First review in over a year! Exams are over, summer is in so expect more where this came from.
There really aren't many bands that can start out in the 80s, live the life, do the wild gigs, drugs and drink and keep going for over twenty years whilst staying consistently in the highest standard of Heavy Metal quality. Maiden really are rememberable for the brilliant albums they continue to release as if they'll never stop. They also don't seem to have lost 80% of their fans due to style changes and what come across as the appearance of a 'modern metal band', as many classic Heavy Metal bands have. This album, released in 2006 shows that even in the next century Maiden are still fully up to scratch.
What's different in AMOLAD from their older songs is mainly the length (most songs on the album are at least 6 minutes) and the concept-like style which brings the songs together. War is the main theme and different songs look at different ideas related to war: morals, atrocities, religion etc. It's all very philosophical stuff and very powerful for a bunch of beer-drinking long-haired maniacs, but there is a definite feeling of truth behind what is said. Of course it's not just the lyrics that are brilliant, and the recognisable sounds of Dave, Janick and Adrian still sound fantastic as ever, with - if I may use a horribly cliché term - face-melting solos and catchy, fast-paced riffs which just have that Maiden touch. Not much else to say, this is purely the brilliant Iron Maiden that everyone knows, just with particularly cutting lyrics, and heavier, heartstopping riffage.
Not many criticisms to make, only that a few songs are weighed down a bit with some long, repetitive parts which focus on getting a lot of lyrics said rather than the song developing. However in the context of a concept album this doesn't really distract from it being incredible. A musical masterpiece, at least in the top 3 Maiden albums, and I would say a significant symbol of the potential that modern metal has.
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