Review Summary: Easily one of the best albums since Powerslave.
After I had listened to A Matter of Life and Death, I was intensely anticipating the release of Final Frontier when it had been announced. I had followed Iron Maiden throughout their entire career: from the heavy, hard-rock sound of Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind, or the intense metal vibe of their first two albums, and the crushing Powerslave and Somewhere in Time. But after a period of mediocrity and questionably piteous works, even with the return of Bruce Dickinson, Life and Death was a good breath of fresh air for the band. And Final Frontier is one of Maiden's greatest albums yet. But, man, this distinguished work of art will take a god damn long time to grow on you.
Once you get into the album, it is still the pinnacle of everything Iron Maiden was about, rip-off or not. The guitar riffs are heavy, haunting, and the bass tempos are over-stimulated and excessively crushing. Dickinson's voice finds it mark from the Powerslave-era, and continues to be cataclysmic and have more intensity and passion than any album before it, even the terrific A Matter of Life and Death. In fact, the lyrical content completely paints the picture in every song. The drum wizardry is still present in this album: still undeniably wicked. Everybody in the album is overwhelmingly stellar, and continue to be, even after thirty years.
As for the atmospheric feel of each song, As for the atmospheric feel of each song, Final Frontier is one of the most exciting albums yet, a dose of adrenaline on every track. Take the title track, "Satellite 15: The Final Frontier". It's one of the most instrumentally and lyrically accomplished songs in their career. Split into two parts, the 1st being more harrowing and evocative of several sounds: drums pounded into oblivion, harsh bass lines, and distorted guitars: before transitioning to a more classic Maiden sound, with blazing solos and a unique vocal performance by Dickinson.
"El Dorado" is a wicked tune, and also one of the most catchiest on the album. Anybody who listens to the humor intertwined with the great guitar work, could definitely have a different view on Maiden, who are able to strike a vital component to the album: to combine catchy guitar work and vocal pitches, but still maintain the same tempo insanity of every song. The single longest song on the album, and of Maiden's career, When the Wild Wind Blows, is one of the slower, more unique songs, where global disasters are mistaken for a Fallout, as it has an almost acoustic, more subtle feel to it, but it instantly becomes one of the heaviest, quick-paced songs on the album. "Isle of Avalon" continues the massive bass lines and drum work, and is another anti-war message by Maiden, with lyrics such as "End the harvest / Throw the dead on the pyre" leaving a fairly good effect.
Is there anything wrong with this album that detracts? Well, the album is incredibly good in the oddest of senses, but the low point of the album could be not because it takes quite a while to grow on you, but my low tolerance for long songs. Seriously, the longest song is over eleven minutes, and the shortest is just under four and a half minutes. It's Maiden's longest album, and more than half the tracks are over six minutes, which tends to get on my nerves. (And, in part, my hate for Dream Theater ironically returns).
I am speculating far too much here, though. Admittedly, Maiden will never be the same. After over a decade of mediocrity for several albums, even the infamous "Brave New World", Maiden's high expectation-setting album has finally reached the ambitions it once set: to be one of the best Maiden albums yet, to dig themselves out of the ashes and pyre that once buried them (ugh, I am being too far-fetched). Final Frontier is not perfect. It's long and takes a lot of listens to fully enjoy it's content. A good length of the album could of been cut in half with a chainsaw.
But I'll skip the last huge sentence and end this right here: It's good. It's really bloody good.
Recommended Tracks
Satellite 15.... The Final Frontier
Isle of Avalon
El Dorado
