For this tribute album, Nuclear Blast Records have chosen to use the big names of Heavy Metal. This is probably a way to "play it safe", but the result is nevertheless a very good record, with those big brass of Metal giving successfully their best shots at playing Iron Maiden songs in their respective styles.
STEEL
PROPHET
– The Ides Of March / Purgatory (Harris)
This cover first appeared on the 1998 Iron Maiden tribute album A Call To Irons.
Made in the distinctive Children Of Bodom style, this cover of "Aces High" is great. Some may object that the voice doesn't fit, but it seems – to me at least – that it's perfect for this kind of rendition. The solos are brilliant, including that with the synth. The power and energy of the original song have been here taken to new heights.
Fast and furious, with the addition of appropriate (and typical) "yeah!" from Peavey Wagner, this is also an excellent cover of an Iron Maiden classic. Perfect!
Darker and even more atmospheric than the original, this cover of "Hallowed..." by Cradle Of Filth is either loved or loathed by Maiden fans. Some say that the vocals destroy the song, while others insist that such vocals give the story a new light: that the condemned man is really evil and deserves to die at the gallows. Listen to it and make your own mind up. I personally had problems with the voice at first, but now I love it!
Growling vocals and Iron Maiden songs do not fit each other as a general rule (there are exceptions, though). The voice on this cover of "Stranger In A Strange Land" is simply awful. This is probably the worst song on the whole album. Dreadful!
