The most unusual EPIC song

So if you have ever heard a epic song or even heard this type of song, the first one that comes to the mind is 'Stairway to Heaven' by none other than Led Zeppelin.

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_songs-rock-epic.html

This is a list that I found on internet that gives out the most popular or accepted Epic songs.

An epic song would normally be unusually long with a specific theme that focuses on history or human emotion or politics or war or maybe some other serious topic (mostly anything other than love).

For me Iron Maiden is the band that introduced me to Epic songs. Hallowed Be They Name, Dream of Mirrors, Phantom of the Opera, Rime of the Ancient Mariner.. almost every Maiden has a epic song (maybe sans Killers).

But lately I have found out a new type of epic song. 'Take No Prisoners' by Megadeth. Whaat!!!!!!! Seriously...

Well I do think so. And why is that? I am no expert in music literature so cant really comment on the technicalities. But that is how I feel. I mean in just 3 minutes and 26 seconds this astonishing thrasher is a war song with all its sense.
The initial Gang vocal chorus along with super fast and choppy machine gun speed guitar gives a head start to the song. Then comes the bass solo and takes the song into another dimension.
Then comes the mid part of the song explodes with literal war lyrics “going to war, give ‘em hell, D-Day, next stop Normandie” and eventually ends with twisting the JFKs speech "Don't ask what you can do for your country?Ask what your country can do for you." The track just explodes and obliterates everything that uplift the sense of aggression.

The song structure being so simple yet so difficult to play (maybe because of the breakneck speed at which it is played) just makes up keep guessing throughout as almost none of the verses are repeated at any point of time.

I am sure Iron Maiden would have made this song at least 10 minutes longer. Man! Would love to heat that version too!!

Adios!!

Up the Irons : Flight 666

Saw the documentary "Flight 666" in Inox today. This film depicts the legendary world tour conducted by Iron Maiden during which they covered 45000 miles and did 23 concerts in 21 cities all across the world (except Europe) in 45 days.
Iron Maiden got their own Boeing 757 customized to carry tons of music instruments as well as the hell lot of speakers, amplifiers and all the stuff along with 70 crew members which includes the band as well. And the most stunning thing is that the band's lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson was also the one who piloted the flight which has been rechristened as Ed Force One.
The movie shows how it is when the band is on road. What sort of compromises they need to make once they start touring. Right from performing the show even when down by fever till braving an injury so as not to affect the schedule of the tour which may cost a bomb.
Also the band members provide the insight as to how do they feel when they face the audience like us. The most humbling thing about Iron Maiden is that in spite of being such a successful band all over the world, they always give their best. Their spirit shows that they are not at all interested in making big bucks but just to enjoy their music and give their faithful fans one hell of a show. That is why Iron Maiden is so famous all across the world inspite radio never played thier songs, neither do music channels used to support the band during their heydays. It is just because this band has been touring consistently since thier inception and still believe that live shows are the ones which should be used to reach out the fans. It took almost 30 years for thier own country UK to realise what Iron Maiden really are and finally in 2009 they were rewarded with the Best British Live Act award.
But as humble as they are, Iron Maiden dedicated the award to thier audience. They are as good as any normal person like us are. They dont think themselves as celibrities, just a bunch of musicians who want to make amazing music and nothing else.
What truly shocked me during the movie was the amount of fan following that Iron Maided get in Latin America. People there just worship Maiden, just like our very won Sachin is worshipped in India. For them Heavy Metal is religion and Iron Maiden are Gods. It was really amazing stuff to watch.
One more amazing thing which has amazed even the band members is that more and more young people are turning towards Iron Maiden which is rather surprising because IM is quite an old band now. This shows that Iron Maiden's music is their for long......very long.

All in all a great documentary movie which has provided us Maiden fans of all the inside stuff that goes on behind the stage. I really dont care if this movie at all gets any recognition or not, anyways neither any of the band members nor any true Iron Maiden fan across the world would care a damn for the award. But thanks to this documentary, I have started to respect Iron Maiden much more than ever.
Up the Irons!!!
Forever a Maiden Fan

Dig Out Your Soul

Oasis released thier seventh studio album Dig Out Your Soul last October. Although its a bit late, but here is my review.

1) Bag It Up: - Instant classic. Various magazines touted it as next to Columbia from Definitely Maybe. But I didnt find any similarity betwwen any of them. The only thing both the songs share is that they are the most energetic songs in the respecive albums. Apart from that both are completely different. 9/10

2) The Turning: - Good song. will give 7/10

3) Waiting for the Rapture: - Penned and sung by Noel. Love the fast pace and very heavy guitars. Also the falsetto by Noel. 8/10

4) The Shock of the Lightning: - Great song as the first single for the album. No guitar solo but surprisingly a drum solo. Damn fast song. My fav on the album 10/10

5) I'm Outta Time: - Penned and sung by Liam. As Noel says this one is for ladies. Though I didnt understand why he included lines by John Lennon at the end. Anyways a good ballad and again one of my fav from album. 9/10

6) (Get Off Your) High Horse Lady:- Worst song of the album. I just dont know how it made to the album. This song may justify the lower sales of the album. 3/10

7) Falling Down: - Another one sung by Noel. Good song overall. Somehow it doesnt feel as Oasis to me. Its as if Oasis tyring to imitate some other band. But still it gets 7/10

8) To Be Where There's Life: -Gem Archer at work. Album name is taken from a part of lyric of this song. The sitar reminds me of George Harrison. And that's why its again one of my fav on the album. 8/10

9) Ain't Got Nothing: - A silly song with silly lyrics. Liam at work here. But still the song manages to grip you thanks to its short duration. Length is just 2:14. So it becomes bearable. 5/10

10) The Nature of Reality: - Andy Bell at work here. Nothing exceptional in the song. It gets 6/10

11) Soldier On: - Liam closes album with this brilliant song. Has a kind off psychedalic feeling which reminds me of Gas Panic!! 8/10

 

So the total album gets :- 80/110 i.e. approx. 8 stars out of 10.

Stop Crying Your Heart Out v\s The Hindu Times

Today, I am in mood to become a critic of one of my most favorite band.
OASIS (Can I hear Go Let It Out.........?)
So I am comparing 2 of the songs which are in no way related to each other. So what does this means?
It means,I have hell lot of time to kill today

Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Hold up!
Hold on
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone

May your smile (may your smile)
Shine on (shine on)
Don't be scared (don't be scared)
Your destiny may keep you warm

Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

Get up (get up)
Come on (come on)
Why're you scared? (I'm not scared)
never change
What's been and gone
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

We're all of us stars
We're fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see us some day
Just take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
- Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

Such a wonderful song!!!! mean, look at this, such a cute but sad ballad typically for girls to keep on drooling. A typical song for heart broken ones to get up and move on and all that stuff...
But is this really Noel?

Noel is known to make some stupendous music with the help of some nonsense lyrics like the song below:-
The Hindu Times
I get up - when I'm down
I can't swim - but my soul won't drown
I do believe - I got flare
I got speed and I walk on air
Cos God gimme soul in your rock'n'roll (babe) (x2)
And I get so high I just can't feel it (x2)
In and out my brain, running' through my veins
Cos you're my sunshine you're my rain

There's a light - that shines on
Shines - on - me - and it keeps me warm
It gimme peace - I must say
I can't sleep - cos the world won't wait
Cos God gimme soul in your rock'n'roll (babe) (x2)
And I get so high I just can't feel it (x2)
In and out my brain, runnin' through my veins
Cos you're my sunshine you're my rain
- Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

What the hell?? What the South Indian leading English Newspaper Daily has got to do with swim, sunshine, rain, God and all........
And still this song went on to top the UK Singles chart....
Hmmm!! If you listen to it once you are surely gonna like it. But what the title track has to do with lyrics and by the way what lyrics are supposed to mean?? How can someone sound so stupid and still be so famous...
After listening over and over again hundreds of times(which I never regretted), I noticed some things: -
As per Noel, the main guitar riff in the song sounds like a heavily tuned Indian Sitar.. (Now the Hindu walaa thing makes some sense) Noel claims to have gotten the title from the T-shirt.
And the lyrics, if you closely have a look at them, they have optimism written all over them. In fact there is nothing negative in the song, if there is anything, its just brightness & cheerfulness.. Listening to song always makes me happy. It is kinda song which you should set as your alarm clock on your high-watt deck. Rising up in morning listening to this song surely will make a great day.. (Gosh!! I miss my stereo system lying in Nagpur..)

So The Hindu Times is a clear winner although I also love Stop Crying....

P.S. - I am listening to The Hindu Times while writing this....

Black Ice

No this is not about the black ice that we find in Ladakh in winters or as a matter of fact any frozenland.

AC/DC released their first album in Nov' 08 after a long hiatus of 8 years by the name Black Ice. I was pretty much excited when I heard in last July that AC/DC will be realeasing the album After all which rock would not like to hear another Back in Black from one of the greatest rockers of all times. And the name Black was common in the name of both albums, so I was really waiting for album to hit the stores. As soon as album released worldwide, I could see the revies on net which further increased the desire to lay my hands on the album. At last after a week, the album hit the Indian stores.
"Rock N Roll Train" An unusual name for a song. But the song rocks and rocks really damn good. I was listening to only this song for straight 2 days. Angus Young still has the power to make you headband melodiously. And no wonder why AC/DC's years without Phil Rudd were not productive. I have always liked Phil drums. They are not phenomenal but no one can fit into his shoes in AC/DC. His style is so unique and you can instantly tell its Phil on drums. He is always reciprocate to the rawness created by Young brothers on guitars.

Amongst other noticable tracks are Big Jack, Skies on Fire, Smash N Grab. Also the highlight is title track Black Ice. Rest of the songs failed to impress me. I was expecting much more good songs from a list of 15. So the verdict is that its not as good as Back in Black or I would rate Higway to Hell better than this.
Anyways, Rock N Roll Train has became one of my all time favorites.

Million Dollar Question

Yeah so the million dollar question (in the world of music.. rock music to be precise). Which one is the best Guitar solo till today?
Well popularly its "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin or "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. I beg to differ on that. Please forgive about the bragging which I do about my favorite band Iron Maiden,but the best guitar solo has to be "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" by none other than the Gods of Heavy Metal. Its really difficult for me to give any other the numero uno status. The solo in Phantom although is a dual guitar solo, but still its the best and I can listen it over and over and over again till eternity!!!!!!!!

And this one is undeniable.....
The best guitar riff of all time is unarguably "HALLOWED BE THY NAME". Heck!!! Name other one??
UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Club Foot

CLUB FOOT
I happened to hear this song by a British band KASABIAN on VH1 on Sunday. As soon as I heard it, I remembered that I had heard it somewhere before which was in a Hollywood soccer flick GOAL! (Hollywood's Chak De India :D). Immediately started my search on internet. To my amusement the video of the song is available on the band's website. I couldn't thank my stars. Since Yesterday just listening to the same song over and over again. Can get enough of it.
The song is really cool. It has quite hummable chorus which keeps on playing inside your mind again and again. Well dont know what the name of the song means though.
The video of song features some war torn area, soldiers, tanks, some civilians and a student in particular along with the band singing the song. The video ends with a tank shooting down the student. Read somewhere that this song is a tribute to a Czech student who immolated himself in the protest of the Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia sometime during Cold War in 70s. A nice way to pay a tribute I can say.
Also first time I have heard this band. Seems to be quite a band. It has that typical Brit feel.

Iron Maiden

Won't you come into my room; I wanna show you all my wares
I just want to see your blood, I just want to stand and stare
See the blood begin to flow, as it falls upon the floor
Iron Maiden can't be fought, Iron Maiden can't be sought
Oh Well, wherever, wherever you are
Iron Maiden's gonna get you no matter how far
See the blood flow watching it shed up above my head
Iron Maiden wants you for dead
Source: Iron Maiden

Well if you are thinking that this has something to do psycho-rapist hell bent upon killing his victim, you are wrong. Iron Maiden. This is the name of the song by heavy metal band by the same name (Oops! I meant Gods of Heavy Metal.)
If you want are getting some notions about how the band is by reading the lyrics above, then you are apparently heading the wrong way. Actually the song is about a medieval torture machine. It was a hollow iron mummy which had very big spikes inside it having a face of a woman. And that is why it was called Iron Maiden. When any person was to be punished, then he/she was put inside Iron Maiden. As the door was closed, the spikes used to pierce such parts of the human body that the occupant wasn’t killed in an instant. But the death was slow and torturous. And that was why it was referred as a torture machine.
Anyways, let’s leave apart this gory story. That was just for G.K. and nothing else.
Steve Harris, the founder of the band got this name, I don’t know why???

But today I don’t know whether Iron Maiden is made of Iron or is any Maiden part of it? All I know is that I have associated this name with some of the greatest music I have ever heard. And I will always respect this name whatever may be its meaning. The kind of satisfaction one achieves while listening to Maiden really can not be explained in words. You need to hear them before you can say anything about them.

The anecdote of my relationship with Iron Maiden started when I first heard “Fear of the Dark”. I was captivated at that moment itself. I knew that this was the band I was searching for so many years. Then I happened to lay my hands on “Run to the Hills” and that was it. The super fast guitar & drums just enthralled me. And since then Iron Maiden has been my favorite band. I have found it really hard to replace it with some other band. Now the list of my favorite Maiden songs is endless. I have heard almost all the Maiden songs. I mean Studio and live albums.

The band has been active since almost 30 years. The adrenaline gush that you get after hearing the songs is just amazing. Dave Murray's guitars are so unique that you can almost recognize that its Maiden that is being played. Steve Harris mentorship can be seen in the music as well. The marching bass always gives a string foundation for any song. The bass coupled with Nikko's superb drums is just too good to resist. Even though Nikko plays single bass drum, its really as fast as a double bass. The trio of Dave, Janick Gers and Adrian Smith give all the guitar hungry fans a food that they can relish upon time and again.. and again... Which one of them is playing lead and which one rythm.. it doesnt matter because all of them are just awesome personnnels.

And finally the favorite member of the band, yeah its the vocalist Bruce Dickinson. He is just too good . "Hallowed be Thy Name" (My favorite Maiden song) epitomizes his legacy. His voice does appropriate justice to the meaning of the song. The exact feelings which a man can feel once he has been sent to gallows....

I had a chance to see my Metal Gods last year in March 2007 when they had came to perform in Bangalore. It was their first show in India and I was obliged to attend that. Even though all these Gods of Heavy Metals are well above 50 years of age, their live shows are as electrifying as they were 30 years ago. May be they are much more pumping than before. The way Bruce keeps on jumping on the stage just defies his age. The stages and lightings were at the supreme best. And also the band's mascot Eddie was the thing to watch out for during the live shows. Earlier this year, when Maiden came in Mumbai in feb, I was not able to go for the show as it was my friend' s wedding. But next time when they will come I am not gonna miss them for sure...

“Oh Well, wherever, wherever you are
Iron Maiden's gonna get you no matter how far”……….

Blackbird

So finally after long wait of two and half months, I got to lay hands on the new Alter Bridge album Blackbird. The album was released in US in October. As this band is not much famous in India, it took two months for the album to come in India. Well truly saying, the wait was really worth something. It is a modern album having a feel of traditional rock. Even the lyrics are so motivating. The whole album screams out the message "Move on. This is your life. Live it."

I read its reviews on net and likewise wasnt let down by the album. I really dont know why people dont appreciate good music. The guitar riffs, solos, bass riffs and also drums are amazing in this album. Even the lyrics do stand out. Specially the title song Blackbird which was written as a dedication to the Myles'(vocalist) friend who passed away during the course of the album. It is really an awesome dedication to someone who passed away.
But I was really dissppointed that the way the album fared in market. Anyways as Mark Tremonti(lead guitarist) has said, they make the music only for thier fans. So here it is, an album made perfectly for the fans who love the band from the bottom of thier hearts. And I am surely one of them.

I know the band Alter Bridge. since 2005 when I happened to hear their first single "Open Your Eyes". But then I had a premonition that its just Creed with a new vocalist as it contained three former Creed musicians and a new vocalist. Then over the course, when I used to hear Creed songs, I liked the way Mark played guitar. But I always felt that he could play much more heavier than he used to play in Creed. I always felt something was stopping him. That's when I decided to re-hear the Alter Bridge closely. And to my joy, that was the music which I wanted to hear all along. Only two more bands were able to do this for me till now - Oasis and Iron Maiden(Gods of Heavy Metal). And from then there was no looking back. i immediately ordered for the first Alter Bridge album One Dy Remains. People ask me why do you waste 400/- on some stupid Audio CD. They really dont understand the real love for Music I can say. Anyways, that album was the one which rekindled my interest in modern rock(after Linkin Park). And I was waiting for the next album to be released very soon.

For me Alter Bridge a truly genuine band with a wealth of talent hidden within those 4 amazing musicians. Even if the band doesnt receive any awards or certifications, it will remain one of my most favourite bands of all time.