In FF, your last line sums up 'No Prayer for the Dying' perfectly, the rest of the album is forgettable.

I listened to it this afternoon, and it is just not a strong album. I guess I was a bit spoiled, for ten years in a row this band released killer album (no pun intended) after album, til we get to this release.

But it may have alot to do with the reason you stated Freddy, tour, album, tour cycle was bound to take its toll, and with the success Bruce Dickinson's solo album, and the departure of Adrian Smith may have contributed to the weakness of the songwriting.

No Prayer For The Dying-I can't say more than what's already been said, it surely was the start of a losing streak for IM.

No Prayer is crap. Bring Your Daughter... is a decent song, but the rest is boring as hell. There's just nothing special about any of the songs.

Live After Death: Great live album from this era of Maiden, one of my favorites. The only complaint Ive ever had about it is still Bruce singing Paul's material. I think the video version of this is better than the album version too, you had to SEE Maiden at this point as well, not just hear them, plus on the video, all the songs are from the same show

Somewhere In Time: My absolute favorite from anything they've done with Bruce, almost ties from a place with Killers and the S/T for me. Iron Maiden finally matured enough where they could be epic, dark and heavy and pull off every song perfectly, not a dud on the whole album. Also, they used their synths tastefully, it layers the sound under the guitars quite melodically and I think makes it a bit of a better album because of it. As well as Bruce gives a great performance on here, he doesn't really sound off or over the top once.

Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son: When this album was first released I saw the video for Can I Play With Madness? and hated it immediately and figured I was done with Maiden for good (I was 14, so bite me), it wasn't until I went to the tour and heard them play The Clairvoyant and the title track and got hooked on it, I ran out and bought it the next day. After listening to it all and digesting it, to this day I still feel its a good, but not great album, definately their last classic one, but not their best. Aside from the two I mentioned Moonchild and The Evil That Men Do are great as well. When they were on here, they were really on. Though, I dont think they could ever hit the plateau they hit with SIT again.

No Prayer For The Dying: Oh Jesus, I didnt think they could ever decline this fast, but man this one sucked pretty bad. After constant touring and an album almost every year, they just sound so tired here and bored. Honestly, I just spun this and ended up fading out through it so, its more boring than I remember. Tailgunner, the title track are both decent enough songs, but the rest of it just sort of fades away for me. Except Hooks In You, I think that might be the most blatant suckfest Ive heard them record with Bruce. Also, I much prefer his version of Bring Your Daughter..., it doesnt really belong as a Maiden song. I dont have a problem with Gers, his playing isnt really distinctive, but with material like this it doesnt really matter who you are its still going to come off bland, the writing is just poor.

Also, manny is that some sort of alternate cover? I just looked at both my CD and vinyl of it, and neither look anything like that.

Here's a kick in the nuts for ya. I like No Prayer WAYYYYYYYY more than Seventh Son. Seventh Son is a serious snoozefest for me.

NPFTD and FOTD are both GREAT albums in my house.

Wow, I've seen both of those covers, but never realized there were 2 different ones! :lol

I say NPFTD get's way too much flack! I have always liked it. Sure, it't not the bands shining moment, but no band can go on delivering perfect albums for ever. Actuially Maiden did it longer then most! "Tailgunner" is another killer glloping metal tune, and ranks nicely along "Aces High" and "The Trooper". "Holy Smoke" was never a favorite, but it's not a bad song either. I just loath the video for it. The title track is excellent. It's mor akin to the "modern" Maiden, but it's a cool epic tune. Dave delivers a comfortable riff. "Public Enema Number One" sounds more like Dickinson solo, but hey, I like Bruce solo! "Fates Warning"..... eh, are you sure this is a Maiden song? j/k Not bad, not great. Would have fit nicely on SSoaSS. "The Assassin" - a great track, and a very atypical Maiden tune. It has a eerie feel, and I love it! "Run Silent Run Deep" - A solid chorus, but I'm a little indifferent to the rest. Soom cool bass-lines here though. "Hooks In You" - one of the most childish songs Maiden ever recorded. It's almost like the first draft for what was to become the next song on the album: "Bring You Daughter To The Slaughter". Originally recorded by Bruce solo, and released for one of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies? Steve liked it, and wanted in on the success! :lol Never a favorite of mine.... "Mother Russia", oh well, not every Maiden track can become a classic.

Final score: 7/10

The cover I posted is was the cover from the cassette version of NPFTD.

That cover is also used on the remastered cd version.

On to the next Iron Maiden platter, 1992's 'Fear of the Dark'. IMO a major improvement over the last album. Speaking of last this would also spell the last time Martin Birch would produce Iron Maiden, he would retire shortly after releasing this album.

While not a classic in the sense of their earlier releases the songs and performances are stronger than they were on' NPFD'. It does not start to promising while 'Be Quick or Be Dead' is not a bad opening song, it is next track that really really sucks, 'From Here to Eternity' has got to be the worst lyrics that Steve Harris ever penned. He must have been hanging with Nikki Sixx or maybe the lyrics were ghost written by that a$$ goblin from Faster Pu$$ycat. Steve Harris can write lyrics on Alexander the Great, Greek mythology, Dune novels, but he is no Anais Nin when comes to writing about sex.

'Afaird to Shoot Strangers' is a great song and best experienced live. 'Fear is the Key' has some great guitar work, not best song written by the band but a good song. Also love the intro to 'Childhood's End' and galloping rythm provided by Steve Harris.

'The Fugative' not a bad song but somewhat forgetable, less said about 'Chains of Misery' and 'Weekend Warriors' the better.

'The Apparition' maybe a very very average metal song but I love it anyway.

'Fear of the Dark' is another stand out track and again best experienced live.

Alot of fans hated this album, but I actually like it. Not their best but a good solid album from a band that at this point was about to under go major changes.

This is the first album Derek Riggs didnot design and this would be Bruce Dickinson final Iron Maiden til his return 2000.

Funnily enough, I avoided F.O.T.D. when it was first released because I'd felt burned by NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING (the fact that I was also in the midst of an all thrash-metal, all the time phase at the time of its release may also have played a role). So I didn't obtain this album till the late 90s when I was finishing off my Maiden CD discography.

I agree with Manny, it is a definite improvement over N.P.F.T.D. -- the first track "Be Quick or Be Dead" obliterates anything on the previous album. I also dig "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" (one of the few Bruce tunes that Blaze Bayley could sing well, by the way), I even sorta kinda like the cheesy power ballad "Wasting Love."

When this was released, little did we know that this album would mark the end of the Iron Maiden we knew and loved for the better part of a decade and that the dark years were about to begin.

I've not heard anything from these last two, or the ones w/Blaze.

Finally we get to the album that started it all for me. With that said I thought it was a good album but I didnt see what all they hype was about Iron Maiden til I got the rest of the albums then I would know. But until then I was happy listening to this one. A lot of the songs really stray from what they have wrote on previous albums but there are still some really great stand out songs especially Fear Of The Dark. Not only is it a great song on this album but live that song just becomes its own thing. Be Quick Or Be Dead is another one of my all time favorite maiden songs. It sounds really angry and mean and they just want to kick you in the teeth. I dont mind From Here To Eternity. The lyrics are stupid but I like the music. Affraid to Shoot Strangers is something different from what they would do and is another great song. I also like Wasting Love, The Fugative and Childhoods End. Much better than No Prayer!

This was my first introduction to Maiden as well, however, I did see what all the hype on the band was. I loved this album and played it constantly and it ranks as my third favorite Maiden album. I saw the music video for Be Quick Or Be Dead (and a live version of Fear Of The Dark shortly after) before I actually got the album and that is what hooked me. Believe it or not I picked this up (on cassett, it would be years later til I got a CDs) at Wal-Mart which wouldn't be suprising today but in 92-93 that was quite a find. I remember distinclty listening to this on a walkman outside on an overcast day (when it looks like it will rain but it doesn't)and to this day I picture that in my mind whenever I listen to this. I like every song on this album but favorites are Be Quick, Affraid To Shoot Strangers, Fear Is The Key, Childhood's End, The Fugitive, Judas Be My Guide, and Fear Of The Dark.

The two live albums they released would be my next purchase (from Columbia Record Company on tape). At a used tape store I got Number Of The Beast through Somewhere In Time. Later I'd get Seventh Son on tape and the DiAnno albums at the same used tape store. I forgot to mention it when discussing Live After Death, but that was my very first CD purchase.

This album was ok. I really wasn't a fan at first, but it's growing on me a little bit.

Fear Of The Dark is an okay album, definitely an improvement over No Prayer. It's still hit or miss in the songwriting department, but at least there's more energy to it.

I haven't owned this for years but listened to it on last.fm recently and was pleasantly surprised with some of the tracks. Favorites are Afraid To Shoot Strangers (great song), Childhood's End, Fear Is The Key. Be Quick Or Be Dead is a good song, but is a little self-consciously "lets compete with the thrash bands" in it's delivery.

On the bad side, From Here To Eternity is awful, I can't believe Maiden recorded this tune...and the second half of the record is mostly dead on arrival. When Bruce left he stated that he felt Maiden had "run it's course", which is fairly accurate at this stage in the game. This was the last release from Maiden that I purchased until Rock In Rio came out.