I'm going to do my own track by track review, having listened to the album constantly for the past two days.
1. DIFFERENT WORLD - This one reminds me of Age of Innocence from Dance of Death, only it's 100 times better. Great guitar riff. A great mid-tempo, melodic album opener. Adrian Smith's solo is perfect. 10/10.
2. THESE COLOURS DON'T RUN - One of many anti-war statements on the album. Fantastic pre-chorus. A real fist-pumping bit. "For the passion! For the glory! You're a soldier! For your country!". Classic Maiden this one. 10/10.
3.BRIGHTER THAN A THOUSAND SUNS - I'm guessing this song is about Hiroshima, I'm probably wrong :P. It's a real step forward for Maiden. It's got a very Dream Theater style gargantuan riff. I've read somewhere that Nicko McBrain fluffs up the 7/8 timing a few times but I haven't heard it. Then again I'm not a drummer. Anyway, really good song. 10/10.
4. THE PILGRIM - What an opening riff! Sounds just like Maiden from the 80's. Great song with a real middle-eastern feel in the guitar harmonies. I think the chorus lets the song down ever so slightly though. Still a very strong track. 9/10.
5. THE LONGEST DAY - Another anti-war epic. The best track on the album for me. And IMO quite possibly the finest track Maiden have ever done. The way the verses build to the chorus just has to be heard. Really, really great lyrics. A genuinely moving song. Essential listening, this one. 10/10.
6. OUT OF THE SHADOWS - As well as The Pilgrim, this is one of the three songs on the album that (IMO) slightly fall short of the standard of the other seven. A mid-tempo ballad. Some very nice guitar work and Bruce's vocals are extraordinary. It's a bit like Journeyman off Dance of Death but a lot better. This is what that song should have been. I'm just not a huge fan of Maiden's ballad-like songs I guess. 8/10.
7. THE REINCARNATION OF BENJAMIN BREEG - This was the first single released off the album. I wasn't a big fan at first. But when you listen to this song in the context of the whole album, it's absolutely stunning. Gigantic riff and a great Dave Murray solo. Like Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, it's a step in a new direction for Maiden. 10/10.
8. FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF GOD - A real epic. This one basically asks where our God is in these times of war, and how he/she is being used as an excuse to kill people. At over 9 minuites it's a long track, but it never gets boring. Bruce's vocals are excellent on this track. A really melodic track. 10/10.
9. LORD OF LIGHT - This is my least favourite on the album. The verses are excellent. Really creey sounding. It's just the chorus that lets the song down. It just sounds a bit dull. It's still a good track, it's just not up to par with the rest of the album. 7/10.
10. THE LEGACY - This is such a good album closer. It starts with a really unusual acoustic guitar part. Bruce sings the first verse like it's a musical accompaniment to a children's soundtrack. The song just builds and builds from there. Absolutely epic. The best Maiden album closer ever IMO. 10/10.
I don't know if this is Maiden's best album ever but it's definetly may favourite. It won't be coming out of my car for a good while :)
