LOS ANGELES (By Eleanor Blattel/ Sanctuary Group) -
Iron Maiden will release their new studio album, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, on
September 5th on Sanctuary Records.
The band started writing songs at the end of 2005 after a short break from their hugely successful festival appearances in Europe and the USA. The songs were completed and rehearsed when the band got together after Christmas to work with producer Kevin 'Caveman' Shirley at Sarm West Studios in London to start work on recording the backing tracks.
Kevin Shirley has now co-produced three of the bands studio albums, alongside Steve Harris, as well as two of their recent Live DVD's and albums. Says Kevin, "The Beast is back!'
He continues, 'I feel from the outset we all clicked on this one. We spent two months in the studio - from Nicko's "tubs up" to final mixes and sequenced master. That's a tiny gestation period for an album. Producing Iron Maiden is like driving one of those mammoth automatons from Star Wars. There's nothing that can stop it!"
"I feel incredibly privileged to have been around to see this album born and breathe life. There have been only a couple of occasions in my career when the entire process of recording felt so complete - and it is on display here."
As on previous projects, all of the tracks were performed live and together in one room. No click tracks, computer tightening or manipulation has happened at any stage of the recording A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
Says Steve Harris, "I think in many ways this has been the easiest album, in terms of recording, that we've ever done. The whole process of writing through to recording was very natural. I also think in terms of the material, we've pushed our boundaries yet again, which I think will please our fans, but also really surprise a lot of people as well. The sound we've managed to get is very powerful for a Maiden record and all of us have pushed ourselves in our own ways to create something that we're all immensely proud of. I think working as quickly as we did with Kevin was part of that process. We simply can't wait to take this out on the road. We've played some great shows and had a lot fun introducing some of our older songs to a new generation of fans. However for us, personally, we're incredibly excited about getting out and performing these new tracks."
Says Bruce Dickinson, "this album has to be our best one since we began working with Kevin. There is such a wide scope of musicianship, and in parts this album is truly epic. I thought with the likes of Paschendale, from the last studio album, that we could only hope to surpass that. Having now heard the album back, as well as sitting with a few select people and hearing their reactions, I truly believe we have managed it. Every one of us has put everything into this record and it has really paid off. We've had such fun making it that it's almost difficult to believe what we've managed to achieve in the time it took."
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH Tracklist
1. Different Worlds Smith/Harris 4.17
2. These Colours Don't Run Smith/Harris/Dickinson 6.52
3. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns Smith/Harris/Dickinson 8.44
4. The Pilgrim Gers/Harris 5.07
5. The Longest Day Smith/Harris/Dickinson 7.48
6. Out Of the Shadows Dickinson/Harris 5.36
7. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg Murray/Harris 7.21
8. For The Greater Good of God Harris 9.24
9. Lord Of Light Smith/Harris/Dickinson 7.23
10. The Legacy Gers/Harris 9.20
The band has just announced tour dates in Japan and the majority of the European dates at the end of 2006 are already sold out. Please check the details of all of these on www.ironmaiden.com for the latest information.
