of the beast, the day this came out, I ran and I bought it, like a lot of people did. And it kind of took me back a little bit. I love the album, don't get me wrong, but it took me back. It wasn't the number of the beast. And that's made in for you. And that's where we're getting to lost in the lost world. Charles. Really good song. Takes a few listens. I really like a lot of the vocal melodies. I love the outro. I mean, that last kind of two minutes of the song just kicks ass. Really atmospheric, kind of haunting. I don't know what made and does best these days. Blaze, would you say blazes in there? A little bit of blaze here or there? It's funny. I hear, I hear so much X Factor in this album. It's just, but I've heard X Factor in every album since because that was the turning point record for them being more longer songs, more proggy if you want to use that term. But yeah, I do. This is a very good song actually. Really good, really good tune. Yeah, Aaron, Stefan. Actually, one of my least favorites. I have, I have two thumbs down on the albums, two songs. And this is one of them. And I love the intro, the kind of keyboard and acoustic intro and the Bruce's vocal and some of the chants. And to Jarl's point, I also noted that I really like the outro. But other than the intro and the outro, I really don't know if I like the body of the song all that much. It's got quite an interesting drum pattern. It's very sort of a militaristic, marchy kind of almost snappy beat. It might grow on me. Quite a hypnotic drum pattern, drum groove on that song. It reminded me of Ghost of the Navigator on Brave New World, which is one of my least favorite songs on Brave New World. So for me, it was kind of a mix of X Factor and that. And that's, yeah, like I said, this is only two tracks don't do it for me. And this is one of them. An interesting thing I might just add is that the more, the more I'm hearing people saying, well, this has got overtones of X Factor, you hear that the last two or three records, the more the X Factor is getting appreciated. It's kind of interesting how, you know. Well, I'm probably going to go back and listen to X Factor again and A Matter of Life and Death again. Honestly, one thing I love about the album, I'll deviate from the song for a bit. You know on a DVD, how there's Easter eggs you need to look for? I think there's like Easter eggs in all of these songs. And I listen to songs. I think it's very, I don't think they did it on purpose. I think it's organic. But I hear, hey, there's a bit of Brave New World. There's a little bit of X Factor. There's Mother Russia. There's, you know, I really find all these things. It's definitely worth mentioning. I think that the repetition is kind of setting in a little bit now. I mean, they've always kind of gone different places. I mean, no prayer for dying was very different. And Seven Sun and Seven Sun was way different somewhere in time. And X Factor was different than Virtual Eleven and Brave New World was different again as was Dance of Death. But the last two, maybe three albums, we are getting a little bit repetitive. So I am hoping that on the next album, I'm not saying they're going to come out with Holy Smoke or Hooks and New, but it would be nice to think they will, they are, they are perhaps becoming aware of this themselves. And we will see them going in somewhere different on the next record. Yeah, I'm sure we will. I'm sure we will. Who knows. Six years or no, I don't know. It's the fan. I know he's standing up there waiting to weigh in. I've heard differently. Apparently they're recording right now. But that'd be fantastic. I'm with Aaron on it. Not my favorite track. They are, you know, good intro, good outro. But the middle sounds maybe too much like generic late era Iron Maiden. Like, you know, it's always sound of X Factor. Oh, it has a bit of this, a bit of that. No, it just, what it shows that it's not original. As far as I'm concerned, it's not original. It's not an inspiring song. It's not a song that makes me go, oh, I've never heard that before. And I don't, and I think that's why I'm not crazy about that. What about the Moody Blues? Okay, Knights and White Satin, you know, I mean, now we're, we got that sort of, I don't know if you want to call it, I don't know if you want to call it 70s flavor. But, you know, there's the Moody Blues bit that everybody's talking about, and it is a direct sort of influence there. That's new, right? The Moody Blues influences in their music for years. Well, now it's more apparent. Let's call it more apparent. Okay. And, you know, I mean, Stephane's saying, I've heard it all before. Well, I haven't heard that part before. You know. I'm not saying it's a bad track at all. You know, something has to be your favorite and something has to be your least favorite. This and one other are my least favorite. I don't think it's bad. Just not my favorite. Look at this. Benno is saying, so all you guys bashing on the album think they're still in their 30s and should put out a power slave or peace of mind. Am I right? I agree with you. And actually, I'm not even bashing the album. For me, I like every song. We're bashing the album. Because I'm certainly not bashing the album. He sounds like you're bashing the album, Baron. Really? No, I'm just kidding. I'm not bashing the album at all. We'll give our ratings and look, I, anyway, we'll look, I'm just saying some songs are one thumbs up. Some are. We have to get on with this because we don't even offer through the album yet. Well, let's get to the next. Well, we almost are actually like it's only 10 songs on the album. I think we're about to hit number five. I'm sure we're going to have plenty to say about how long I was. I kind of like lost in a lost world. I think, you know, the only thing that's missing is Blaise Bailey. All right, Days of Future Past. What do you think, Giles? Brilliant song. A definite highlight of the record. Reminds me a little bit of something off the accent of the birth of people, wedding of Bruce's solo stuff. It's an excellent song. And whereas, whereas Book of Souls succeeded, where it was kind of polar opposites, you had things like Book of Souls, you had things like Death or Glory, Speed of Light and, you know, very typical made in short, catchy tunes. And then on the other end of the spectrum, you had an 18-minute song and a 12-minute song. It did kind of have both ends of the spectrum. Was this album kind of stays, stays kind of at that other end of the spectrum with the long, long, long songs, and they could probably could have benefited from another Death or Glory or something like that. This is about the closest you can get on this album to that. And I really like this song for that reason. It provides, this and Stratigo provide one, you know, two of those. And it's a very catchy made in song, probably closer to the age of the album. What a great chorus. Stefan, what do you think of Days of Future Pass? I like it. It's one of my best songs on the album. And it's funny that a couple of minutes ago, we were talking about Moodie Blue's influence. And here's a song name after Moodie Blue's album. It is one of the stronger songs. I, anything that has a strong, very in-your-face Dave Murray solo for me does it right away. And this song is the case. And that is why I like it so much. It's well structured. This is made in at its best. And this is a song, I think it's definitely the standout. And I hope it becomes a concert regular. I agree. The chorus, the structure, the solos, you know, I think it's the best track on the record, honestly. It is definitely the rocker on the album. And Matthew Slim is saying, why is nobody talking about how good Nico is on the album? I think Giles did say that. At the end, we'll give our overall thoughts maybe on production and performances, but now we're just doing the songs. But I'm just going to say that I think he's brilliant on the album. All right, Perrin, go. He's brilliant. He's always brilliant. You know, I'll keep this one short. I agree with both of the guys. I think it's one of the better tracks, if not the best track on the album. I think for whoever's hating on the album, I think if the whole album was songs like this, they'd probably like it, right? Because I think this is what some of the people are pining for. Four minutes, energy burst, great chorus, driving guitar, you know, so great, great song. It's ranged between number one and number three for me and my ranking on the album, which is probably going to keep changing around. And here's an interesting thing though. You know, when we talk about some influences from way back, there's a riff at the start. It's like a modern rock riff. It's like a Foo Fighters riff. I'm really honest about it. Let's not go back. Let's go. Let's not go there. Please. I will take that as an insult. Please. There is a modern rock influenced riff, which is really hooky and catchy and really, you know, I'm listening to it. I'm like, whoa, wait a minute. That's not old. That's kind of newish sounding. But again, for people who say they're not fresh and interesting, they kept us on our toes a little bit too. So terrific track. All right. Frank Potvin saying, what does Moody's Blues style mean? I guess if you put on nights in white satin, that's you get an idea of what it is. All right. The Time Machine. I'm going to tell you guys, I love this song, but go ahead, Joel. It's my least favorite. It's a little bit of a kind of in the middle song for me. I'm not really sure if I love it or if I think it's just okay at this point. I think it will be a grower. It's a grower. It's definitely a bit like the opening track. It's going to be a grower. So far, we've gone through the album, the opening track is a little bit of a struggle for me. And then so is Time Machine. Everything else so far, I'm 100% on board with. Wow. There's a jammy part of about two minutes left in the song that I think is really good. Yeah. It takes a long time to get there. And yeah. So this is the one, you know, I like it better today than I did yesterday. But when I said I had two thumbs down on the record, it was, it was, it's this and it's lost in a lost world are the two that I'm having a really, you know, about, you know, these maiden albums all month from now, it could be my favorite song. No, exactly. Even from day to day, I find myself changing a little bit. Absolutely. Stephen, I, it's funny when, you know, the jam part at the end with that that parent brought up, I like it. And it's, it's the element that made me really, really fit. You know what? This song is a keeper. It saves the track. Sure. A keeper. It saves the track. I feel like that part kind of saves the track. Yeah. Yeah. It's, you know, it's not the best track of the album, but it has highlights, which means this is not a song I'll ever skip while listening to the record. It's quite comfortable. Wow. This to me is like a highlight of the album. And you know, Isle of Avalon and is definitely, you know, the intro and I love the keyboards right in the background of it all. And then there's a little Tom Morello guitar riff there. You guys know Tom Morello. Yeah. Listen to it again. Tom Morello so far today on our main interview. Tom Morello. I'm not saying really. Come on here to talk about him. Tom Morello. Let's see what the comments are saying here. Alejandro is saying, Stratigo, the best song. Hi guys. Late to the party. Loving this new record. Besson's Brave New World. Rich Wolfson. And you know what? We'll talk about what is it ranked in the post Bruce hero. The best is brave new world according to some people. I guess that's for Brave New World. But what about the X factor of virtual living? They were pretty good. All right. Going slowing things down a little bit. The darkest hour, darkest hour on disc two, a Smith Dickinson composition. You're hitting the waves and the seagulls of natural science of rush. So what do you think, Stefan? I really like the darkest hour. Normally, you know, whenever there's a slow paced song, I'm always okay. Is this an excuse because they're out of energy? But again, I said before how much I love anything that is highlighted by good old Dave Murray's solo. And this is it. I think the guitars on that song are really, really pushed high in the mix, the solos. And, you know, I keep pressing repeat because I think it's a really great song, even though Maiden can be sort of hit and miss when it comes to the to the mid tempo or slow tempo songs. I really, really like darkest hours. All right, good. Perrin. Let me say that, you know, there were six songs on the first disc and I loved to, I liked to, and I was about to. So if the record stopped there, I'd be this is a so so Maiden record. For me, disc two, starting with this song, takes this record into the stratosphere. I absolutely love the second disc. And before I listen to it, I'm like, shit, short of song is like seven minutes. And then we've got three over 10. Oh, boy, I better buckle up for this. Disc two takes this record into the stratosphere for me. darkest hour is another one that I would put in my top three on the album. I love the beautiful emotional solo that Stefan referred to. I think Bruce's tone is great in the song. You know, it's like a heavy song, even though it's not a fast song. And it's an easy listen. There's also not a ton of time changes in it, like some of the other songs. So two thumbs way up on this one, I think this and the solo is just as emotional as the vocal delivery, right? And that's what makes it great. The melody, it's the melody to the day. And this is again, this is a war song, I guess, based in, you know, Winston, World War Two, with Winston Churchill, I guess, you know, some period in that time, you know, being the underdog. It's in there somewhere somewhere in World War Two, they're ticking on the whole world. Brian saying they are 63 to seven years old now, speed or rhythm of a song doesn't mean it has no character or it's lame. I'm sorry. So we're not allowed to comment on the songs because someone's 60 or 70 years old, we're just going through the songs talking about what we think to them. Well, I guess I should, I should tell you that he's actually defending me and saying that they are that age and they're not always going to do speed. I don't know if this needs defending. It's a hell of a record. We'll get that to a sec. So what does Giles think of Darkest Hour? Didn't you already say what you thought of Darkest Hour? Okay, go ahead. I love it. I think it's fantastic. One of the highlights of the record. I mean, I'm listening to things in that kind of Spotify mentality these days. There's not a disc one or a disc two. But if there is a disc two, I find it a little strange to start it off with such a slow song. I think this would have been the perfect closer to act one of the album. And then I think this two should have been the three Steve Harris songs. But then maybe people would have just thought this is the Steve Harris disc and treated it almost like bonus tracks at that point. But it seems like the three Steve ones should have been on their own disc. And this would have been the perfect closer to act one of the album. I love it. It's a great song. And they don't do many ballads. I mean, it's better than coming home. It's better than wasting love. I mean, it's a very, very good song. I like it a lot. All right. Frank is saying Frank are good. Frank is saying Darkest Hour is great. Very Bruce solo stuff. It is. It is. I agree. I agree with that. And actually, I did a whole review on this album. So that's why I'm not really throwing out the same stuff I already said. All right. Here we go. Now here we go. Death of the Celts. Wait a second. We're back to the X factor. Oh, sorry. We're actually at the virtual, virtual 11. Not just not just that. Not just that. Go ahead. You're right. I mean, it's total Klansman. It is. There's total Klansman in there. I love the cool bass keyboard intro. I definitely hear Klansman. At first I was saying to myself, come on, Steve, learn the art of brevity. It's too long. And then that passage in the middle, the instrumental kicks in. And I hear Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner in there. I hear Genghis Kong. I hear Genghis Kong in the middle. I hear Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner in there. And that's where, you know, again, I like the song. So I don't want to say that part saved the song. But my favorite part of the song, and I guess when songs are like 10, 12 minutes long, there is going to be parts. My favorite part is that instrumental piece in the middle that really took me back to how they slowed it down and took us on a journey in Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner before they kick back into the song again. So this one is in the two thumbs up for me. It's a one thumbs up, but I like the song. So what's one thumbs up like 50% of two thumbs up like 100? What is that? Let's just say the system. This is like sitting on the fence. It means I like it, but it's not on my top. It's a Fonzie. You're saying it's a Fonzie. That's what you're saying. All right, it's a Fonzie. The darkest hour is a Fonzie. I like it, but not my favorite song of the album, maybe because it's a throwback. To previous songs like the ones you mentioned, but which they've done better in the past. I hate to repeat myself when I say that Iron Maiden does have a tendency to get repetitive and sort of follow a certain pattern and a certain formula. And this for me would be the song that is the well rehearsed formula catch all Maiden song, except it's not as original as the ones it draws from. I understand the middle part and all of that, but I don't find it to be the strongest song of the record. I love the bass. I love the bass sort of has that Celtic sort of scales. They're happening. Go ahead, Gels. I'm kind of not sure what to make of this one, actually. I like it. Yes, I like it on the surface. I like it on the surface. It's making all the right noises and doing all the right things, but I'm trying to get my head into it. I can't hum it for you right now. You know what I mean? I like it when I'm hearing it, but it's always sticking with me and that leads us into the next song because that's my big problem with the next song, too. I just can't remember anything of it. I don't even remember the bloody things called. What's the next song called? The Parchment. The Parchment. I just, I may as well continue. I mean, this is the one song on the album. I mean, okay, I'm struggling a little with the opening cut, but I dig it. I'm getting there. The time machine, that's, you know, 60% you know, but the parchment. I am just like, this is my least favorite track on the record. I'm just not good. That's just, it's not doing anything for me. And I hope it does. I hope it does. I really hope it does. I haven't lived with the three Steve Harris song as much as I have the first, what is it, six tracks? I kind of needed to digest this kind of those get the relatively shorter ones kind of internalized first and then move on to the three long Steve Harris ones. Hell on earth is grabbing me now. The other two I'm working on and I hope they do because I love Steve. Steve's my favorite songwriter, my favorite musician, my favorite everything in the whole world. So I'm excited about three Steve Harris epics, but Steve actually redeemed himself in my eyes on this record. Like I really found myself gravitating to Smith Dickinson. Having three Steve Harris epics in a row is almost a little bit like too much ice cream or too much chocolate cake at this point. I never enough chocolate cake. I gotta say, like I was losing faith in Steve and I really felt like, man, I love Bruce Dickinson solo. I just felt for the longest time. Everything Steve did was kind of like so, so, and it was where the world blows. That's one of his best songs ever. Okay, there are songs here and there. I'm going to tell you that when I asked today, what is your favorite songs off this new album, this one was definitely one that everybody was picking for some reason. Everybody seems to gravitate. Maybe because it's got that power slave kind of groove going. I just need to give it more time maybe. Maybe, maybe, Stefan. The dueling solo in the middle is great. It's hypnotic. It's a very hypnotic rhythm and this is again a testament to Nico. He's got this hypnotic drum pattern happening throughout the whole song and it changes. There's a lot of tempo changes, even time changes and key changes and they just, they happen so gradually. You don't even notice them. Go ahead, Stefan. I, you know, it's funny. I think the opposite. I think it's one of the stronger tracks from Harris in quite a while. I think, you know, I would put it in my top three, top four from this album and certainly the best Harris song from the album. I just love how it it feels like a cavalry invading the planes. It just has this boom, boom, boom in your face. And I think it's pretty well structured. One of the flaws from Harris is that most of his songs start the same way. You know, a bass riff. Yeah, I love that. It's kind of his thing now, you know. Oh, really? Yeah, but it, but he could be a bit more creative sometimes. But in the end, I find that it works for me. I think it's a very, very strong song. I think Harris, he has a tendency to repeat himself, but this one, he did much better and I'm really happy with it. I think you guys are saying and based on the comments, I'm looking for the song clicking with me and I'm sure it will. I've just had the record a couple of days, so I'm just needing it. For sure. And I need to say also, it's in my top three on the record. So I agree with most of the public who's putting it up there. I had this darkest hour and days of future passes, my top three in no particular order. And you know what? I will say, you know, I only had time to start reading some of the lyrics today because I've had this, the album for four or five days and I had a stream and I couldn't look at the lyrics. Now I can read the lyrics. The lyrics on this one, I find really connects with me. It's fruged on the stream. I didn't get any of that. Hell on earth. Here we go, Giles. Hell on earth, what do you think? I really know what you think, but glad. Really, really, really cool song. I love the ending and I love the bit, you know, I love the beginning and the middle too, but the way it ends is just awesome. I think it's a fantastic song. I'm actually looking forward to learning, learning it more and getting it more kind of ingrained. But yeah, love it. What a great. Is it annoying that for the last few albums, Bruce is singing along with the guitar, like in a note for note? Bruce is singing along with the guitar. I think Steve's just writing the songs that way. Well, you know, here's the guitar part. Here's the guitar is going to play the melody and you're going to sing the melody with the guitar. I think that's just how Steve does it. It doesn't really bother me that much, but it is curious of note that that seems to be Book of Souls had a lot of that as well. You know, the vocal line follows the guitar line and the vocal line. Like a guide track. It's kind of like it was a guide track when they're writing the song. They go, oh, just keep it in there. You know, I don't know. It's kind of weird. I could have kind of done without that. Something that's become prominent. And I thought Book of Souls is like a perfect record really. This one I feel is about 90%. I just, I just feel we needed a death of glory or just a couple more of those ones in there. I don't know what you'd take out to put one in or if you just make it even longer and have another couple of short ones. I don't know. I do feel it's not quite the record Book of Souls is, but who knows? Maybe like I say in a month, I'll be saying it's the best thing they've ever done. I don't know. Made in albums these days, take them, take a minute. They're an investment, you know. All right, Stefan. I think it's not the best song. And I think it's one of the weakest song in the album. And the fact they put it as a closer for me says a lot about me. Either the band felt it was not their most convincing. So they just buried it at the end or they completely discredited and assumed that, you know, fans will see it as a very powerful closer. I don't, I think it's a weak song, but that's just me. You know what I gotta tell you? I've had this album for a while now before I get the parent and I could tell you I could tell you that this was my least favorite track upon first listen. And now I really dig it. Like it's just like Giles is saying you need some time to absorb all this information and just to get into it. Karen, go ahead. It's not one of my favorites, but I like it. You know, the beginning had a Brave New World seventh son kind of feel and I like both those records. Then I kind of felt you got into the Harris Galloping bass and if you like the blaze era, you know, I know Giles really likes the blaze era. And I feel like this is a blaze era song with Bruce singing it. So I could see how blaze fans will like this tune. You know, I'm less excited about it than some people are. And I'm kind of seeing a very, this is the polarizing song on the record I feel. I feel like people absolutely love it or people kind of really have it low down the list and I'm kind of in the middle. So, you know, again, I like the better second, third listen than the first listen. I think it's good, not great. All right. All around out of 10, what is the production for you? What rated out of 10, Giles? It's, you know what? I like it better than Book of Souls, but look, it'll never match the Martin Bergera. That's for sure. Yeah. All right. What would you give out of 10, the production, Stephane? I think we lost you. Somewhere in a bear garden. The production or the album itself? No, I think the production for the album. Yes. It's better if I take over here, I think. Go ahead. Go ahead. I think that, look, Kevin obviously knows how to work with the band. I read a comment today that Bruce said that they're not the easiest band to work with every set in their ways. They have little quirks and Kevin understands and gets all of them. But as far as end user like result, I honestly am not crazy about Kevin's. And I don't see, I mean, production is such a big word. Are we talking about the mix? Are we talking about? Let's talk about the traditional definition. Are we talking about the mix? It's everything. It's the mix, the mic-ing, the sound, how the vocals come out and how the guitar tone. I think the mix is actually pretty good. Okay. If we're talking about the mix, I think pretty much the last everything after Brave New World leaves a bit to be desired mix-wise. If we're talking about the production, as far as coaxing the performance out of the artist, I don't know. I'm not in the studio. I don't know how easy or hard that is to do with Maiden. They seem to know what they're doing. Mix-wise, I think they, I'd like to see a fresh pair of hands work with the band myself, honestly. But I think that's the consensus. I think it's a consensus from everyone. It's been a consensus for a long time. But I mean, look, I'm over it. If I'm honest about it, look, with young bands, a young band will often wind up sounding the way the producer thinks they should sound. With a band like Maiden who are set in their ways, like Giles said, Kevin works for Iron Maiden. And his job is for the record to come out sounding the way Iron Maiden wanted to sound. So this is how Iron Maiden wanted to sound. This is Iron Maiden in the 2000s. This is what they sound like. And I know a lot of us 30 year plus fans don't like it. But I'm just, I've waved the white flag on this one. I too would like to see them work with someone else just out of curiosity. But this is the way Maiden sounds in the 2000s. I accept it. You know, someone said earlier, I think Nico sounds really great. I don't know if it's his playing or where he is in the mix. I think Steve is not too high in the mix. And often he is. He's way too upfront sometimes. And I think Steve is in the right place. And I think the guitars, I'm not a guitar player. So I find the guitar pleasing to the ear on the record. Guys who are guitar players might talk about each separate guy's tone and this solo and that solo. I like it. Honestly, I have less complaints about the production of this record than I have with the last three records at least. Well, it's strange because this is more of a less muffled on the instrument sound, more brighter as a production. The mix I find is great. I just find that the way they recorded Bruce's vocals on some tracks. Again, I'll say it again. Sounds like he's in a phone booth singing. I don't know. I listened to it on the stereo. I listened on headphones. I listened. There's just a couple of tracks they're getting. It wasn't done right. There was something wrong there. It's like it's like Redeemer of Souls. It just wasn't done right. Did they know that? I don't know if they knew that. Maybe. Oh, I think they know that. This is how they want to sound. I think they're very deliberate. I think this is how Iron Maiden want to sound. Maybe. Maybe you're right. When you listen to Judas Priest's Firepower or even go back to like Heaven and Hell's Devil, you know Iron Maiden could have so much more balls. The albums just sound so thin. You have three guitar players and you can't hear any of them. It's just, I don't know. It's obviously the sound they want, but the songs are awesome. They're my favorite band of all time, but I just wish someone else could do a mix for them just so they can hear what that. I mean, Bruce's albums sound fantastic. They do. They do. Stefan, should this have been a single disc or a double disc? Should they just catch the rest of the stuff for bonus or not? Yeah, definitely. Single disc. I think it's great to say, well, because of streaming and stuff, we no longer have limits on how long an album should be, but take away the weaker tracks that you would have had a killer single album. Yeah, what about you, Giles? Single, double? You know, you're waiting six years for a damn record. I mean, give me more. I just, it could have even been longer, I guess. I would have got through it all eventually. Yeah, I think triple disc. What I'd like to make, what I'd like to say here is- Is it already coming out with six, seven disc album? I don't care. What I would like to add here is, okay, so where are we going next? I mean, are they going to do an about face and put out like no prayer for the dying part two? Are we going to get just one song that's like 70 minutes long? I mean, it seems like it is time for Maiden to do something different. I mean, I see this pretty much as a partner album to Book of Souls, even cosmetically. It's got that very iconic cover with just the figure in the black background. It's a double disc. But haven't people been saying that for years now, Giles? Like it's time to sort of strip it down and just quick fast tracks. I mean, I see, I see this as a, as like a brother and, Book of Souls and this one are like brother and sister albums. Yeah, yeah, sure. It's funny you say that, Jimmy, because when no prayer came out I think at first, a lot of people appreciated the stripped down nature compared to a Seven Sun or somewhere in time. Like there was not necessarily a theme and it was a- That's the thing, we're getting a little bit- I mean, Seven Sun and Summer Sun were two of my favorite albums of all time, but yeah, they were getting like, okay, how much longer are the songs going to get? Yeah, so that's why they had to go that way. But in records, I hate no prayer. I mean, I don't hate no prayer, but I don't like no prayer. I much prefer Seven Sun and Somewhere in Time. The question becomes, is do you prefer this album over no prayer? But that's not the point. The point being is they had to do no prayer and I love no prayer, but they had to do no prayer because how much longer could the songs really get? Yeah, I got you. So I think there definitely has to be, I expect there will be on the next album, some sort of radical, maybe not too radical, but there will be some sort of, it'll either be one big long song like Dream Theater or something, or Fate's Wanting did, or it'll be a bunch of shorter songs, or maybe they'll do something that we don't even think of right now. But I do think they've reached the end of the run, as far as the, I could be wrong, but the super, super, super long, long songs, because really, when you do three discs with even more long songs, where do you go from here? I wouldn't put it past them. Stefan, is this better than the Book of Souls? Yeah, yeah. Uh, mind you, I do need more time because Book of Souls at first I liked it, and then I listened to it over and over, over the years, and I start comparing. You know what, it's great, but not that great. This morning, I listened to it three times in a row, non-stop, and I like it. Like, first impression, I, it's an overall like. But it's how much I will be drawn to it, and to put it back on and on and on, that will determine how much of an impact it had on me. All right, all right. I think, I think, I think all, all post Brave New World, including Brave New World made, and is actually fertile ground for rediscovery for many decades to come, because they're just the more musical, denser, extravagant, longer songs. I think there's stuff to discover on all those records for years and years and years to come. If they did a tour where they only played songs from Brave New World onward, I would be perfectly happy. I would be too, but I know fans would be. And I know so many Maiden fans would be pissed with that, and they roll their eyes, and they think these songs are where you go take a piss break at the concert. If they did a tour of Brave New World onward, I think it would be terrific, maybe that's a good idea. That's a great idea, you know. But the real question is, Stefan, is this better than firepower? The short songs, you actually took Rainmaker, and if you took Speed of Light, and you took Death of Glory, and you took Stratigo, and you took, I keep forgetting the name of the damn thing. What's the other short one on this record? There's a Future Past. There's a Future Past. I mean, there's enough short songs in the last 20 years with the records. You could almost get a double album of short songs. They do exist. They just sprinkled in amongst all these longer tracks, but they are there. All right, so Stefan, I asked you this question before. Is this better than Judas Priest's firepower? Just for fun. Look, it's hard to answer. I mean, Judas Priest, as you know, my favorite years are, you know, from sad wings of destiny to terrible lover, or not even, defenders of the fate. And after that, my love for Priest sort of diminished with each new album. Firepower was considered by me as a marketing success. Okay, so our fans want real heavy stuff. Let's give them real heavy stuff. It was not an evolution of Judas Priest. It was Judas Priest trying to regain their fans. I think that is so well put. That is so well put. That is exactly how I feel. Yeah. Yeah. Perrin, Firepower or Sanjitsu? First, back to the first question. I think this is better than Book of Souls. I like Book of Souls. I think I might love this record. I mean, more time with it. And then Firepower is my favorite Judas Priest Runeon era record. I love Firepower. And I like the songs that are buried on it a little bit. Necromancer, Children of the Sun. I like Traitors Gate, Specters. I love Firepower. Love it. And today when you did that poll, I actually voted for Sanjitsu. And it's a bit of an unfair question, Jimmy, because you're talking about an album I've been living with for years versus an album that I've listened to. No, but Stefan put it so well. Iron Maiden, they're growing as musicians and the songwriters and they're doing what Judas Priest was doing. But now all Judas Priest is giving the fans what they want. They're just rebranding something that was successful. I don't think anyone wanted Nostradamus. Well, maybe they didn't, but maybe if they did do another type of Nostradamus, but in a more creative fashion, maybe fans would have liked it. I don't think you've given Firepower enough of your time. I think if you forget the cliche stuff, like Never Surrender and the title track. Love Never Surrender. I like Firepower. I just never listened to it. I love it too, but it's simple. I never listened to it. Like I like it, but I never listened to it. I mean, but you don't know if you're going to be listening to Sanjitsu in three years, Jimmy. So anyway, this show isn't about Judas Priest, but I'm just saying. If you just show us about how Iron Maiden is better than Judas Priest. I don't know why I'm sitting here at like 20 pounds midnight. Because it's Iron Maiden, that's why. We're faffing on about Judas Priest when I think we're doing it on. Yeah, right now I like Sanjitsu better, but I think Firepower is a great record. I don't think people give it enough credit. I think if you listen to the deep tracks, it's a great record. All right. I thought Firepower and Redeemer of Souls were the redemption of Judas Priest for me, because I thought that Nostradamus and Angelic Retribution were quite patchy to put it mildly. So if we must go on about Judas Priest, are we going to start talking about the fucking scorpions next? I mean, can I go to bed? Really? No, no. You have to get a coffee, get a coffee. This is the last question of the day, and then we're going to let you go to sleep. Out of 10, how would you rate this album on first impression, Giles? None. Okay. All right, Stefan? Seven. Oh, Perrin? Eight. Oh, wow. And I kind of be in the middle between Giles and Perrin. I'd be like at probably 8.5, 8.6 around. Well, that means we're averaging around an eight or better. So that's pretty good, you know? Yeah. Okay. Well, you know what? It's time to celebrate our main as a new album, and hopefully it'll, everybody will pick it up and it'll grow on everyone as time goes by, because I definitely, I can tell you guys, I gave my opinion on this. I love every track and I find something brilliant about every track and I don't know. It might be one of my favorite albums in the pre-Blaze, post-Bruce era. And actually, sorry. Pre. Post-Blaze. Post, post, no, pre-Blaze, because I didn't like Fear of the Dark and it was the other one again. No prayer. No prayer for the dying. I didn't like no prayer. I'm talking about from before no prayer. It's probably one of my favorites. Yeah. It's great. It's awesome. Everything's great. I love everything. Time for Night Night, Giles. It is the fastest break in the world. It is the fastest break in the world. Be good, guys. All right. Be safe. Be safe, man. Look out for the great white buffalo there, Stefan. I will. Later, guys. Later, guys. Bye. Bye.