That is my position as well. The album would be better suited if it was shorter. Still a great album. Spinning it right now!
Nice review, Ult!

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Still lovin this one!!!!! Top 5 Maiden album for me!!!!!

Initially there were a few tracks I wasn't crazy about, now the only one I still hate is Coming Home. The rest is great as far as I'm concerned.

My favorite Maiden album since Seventh Son.

Detuned did you have a favorite track or two that stood out immediately?

This one's starting to grow on me. I don't find it snooze-worthy like that previous one.

I'm really loving this album. More than the last, too. I put it aside for a couple of days, and decided to spin it today. I proceeded to spin it three times throughout the day. There's just so much to it. I remember not liking The Final Frontier and El Dorado the first couple of times I played it. That is not the case now.

It finally happened....today, I had put the new Maiden album back in, and it clicked fully 110%.

Back when BNW came out, I was less than thrilled with it. I played it a few times and was discouraged that the comeback album was not at the caliber of the 80's stuff I wanted. I set it down not to be picked back up for awhile. About 6 months later my friend from work told me how much he loves the new maiden album and I really need to give it a go again. Well to my surprise, it was amazing, it clicked finally, and I got what the album was about. I was floored at how much I had missed out on it and it eventually held first place with 7th Son for me. It has remained that way since.

Today I had some traveling to do on this unusual cooler early fall day in PA (ok yes still summer but oddly here it is like in the 60's already, not normal), with the gray clouds and the hint of rain brewing ever present. The air was just right for a Maiden album, so Final Frontier was put in, and yes it too has finally revealed itself fully to me like BNW has. I absolutely love this album, and the setting was just right, the mood was perfect. I know many people may feel differently, but to me this is an epic album. glad it clicked!

I really like this cd too. I was curious about its staying power but I can listen to it from start to finish and find new stuff...

Well this is the direction Steve Harris wants the band to be.
He takes 80s Maiden and combines it with 70s Prog Rock that he likes.
I've read some interviews over the last years that the guys wrote short songs (some really heavy stuff among) but they didn't get accepted by Harris, so they changed to write long songs. In some cases they write 2 short songs and Harris makes 1 long song out of it.
When you listen to the last 3 solo Albums form Bruce it's obvious what Maiden could be, but cannot be because their leader has a different vision.

Is this a quality record? - Hell yes!
Is this exiting? - No. It's the same direction we have since Brave New Worlds. Too many overlong proggy songs.

I still cannot decide what I think of this album. And I've been listening to it intensely from when it was released. There's just so much material to digest.

I really like a lot of the tracks and the song-writing challenges you. But for instance I would have no idea where to place it if I was to rank Maiden's discography. I guess that comes from my approach of not thinking too much HOW GOOD the music I listen to is, but just from trying to ENJOY listening to whatever I am at the moment.

So far I think I like the last three tracks really a lot though. Possibly my favourite string of songs to end a Maiden album since Number of the Beast. Mother of Mercy is infectious too, I cannot get it off my head. Same with Starblind and Isle of Avalon.

I don't know. I'll come back at trying to rate it when I try and figure out my favourite albums of the year.

This one has gone from growing to grown. I think I have/had the same problem as Lari in that it's a lot to digest.

Horay for Iron Maiden, yet again.

I need to hear this more. I heard it twice and so far it is the worst thing they have done with Bruce. Its still better than Virtual XI and that X Factor albums but it just doesn't grab me. I'll give it a few more chances but I think this one is a dud to me.

Listened to this again last night and I loved it, the more spins I give it the more I like the album.

If you like anything they've done since they reformed you should find something on this to like. This is who Maiden is now and I really like it with AMOLAD being my second fave by them nowadays.

I really like this cd after all this time. I spin it pretty regularly and I dont find myself skipping tracks...

Okay, I've only listened to it once, but I like it, and that is good, because I normally don't like listening to albums that our Godfather epic in length. I've never thought that long albums are anything more than redundant, and boring. BUT, it's Maiden, and they seem to be able to pull it off every time, then again there was "No Prayer for the Dying", and those Maiden albums with that other guy, and I'm not talking about Mr. Di'Anno (which are still my favs).

I listened to this the other day at work and for some reason I don't like it as much as I thought I did.