Iron Maiden's ninth studio full lengther has a special place in my heart. Not because it was Bruce's "last" Maiden album, but because me and some my friends loved it to death, and "Fear of the Dark Tour" gig in Helsinki was my first ever Maiden concert experience. So please take this into consideration when reading this review.

'Fear of the Dark' is the second album without the "hit-machine", guitarist Adrian Smith. That does not mean, that there was no catchy songs, or that there was just long epics on the album. The title track is the only song that goes beyond 7 minutes. Still being a setlist regular, the song is one of the trademark songs from the band. But later about it... 'Fear of the Dark' is also the second Maiden album, after some more epic ones, that is pretty streetwise rocking heavy metal. 'No Prayer for the Dying' from 1990 was the first such album for years, since 1981 album 'Killers'. In many ways this one is easiest to compare to that Maiden classic. A lot of people always say, that Iron Maiden cannot change, but still I beg to differ. They still do, and have always done it. That's what makes them interesting, among many other things. Okay, I seem to ramble around with this text. So, let's start from the beginning. But before that, let me warn you: This could be a bit of a track-by-track review. However, the songs are so different to each other, that this is basically obligatory.

The striking single cut 'Be Quick or Be Dead' is another fine opener for a Maiden album. This fast song (one of the band's fastest ones) goes straight into action, as the drummer Nicko McBrain hits the beginning strokes. The guitar duo Dave Murray and Janick Gers, who replaced Adrian Smith for the previous album, let it rip with riffs filled with street credibility. Steve Harris's finger-played clanking bass is as flashy as always. Bruce Dickinson's vocals are angry, really throaty and snarling at times, something like he did on his first solo album 'Tattooed Millionaire' two years earlier. By the way, Janick Gers played on that album too, plus the song was written by the two... Mr. Dickinson's range is huge as there is typical clean, high-pitched singing, too. A very energetic, visceral opener that leads the way for more bluesy (in an English way, that is) rocking Harris's song 'From Here to Eternity', which is one of my favourite songs off the abum. The song smells like exhaust fumes, and rolls on like the band was on two-wheelers. This pair of songs shouldn't be such an obstacle after 'Holy Smoke', really. But upbeat and catchy 'Weekend Warrior' might. A song about going to see a soccer game (really!), and possible violence happening there. Mr. Harris is an avid West Ham United Football Club suppoter, so it's not a total surprise as a lyric topic, but on a heavy metal album...?!? Anyway, it was one of the first songs that I really liked off of this album, and still is, even though Bruce's croaking vocals are featured.

After these two ass-kicking pieces, it is time to calm down. Emotional 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers', again by Harris, is such of a song the band has never done before and after (okay, it does have quite similar truly dark aura that the following 1995 album 'The X Factor' carries). The song builds up pretty slowly, but does not contain ill-fitted parts, as some songs from the band. It's a very atmospheric song, that also lets it rip, going through a Hammond organ part. 'Fear is a Key' is another slower one with somewhat Deep Purple-ish and Rainbow-ish, plus Mid-Eastern vibes (not surprisingly by Dickinson and Gers). It feels like it was a bit more jammed in the studio, and is one of worse songs from the band; it simply feels like it was work in progress, but listen to that guitar solo! Let's include the album's third sedate piece here: Highly affective 'Wasting Love' by same duo, is a ballad-ish, if not a ballad, and one of the band's most calm songs. Not quite as calm as 'Change of Heart' from Mr. Dickinson, though.

Another Harris one, 'Childhood's End', takes a turn into more epic, metal stuff. It balances between slow and faster parts, with some out-of-norm tom drumming that doesn't really work very well because them parts are a tad too long. But the vocals are some of the best on the album; truly filled with emotions. Also the guitar melodies are ace and 100% Maiden. 'The Fugitive' is another more metal piece, but is a relative to 'The Assassin', meaning that it's one of the band's worse songs. It's too sullen to be a fist-pumper, which it tries to be. Harris's worst, possibly. 'Chains of Misery' is also on gloomy side, but packs much more energy, and contains some gang vocals on its stadion rock chorus. So, one thumb up! 'The Apparition' is the oddball cousin from the woods: The bass and the guitars change places, in a way, in this wickedly exhilarating song. Even though it's a weirdo, I like it a lot. Experiment not failed. Most traditional Maiden song 'Judas Be My Guide's reverbing guitar solo harks back to old times, and the song contains a very good chorus. These two were by Dickinson and Murray, so good to hear Dave's rather succesful input. However, none of these songs aren't 'The Trooper', 'Aces High' or 'The Evil That Men Do', not even close.

Oops, the Harris-penned title track is still missing... Now, my friends, this is it what all of you've been waiting for! Fucking epic piece of Maiden-songsmith. 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' of 1990s. The band have played this one probably in every concert since. There's no other way to say this, but if there was more songs of this quality on the album, it could have been a real killer. The band just seems to be on totally different plane on this one. Even though there are more songs that I love, this easily deserves the highest of accolades of these twelve songs.

So, the album isn't very uniform. First, it has so different songs packed in, and some of them feel uncompleted, or simply too much like experiments. Also, three calm songs on tracks 3, 4 and 6. These are the biggest weakness about the album. Almost every song I've learned to like, even love. So, another Ying/Yang of an album, this. And when thinking about epicness versus rocking, could they've gone further into majesty after 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'? I do not think so. Not with a full album, but with songs, yes.

Bruce is pretty damn theatrical on this album, and most varying ever. Sadly, his soaring pipes are not heard that much, but more of that raspy and snarly street rocker thing. The lyrical themes are mostly about real life (perhaps unlike the Melvyn Grant cover art let's one to believe): Money runs the corrupt world, war (a soldier thinking why does he shoot some unknown human beings, not a story of a massive attack), AIDS, TV series ('The Fugitive', which is bloody far from the grandeur of 'The Prisoner'!), and wicked side of human minds. But there's more fantasy (?) material, too, as Charlotte the harlot gets another sequel, and a ghost comes to give some good advice for life. I've always liked Iron Maiden's lyrics, because they are nothing too poetic, and truly differ from masses.

It is easy to tell difference between the guitarists; one being more bluesy and picturesque and other more rough and ripping. The Steve Harris bass is what's expected: amazingly superhuman, clanking, and everywhere. Mr. McBrain still wanted to experiment a bit, and this is miles higher than him being basic on 'Virtual XI' (1998). There's some synthesizer mat sounds heard, as well as aforementioned Hammond stuff. I'm not sure if this really needed those, though. Sound-wise the album is very clear. It's actually a bit too airy, perhaps. Anyway, it kicks asses of Kevin Shirley produced albums...

As a whole, 'Fear of the Dark' was close to being the band's least good album when it came out. Still, for the most part it was an instant hit for me. It remains as a point of history now; it's not that hot music-wise, but it's great to return to it every now and then and go through the memories it summons. But from reviewing point of view, this belongs amongst the five worst Maiden albums with 'The Book of Souls' (2015), 'The Final Frontier' (2010), 'Virtual XI' and 'No Prayer for the Dying' (not in any order). But some days I can spin it all day long! Go figure.

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
01/03/2018 18:06