MAIDEN UNITED: REMEMBRANCE Vinyl LP Version - (with a huge wonderful surprise that comes in the package for those who had pre-ordered the Vinyl version and then having to wait a long time due to the vinyl pressing problems issue and its so worth it although other stuffs like the T-Shirt and stuffs were sent out on time)

Salam and Greetings to all, wherever you are.... I want to share something that I am very happy about..

as usual I will give some background info in my broken Malay language, and then onwards to my broken version of the English language.
Enjoy the pretty packaging photos of MAIDEN UNITED - REMEMBRANCE and at the end of this blog post, I will show some covers of some magazines that has Maiden members and themes especially to celebrate the release of The Book Of Soul.

(Love that Samurai Sword, Sun and Steel)

Sapa baca blog ni tahulah aku minat giler kat MAIDEN UNITED ni. Minat sampai tahap pre-order piring hitam bila keluar je berita mereka tengah rakam album.

Untuk sapa tak kenal sangat, ni band ni terdiri daripada pemuzik2 yang kebanyakkan dari negara BELANDA yang main lagu2 Iron Maiden terutama lagu2 dari era 80an dengan cara acoustic - gitar acoustic, bass acoustic, piano, drum, hammond, violin.

Selalunye dorang berlima tapi kalau dalam album studio ada jemputan orang pompuan nyanyi, pemain violin dan tukar2 pemuzik gitu.
Paling famous di antara mereka semua aku rasa ialah pemain gitar dorang ialah jugak guitarist WITHIN TEMPTATION. Tapi bassist dorang handal, dan penyanyi utama dorang memang TERBAIK. Dan semua posisi pun permainan yang terbaik la, tak kira mereka yang dalam band secara tetap atau pun jemputan.

Lagu2 versi mereka ada yang sangat menyentuh hati, dan kadang2 boleh mendatangkan perasaan sedih dan sayu. Menangis tu takdelah, tapi bergenang2 basah kat kelopak mata tu ada la kalau kena ngan masa kita tengah tangkap feeling.

Jadi REMEMBRANCE ni album ketiga mereka. Macam biasa, AKU SUKA cara MAIDEN UNITED memperterjemahkan ikut selera mereka lagu2 Iron Maiden yang kita semua tahu kepada sesuatu yang sangat unik dan kadang2 tu terus berubah ke sesuatu yang sangat istimewa. 

Aku tu hari ada review single pertama dari album ni Strange World. Dan kalau post2 lain aku ada buat pendapat dan ulasan album pertama dan kedua dan foto2 bungkusan dan jugak foto2 cammana bentuk piring hitam mereka untuk album pertama dan kedua.

OK, review tu nanti aku cakap dalam bahasa Omputeh, tapi aku nak cerita sikit, untuk album terbaru ni keluar je berita dah boleh pre-order, so aku terus pre-order dari website mereka pasal dah memang aku suka kan?
So aku pre-order la yang dapat tshirt dan jugak dapat cd single Strange World, dapat free download (versi WAV ok dorang kasi bukan mp3 untuk album ni, dan jugak piring hitam LP.
Tapi dorang ada masalah cetak tekan piring hitam tu ikut apa dorang nak, so mula2 dorang hantar dari Belanda kat aku tshirt, cd single tu semua la, tapi dari email aku tahu ada masalah... Cara dorang email cakap sebenarnye versi LP dah siap, tapi dorang tak mau hantar dan nak cetak balik...
So tunggu je la, padahal album dah release dah lama jugak la kan...
So tunggu la..
dan tunggu 
dan tunggu 
dan ku tunggu dan menunggu...
dan tunggu...
dan tunggu macam buah tak jatuh...
dan tunggu...
dan tunggu lagi.....
aku siap hantar dua tiga email pasal duit dah bayar... HAHA.. lama sangat gitu kan? haha.


Terus akhirnye siap, dan dorang hantar kat post..
So aku bukak, WAHHHH GILER LA!!!!!!!!!!!
Dalam ada postcard ikut artwork Killers intepretasi mereka (Killers ada kat album ni, cuma pakai gitar acoustic dan penyanyi je, dua ni aje...), siap ada mesej beritahu terimakaseh la kerana tunggu untuk yang pre-order, dan jugak dorang pun bengang pasal dorang buat promosi tapi versi piring hitam takde, dan ISTIMEWANYE... dorang kasi satu vinyl cetakan pertama yang tak puaskan hati mereka.
Kira ni memang la ISTIMEWA sangat untuk mereka yang percaya kat kualiti band ni dan pre-order versi piring hitam mereka walaupun tu jam belum dengar lagi....
Siap lagi sekali kasi password untuk download album ni lagi sekali.

TU je la... Harap korang enjoy la tengok2 foto2 ni dan aku rasa korang pun pahamlah kenapa aku happy happy gitu kan buat blog ni kali, dan aku selitikan dari youtube berapa lagu dari album ni, dan jugak kat akhir sekali tu ada bootleg video peminat yang gambarkan cammana mereka main live.

K, lepas ni cakap omputeh lak, review... 

ON THE INNER SLEEVE OF THIS RELEASE, THERE IS THIS AMAZING ARTWORK OF MAIDEN UNITED'S INTERPRETATION OF A SPITFIRE I BELIEVE..
as they played Aces High on this album.

This is their version on this album... a male+female vocals.

I always like the voice when Wudstik does the singing, although main singer Damian Wilson is excellent.




and this is their superb version of BURNING AMBITION. I LIKE THIS A LOT. Although I think the info provided on the Youtube title is a bit wrong?





And on the above Burning Ambition track, they got ""THUNDERSTICK"" to play drums on this song and nope, what I know at the last minute the ex-GYPSY KISS singer (Gypsy Kiss was STEVE HARRIS' previous band when he was young and before he formed his own band IRON MAIDEN ) did not sing on this version of the song.
Here, BURNING AMBITION was sung by the MAIDEN UNITED Piano Player.

The full line up for this album as on the sleeves is this...

As you can see, KILLERS was completely transformed to just a vocal+acoustic guitar version.

So this is a song with Damian doing lead vocals... Still Life 15, because they had previously recorded Still Life for the Mind The Acoustic Piece album, their first album from few years back..



THE VIOLIN INTRO MAKES ME SO SAD!!!!

NO DAVE MURRAY HERE, just some most BEAUTIFUL Violin.....


Not all bed of roses though, I just want to say something a bit NEGATIVE,
I would have preferred for Maiden United band members and their support to do the vocals for FUTUREAL and PROWLER.
I don't find it any reason to get BLAZE BAILEY (although I really like him) and PAUL DI'ANNO to do vocals on this two songs.
Well....
I hope Maiden United should release future b-sides of these two songs with Damian or Wudstik singing these songs instead.

OK, like I say on the title, something really amazing, at least it is for me.
I had pre-ordered the vinyl version and it was really delayed although Maiden United sent out all the other stuffs early to minimize the dissapointment.
I learn thru email that the vinyl pressings has problems and not up to the Maiden United's standard and quality control.
So it was a big surprise that inside the packaging is a card signed by Ruud and Joey with a message about the delays and their own feelings, and also they have included the vinyl that they would not have sent out in the first place as they want to make a proper vinyl release that they want.

So its something very very special I guess.
I do hope I got to see them play one day... LOL!!!
Yes, pathetic isnt it when you are born in the ass of the world as far as Maiden-related stuffs are concern.

More photos
This is the credit list..

and this is how the rest of the vinyls are.. I had already shown previously in this blog in detail.

PREVIOUS Maiden United stuffs I had talk-cock about, the cds, the vinyls, the special limited edition T-shirt with the name of countries of pre-orders behind it and etc etc are on this link...

http://deaf-angel.blogspot.sg/search/label/maiden%20united


OK we are finishing...  this is from Youtube, it looks and sounds so nice how they play live.
This is a live video bootleg recorded of Maiden United somewhere in Germany...

Check this out...!!!
SERIOUSLY...
Maiden uniteD
the selection of songs, the pacing is amazing.. and that ROTAM tease at the end of the exhausting first song, and continue to the most dramatic HORRIFYING TERRIFYING version of The Trooper ever... and continue to a heart-wrenching rendition of Revelations.





I hope Maiden uniteD continue to re-interpret and re-create Iron Maiden songs to something special like the 3 albums and also some b-sides they already have released.


Last But Not Least,

I am collecting some latest magazines especially these few months that features Iron Maiden members or themes on the covers and which contents carry full-scale information, news and reports on the new Iron Maiden album, The Book Of Soul.
These are some I have got my hands on so far.....

Kerrang has a very nice cover.. and its actually has Bruce on the outside plastic cover with the cartoon artwork inside.
Classic Rock has the amazing 17, yes... 17 different cover artworks, and I had choosen Piece Of Mind, and then I saw Somewhere In Time and I was like got the urge to buy another one LOL!!!.
Metal Hammer, yes, the amazing magazine comes in a box, WHICH IS A GATEFOLD by itself LOL!!!..
RHYTHM Magazine, how can I resist a full special on Nicko McBrain to celebrate his drumming, his works, and his stories on the recordings of The Book Of Soul...

I will share more, maybe I try to take each page photo so those who cannot get these magazines can enjoy them too...

UP MAIDEN UNITED.
UP THE IRONS.


OK OK next post...

NASIK AMBENG!!!!!!!!!!!

Maiden United - PHOTOS of how the Vinyl Edition Packaging looks like for Mind The Acoustic Pieces & Across the Seventh Sea albums.

Allow me to express some opinions and a short flashback then its all mostly photo-galore.... ENJOY!!

 - I believed I have quite a decent collection of Tribute Albums on Iron Maiden from different countries bands among my collection, especially the earlier ones. I had stopped collecting them though as there is not much interesting ones among the later tribute albums.

Its always nice to hear other bands interpretations of Maiden with such a vast range of music styles - from the lyrics changing "that we must love all things that SATAN made" (instead of God made) OPERA IX version of Rime Of The Ancient Mariner to the avant-garde-improvisation of SUPERSILENT's Can I Play With Madness.

From the unknown bands from all around the world to big names, such as Dream Theater's JAZZLAND of Gangland. I had the bootleg of that night's performance when they played the whole TNOTB album live. Dream Theater played Gangland TWICE that night!!. I guess maybe the first time they had made some mistakes or some recording problems.
I hope to locate back that live bootleg somewhere in my collection too. LOL!!!
I believe that was the recording that became the DT official bootleg series. I had really forgotten lots of details thru the years.

But without Mike Portnoy, I guess we will never hear the full Piece Of Mind album being played by DT. Its always a choice of TNOTB or POM and DT choose to play TNOTB in full live in a few places where they played two nights at the same location as a treat to the fans. But at least we got To Tame A Land on the Kerrang Magazine CD Tribute.

Anyway, I am very excited on the coming release of the new Maiden uniteD album - Remembrance somewhere next month.

So a photos-packed post of how their first two albums in Vinyl format looks like.

- The 2010 Mind The Acoustic Pieces which the Vinyl Version was released a year or two later with a very nice gesture of discovering my name was printed on the packaging LOL!!! &
- The 2012 Across The Seventh Sea blue-black Transparent vinyl.

Both are delicious gatefolds. Very attractive.

I had previously talk about these two albums in this blog somewhere in 2010 & 2012 when they were first released so I won't talk about it again. If you guys are interested, click under the label/tag Maiden United.. it should be there including the photo of the T-shirt that those who pre-ordered got with the names of the countries printed on the back...

SO lets start with Mind The Acoustic Pieces..

HORROR!!
The lobotomised straight-jacketed Eddie has escaped LOL!!!

The gatefold spread Reminds me of one of HANOI ROCKS amazing gatefold.

I really got to blog about HANOI ROCKS one day... I hope soon... LOL!!

but seriously HANOI ROCKS!!!

I always wonder how it would be like if female singers especially Tracy Chapman or Tori Amos cover Maiden songs...

Like I say its a very wonderful gesture Maiden United did with the Vinyl version. At least for me.

Names of Countries... and names of those who pre-ordered when they were coming up with the first album..
I remembered listening to their samples and live versions and really like what I hear so I pre-ordered and its nice those who believe enough to put in the money in advanced being mentioned in the sleeves.

(Which reminds me, Blaze Bailey is without a record-company, he is an Independent now, and his live DVD recording and production was in part helped by the pre-orders of his fans all over the world... and yes, for the I dont know how many times, I am waiting for the Silicon Messiah 15th Years Release... I hope my name is in there too LOL!!!)

Some Raindrops...

Rain..
Feel It On My Finger Tips
Hear It On My Window Pane
Your Love's Coming Down Like
Rain...
Wash Away My Sorrow
Take Away My Pain
Your Love's Coming Down Like
Rain....

- MADONNA UNITED LOL!!!!!!

MOVING ON.....

TO....

The packaging of the Across The Seventh Sea Vinyl..

The Book Of Life is really silent in this photo...Submerged under the sea...

Always love how Acacia Avenue from the futuristic Somewhere In Time album is also submerged underwater....

And finally...

Hope you guys enjoyed the beautiful Maiden United packaging of the first two albums Vinyl version.

Remembrance already have a cool cover artwork...

Yes the music is always the most important, but a nice cover and packaging helps..

I hope one day I can see Maiden United plays...

I love especially the pianos and the hammonds

ok ok I stop now... bye..

Anthem (Japan) & Maiden uniteD (Netherlands) new "and got me excited" releases coming soon...

Two things that got me excited. One from Netherlands (Holland) and the other from Japan.

Firstly - The new Maiden United or (Maiden uniteD) album is coming soon. Remembrance.

I already got the single, of course LOL!!! (I love their re-interpretations and try to follow their news wherever possible). Here is how the packaging of the first single looks like...

It will be STRANGE WORLD and with the second song an alternate version of THE EVIL THAT MEN DO. Spectacular of course.




This is the Strange World single... Simply Magnificent and wonderful reworking of a personal favourite of mine from the first Iron Maiden album.



I cannot get the Wudstick version of the Evil That Men Do on youtube, so this is the version that appears on their second album Across The Seven Seas..






Untuk korang yang mungkin tak perasan sangat pasal side project ni, Maiden uniteD ni base dorang pemuzik2 Negara Belanda. Berunsur bermain accoustic instruments gitu..

Gitaris dorang ialah Ruud Jolie - Within Temptation.




I will talk more of it next time... and also I think I havent show how the vinyl version packaging of both the previous Maiden United albums looks like...
Its awesome....

Next time...


Secondly...

ANTHEM is coming out with two new releases...

Stupid language barrier. Its very difficult to get news about Anthem as I have zero knowledge of Japanese language and I dont even know where to source for their infos.
I rely a bit on cdjapan.co.jp..


So the first release in May 2015 will be a Best of - The limited edition has triple disc... From their Victor Label Years 2000 onwards choices of best songs...

The second one Blazing Faith Revisited somewhere in June 2015 will be something like this..

Description

First Blu-ray in 2015 from Anthem features a studio concert, in which current members perform songs in Anthem's first album, and a concert "ABSOLUTE WORLD" held at Shibuya Lamama for their 200 fans. Also includes interview with members, making-of, and more. This edition comes with a live CD featuring the studio live in the Blu-ray.

I tried sampling some of the latest Anthem album with their YUKIO MORIKAWA return as a singer for their latest album...
But... I always prefer Anthem with EIZO SAKAMOTO.

I think EIZO has a bit of metal in his voice compared to YUKIO and personally for me - their latest studio album is a bit less heavy to my ears compared to the EIZO years.
So I never buy it... YET. LOL!!!!!
But I am excited on this Blazing Faith Revisited release. The limited edition has a 2nd live CD... 

I just wonder YUKIO returning means more of the songs from his years are played, and less of EIZO years are played?

Hmmmm.... 

I would like to hear YUKIO sings Black Empire LOL!!!  I am still finding out what is EIZO doing now... I got to make a Japanese friend in the internet!! hahahaa...



Akio Shimizu is the best!!!!!
and What is Naota Shibata talking at the end of the song? But it sounds so nice...... I wish Steve Harris also still talks on stage nowadays...

 I think the biggest challenge for me is to find news, get tickets, and backpack all over Japan to see Anthem live on their Japanese Tour... Maybe one day, AFTER IRON MAIDEN IS NO MORE. 
I saw on the Live Unbroken disc documentary there is European Girl (yes a GIRL) speaking in English somewhere in Japan talking about Anthem. I dont know how she got all the infos and tickets in the first place. The fans always look amazing on the videos...

I REALLY REALLY GOT TO FIND A JAPANESE FRIEND to help me with Anthem. LOL!!!

across the seventh sea - Maiden uniteD cd

Arrival of the the Maiden uniteD second cd yesterday together with the 'pre-sale countries' tshirt. Ripped it to 320kbps mp3, and been listening to it a few rounds while walking in public, and on public transport of buses and trains.
So this is my own opinion and short review.
Maiden uniteD is beyond just a wonderful Iron Maiden tribute band, it is because their own arrangements and reworks of Maiden songs transformed the songs we all know so well into something different and special using accoustic guitars and bass, grand pianos, strings etc, calm drumming and great singing too.
I like Maiden uniteD first time I hear their samples that I even pre-ordered their first cd, Mind The Accoustic Pieces where they play the whole Piece Of Mind. I like it very much like I said before in this blog. I thought that will be one-off release as Maiden uniteD members are definitely big names in their own original music making, so when news of them releasing a second cd, I am so happy.

So we have 'Across The Seven Sea'. Starts with a short Seventh Deadly Sins and straight into ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG. Very nice version though I would have like to hear that Steve Harris bass line. Then 2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, I thought this song is too overplayed and was not expecting much, but Maiden uniteD never dissapoints, the song starts with the chorus and makes it so refreshing.
Next, PROWLER, what a choice, and once this song starts, it feels like this album just begins. Prowler is always a powerful song, and I love the piano in the instrumental part, it can go on and on and I wont feel bored. 10/10. FLASH OF THE BLADE, another great choice of songs. When listening, and even when getting this cd, I was not really focussing on the songlist so that when I listen, I was actually having a guessing game of what is the song being performed is on the first few seconds of the intro. Really like it when the song instrumental section transforms into a bit of "Bossa Nova" or whatever you call it sort of music. Another 10/10. Followed by CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED, ahhh the start that I immediately know what song they are playing. Brilliant intro. COTD is always a favourite. Great singing on an emotional song. Then time for the beautiful INFINITE DREAMS. Remember I link a youtube on this blog of someone somewhere playing this song on a piano alone. I always got a fetish on this song played on a piano. Maiden uniteD does a nice version.
Song number seven is 22 ACACIA AVENUE. 9 Minutes long.... I love it. 10+1/10 Charlotte would be very happy to hear this version of her song. The way this song is performed, really makes the storyline of this song, which has everything from prostitution, abuse and cruelty to them, sexual diseases, and rescue of Charlotte, to a hopefully happy ending, stands out. Next, THE EVIL THAT MEN DO. If I remember correctly a song of the seventh son falling in love with the Devil's daughter. Now it really does sound like one. Slow and lots of feeling. WASTED YEARS completes the cd and it ends with another short Seventh Deadly Sins.

I have an enjoyable time listening. Being 666 seas and oceans away, I doubt I ever see Maiden uniteD play live, but who knows. Hopefully there will be more Maiden uniteD in the future, besides their regular jobs with their other bands.
The surprise factor is now lessen, more or less people will know what to expect. But still a lot for them to explore, I would like to hear their arrangements on stuffs like Strange World, Alexander The Great even post reunion stuffs like Nomad or Montsegur. Plus instrumentals like Genghis Khan. And if the lady singer makes an appearance again would be nice.

Ooo the tshirt, there is a list of countries on the back of it. I think the countries which have pre-ordered their 2nd cd. A big increase from their 1st release yes. 37 countries. So well done Maiden uniteD, fans worldwide trust enough to pre-order you guys.

Lastly, the booklet that comes with the digipak has some nice artworks. Some are dramatic. The cover has the SSOASS skyline or it seems to me. Inside you have the huge mountanous Powerslave tomb submerged... I most love the one where the future Derek Rigg's Blade Runner look of Acacia Avenue street scene is basically submerged into the sea. With sharks swimming above.

ulasan Mind The Acoustic Pieces - Maiden UniteD

(Review first in Market Malay then in Broken English.)



Maiden UniteD are
Vocals: Damian Wilson (Threshold/Ayreon)
Guitar: Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation)
Bass: Joey Bruers (Up The Irons)
Piano: Marco Kuypers (Silkstone)
Drums: Mike Coolen (Cloudmachine)
Guest singer on the album: Anneke van Giersbergen (Agua de Annique)


Review 1st in Bazaar Malay and then in Broken English. As usual the contents are not exactly the same.

Sejarah kumpulan Maiden United ni mula dari tahun 2000, ngan band tribute Up The Irons dan dari situ berkembang sampai line-up skarang dengan visi dorang sendiri.

So ni album pertama mereka Mind The Accoustic Pieces yang dorang main ikut dorang punye intepretasi sendiri secara akoustik lagu2 dari album Piece Of Mind Maiden yang asal dari tahun 1983.

Selain dari cd album ni, aku jugak dapat cd single dorang The Trooper ngan alternate version bside Sun And Steel dinyanyikan penyanyi jemputan awek tu.

Dan jugak cd aku diautograf lima2 orang Maiden United ni.

Lagipun, Piece Of Mind ialah kaset Maiden yang paling pertama aku dengar masa budak2 tahun 1983 dulu dan tentulah aku harap sangat versi2 lagu POM dalam Mind The Accoustic Pieces tak menghampakan aku.

Lagi jugak aku takut, aku tak boleh terima jika lagu2 aku suka giler ni dijahanamkan dan jadi macam sial, tapi nasib baik tidak.

ok.. suara penyanyi sedap, ye la dia bukan Bruce Dickinson tapi tetap merdu, gitar akaustik, piano, bass, drum jazzy2 gitu... seronok layan telinga.

-Lagu2 Where Eagles Dare dan The Trooper best giler. Hebat.

-Revelations masih sayu dan menyentuh sanubari aku,

-lagu Sun And Steel menghiburkan tapi dengar berulang jadi boring lak versi ni,

-Flight of Icarus pulak mengejutkan ngan intro best dan 1st verse dia cara bercakap,

-Quest For Fire ngan Still Life pulak tetap naikkan bulu roma aku, in fact aku rate ni dua lagu aku nye feberet la bila kadang2 dengar cd ni.

-Die With Your Boots on dari rock terus jadi slow giler dan moody abis.. , ni lagu ingatkan aku kat versi Gangland Dream Theater.

-Tak lupa, To Tame A Land ngan arrangement lagu ni dirombak ngan starting dia verse " the time will come for him to lay claim his crown.. " lagu ni duet, awek ngan penyanyi lelaki. Makin dramatik lagu ni.

Aku dah lama tak dengar the whole studio album Piece Of Mind, abis tu lak dengar lagu2 Maiden United ni, jadi aku suka sangat... rindu sangat..., ngan versi dorang betul2 menyenangkan hati aku, lembut aje tapi tetap gerek lagu2 versi ni...

CD ni paling best ialah bila dengar kat mp3 player waktu jalan kaki malam2 sorang2, kul 12 malam gitu balik kerja jalan sorang2, ngan earphone cocok dalam telinga bukak volume besar2...
ternaik bulu roma.. tangkap.

Aku ada mungkin lebih sedozen la tribute2 cds maiden aku kadang2 kumpul la jugak mana yang aku suka, dan sua terang cd Maiden United ni antara yang terbaik pada pendapat aku.

Now in English.

I first heard the name Maiden United when I read about the Within Temptation member sideline project playing acoustic Iron Maiden songs.

As a curious Maiden fan who indulge in being a busybody about anything Maiden-related thingys worldwide, I start to read up more about Maiden United, and check them out on the internet.

So when they announced the released of their first cd, " Mind The Acoustic Pieces ", which is their own acoustic interpretation of songs from the Piece Of Mind album, I knew I had to get a copy.

A fantastic deal really as I also received their Trooper cd single ( the Bside is an alternate version of Sun & Steel with a female singer ) and also had the cd autographed by the five members of the band.

I'm the sort who is grateful with a half full glass of water so I was not having really high hopes and anticipating any greatness from this cd.

When I first heard the opening track Where Eagles Dare which was actually the first Maiden song I ever hear as a young boy chasing dragons, I was very pleased.

Further listening and I am impressed.

By the third play of the whole cd, I can say I really enjoy the Maiden United's version of Piece Of Mind. Its not boring although slower in comparison to the real deal, its unique, its pleasant and entertaining.

Coupled with a nice packaging.. I think this cd is worth having to add to your Maiden-related collection. Definitely one of the best 'Maiden tribute' cds in my collection.

- To Tame A Land is the most dramatic version here, a lovely song with Arabic flavour, with all the sandriders,Muad'Dibs,Kwizatz Haderachs,Caladans and the part I really like when Bruce sang "Gorn Jabbar" gets a make-over with the soaring female voice and rearrangements.
- Sun And Steel sounds 'cheerful' especially on the Trooper Bside with a woman singing it. I wont visualise the samurai swords when I heard Maiden United version of this song.

- Where Eagles Dare without the Nicko intro and booming drums is interesting and hearing all this piano makes me smile . Anyway, I was just so wishing this song is the final song of the setlist of the Maiden coming tour. It would make a glorious ending.
- Revelations is always a special song for me. Its a song I seek shelter with when I was a kid and Maiden United's version is touching. I really like it.



- The Trooper - A slow suspenseful version.
- Quest For Fire is always one of my favorites even though some people dont like it for its lyrics. Maybe due to my age when I first listen to the original, an adventure song if there ever is one written for school kids. So Maiden United version here is always alright with me - to me it sounds so medieval Robin Hood.

- Still Life - the intro is superb. The whole song is. I like it.
- Flight Of Icarus - Superb intro, a suprising spoken first verse.

In conclusion, maybe I do get a bit bias praising this cd as I have not listen to the complete POM for some time, so its refreshing to hear a different version of the songs and in different track sequence as we are so familiar with.

This cd definitely is one of the best Maiden tribute cds in my collection and worth buying.

Best to listen to when alone in the dead of the night, walking home, with earphones at loud volume.