Product Description

1. Futureal 2. The Angel And The Gambler 3. Lightning Strikes Twice 4. The Clansman 5. When Two Worlds Collide 6. The Educated Fool 7. Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger 8. Como Estais Amigos

Track Listing

1. Futureal
2. Angel And The Gambler
3. Lightning Strikes Twice
4. Clansmen
5. When Two Worlds Collide
6. Educated Fool
7. Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger
8. Como Estais Amigos

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11298 in Music
• Released on: 1998-03-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD

Amazon.co.uk Review
Virtual XI was Iron Maiden's second album with singer Blaze Bayley and was a marked improvement on his 1995 debut, The X Factor. Bringing with him some of the earthiness and street-wisdom of his former outfit, Wolfsbane, Bayley now injected the sound with an invigorating punkiness missing since the departure of original vocalist Paul DiAnno. Yet, sharing his predecessor Bruce Dickinson's grandiloquence and sense of high romance, he also managed (with the likes of "The Angel And The Gambler" and "The Clansman") to continue the band's famous tradition of narrative lyrics. Noticeable also, in "Como Estais Amigos", was their purposeful chumminess with their fans. Musically, the progression was slighter, Iron Maiden still dealing in their well-known, complex and idiosyncratic riffology. But improved technology had made them harder, sharper, allowing them to enter their third decade with a reputation for uncompromising power that few rock bands enjoy in their first. --Dominic Wills

CD Description
Iron Maiden's eleventh record, aptly titled VIRTUAL XI, is a wonderful addition to the band's legacy. Refusing to sell out and go "alternative" or "electronic", the group sticks to what it knows; heavy metal epics focusing on world peace, paranoia and technology. This is the second release with vocalist Blaze Bayley who adds his own powerful element to the Maiden mix. His voice is deeper and more brooding than his predecessor Bruce Dickinson, but just as effective.
The technical virtuosity and the unfettered production (by bassistSteve Harris and Nigel Green) of classic Maiden are still solidly in place. Some keyboards are used for ambience, but this is mostly speed and power ala vintage Maiden. The songs are on the long side, with "The Angel And The Gambler" clocking in at over 9 minutes. All in all, fans of the band, or of heavy rock in general, will be satisfied, as all the traditional ingredients that make this a great band are evident in VIRTUAL XI.

Customer Reviews

I'm running out of my time, I'm running out of breath
While Bayley didn't, in my opinion, ever top Paul or Bruce's vocals, he uses a wide vocal range on his second (and last) Maiden album. Opinions on this album are extremely varied as you can see by the below reviews, but I believe this album was a worthy purchase!

"Futureal" kicks off the album brilliantly, with 3 minutes of speed and power, and insanely fast bass playing by Mr Steve Harris.

Sadly, this is followed by "The Angel and the Gambler". 10 minutes of cheesy keyboard touches, a hazy subject matter and the most frustrating lines I've heard anyone sing in recent memory ("Don't you think I'm a saviour, Don't you think I could save ya, Don't you think I could save your life") all add up to the most disappointing Maiden song I've ever heard.

Things soon pick up though, with "Lightning Strikes Twice", a song which builds up from slow to fast, perhaps representing the gradual approach of a thunder storm. Decent song.

"The Clansman" is my favourite track on the album, and a tribute to my favourite film, Mel Gibson's "Braveheart". Based in the reign of power-hungry Edward Longshanks, the 9 minute song perfectly reflects the film it's based on, with a gob smacking rendition of the word "FREEDOM!" by Bayley. Guitars sound very Scottish, and a blistering solo will leave you doing traditional Scottish dances to this classic! :-P

The centrepiece of the album, "When Two Worlds Collide" is self-explanatory as to its subject matter. Nothing special, but a solid track nonetheless.

"The Educated Fool" talks about living life to the full, so indeed you should! Another good track, but one which I fear will be overlooked in comparison to "Futureal" or "The Clansman".

"Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger" sounds pretty lame at first, but you'll appreciate it after a few listens. It builds up with tension, and COULD be seen as the other person's point of view in the song "Prowler".

"Como Estais Amigos" mourns the war-dead, and is an emotional album-closer. This is the only song on "Virtual XI" that doesn't have Steve Harris in the writing credits, and is more evidence of the more emotional side of 90's Maiden.

This is indeed a good album with a few classics, and most of the rest are definitely worth listening to many times. However, "The Angel and the Gambler" is a real let-down, and stains the album for me, as I can't get any enjoyment out of that song. There are much better Maiden albums than "Virtual XI", and I'd only advise this to the long-term fan. To me it is much more than a space in my collection, but it's no "Powerslave" or "Seventh Son...".

The Road to Recovery
While being grouped in the category of less successful and obviously less interesting Maiden albums, Virtual XI is not the worst they have written. The X-Factor, despite what I read in the reviews on these pages, is a bad album. Musically it is bland and feels like it has been stuck permanently in the 80's. No Prayer for the Dying was also not great but at least Bruce was singing. The inclusion of Blaze Bayley was, I'm afraid, one of the deciding factors in forming my opinion on the new material fromthe band. But I must say that although he started off badly, he found his footing with album no. 2 (or 11, whichever).

As a whole, Maiden seem to have gelled nicely. It feels as though they enjoy playing again, which is one of the reasons why their first 7 albums were all so good. When you go 'serious' you lose something, an essence of youthfulness, of playfulness. Music should be enjoyed not only by the audience. Maiden make you feel as if they have returned from a long sabatical with Virtual XI.

Futureal is a classic Maiden track, as good and as exciting as The Trooper, Can I Play With Madness and The Prisoner all rolled into one. Possibly one of their best ever tracks. That is what was missing from post 7th son recordings, any sign of a true Maiden classic. It is short for a Maiden track, only 3 minutes and is a great opener to an album that is wrapped in good songs. Unfortunately, it wanes towards the middle. The Angel & the Gambler is far too long but, somehow, does not get tedious. Lightning Strikes Twice is a worthy track but is nothing different from anything else they've done. The Clansman I found rather boring and simple. When Maiden do an epic, they usually do a good one. Just take Dream of Mirrors and The Nomad from their most recent offering, Brave New World (a much more exhilarating return to form). But, here, they feel as though somebody else wrote it and they're simply playing it. The following three songs are very close in style and execution to When 2 Worlds Collide.

What really sets this album apart from the X-Factor, No Prayer for the Dying etc is what holds it all together and makes you want to listen to it all the way through: the opener and the end track. Futureal and Como Estais Amigos are true Maiden classics that rise above anything they've produced on their previous 3 albums. And listening to Bruce sing Futureal live on the B-side to The Wicker Man suddenly makes you realise that it is a song that could have been written back in their Powerslave or Somewhere in Time era.

Not vintage Iron Maiden but above average Iron Maiden. I still think Bruce is far better suited to the frontman role than Blaze so I was overjoyed when he returned to make BNW. And with their new album they have made it feel as if they had just reformed after splitting up following 7th son.

If you want an album that is typical of Maiden, try Number of the Beast or Piece of Mind, or indeed 7th son. Virtual XI is purely for the die-hards. Nevertheless, a 4 star effort and a glimpse of their fabulous rebirth.

Blaze was Necessary
Blaze was necessary for maiden during the 90's after the band had grown stale with bruce. this is technally maidens third album with blaze as he recorded new material for best of the beast.

Often unfairly slated by maiden fans, this has the fast melodic rapidness associated with pre fear.. Dickinson maiden and therefor for me personally is just as good as them.

All songs (bar angel and the gambler) are solidly classic maiden masterpiecesm my personal favourites being lightening strikes twice and don't look to the eyes of a stranger.

Buy This CD if you want maiden at their purest musically and darkest vocally.