By 1990, the giants of metal were in a mature phase where their greatest hits and best albums had already been released. This was the case for Iron Maiden, a band that had delivered masterpieces like ‘Killers,’ ‘The Number Of The Beast,’ or ‘Powerslave,’ just to name a few of their albums.
Meanwhile, guitarist Adrian Smith, one of the primary songwriters of the band, departed, and Janick Gers joined, bringing a different set of qualities compared to Smith. This marked the beginning of a new era for Iron Maiden.
What can we listen to?
An excellent album, but different from what they had presented before. Iron Maiden had focused on creating British Heavy Metal that began with a rebellious sound, and by 1989, they had integrated other elements into their composition, such as passages of progressive rock. The band had mastered their level of composition in albums like the predecessor to ‘No Prayer For The Dying,’ ‘Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son,’ where even some keyboards were heard.
‘No Prayer For The Dying’ disappointed many, as it presented the opposite of their previous works. This album focuses on energy, not on complexity or technicalities. It showcases the more primal side of Iron Maiden, with hard-hitting Heavy Metal, full of character that gets straight to the point.
The band retains its signature sound, with harmonized guitar themes in thirds, Bruce Dickinson’s high-range vocals, Steve Harris’s stellar finger-played bass, and Nicko McBrain’s patented drum sound. The guitars played by Janick and Dave Murray undergo changes, becoming more direct, more minimalist, yet powerful. The solos follow the same philosophy, more in a rockstar style than a studied one.
New lineup, new sound
Many fans were disappointed when they heard this new era; however, ‘No Prayer For The Dying’ represents a very important transitional period in the band’s career, which is debatable among purists. As a musician, it is always gratifying to innovate, change your sound, experiment with new techniques, among other elements. This is precisely what Iron Maiden did. We can even mention that some of their recent works, such as ‘Senjutsu’ or ‘The Final Frontier,’ incorporated elements from this album.
Despite the criticism, all the tracks are sensational, especially those where the guitar plays memorable themes, as in ‘Fates Warning’ or ‘Public Enema Number One.’ To some extent, the band also attempted to transform its sound into something more ‘commercial,’ something easy to understand, and they succeeded.
Visual themes have always played a significant role in the band’s identity. The album cover is an interesting topic to analyze, very appealing as all their albums tend to be. However, there’s an interesting anecdote behind it: We can see Eddie dragging ‘Jimmy Swaggart,’ a preacher who labeled several metal bands as ‘evil’ or ‘satanic.’ In one of his works, he even used Steve Harris’s (Bassist) image without authorization. Later, they discovered this preacher with a prostitute, casting doubt on his discourse and ideology. The track ‘Holy Smoke’ is dedicated to Jimmy.
