*Buy this CD with another eligible title and pay no more than £9 for both (terms and conditions apply). Just look for any album with this message, put it in your basket with a second eligible title and the discount will be applied at checkout. Offer ends June 30, 2013. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Review
Coinciding with the departure of long-term guitarist Adrian Smith and the recruitment of his replacement Janick Gers, (who had played on Bruce Dickinson’s solo work, as well as stints with Gillan and Fish), No Prayer For The Dying sought to expand an already extensive following by toning up a bit of instrumental flab via shorter tunes suited-up in some radio-friendly threads. The chief culprit is the title track which mixes ''Kayleigh'' with Van Halen’s spandex lope.
And where do you go when you’ve got to the top? Why, over the top of course, and they do just that big time with “Bring Your Daughter…To The Slaughter.” A soundtrack tie-in to the devalued Nightmare On Elm Street franchise, this is a dumbed-down romp that’s as camp as a row of tents. Remarkably enough, it got to number one when released as a single helped along no doubt by a credibility-restoring BBC ban.
Elsewhere it’s business as usual, with episodic prog -rock tones creeping through in the opening passages of “Fates Warning”, “The Assassin”, and the epic album closer, “Mother Russia.”
Having a pop at the religious right is meat and grist to rock bands of all shades and sizes but on “Holy Smoke” Bruce Dickinson has Jesus himself pointing the finger the hustlers and hypocrites. If it sounds a bit trite then the actual execution is better than you might think.
Similarly, “Tailgunner” pondering on the rights and wrongs of war that cheekily takes Biggles and Doctor Strangelove along for the ride, works unexpectedly well. A tight formation of terse basslines, sprightly solos, hooks, and last-minute precision twists that veer clear away off to the left field just when you think it’s about to collide head-on with a HM cliché.
They’re able to do this for the most part thanks to bassist Steve Harris’s writing, and though overall No Prayer For Dying lacks the consistency of some of their earlier albums, there’s more than a few worthwhile detours. --Sid Smith
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
1990 album remastered with bonus multimedia feature
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By ratmonkey
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The biggest reason why this is such a disappointing album is evident when listening to any of Maiden's previous 7. They are all so very, very good. The writing comes across as being poured over, revised and corrected and bettered again and again. No Prayer... just sounds like the band thought that the songs will do. It feels rushed and it feels lazy. And, unfortunately, it feels of its time - the herald of grunge and britpop and the coming of the heavy metal wasteland of the 90s.
The album itself is not terrible. There are a handful of good tracks but no classics at all. 'Tailgunner' is probably the most Maiden sounding track on the album and is one of the better ones. But there is a new edge to the sound, somehow. As 'Seventh Son...' seemed very prog-influenced, 'No Prayer...' seems to be finding its voice as a striaghtforward rock album. The guitars are crisper and a bit dirtier sounding and there is no overall epic quality, like in 'Piece of Mind', 'Powerslave' or the 'fuzziness' of 'Somewhere in Time'.
'Holy Smoke' is ok but not really single material. The title track is very good but a million miles away from their best. 'Public Enema', 'Fates Warning', 'The Assassin' and 'Run Silent...' range from ok to mediocre which has never happened to a run of 4 tracks on a Maiden album - EVER! 'Hooks in You' is actually my favourite song on the album, which is strange as it is more reminiscent of their B-sides from 'Somewhere in Time', 'That Girl' and 'Juanita' and very un-Maidenesque. Still, a good song is a good song.
'Bring your Daughter...' is a bit of fun but it isn't really THAT good, which is probably why it got so high up in the charts. Ironic that Maiden had their biggest commercial result from their least creative album. And 'Mother Russia' is awful.... Read more ›
The album itself is not terrible. There are a handful of good tracks but no classics at all. 'Tailgunner' is probably the most Maiden sounding track on the album and is one of the better ones. But there is a new edge to the sound, somehow. As 'Seventh Son...' seemed very prog-influenced, 'No Prayer...' seems to be finding its voice as a striaghtforward rock album. The guitars are crisper and a bit dirtier sounding and there is no overall epic quality, like in 'Piece of Mind', 'Powerslave' or the 'fuzziness' of 'Somewhere in Time'.
'Holy Smoke' is ok but not really single material. The title track is very good but a million miles away from their best. 'Public Enema', 'Fates Warning', 'The Assassin' and 'Run Silent...' range from ok to mediocre which has never happened to a run of 4 tracks on a Maiden album - EVER! 'Hooks in You' is actually my favourite song on the album, which is strange as it is more reminiscent of their B-sides from 'Somewhere in Time', 'That Girl' and 'Juanita' and very un-Maidenesque. Still, a good song is a good song.
'Bring your Daughter...' is a bit of fun but it isn't really THAT good, which is probably why it got so high up in the charts. Ironic that Maiden had their biggest commercial result from their least creative album. And 'Mother Russia' is awful.... Read more ›
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Certainly not one of their best, and i used to hate this album. But as time has gone on and i've listened to it more, i've grown to appreciate this album, and realise it's quite good. Just dissapointing by Maidens astronomically high standards.
Tailgunner is a great opener, followed by Holy Smoke which i love as it rightly slaughters the frauds that are TV preachers. The title track is OK , maybe ruined for me by Bruce's vocal performance on it. Hooks In You and Mother Russia are both very good too.
Believe it or not though, my favorite song on the album is The Assasin. I know alot of people think this is one of Maidens worst, and i would think so too if it was meant to be taken seriously, but it isn't!. Think about it, do you really think the guy who bought us gems such as Hallowed Be Thy Name, Aces High, Infinite Dreams and Alexander The Great meant it when he wrote this song? no, he meant it to be funny/lighthearted. So take it that way, and you'll appreciate it more.
The other songs pretty much do nothing for me. I know Bring Your Daughter.. was meant to be a novelty song too. I suppose it's its popularity that puts me off, and i can't help but feel its trying to be a little more serious than The Assasin.
If you're new to Iron Maiden, by no means buy this album first. Start with Powerslave, Seventh Son, Number Of The Beast or Dance Of Death. Get this once you've established yourself as a fan ;)
Tailgunner is a great opener, followed by Holy Smoke which i love as it rightly slaughters the frauds that are TV preachers. The title track is OK , maybe ruined for me by Bruce's vocal performance on it. Hooks In You and Mother Russia are both very good too.
Believe it or not though, my favorite song on the album is The Assasin. I know alot of people think this is one of Maidens worst, and i would think so too if it was meant to be taken seriously, but it isn't!. Think about it, do you really think the guy who bought us gems such as Hallowed Be Thy Name, Aces High, Infinite Dreams and Alexander The Great meant it when he wrote this song? no, he meant it to be funny/lighthearted. So take it that way, and you'll appreciate it more.
The other songs pretty much do nothing for me. I know Bring Your Daughter.. was meant to be a novelty song too. I suppose it's its popularity that puts me off, and i can't help but feel its trying to be a little more serious than The Assasin.
If you're new to Iron Maiden, by no means buy this album first. Start with Powerslave, Seventh Son, Number Of The Beast or Dance Of Death. Get this once you've established yourself as a fan ;)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Pink
Format:Audio CD
As a longtime Maiden enthusiast I have always been mystified by many fans' negativity towards this album, since it has been my favourite Bruce Dickinson-era release from the moment I first heard it.
No Prayer For The Dying dispenses with the keyboards and glossy production that IMO marred their previous two albums ('7th Son of A 7th Son' and 'Somewhere In Time') and gives the sound a more natural earthy feel, with plenty of gritty guitars and crystal clear drums.
And the songs are just great! With the possible exception of the slightly naff 'Assassin', there isn't a duff track on it. Personal faves include 'Public Enema No1', the title track and the awesome 'Run Silent Run Deep' (surely one of Maiden's finest songs to date?)
I would recommend this to anyone who has even the most casual interest in Maiden...seriously, give it a go...it's wonderful!
No Prayer For The Dying dispenses with the keyboards and glossy production that IMO marred their previous two albums ('7th Son of A 7th Son' and 'Somewhere In Time') and gives the sound a more natural earthy feel, with plenty of gritty guitars and crystal clear drums.
And the songs are just great! With the possible exception of the slightly naff 'Assassin', there isn't a duff track on it. Personal faves include 'Public Enema No1', the title track and the awesome 'Run Silent Run Deep' (surely one of Maiden's finest songs to date?)
I would recommend this to anyone who has even the most casual interest in Maiden...seriously, give it a go...it's wonderful!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By "paulias"
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
What makes this Maiden album special is that all the songs are so short but packed full of great ideas. The title track and 'Mother Russia' sound like epics but they're both only about 5 minutes long. There are great hooky tracks like 'Holy Smoke', 'Bring Your Daughter...' and 'Hooks in You'(which has some intentionally hilarious lyrics) alongside growers like 'The Assassin' and 'Run Silent Run Deep'. It's a fun rock album played with great energy and enthusiasm. It's a very different but most welcome addition to the Maiden discography.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By carlosnightman
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Maiden, like many metal and rock bands who found success in the eighties had problems continuing their form into the Nineties. Guitar music was going through massive changes and a lot of the old bands now seemed out of date and obsolete. On top of this many tried to change their style to suit the new sounds and either lost their fanbase or their own sound. Maiden have always tried to find a new sound for each new release whilst keeping that unique Maiden flavour, but some of the new directions Maiden were taking here would displease many fans. Shorter, more stripped songs, a change in Dickinson's singing style each conspired to forcing Adrian Smith to leave the band. How much he would have inputted creatively is open for debate, but it is clear something is lacking. The two most apparent features are a drop in invention (which in turn would convey a lack of ambition) and a loss of strong melodies. Having said that, this is still Maiden and even their most lacklustre albums have a few good songs and ironically this one has their only number 1 UK hit.
`Tailgunner' opens the promisingly enough with building chunky guitars, an underlying bass riff overturned by a strong lead riff. The drums blast off to a quick rhythm while Dickinson tells another tale of war, this time dedicated to the warriors of the sky. The chorus is fairly strong making this one of the few songs from the album to feature in later live shows while the solo is as strong as ever. It is unusual as there is a bit of swearing and Dickinson sings in a more growling fashion. A strong opener which would rarely be emulated throughout the album.
`Holy Smoke' continues the good start to the album leading us to believe that the band had made another classic.... Read more ›
`Tailgunner' opens the promisingly enough with building chunky guitars, an underlying bass riff overturned by a strong lead riff. The drums blast off to a quick rhythm while Dickinson tells another tale of war, this time dedicated to the warriors of the sky. The chorus is fairly strong making this one of the few songs from the album to feature in later live shows while the solo is as strong as ever. It is unusual as there is a bit of swearing and Dickinson sings in a more growling fashion. A strong opener which would rarely be emulated throughout the album.
`Holy Smoke' continues the good start to the album leading us to believe that the band had made another classic.... Read more ›
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 164 reviews
3.3 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Something Different from Iron Maiden...
If there's one single thing this album lacks, it's accessibility; it isn't easy to appreciate many of the tracks on first listen. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Richard Owen
3.0 out of 5 stars
What happened?
The great tragedy with this Maiden album is that it is let down by the production. The sound is poor, completely unlike all that came before it and much of their output since. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mangetout
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underated and overlooked...
This was the last great Iron Maiden album before they lost track somewhat with 'Fear Of The Dark' and Bruce left the band. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr Nostalgia
2.0 out of 5 stars
Still Disappointing
I've not listened to this one in years. However I'm on a bit of a Maiden trip at the moment - so thought I'd re-visit.
It's still not very good. Read more
It's still not very good. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr. MJ Hill
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Ever
I too am mystified at the cool response to this album, as I think it is by far their best. Great riffs, creative lead guitar and intelligent lyrics. Read more
Published on 29 Oct 2010 by Edda
2.0 out of 5 stars
Let her go! Let her go! Let her go!!!
Maiden took a darker direction with this album. SSOASS was itself darker, but they just pushed it further and further in the early 90's and Maiden make the first blunder of the... Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2010
4.0 out of 5 stars
The last of the classic Maiden albums from the good old days.
Okay, its not beast or slave, but it is one of the last albums that Maiden made before the 8 or 9 years of transition they went through. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2010 by Ike
2.0 out of 5 stars
Tired and jaded
The classic Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son was always going to be hard to follow up. Normally Iron Maiden rise to the challange, but in this case they do not. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2010 by maz
1.0 out of 5 stars
The lowest point
Looking at the other reviews opinion is clearly divided on the subject of this album. Fair enough. As far as I'm concerned this is is as far away from the magnificence of their... Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2008 by Slimfast
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this album it rocks.
This is suprisingly underrated. In my opinion this album is awesome and goes along with all the other classic Iron Maiden albums. Read more
Published on 14 July 2008 by Sandra O'Hagan
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
