Review Summary: Whilst it may not hold up to the bona fide 'classics' of the 80s, FOTD sees Iron Maiden traverse new ground, and the results speak for themselves.
Now into the 90s, one sees Maiden shed their more commercially appealing dimension in favour of a darker, more subversive tone, complimented by a belligerent delivery. With a relatively new guitarist (Janick Gers joined the band in 1990, following Adrian Smith's departure), Steve Harris' production debut (he produced the album along with Martin Birch), and even a new artist for the front cover (long time collaborator Derek Riggs' art does not feature on the LP cover) musical upheaval is strongly implied. Similar to 1990 predecessor No Prayer for The Dying, one witnesses a different, post-Smith beast to the Iron Maiden of 'Seventh of a Seventh Son' or 'Somewhere In Time'.
These changes are exemplified in speed metal opener "Be Quick Or Be Dead", as lead singer Bruce Dickinson references banking scandals with a pronounced snarl, a departure from his more familiar operatic timbre. The latter half of the album title essentially dictates much of the lyrical content; the songs are distinctly darker in nature than the bands previous output, whether referencing economic crisis, AIDs ("Fear Is the Key" was in part inspired by the death of Freddie Mercury), the effects of war and poverty on children ("Childhood's End") or football related violence ("Weekend Warrior"). Highlights come in the form of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" and "Fear of the Dark"; the former a critique of the Gulf War from the perspective of a soldier (the breakdown of the song features one of Maiden's more memorable instrumental passages) whilst the latter, a 7:18 epic, has solidified its status as one of Maiden's many unforgettable crowd pleasers.
Whilst it may not hold up to the bona fide 'classics' of the 80s, FOTD sees Iron Maiden traverse new ground; the album is as true to Maiden's sound as it is to the more alternative setting of the early 1990's. Spicing their signature melody and arena metal with grit and aggression, FOTD showcases an edgier Maiden better suited to an era of uncertainty and discontent. It may not replace 'Powerslave' or even 'Killers' for the average Maiden fanatic, but it certainly stands as a gem in their expansive canon. Certainly worth a listen.
