METAL ESSENTIALS: IRON MAIDEN - “SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON”

Iron Maiden' seventh album was, to these ears, heavy metal's “Dark Side of the Moon.” A luxurious, complicated and multi-faceted piece of musical ingenuity which retains every bit of its power, even now. At the time of its release, there seemed to be some division amongst fans of the band as “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” featured heavy usage of keyboards on many songs.

There were those who maintained that keyboards had no place in the Iron Maiden sound, that they watered down the basic foundation of what made Maiden who they were and continue to be. Nonsense.

The album was a very bold move for the band, but it was a move that needed to be taken lest they remain static in one creative space. Yes, it featured all of the guitar harmonies, galloping basslines and enough Bruce Dickinson howls to satisfy the diehards, but the added sense of scale those additional elements brought to the music worked really well. Those sounds have dated a little now, but not enough to reduce the impact of each song.

The hit single “Can I Play With Madness” is a perfect example – it's one of the greatest songs Iron Maiden have ever produced, yet it features the keyboards heavily throughout it, as well as a hugely melodic quality thanks to the legendary chorus.

Everything about the album seems to work with everything else, from the songwriting itself to the cover art, the production and the ad campaign which went with it.

The title track is a perfect example of how Iron Maiden can take the listener on a lengthy musical journey without it becoming stale or too contrived, and the whole album is an essential piece of the Iron Maiden story, and a key point in their evolution. Incidentally, a brilliant live album and video followed it in the shape of “Maiden England”, which features some amazing live renditions of tracks from this album. 

Highlights: “Infinite Dreams”, “Can I Play With Madness”, “The Evil That Men Do”, “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son”, “The Clairvoyant”
Year: 1988
Produced by: Martin Birch
Label: EMI

And here is the "Maiden England" live version of the title track in all its glory...

DELAIN – Why Won't Warners Release Their New Album?

Dutch symphonic metallers Delain are having issues with getting their new album released. The highly anticipated “We Are The Others” album has been shelved by Warners (it was supposed to be out in 2011) and thus the band and their growing legion of fans are without a new product to promote or enjoy. The album is done. The promo campaign had started. The songs were being teased online via a popular video. The cover was out. The band were stoked.

Then... nothing.

Why? Delain's label, the rock and metal powerhouse Roadrunner Records, was taken over by WMG and since that change the label is reluctant to put the new album out. No clear reason has been given. It seems, from what I can find, that there are staff at Roadrunner working to get the album out, but WMG are yet to understand the genre that they have bought into by acquiring Roadrunner.

The new Delain album sounds much heavier than the first two, so maybe that's an issue WMG are having. Things have changed since the early days of Roadrunner being a niche interest label. Many Roadrunner acts are huge, and have become so under their own steam without pandering to trends or major label dilution.

It's great that WMG has got hold of Roadrunner in one respect, as that means the label has a chance to grow and to nurture new talent to a greater level, but it also means that people who don't understand the genre and how its audience works may be sticking their noses in a bit too much.

Are they wanting vocalist Charlotte to go solo? Do they want the heaviness of the new album to be toned down to ensure commercial appeal? Whatever the case, the album is done and ready, the audience wants to buy it and the band wants to promote it. Dear WMG – please put the new Delain album out. We want to hear it, and keeping it under wraps is a waste of time, effort and a missed opportunity for revenue.

You can join the campaign to get the album released at the Petition for Warner Music to release Delain - We Are The Others Facebook page.

COMING SOON – BAGGED AND BOARDED: LIFE ON PLANET GEEK

I'm currently finishing up a new book which will be released soon via DREAMRIDER MEDIA. Entitled BAGGED AND BOARDED: LIFE ON PLANET GEEK, it has been written following literally hundreds of requests that I do so from friends and former colleagues.

In case you don't know, I used to work in a comic shop, which was a dream job for me for the nine years I spent doing it. This book is all about working in a comic shop, working in retail and the geek lifestyle, mixed with recollections of the day to day life that comic shop employees lead. To protect my sanity and that of others, I have renamed the place I worked at as Planet Geek for this book. I want to share with you people the real-life experience of life on planet geek, and all of the laughs that went with it. It's funny, it's serious, it's geeky and it's honest. It's coming soon to the Kindle and iBooks and will have a limited print run too! More details very soon.

The First Time Daddy

Did you know I'm going to be a daddy? Well, now you do, and I am maintaining a blog about the experience and my thoughts, fears and hopes for the future. Please do visit The First Time Daddy.

I can't wait for him to arrive :)

FIREFEST 2012 LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Firefest 2012 has been announced in full by Kieran Dargan on the Steve Price Rock Show on ARFM, and it's absolutely spectacular. 18 brilliant melodic rock acts over three days (October 19-21 at Nottingham Rock City). The full details are available at The Firefest website, but here to whet your appetite are the bands playing, which have been revealed tonight by mainman Kieran!

If you like your rock melodic and have a taste for some names that stir up an entire era, then feast your eyes on these:

FRIDAY: 
LIONVILLE, DANTE FOX, TEN, TYKETTO 


SATURDAY: 
JOHNNY LIMA, WORK OF ART, ROBIN BECK, SANTERS, XYZ, MITCH MALLOY, GOTTHARD 


SUNDAY: 
FARCRY, FIONA, ROYAL HUNT, BRIGHTON ROCK, LILLIAN AXE, STAGE DOLLS, DANGER DANGER 

Now THAT is a rock festival bill. Time to start getting excited again!!! For me as a music fan, and particularly a melodic rock fan, this bill sees a LOT of dreams come true. Brilliant, one and all!

Underworld Awakening: "Heavy Prey" featuring Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf

I went to see UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING on Monday (my review is over at Diary of a Genre Addict), and now I can't get this song from the soundtrack out of my head. It's the perfect sort of song to go with the movie. Looking forward to picking up the soundtrack CD once it's out over here!

THE CROW REMAKE – NEW WRITER, NEW DIRECTOR, SAME BAD IDEA

The Crow remake has yet another writer and director attached to it. Look, Hollywood, put the remake down and walk away from it. We know you can't stop messing about with things that are already fine and dandy as they are, but seriously, this remake of The Crow that you seem to be obsessed with making, no matter how many people quit the project and how many people deride it and cry out against it. I think you're all mad.

I can understand the interest in remaking it – there is money to be had thanks to brand familiarity from the wider audience and a diehard core audience who love the original so much, but seriously, this is one film you should leave alone.

Yes, there were sequels and a TV series, and while they were largely awful, they did nothing to diminish the power of the original movie. Plus, the original film carries such poignancy due to the sad circumstances of its production and completion following the death of star Brandon Lee on set.

It stands as a bittersweet and beautifully realized legacy for him, very much an icon of the era that the film was released into, and no amount of slick CGI and slow-motion shots in the rain are going to change that fact, no matter how much money you throw at it.

Just leave The Crow alone. It is what it is, and it does not need to be sullied further by a remake with none of the heart, pathos or impact of the original. Bad Hollywood. Naughty Hollywood. No biscuit for you.

Tips For Bands On Creating Your Bio Sheet

I'm currently finishing up my reviews batch for an upcoming issue of the magazine, and something has been bugging me. There are a lot of new bands out there who are trying their hardest to get some recognition, which is admirable in the current musical and financial climate, but who are going about one key aspect all wrong.

The bio sheet, or Press Release, depending on how seriously you take yourself, is an integral part of any promotional package that is sent out to magazines (and thus journos such as myself), and it's easy to get carried away with what you put onto it.

I, like many other rock journalists, really don't need most of the stuff that a lot of bands like to include in their press material, and thus here is a brief guide to a professional – and useful – bio sheet.

What we need:
Information presented in a clear and uncluttered manner, so we can help YOU get to where you want to be.

What we DON'T need:
Background images behind the text, fancy fonts, several pages of what your mates think, lots of photos. Flashy doesn't equal good.

The length: 
One sheet is preferred, but two sheets is acceptable if it is completely necessary (which it usually isn't). Using one sheet of A4 minimises waste, maximises the content you're showing us and helps to keep your postage costs low. Printing on both sides of the sheet is a good idea too, if you need the extra space.

The essentials: 

The following things MUST be on there (and don't scoff at some which seem basic – people DO miss them off...):

Band name 

Band members 

Contact details (email, phone, postal, management, website, twitter etc) 

Title of the release being promoted 

Release date 

Record label (or listing as 'Independent Release' for unsigned acts) 

Song titles 

The rest:
Then there are additional things which come in very handy for people reviewing the material too:

Brief biography (100 words or so – include where the band was formed, influences and history) 

Relevant quotes 

Discography 

A picture of the band 

It is very possible for all of this information to be included on one piece of A4 without too much of a squeeze, making it easier for you to get your point across and easier for us to write accurate reviews of your music.

Oh, and a rule for coming across as a professional prospect: MAKE SURE YOUR SHEET CONTAINS NO SPELLING MISTAKES OR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. While this last part is not absolutely essential (especially when bands are from other countries), it does help to present yourselves and your material in a good light. Good luck, you talented guys and girls.

The world is out there for the taking. Just make sure you do it right.

Your humble busy rock writer,
Andrew