Track Listing

1. Different World
2. These Colours Don't Run
3. Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
4. Pilgrim
5. Longest Day
6. Out Of The Shadows
7. Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg
8. For The Greater Good Of God
9. Lord Of Light
10. Legacy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2735 in Music
• Released on: 2006-08-28
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
A Matter of Life and Death is Iron Maiden's fourteenth studio album, in a career that has spanned three decades. And yet, after all this time, Iron Maiden continue to improve, whilst most of their peers flounder. Simply put, A Matter of Life and Death is more than just a great Iron Maiden album; it's a great metal album. It revisits a theme that's familiar territory for the band, and rather boldly, devotes an entire album to it. A Matter of Life and Death is a concept album about war, and the closest thing to a prog album that the London-based metallers have yet created. And, at their age and at this point in their career, it's a step that just makes sense, adding a level of seriousness and dignity to a band that could have easily disappeared into Spinal Tap-style silliness. Instead, the six members of Iron Maiden sound rejuvenated, playing better than ever on tracks like "These Colours Don't Run", which starts out like an army recruiting anthem before revealing it's true nature as an anti-war song, and the nine-minute plus epics "For the Greater Good of God" and "The Legacy". Iron Maiden have enjoyed a creative rennaissance in recent years, but it's hard to imagine how they'll improve upon A Matter of Life and Death. --Ted Kord

CD Description
Iron Maiden return with their fourteenth studio album, 'A Matter Of Life And Death'. Produced by regular collaborator Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, The Black Crowes) in London, the album was recorded in a completely live state. At over 70 minutes long, 'A Matter Of Life And Death' truly is an album of epic proportions and shows the work of a rock outfit who aremasters of evolution and innovation.

Customer Reviews

For the Greater Good of God
And God it's good! Not just good, it's flippin' awesome! As a die-hard Maiden fan from Powerslave - Fear of the Dark, I lost interest after Bruce left. I tried out the Blaze material (was a Wolfsbane fan back in the day), but couldn't get into it. Brave New World and Dance of Death were excellent, but not enough to draw me back into my frenzied old state! A Matter of Life and Death is a whole different beast. I bought it last week after reading the wealth of reviews here. I had to hear the album that some claim is better than 7th Son (my favourite album). While I can't be sure of that bold statement (THAT album is, after all a legend for many of us), I will say that it is better than all of the others! (Deep breath!) Ok, so most of the others had legendary songs on them but the consistency of this album makes it a winner (every song on 7th Son was excellent too). I have listened to this album over and over more than 10 times in the past four or five days. I have also listened to individual tracks when I have had a spare minute or 8!! I can't find a poor track and love listening to the whole CD. I can't believe it, having lost interest in "long" songs years ago. The truth is, these songs just do not feel long, even at 8-9 mins I'm not bored. I am a Maiden fan again!! Well and truly!! Just wish I'd bought this before the tour coz I NEED to see them again!! Still evolving and re-inventing (as reviewed above) this has got to be the coup that no other band approaching middle-age has EVER pulled off! It makes me feel 16 again and my sons (1 and 6 years old) move to it like maniacs. It may grow on me to be their best ever, we'll see! UP THE IRONS!!

The best Maiden album in almost 20 years.
When 'Brave New world' was released, the majority of people claimed it to be Maiden's best work since 'Seventh Son'..same again with 'Dance Of Death' in 2003. Now here we are in 2006 with their latest opus - A Matter Of Life And Death...and do you know what, this really is their best work since 'Seventh Son'. In fact, i'd go further and say that it is every bit the equal of the 1988 concept album. Whilst the two records are very different musically, they do share a common trait that very few other Iron Maiden albums have enjoyed - absolutely no filler tracks. AMOLAD is jam packed with 10 songs that are so brilliant, you'll be struggling to pick out clear favourites after the first couple of spins.

The album kicks off perfectly with the one-two punch of the 'Different Worlds' (infectiously melodic) and 'These Colours Don't Run' (semi-epic yet pure grandiose Maiden) - both of which are certain to be a part of their live set when they tour later this year. Following that is another tune that's a good contender for a live appearance - the utterly sensational 'Brighter Than A Thousand Suns'. This is one of several multi-layered epics on the album that will have you discovering new things with each subsequent listen - brilliant Maiden, simply brilliant. Other standout songs worthy of note (to be fair they are all 'standout' tracks) - 'The Longest Day' (Harris excels on bass here), 'Out Of The Shadows'(beautifully melancholic)..and 'The Pilgrim' & 'The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg' that have Maiden getting all riffy on us.

A Matter Of Life And Death isn't just a step-up from BNW & DOD, it's in a completely different league. It's almost as if the band were just teasing us on the previous two records, hinting a truly great things but not quite delivering. Well here they are with one of the greatest records they've ever made. This is what we've all been waiting for - Iron Maiden firing on all cylinders...and isn't it just a spectale to behold.

A Real Grower
It must be said that Maiden have been on something of a creative roll since the return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith.....deservedly so! "Brave New World" and "Dance of Death", were both outstanding albums/tours and better than anything the band had done since 1988. AMOLAD, however, significantly "under-whelmed" me for a long time. I have to say that I didn't like this album when I first bought it, I initially found it to be weak in comparison with DOD. But, after absorbing it for the best part of a year, I'm converted. I find myself listening to it more and more. This is an outstandingly strong, complex, intelligent and ambitious Maiden album. It doesn't have the technical flair and instantly standout tracks of DOD/BNW but, as a whole, it is a much more cohesive work. Of course it has the trademark Maiden sound, why wouldn't it?? Maiden have been guilty of being formulaic in the past, most notably towards the end of Bruce's first tenure, but certainly not on this album. AMOLAD has more twists, turns and pace changes that the Paris to Dakar Rally. The progressive influences are getting stronger, as is the song writing and the musicianship. And how many other 30-year old bands could do a tour and get away with playing little else but their latest album in its entirety? I'd say they were in a class of one on that, which says a lot about the strength of the material and their fans. In summary, AMOALD is latest in a trilogy of outstanding Maiden albums....just give it a few spins and you'll be hooked. Nobody else in their genre or vintage is still making albums this good! Where next?