Iron Maiden, En Vivo! (2012)

Hello all,

The album that I will be examining today is Iron Maiden's latest live album, En Vivo! First, I must say that Iron Maiden is my personal favorite metal band. For my money, they are probably the perfect blend of heavy, melody, and energy. While Iron Maiden has released several live albums, each album is unique in its own way. What separates En Vivo! from the rest is its emphasis on the new material from The Final Frontier album with a few classic tracks mixed in for good measure. This concert was filmed in Santiago, Chile probably as a way to emphasize the global appeal of the band, but possibly to show appreciation for their huge following in South America. In addition to the album, there is a DVD of the concert as well (which is also pretty cool).

First, let me mention that if you are not a fan of The Final Frontier, you will not like this album. That said, if you are a Maiden fan, you probably loved the that album. Additionally, if your not familiar with Maiden or are not a fan of their earlier work, then Frontier is much more accessible. The Final Frontier is much more progressive metal than any of Maiden's previous works (with the exception of Brave New World). Second, if you are a die hard Maiden fan, then you will love this live set!

I love live albums because they show a glimpse of the raw energy (or lack of in some instances) between the artists and crowd that leads to something magical. Since I live in the music wastelands of Idaho, it is extremely difficult to attend concerts. Usually the only shows that come this way are eighties hair bands and country-western artists. So, a live CD or DVD provides me with the opportunity to see first hand what the concert experience for a band like Maiden is like.

The show itself was wonderful. A nice balance of older and new material.   While the older songs like The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Number of the Beast, and The Evil That Men Do received the best reactions from the audience, the highlights of the show were the wonderful execution of The Talisman and Where the Wild Wind Blows which are 8:45 and 10:37 minutes long respectively.  Another wonderful aspect that you get with the DVD, is that you get the opportunity to witness the theatrics that go into a Maiden concert. Their performance of The Trooper involved lead singer Bruce Dickinson waving a British flag while wearing the classic red coat of the British army. It was pretty damn cool. This performance of Dance of Death was dramatic and intense. Epic is the best word for the entire experience!

Finally, I would like to give kudos to Bruce Dickinson. At 54 years old, the man can still hit all of the difficult high notes. I was genuinely impressed by this especially considering that many of his contemporaries cannot come close to their former selves. The guitar work of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers is as great as its ever been. The rhythm section of Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain were excellent as well.

This show proves that Iron Maiden is without peers in the metal universe!

For your viewing pleasure, I have attached two clips from this show.

As always,
Thank you for reading,
Marty Sabin