Rockin' Rio
Features review exclusive
Iron Maiden, Rock In Rio (2002, EMI)
After re-lighting the trad. metal hemisphere with glittering shine of 2000's Brave New World, both groups and press - striving desperately to avoid assoiciation with the band during the Blaze Bayley years - have been flocking to sing their praises (or worship) at Maiden's altar.
Along the way - taking full advantage of the three guitar line up's capabilities via the Ed Hunter and Brave New World World tours, the Irons have hit a live standard not witnessed since 1982's Beast On The Road live dates or 88's Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour jaunt.
Cutting to the chase, with the Kevin Shirley / Steve Harris produced Rock In Rio, (recorded live in the Brazilian capital at the festival of the same name, and the groups first live release since 1994's Raising Hell) - nothing less than pure live magic is good enough.
So then, how have Maiden gone about attempting to achieve this? What sonic tactics have they used to make their talk of this being the ultimate line up and best live show ever prove itself as true? Well, its certainly not attempted solely through the merits of all those old Maiden vintages - a mature approach and a huge relief.
We've heard Maiden do Wrathchild, 2 Minutes To Midnight, The Evil That Men Do, Sanctuary, The Number Of The Beast et al several times live now. And while they're all performed with the live Maiden seal of approval that you'd expect, there's nothing to say the renditions here are any more superior to those that appear on the likes of Live At The Rainbow or Live After Death.
So how? Two factors largely - epics and newer material (with the exception of Brave New World, the tracks verses not standing up live). As the theme music Arthur's Farewell sets the scene classically for Maiden's premium set opener The Wicker Man, it's an instant highlight, as is last top ten single release Run To The Hills (pleasingly, the first time Maiden have truly done the song justice on a live release) and the strafing bliss of The Trooper.
Avoiding going down that well trodden road any further, the songs that take Rock In Rio to such magnificiant heights stand out like supermodels in a supermarket. Admittedly, older epic heavyweights Hallowed Be Thy Name and Fear Of The Dark are still picks of the bunch, while from the 90's, the rhythmic elegance of The Clansman and the ghoulish 11-minute Sign Of The Cross similiarly posess that extra spark. The way Maiden interchange between soft passages and rocked up tempos is as effortless as it is exhilarating - combining feary drive and granate thunder with texture and shade in a way only Steve Harris knows how.
Complete with the smooth, folksy and acoustic qualities of Blood Brothers (add 250,000 screaming Brazilians to the chorus!) and Dream Of Mirrors respectively, its all wrapped up beautifully - no doubt, Rock In Rio's true strengths lie here.
Close attention should be payed to the role of Maidens triple axe line up. With all the harmonies, plenty of wah (the band tend to play wah solos a lot more frequently nowadays as opposed to the occasional one during the earlier years) and the rivetting duel solos on The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do, its ear opening stuff. Come Two Minutes To Midnight, and as so eloquently put by frontman Dickinson, "Mr Janick Gers comes to Rio" - what a shame him and Dave Murray didn't leave a couple of their over complicated and over improvised solos at home. Not that there aren't the inspired widdling moments - Smith on The Wicker Man, Murray on Sign Of The Cross, Gers on Hallowed Be Thy Name. Nevertheless - (Adrian Smith aside), ...Rio is a pale reflection of the Maiden boyz at their solo best. Bruce Dickinson for sure isn't the angst filled screamer he used to be live (his Number Of The Beast scream sounding particularly tame). Although for vocal range and charisma, this live record latest shows the Maiden crooner remains almost untouched by any frontman on the metal planet. The discs production on the whole is excellent, although drum, crowd and solo levels could be better projected in the mix.
That and the other few quibbles aside, Rock In Rio is still an exceptional offering. Pure live magic? Yes. Classic? Nearly, but just not quite.
Verdict - @@@@
Features review exclusive
Iron Maiden, Rock In Rio (2002, EMI)
After re-lighting the trad. metal hemisphere with glittering shine of 2000's Brave New World, both groups and press - striving desperately to avoid assoiciation with the band during the Blaze Bayley years - have been flocking to sing their praises (or worship) at Maiden's altar.
Along the way - taking full advantage of the three guitar line up's capabilities via the Ed Hunter and Brave New World World tours, the Irons have hit a live standard not witnessed since 1982's Beast On The Road live dates or 88's Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour jaunt.
Cutting to the chase, with the Kevin Shirley / Steve Harris produced Rock In Rio, (recorded live in the Brazilian capital at the festival of the same name, and the groups first live release since 1994's Raising Hell) - nothing less than pure live magic is good enough.
So then, how have Maiden gone about attempting to achieve this? What sonic tactics have they used to make their talk of this being the ultimate line up and best live show ever prove itself as true? Well, its certainly not attempted solely through the merits of all those old Maiden vintages - a mature approach and a huge relief.
We've heard Maiden do Wrathchild, 2 Minutes To Midnight, The Evil That Men Do, Sanctuary, The Number Of The Beast et al several times live now. And while they're all performed with the live Maiden seal of approval that you'd expect, there's nothing to say the renditions here are any more superior to those that appear on the likes of Live At The Rainbow or Live After Death.
So how? Two factors largely - epics and newer material (with the exception of Brave New World, the tracks verses not standing up live). As the theme music Arthur's Farewell sets the scene classically for Maiden's premium set opener The Wicker Man, it's an instant highlight, as is last top ten single release Run To The Hills (pleasingly, the first time Maiden have truly done the song justice on a live release) and the strafing bliss of The Trooper.
Avoiding going down that well trodden road any further, the songs that take Rock In Rio to such magnificiant heights stand out like supermodels in a supermarket. Admittedly, older epic heavyweights Hallowed Be Thy Name and Fear Of The Dark are still picks of the bunch, while from the 90's, the rhythmic elegance of The Clansman and the ghoulish 11-minute Sign Of The Cross similiarly posess that extra spark. The way Maiden interchange between soft passages and rocked up tempos is as effortless as it is exhilarating - combining feary drive and granate thunder with texture and shade in a way only Steve Harris knows how.
Complete with the smooth, folksy and acoustic qualities of Blood Brothers (add 250,000 screaming Brazilians to the chorus!) and Dream Of Mirrors respectively, its all wrapped up beautifully - no doubt, Rock In Rio's true strengths lie here.
Close attention should be payed to the role of Maidens triple axe line up. With all the harmonies, plenty of wah (the band tend to play wah solos a lot more frequently nowadays as opposed to the occasional one during the earlier years) and the rivetting duel solos on The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do, its ear opening stuff. Come Two Minutes To Midnight, and as so eloquently put by frontman Dickinson, "Mr Janick Gers comes to Rio" - what a shame him and Dave Murray didn't leave a couple of their over complicated and over improvised solos at home. Not that there aren't the inspired widdling moments - Smith on The Wicker Man, Murray on Sign Of The Cross, Gers on Hallowed Be Thy Name. Nevertheless - (Adrian Smith aside), ...Rio is a pale reflection of the Maiden boyz at their solo best. Bruce Dickinson for sure isn't the angst filled screamer he used to be live (his Number Of The Beast scream sounding particularly tame). Although for vocal range and charisma, this live record latest shows the Maiden crooner remains almost untouched by any frontman on the metal planet. The discs production on the whole is excellent, although drum, crowd and solo levels could be better projected in the mix.
That and the other few quibbles aside, Rock In Rio is still an exceptional offering. Pure live magic? Yes. Classic? Nearly, but just not quite.
Verdict - @@@@
