The six best Iron Maiden songs from the Blaze Bayley era

What are the best Iron Maiden songs from the Blaze Bayley era?

The era that gave birth to The x factor And Virtual XIis, well… not a fan favorite. But that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked, or that Bruce Dickinson’s successor should take the blame for the mixed results.

Steve Harris is the captain of the Iron Maiden ship and the creative shift was driven by the founder through his moodier compositions amidst an incredibly difficult time in his personal life. Metal was declining in popularity, a whole new commercial rock trend had brought 80s acts to their knees and now Harris had to manage another personnel change following Adrian Smith’s departure in 1990.

Bayley’s deeper voice was a direct contrast to Dickinson’s operatic nature and, as heard in his previous band Wolfsbane, worked quite well on uptempo material. While Virtual XI Although it picked up the pace, it’s a misguided album that doesn’t make particularly creative use of The Who’s overwhelming influence.

Still, Bayley did pretty well wherever he appeared in the writing credits, especially for someone taking on such an imposing role.

Of course, there are also one or two well-known epics that he mastered excellently and with which he demonstrated his range and versatility as a singer.

READ MORE: How did Iron Maiden find Blaze Bayley as a replacement for Bruce Dickinson in the 1990s?

Below you’ll find some of the expected favorites as well as some lesser-known songs, for a total of six songs that represent the absolute best of the Blaze Bayley era of Iron Maiden.

“Future” (Virtual XI)

Screenplay: Steve Harris, Blaze Bayley

With a total running time of less than 2:55 minutes, which is the equivalent of an intro to a generous handful of Iron Maiden songs, “Futureal” is a sizzling start to an otherwise rocking album.

It immediately reminds you of some of the hard chargers from Murderer and brilliantly shows that with the right musical energy, Bayley was indeed a perfect fit for this legendary band.

“Judgment Day” (The x factor / The best B-sides)

Screenplay: Blaze Bayley / Janick Gers

It’s a shame that this appeared as the B-side to the single “Man on the Edge” and didn’t end up on the album proper. Obviously, its rapid pace is in stark contrast to the mostly sluggish tempos that dominate the 71-minute debut with Blaze.

The singer collaborated with guitarist Janick Gers several times during his short but important time in Iron Maiden and “Judgement Day” is perhaps the best of them. Make up your own mind and listen to this hidden gem below.

“The Sign of the Cross” (The X Factor)

Screenplay: Steve Harris

The other incredible epic from the Blaze era, “The Sign of the Cross” is the ideal prelude to the dark, brooding The x factor. It’s by far the most atmospheric album opener in the Maiden catalogue, with Gregorian chants giving way to a delicate drum march and an intensifying, driving rhythm with spiky chords.

The remaining eight minutes encompass a cinematic arc, a quality that would dominate Harris’ longer songwriting excursions in the decades and albums to come. The bassist again took inspiration from literature, basing this track on the 1980 crime novel The name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. The story takes place in an Italian monastery in 1327.

“The Sign of the Cross” has also been performed live over 200 times with Bruce Dickinson.

“Judgment of Heaven” (The X Factor)

Author: Steve Harris

Because Iron Maiden’s lyrics and stories are heavily influenced by literature, film and history, “Judgement of Heaven” offers a rare glimpse into something extremely personal.

The members of Iron Maiden are notoriously private, and here Steve Harris lays it all bare. The topics touch on the struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts as the subject seeks God’s help. At the time, Harris was navigating a changing musical climate that was not conducive to heavy metal. He was also dealing with relationship issues ranging from a divorce to the exit of Bruce Dickinson and before that, Adrian Smith.

There is a nervous urgency in this demolition The x factor which are tempered by softer, singing moments that inspire hope.

“Man on the Edge” (The X Factor)

Screenplay: Blaze Bayley / Janick Gers

The first single and the world’s first taste of Blaze Bayley as Iron Maiden frontman was a collaboration between Bruce Dickinson’s successor and Gers. In other words, the two newest members were now leading the charge for a new Iron Maiden album!

“Man on the Edge”, Bayley’s film is based on the 1993 film Fall downwith Michael Douglas.

The opening melody is a little reminiscent of “The Evil That Men Do” and is a rocking track with a catchy sing-along hook and a nice little bass fill before the chorus. It all sounded like this new era was bursting with energy, which many fans were keen to hear given the overall direction of The x factor.

“The core member” (Virtual XI)

Author: Steve Harris

The undisputed fan favorite, right? This epic has long been celebrated by even the most ardent Bayley-era doubters and is truly an all-time Maiden classic.

Harris found inspiration in the classic Mel Gibson film Brave heart. Considering how the band’s career was going at the time, this more reflects the founding bassist’s struggle to keep Maiden going, no matter the cost and no matter the odds.

A common criticism of the Bayley era is that it sounds so far removed from Iron Maiden’s trademarks, something the singer can hardly fault. However, “The Clansman” is every bit a quintessential Maiden tune and further proof that Blaze had a voice worthy of creating her own legacy within the band.