Virtual XI

Artist: Iron Maiden
Label: Cmc International
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 060768624023
EAN: 0060768624023
ASIN: B0000061R9

Release Date: 1998-03-24

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New Wave

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Listmania:

'BEAST-ial Devistation!'
Iron Maiden First To Last Part-1
ESSENTIAL METAL RECORDS
Best to Least Best - Iron Maiden Studio Albums
Awesome Metal
The Good, The Bad, and The Worst Maiden Albums!!
My Favorite Iron Maiden
My Music Collection - Part 13
Great Bands That Made Horrible Album(s) (In No Order)
The Best of Iron Maiden

Tracks:

Futureal
The Angel And The Gambler
Lightning Strikes Twice
The Clansman
When Two Worlds Collide
The Educated Fool
Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger
Como Estais Amigos

Similar Items:

The X Factor
No Prayer for the Dying
Fear of the Dark
The X Factor
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Customer Reviews:

Better than 'X Factor'..........2007-01-18

...which isn't saying much. At least with this album, someone told Blaze to sing on key. I felt the songs were much more powerful and meaningful on 'X' even if they were badly sung. But there are some of the songs that are just as powerful (See 'The Clansman' especially on the Rock in Rio).

Enough with the attacks and butchering !! 3.5 stars.......2006-11-07

It is just lame how people attack either Janick, Blaze, Virtual XI and/or X Factor.
This CD holds it own against maiden's albums, yes not the best but as I said it holds its own!
After the dark X-Factor sound Blaze and the lads come back with a more maiden-esque sound.
1) Futureal: Great fast rocker, awesome solo. 7.5
2) Angel and the gambler: I have a soft spot for this one, though yes, it drags a bit. 7
3) Lightning strikes twice: Good but not my fav. great guitars again as usual ! 7
4) The clansman: Someone wrote about the lyrics being lame or something, I just don't think that way, this is just the kind of interesting maiden song and lyrics that sets them apart from the rest of today's music. On par with Bruce's live version, though the intro sounds better live. 8.5
5) When two worlds collide: Just not my fav, not bad though. 6
6) Educated fool: Love this song but it is not maiden's best, the mood it has... soft spot for me so this one is kinda subjective. 7
7) Don't look to the eyes of a stranger: Good song, the band sounds great and the melody is really interesting, but again not one of my favs 6
8) Como estais amigo: Awesome way to end the album y really like this one, no complains. 8

If you open you mind and ears you might enjoy a 26 year or so maiden catalog instead of just sticking to the 83-88 period and whining about everything since.
Blaze is great, Janick has earned his place in maiden, he brought diversity and imagination to the guitar structures and his abilities are nothing to sneeze about.
X-factor and Virtual XI are good to great albums, period !
At least in my opinion... listen to them and don't look for Bruce, just listen to the songs.
Bruce came back and we all happy, but those Bruce-less years were not a waste.
Cheers !!!

Lack of Bruce not a disaster.......2006-05-16

I'll keep this brief. Though Blaze Bayley doesn't have Bruce Dickinson's vocal range (who does?) there are some good songs on this album, and Blaze's style is completely acceptable. You just need to realise that he is simply a different kind of singer to Bruce.

My standout tracks would be basically the first four.

Dear God, how the mighty had fallen.......2005-07-26

This is unbearable. Blowz Badley has no vocal range at all.

Don't mistreat Blaze Bayley, you dulls!.......2005-05-05

People who hate Blaze Bayley surely are comparing his tuning to
Bruce Dickinson's. It's like setting the difference between a
humingbird and a truck.
Bayley's voice is deeper awile Bruce sings shrill. That's the true
difference. I'm sorry,but saying that Blaze is awful is a fierce
mistake.
This argument is overused to underrate x-factor and this one.
Don't be afraid of purchasing it. It isn't perfect,but there really
good tracks on. I was astonished with the 2 star average rating
that I saw one day.
I really don't agree. See my track marks:

Futureal: The fastest. The solos are blasting,cool. The bridge and the chorus are catchy.I saw the videoclip: Janick Gers slaps Eddie and he returns back(ha!ha!ha!ha!) while David does that solo challenging his own abilities(in the cd,between 1:29 and 1:48),afterwards Janick appaears "mistreating"(changing the notes almost playing) his guitar's arm.Blaze sings wearing a cap: "Can you believe what you feel?, Do you believe what you see?,Can you believe what you feel? Can you believe? What is real?.. Futureal....(bridge and chorus) 10/10.

The angel and the gambler: It could been shorter, the chorus is
repetitive.
Despite this, the song isn't so bad. Janick Gers's solo followed by David Murray's afterwards(Generally,David's guitar is trebler than Janick's.David's solo begins at 5:44, nearly)in the middle is the highlight. After the 8 minutes mark ,the chorus repetiton may be tirering, but the shift of cool guitar licks (Gers, Murray, Gers,Murray...)saves the ending from disaster.7/10

Lightning Strikes Twice: It rocks,interesting vocal notes. One of the best
in the record. 10/10

The Clansman: It reminds X-Factor, due to the slow intro. The guitars are beautiful.And these solos(from 3:34,starting with Janick,to 5:10)deserve my applause: David enters in 4:33 with his magic fingers in the guitar's arm (in that black and white Fender, probably). I love this part (8:12): Freedom -> guitar...., Freedom ->guitar
9/10

When 2 worlds collide: Excellent melody and chorus.Terrific: Ohhh! oh oh oh oh oh oh oh (4:55) I can't give it less than.
10/10

The educated fool: Yuk! Boring and badly composed. 1/10

Don't look to the eyes of a stranger: Don't to look the eyes of this
song! Too repetitive. 2/10

Como estais amigos: Looks like Gers and Bayley thought of composing
it to show that they scratch spanish. I'm kidding!
This last one is a well-fitted and sweet. The riffs and solos are neat.
It breaks the 2 prior throw-outs.
David Murray creates the way (to lo dam pun ta dun...) ,while Janick (ta nan nan num nan nýn non) spreads the good melody
in the middle. Stevie Harris plays keyboards here (Yes,bass isn't his only knowledge) . I read in Iron's official site that Blaze has the habit to play this wonderful ballad ( where rock attributes were kept)in concerts with his band named Blaze, nowadays.
10/10

UP THE IRONS!!!

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Songs of the Civil War ~ Various Artists

Parallels of Infinite Torture ~ Disgorge

Welcome to the Future ~ Hawkwind

Zing Zong ~ Kanda Bongo Man

J'suis Snob ~ Eric Charden

Higher Plain Drifting ~ Various Artists

Drastic Measures, Drastic Movement ~ Minny Pops

Once Upon a Time in America

Soundtrack

Earthtones ~ Nobody