Iron Maiden-Live after death

Iron Maiden-Live after death
Universal
2008

I remember back in late 1985 being in awe of the huge Live after death display at the mall record store as I stood in line waiting to pay for my copy of it on cassette. I was even more in awe when I actually listened to the tape and of course I just about wore the tape out. A few years later I bought the VHS version and was just struck by the overwhelming sounds and sights of this show. Of course I wore out the VHS copy with many repeated viewings, but now twenty some years later we get it on DVD. It’s a two disc set and the first disc is the show that was recorded at the Long Beach Arena back in 1985 on the huge World Slavery tour which was of course in support of Maiden’s fifth effort the 1984 release “Powerslave”. When this was recorded live concert videos were a fairly new concept yet Maiden set out to capture their live show and indeed they did. The visual side is that it was amazing then and it still is with the huge sets and incredible lightning. However that only adds to the real attraction which is the music and what an attraction it is. As individuals each member of this line-up was a tremendous musician, but together they sounded effortlessly phenomenal. Then add in the writing and you have undeniably the best metal band of the 1980’s and perhaps the best of all time. For this show Bruce is all over the place, hitting every note, running and just helping keep the machine constantly going. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith are easily the best all time guitar duo in metal and it normally liked Maiden’s songs had enough guitar parts to make three songs for normal bands yet it never felt cluttered because they knew how to arrange the songs just right. Nicko McBrain is just tearing it apart behind the kit and looking like he is having the time of his life and he probably is. Of course Steve Harris just makes it look way too easy as he lays down the meanest, busiest bass lines in metal and rarely even looks at what he is doing. I am sorry, but if you like metal and I mean real metal than you just really have to realize the greatness of this band and their importance to the genre. All too often hard rock and metal gets put down for being more about image than talent yet Maiden were and still are the prime example of a metal band with tremendous writing and playing ability. On DVD this show looks and sounds better than ever. The second disc has the band’s show from Rock in Rio in early 1985, video clips for Aces High and Two minutes to midnight, ‘ello Texas feature from 1983, the Behind the Iron Curtain documentary and The History of Iron Maiden - Part 2 documentary. My favorite feature from disc two is the History of Iron Maiden – Part 2 documentary because it tells all about the making of Powerslave and the subsequent tour. It includes a lot of interviews and behind the scenes footage that really allows one to fully appreciate the huge endeavor that this band undertook. This DVD would have been an amazing release if it were just the 1985 concert, but all the extras are just icing on the cake for this great package.