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Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier
Page 22-29
Rush- Liked your review of 2112, I've always loved that album especially its famous 7 part suite one of the most epic prog-suites ever written, I also like the B-side, but can't help feeling that one of two of the songs there could've been better. I recently listened to Hemispheres, the other classic album most similiar to it and now have to say that I think Hemispheres is even more awesome than 2112, its just more consistent!
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Thanks. I actually bought "2112", "Caress of steel" and "Exit stage left" on the same day I think, and they more or less formed my appreciation (at least, early) of Rush. I still regard the first two as some of their finest work, and yes, "Hemispheres" is excellent, as is "A farewell to kings".
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Blake's 7- One of the greatest sci-fi series ever, I totally love this and often think about it, it was so gloomy and depressing, especially with those factory complex sets and all the character were doomed anyway!
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You have to love the late Terry Nation! Going totally against the trend with sci-fi shows on TV, he gave us the first real antiheroes in that genre, the "less-than-magnificent seven", if you will, with a true icon in Avon. When you look back at the show today it seems painfully cheap, but the stories were well written, and hey, I always had a crush on Jenna!
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Iron Maiden- A good comprehensive review there, well what can I add,
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Glad you enjoyed this: it took a long time to put together. There are a few points you raise though, which I'll go through now.
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like most I'm a Paul Di'Anno fan and love his vocal punk delivery which was heavy and raspy,
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Hmm. I wonder? "Like most"? I'd say the vast majority of Maiden fans are Bruce nuts, like me. Although Di'Anno's vocal style did suit the first two albums, I couldn't have seen him cutting it on the next few. It needed a much more charismatic singer to bring Maiden into the big time, and I'm not all that fond of our Paul's voice.
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the debut Maiden album is a classic in every sense, the second best album out of the essential NWOBHM years
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Definitely. I actually review it in my "Maiden voyages" (no pun intended) section a lot further on, and talk about how different it was from how Maiden ended up. Great, great album though. Love "Killers" too, but really, in fairness, listening to either of those for the first time, would you have expected them to become as successful as they did?
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(only the Diamond Head debut was better have you listened to that yet?)
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Not yet. I'll get to it. I promise. Definitely before Christmas. Not saying which year...
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Number of the Beast is often quoted as one of the most essential metal album of all time
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As it should be. Kicked off a lifelong love-affair with metal for me!
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Its problem is, that at times it's disjointed
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As Kate Pulaski said on "Star Trek: the Next Generation" (NERD ALERT!) I couldn't disagree more! I think it's one of the most cohesive metal albums I've ever listened to. From the opening punch and bombast of "Invaders" to the slowing-down-but-then-powering-back-up "Children of the damned", on to the powerful eerie opening to "The prisoner", with its kickass melody and then to the excellent "22 Acacia Avenue", leading us to two tracks that don't even need introduction and on to the admittedly weakest track, "Gangland", but still good and finishing superbly on my all-time favourite, the epic "Hallowed be thy name", this album hits all the right spots and is a true masterclass on how to compile the definitive heavy metal album.
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After these albums it was really downhill and their two albums with Blaze Bayley are even worse than the two Judas Priest did without Rob Halford!!! Of the recent albums I'm a huge fan of A Matter of Life and Death.
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Yeah, agree with that. As you probably saw from my review of "Virtual XI" under the "Last Chance Saloon" feature, I warmed a little to it but even so the two Blaze albums were a real bump in the road, a serious downturn in Maiden's output and things only got back on track really with "Brave new world". Have you heard "En vivo!" yet? Reviewed a few days ago I think, maybe a week...