Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls 2016/2017 World Tour discussion [LIVE ALBUM NOV. 17]

[Chris1989]

I've only had the chance to play Disc one right now, so I still haven't got to Empire yet.

The entire Disc has struck a chord so far and I am loving it. Particular favourites being If Eternity and the Red and the black - love the second half of this one in particular. All of the rest are good, but I obviously won't rank until I have listened to Disc 2. At that point i'll probably do a track by track.

[moreblack]

Just gotta say say how cool it is they play the S.O.S. morse code with the full band at various points in Empire Of The Clouds

[Chris1989]

OK, love it. Some weaker bits but I expect others like things I don't.

If we can wank over CD for 7 hears then this is an album that could outlive us allm

[moreblack]

If we can wank over CD for 7 hears

Who did that? I know more folks where that was a listen or two the month it came out and that was it.

[Chris1989]

Go check out D&N and there will still be fans writing about new things they've found or new meanings, r its touched them...

[Powerage5]

My feelings on the songs after a week living with them (And pretty much listening to nothing else ):

If Eternity Should Fail - I just can't get this song out of my head, it's so fucking good. Empire is my favorite on the album, but this is a really close second. Both are already in my top 10 Maiden songs. It's heavy as fuck, really catchy, this song will be a great concert opener.

Speed Of Light - I'm appreciating this one a lot more since it's pretty light on such a dense and dark album. I think I actually like it more in the context of the album than I did before the album dropped - forms a great one-two punch with IESF.

The Great Unknown - This has been one of the big growers on me. It's pretty non-traditional for Maiden; new chord progressions, unusual song structure, but it benefits from being one of the shorter songs on the album. Could have been blown up into a 9+ minute song, but I like that they leave you wanting more on this one.

The Red And The Black - Sorry, but this one still isn't doing much for me. I really want to like it since so many people are calling it their favorite on the album, but it just feels bloated to me. It's the opposite problem that TGU has - where that one leaves you wanting more, this one left me wishing it was half the length. Good lyrics, good instrumental section, but it's unnecessarily long (And that is, literally, the first time I've ever said that about a Maiden song). I really wish someone could explain what makes this song so great beyond "OMG, this song is fucking amazing!". It's basically the Starblind of this album; everyone else loves it and I just don't get it.

When The River Runs Deep - Another one that is really unconventional Maiden. The verses are killer, but the halftime chorus takes the song to another level. Really hope they play this one live, I'd get shivers hearing Adrian harmonizing every other line in the verses like he does on the album.

The Book Of Souls - This was one of the standout tracks on my first listen, but it just keeps getting better every time I hear it. It's one of the heaviest songs Maiden has ever recorded. The main riff and the verses have this cool Sabbath vibe, but the pre-chorus and the chorus are my favorite parts of the song. It's still amazing some of the notes Bruce belts out on this one. And then when they hit the signature Maiden 6/8 double time around the 6 minute mark, so great. Again, I really hope they do this one live.

Death Or Glory - The other really big grower for me. One of the better up-tempo tracks since Brave New World. I almost wish this had been the first single.

Shadows Of The Valley - I actually think this one has slipped to my least favorite on the album. There's just nothing really noteworthy here, starting right off the bat with the blatant rehashing of Wasted Years. It's certainly my least played song on the album.

Tears Of A Clown - Still one of my favorites. Very different for a Maiden song, almost sounds more like a Bruce song - it would've fit in perfectly on Accident Of Birth. It's constantly stuck in my head, for such a serious song it's actually quite catchy. Great lyrics on this one too.

The Man Of Sorrows - The more I listen to this one, the more it's growing on me. I hardly love it, but I do think it's edged out SOTV in my second least favorite on the album slot. It's just that something isn't quite gelling. Good musically, good lyrically, but there's something missing that I can't put my finger on. I do really like the chorus on this one though, particularly the triple-over-duple feel when Bruce sings "And we look to see the man of sorrows".

Empire Of The Clouds - Yeah, still my favorite. Everything about this song is amazing. The instrumental section is noteworthy, but the build up in the first seven minutes is what really shines to me - it's really cool how each verse gets just a little more intense leading up to the S.O.S. part. It's interesting; when you look at the big picture it's quite complex, but when you break everything down into smaller 3-4 minute segments it's actually quite simple, and that's one of the real beauties in it - it's simplicity is what makes it so complex. Brilliant wordplay from Bruce on this one - it reads like an epic poem if you take the music away from it.

If I were to rank everything now:

1. Empire Of The Clouds

2. If Eternity Should Fail

3. The Book Of Souls

4. Tears Of A Clown

5. When The River Runs Deep

6. Death Or Glory

7. Speed Of Light

8. The Great Unknown

9. The Red And The Black

10. The Man Of Sorrows

11. Shadows Of The Valley

[Black Sabbath]

Tears of a Clown has grown on me a little but, but I still don't exactly care for Death Or Glory.

[Powerage5]

Tears of a Clown has grown on me a little but, but I still don't exactly care for Death Or Glory.

Is that your least favorite on the album?

[Black Sabbath]

Tears of a Clown has grown on me a little but, but I still don't exactly care for Death Or Glory.

Is that your least favorite on the album?

Yeah, that's the one I voted for.

[classicrawker]

Maiden is not my cup of tea but thought some fans here might have interest. The latest Classic Rock Magazine has a feature on the new album and the new issue will feature 17 unique covers for each of their albums. Try and collect them all...

http://classicrock.teamrock.com/features/2015-09-09/classic-rock-215-on-sale-now

[Powerage5]

First tour dates!!!

April 29 - Horncastle Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand

May 1 - Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand

May 4 - Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia

May 6 - Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia

May 9 - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia

May 12 - Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia

May 14 - Perth Arena, Perth, Australia

I'm hoping to be able to do something in Australia since I'll be on that side of the world for China, but I don't know when China will fall in relation to Australia.

Also, if you're unfamiliar with the opening act, The Raven Age, it's Steve's son's band - they've opened for British Lion the past two years. I really enjoyed them, definitely my favorite Maiden family band.

[moreblack]

How are Bruce's kids bands? haven't checked them out yet.

[Powerage5]

How are Bruce's kids bands? haven't checked them out yet.

Rise To Remain is the only one I'm familiar with - I think they're shit. Do his kids have any other bands? I usually can't be bothered checking out their kids' bands unless I see them opening for Maiden (Which does happen way too often admittedly).

[Zeppelin]

Okay, before all the tour talk starts, I feel like I should put forth my thoughts on the album. I wrote a whole review today while I was at work, but ended up closing it by accident. As a side note, I have saved up quite a chunk of money. So if the stars align, I'll be heading to quite a few Maiden shows. Time will tell on that. But for now, let's do this:

If Eternity Should Fail - Wonderful way to open the album. While I enjoyed Satellite 15, this feels more like the kind of grandiose introduction I like from Maiden. Also, when finding out this was a song meant for Bruce's next solo album (and in drop D no less), I pretty much knew I'd love it. Kind of a mix of Bruce's solo work, and something from BNW (Ghost Of The Navigator maybe?). Not having a proper solo section actually works really well for this song, especially when a chorus is that strong. I'm also a sucker for Bruce's spoken word parts on anything, so I love that outro. Not sure if this is better than The Wicker Man as far as reunion openers go, but it is definitely the best since then. I just don't know if I can put it over The Wicker Man... such a struggle. But this is another future Maiden classic opener! - 9.5/10

Speed Of Light - The first single, and a song I truly enjoyed right away. I'm a sucker for this kind of Maiden song. A nice throwback to NPFTD/FOTD's rockier songs and one that really works well in the context of the album. It's nothing spectacular, but it's a good way to give the album a one-two punch after a fantastic opener. Works wonders in the tracklisting. Not going to lie, I love this chorus too. - 7/10

The Great Unknown - This song grew on me really quickly. Kind of like a BNW/AMOLAD hybrid song with a twist (if that makes sense?). Not a typical Maiden song after the smooth intro, which is a nice change of pace. And speaking of pace, the instrumental sections are wonderfully done, even though I don't like how it cuts off and goes into the outro rather abruptly near the end. But that's a minor complaint. This is one of those Maiden tracks that feels a bit like an epic, but doesn't drag, and leaves you wanting more. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of the next song... - 8.5/10

The Red And The Black - Okay, I'm pretty much with Dan on this one. It's good in parts, but as a whole, it loses its way... a lot. In recent albums, I've noticed a lot of people complaining about the forced nature of some of Steve's epics, but I never really found them to be that way. However, with this one, a lot of the parts feel forced. If The Great Unknown has an epic feel without dragging on and on, this is the complete opposite. It's almost pieced together, and doesn't gel well for me. I feel like a 13+ minute song should really do something special, and I don't get that with this track. Again, it has good parts, and some really cool singalong parts which will work really well live, but it ultimately falls flat. I hate saying that about a Maiden epic, but this one didn't work for me. - 5/10

When The River Runs Deep - This one hit me right away. The faster pace, the slowed down chorus, Bruce's vocals. All great parts. This is a song I've been waiting for from Maiden on the reunion albums. This is the song I wish songs like The Pilgrim and The Alchemist would've been on previous albums. It has the energy and urgency those songs lacked. Not much else to say about this one since I enjoy it so much. It's a lovely way to pick up the pieces from the previous song. - 9/10

The Book Of Souls - Maiden's title tracks are always something to look forward to. Ever since they first became a band, their title tracks have always been wonderful listens. Even in the reunion years, they've captured that magic with only one exception - The Final Frontier. That song left a lot to be desired for me. Mid-tempo and just kind of unexciting. Luckily, they get right back to their old ways with this one. A faint acoustic opening, a bombastic lead riff, thunderous drumming (and Nicko's best on the album, IMO), and a melodic bridge to a frenetic second half all make this song another future classic for Maiden. Not to mention Bruce's menacing vocals. He really shines on here. Even though the second half has riffing similar to Losfer Words and Montségur, it's just so nice to hear Maiden going for it here. This song reminds me a bit of Dance Of Death, which is one of my favourite post-reunion songs, so I will definitely love this one going forward. Moreover, it's a great way to bring the first disc to a close. - 9.5/10

Death Or Glory - I will be honest. I love this song. Again, it has that NPFTD-vibe (you know I love my NPFTD!) and just kicks ass. If the chorus was stronger, I'd be head over heels for this track. Sure, it's no Aces High or Tailgunner, but Bruce and Adrian bring a WWI story to life with an aggressive, balls to the wall kind of song. Again, this is the kind of energy I've felt was lacking on the previous albums. The way the instrumentals go into the pre-chorus/ chorus and into the outro is just lovely. Classic Maiden ending to this song. I know some people don't like this one too much, but it's nice to get that energy back. Haven't really felt that energy with the shorter songs since Rainmaker, Montségur, and New Frontier. It's a bit obvious that I really enjoy Dance Of Death at this point... haha. - 8.5/10

Shadows Of The Valley - Despite the Wasted Years intro, I dig this track, but it's nothing spectacular. The guitar interludes remind me of something from Seventh Son. That being said, I find this one a bit repetitive and thus, it loses a bit of its impact on me. The chorus is one that is constantly stuck in my head, so I'm happy about that. I read some reviews before the album came out with a lot of people saying this song had an SIT-vibe, and I don't hear that at all. Even with the Wasted Years intro, it sounds nothing like SIT. But that's okay. It's an enjoyable song for me. The singalong part near the end of this song is executed much better here than it was on The Red And The Black. This is a peculiar part of the album for me, as I find the next two songs venture into a Bruce-solo sound, which give the second disc a certain flavour... - 8/10

Tears Of A Clown - This song reminds me of a Bruce solo song, and I'm not sure why. I love the staccato-like riff near the beginning, before the verse comes in. Bruce sounds great. The choice of more personal lyrics with a different kind of inspiration make this song a more interesting listen. I don't really have much to say about this song. It's a pretty entertaining song. Nothing wrong with that at all! - 7.5/10

The Man Of Sorrows - Now, this reminds me of a Bruce solo song again, and it has nothing to do with the title. I love this song. Bruce's lower register is nice and powerful, the intro is eerie, and it gives way to a nice pace. I'm sure a lot of people will find this to be a bit of a plain kind of song, but I just love the Bruce solo-vibe with the dreamy ending to it. It's an ending which works perfectly in order to close the song and give way to the big kahuna... - 9/10

Empire Of The Clouds - What else can be said about this song? Bruce really outdid himself with this one. I mean, the way the intro builds with extra instrumentation, going into the S.O.S. portion... it's just wonderful. The band is in top form for this whole album, but it's like they're an ace pitcher in a ball game where they save a little bit of heat for later on to blow someone away. This song is the reason a song like The Red And The Black seems so incomplete. I know Empire is five minutes longer, but it does not feel that way at all. This opus is an anthemic poem that beams with intensity. Even in the quieter passages, you can just feel an energy to it. The calm beginnings of this piece may have you sitting back a bit, but you'll start to lean forward as you listen to it, just out of pure anticipation for what's to come next. That's something Maiden has always done well. They can really build a song that just grabs you and takes you for the ultimate ride. Unlike TRATB, this piece just flows so well. It goes by without the listener even thinking about the length, which is what a longer song should do for the most part. Honestly, I could go on and on about this song, but everyone who has heard it knows what I'm talking about. It's the album's masterpiece - Maiden's masterpiece. - 10/10

Some of my ratings may change as I go along, but this is a great achievement for a band releasing its 16th album. I don't know many bands that could release an album of this magnitude at this point in their career. Now, I loved The Final Frontier, but The Book Of Souls just feels more... focused? It just seems like a more concentrated effort. Some of the faults of the more recent albums (i.e. repetitive choruses) seem to be missing this time around, and I couldn't be happier about that. Even though I don't mind belting out, "FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF GOD!" a billion times, it can be a bit tiresome. Anyway, I've said my piece finally. I'm not going to give it an overall rating, but I'm just so glad that Maiden is still cranking out albums of this kind of quality. If this is their final album, it is one hell of an accomplishment.

[Cosmo]

After all this time with the album on repeat, I can finally say I wanna stop listening to it for a while now and my ratings/order of preference have changed a bit. Here they are:

1- The Red And The Black - 9.5/10

2- Empire of the Clouds - 9/10

3- The Book of Souls - 9/10

4- Speed Of Light - 8.5/10

5- When The River Runs Deep - 8.5/10

6- If Eternity Should Fail - 8/10

7- Tears Of A Clown - 8/10

8- The Great Unknown - 6.5/10

9- The Man Of Sorrows - 6/10

10 - Death Or Glory - 5.5/10

11 - Shadows Of The Valley - 5/10

[Powerage5]

Okay, before all the tour talk starts, I feel like I should put forth my thoughts on the album. I wrote a whole review today while I was at work, but ended up closing it by accident. As a side note, I have saved up quite a chunk of money. So if the stars align, I'll be heading to quite a few Maiden shows. Time will tell on that. But for now, let's do this:

If Eternity Should Fail - Wonderful way to open the album. While I enjoyed Satellite 15, this feels more like the kind of grandiose introduction I like from Maiden. Also, when finding out this was a song meant for Bruce's next solo album (and in drop D no less), I pretty much knew I'd love it. Kind of a mix of Bruce's solo work, and something from BNW (Ghost Of The Navigator maybe?). Not having a proper solo section actually works really well for this song, especially when a chorus is that strong. I'm also a sucker for Bruce's spoken word parts on anything, so I love that outro. Not sure if this is better than The Wicker Man as far as reunion openers go, but it is definitely the best since then. I just don't know if I can put it over The Wicker Man... such a struggle. But this is another future Maiden classic opener! - 9.5/10

Speed Of Light - The first single, and a song I truly enjoyed right away. I'm a sucker for this kind of Maiden song. A nice throwback to NPFTD/FOTD's rockier songs and one that really works well in the context of the album. It's nothing spectacular, but it's a good way to give the album a one-two punch after a fantastic opener. Works wonders in the tracklisting. Not going to lie, I love this chorus too. - 7/10

The Great Unknown - This song grew on me really quickly. Kind of like a BNW/AMOLAD hybrid song with a twist (if that makes sense?). Not a typical Maiden song after the smooth intro, which is a nice change of pace. And speaking of pace, the instrumental sections are wonderfully done, even though I don't like how it cuts off and goes into the outro rather abruptly near the end. But that's a minor complaint. This is one of those Maiden tracks that feels a bit like an epic, but doesn't drag, and leaves you wanting more. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of the next song... - 8.5/10

The Red And The Black - Okay, I'm pretty much with Dan on this one. It's good in parts, but as a whole, it loses its way... a lot. In recent albums, I've noticed a lot of people complaining about the forced nature of some of Steve's epics, but I never really found them to be that way. However, with this one, a lot of the parts feel forced. If The Great Unknown has an epic feel without dragging on and on, this is the complete opposite. It's almost pieced together, and doesn't gel well for me. I feel like a 13+ minute song should really do something special, and I don't get that with this track. Again, it has good parts, and some really cool singalong parts which will work really well live, but it ultimately falls flat. I hate saying that about a Maiden epic, but this one didn't work for me. - 5/10

When The River Runs Deep - This one hit me right away. The faster pace, the slowed down chorus, Bruce's vocals. All great parts. This is a song I've been waiting for from Maiden on the reunion albums. This is the song I wish songs like The Pilgrim and The Alchemist would've been on previous albums. It has the energy and urgency those songs lacked. Not much else to say about this one since I enjoy it so much. It's a lovely way to pick up the pieces from the previous song. - 9/10

The Book Of Souls - Maiden's title tracks are always something to look forward to. Ever since they first became a band, their title tracks have always been wonderful listens. Even in the reunion years, they've captured that magic with only one exception - The Final Frontier. That song left a lot to be desired for me. Mid-tempo and just kind of unexciting. Luckily, they get right back to their old ways with this one. A faint acoustic opening, a bombastic lead riff, thunderous drumming (and Nicko's best on the album, IMO), and a melodic bridge to a frenetic second half all make this song another future classic for Maiden. Not to mention Bruce's menacing vocals. He really shines on here. Even though the second half has riffing similar to Losfer Words and Montségur, it's just so nice to hear Maiden going for it here. This song reminds me a bit of Dance Of Death, which is one of my favourite post-reunion songs, so I will definitely love this one going forward. Moreover, it's a great way to bring the first disc to a close. - 9.5/10

Death Or Glory - I will be honest. I love this song. Again, it has that NPFTD-vibe (you know I love my NPFTD!) and just kicks ass. If the chorus was stronger, I'd be head over heels for this track. Sure, it's no Aces High or Tailgunner, but Bruce and Adrian bring a WWI story to life with an aggressive, balls to the wall kind of song. Again, this is the kind of energy I've felt was lacking on the previous albums. The way the instrumentals go into the pre-chorus/ chorus and into the outro is just lovely. Classic Maiden ending to this song. I know some people don't like this one too much, but it's nice to get that energy back. Haven't really felt that energy with the shorter songs since Rainmaker, Montségur, and New Frontier. It's a bit obvious that I really enjoy Dance Of Death at this point... haha. - 8.5/10

Shadows Of The Valley - Despite the Wasted Years intro, I dig this track, but it's nothing spectacular. The guitar interludes remind me of something from Seventh Son. That being said, I find this one a bit repetitive and thus, it loses a bit of its impact on me. The chorus is one that is constantly stuck in my head, so I'm happy about that. I read some reviews before the album came out with a lot of people saying this song had an SIT-vibe, and I don't hear that at all. Even with the Wasted Years intro, it sounds nothing like SIT. But that's okay. It's an enjoyable song for me. The singalong part near the end of this song is executed much better here than it was on The Red And The Black. This is a peculiar part of the album for me, as I find the next two songs venture into a Bruce-solo sound, which give the second disc a certain flavour... - 8/10

Tears Of A Clown - This song reminds me of a Bruce solo song, and I'm not sure why. I love the staccato-like riff near the beginning, before the verse comes in. Bruce sounds great. The choice of more personal lyrics with a different kind of inspiration make this song a more interesting listen. I don't really have much to say about this song. It's a pretty entertaining song. Nothing wrong with that at all! - 7.5/10

The Man Of Sorrows - Now, this reminds me of a Bruce solo song again, and it has nothing to do with the title. I love this song. Bruce's lower register is nice and powerful, the intro is eerie, and it gives way to a nice pace. I'm sure a lot of people will find this to be a bit of a plain kind of song, but I just love the Bruce solo-vibe with the dreamy ending to it. It's an ending which works perfectly in order to close the song and give way to the big kahuna... - 9/10

Empire Of The Clouds - What else can be said about this song? Bruce really outdid himself with this one. I mean, the way the intro builds with extra instrumentation, going into the S.O.S. portion... it's just wonderful. The band is in top form for this whole album, but it's like they're an ace pitcher in a ball game where they save a little bit of heat for later on to blow someone away. This song is the reason a song like The Red And The Black seems so incomplete. I know Empire is five minutes longer, but it does not feel that way at all. This opus is an anthemic poem that beams with intensity. Even in the quieter passages, you can just feel an energy to it. The calm beginnings of this piece may have you sitting back a bit, but you'll start to lean forward as you listen to it, just out of pure anticipation for what's to come next. That's something Maiden has always done well. They can really build a song that just grabs you and takes you for the ultimate ride. Unlike TRATB, this piece just flows so well. It goes by without the listener even thinking about the length, which is what a longer song should do for the most part. Honestly, I could go on and on about this song, but everyone who has heard it knows what I'm talking about. It's the album's masterpiece - Maiden's masterpiece. - 10/10

Some of my ratings may change as I go along, but this is a great achievement for a band releasing its 16th album. I don't know many bands that could release an album of this magnitude at this point in their career. Now, I loved The Final Frontier, but The Book Of Souls just feels more... focused? It just seems like a more concentrated effort. Some of the faults of the more recent albums (i.e. repetitive choruses) seem to be missing this time around, and I couldn't be happier about that. Even though I don't mind belting out, "FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF GOD!" a billion times, it can be a bit tiresome. Anyway, I've said my piece finally. I'm not going to give it an overall rating, but I'm just so glad that Maiden is still cranking out albums of this kind of quality. If this is their final album, it is one hell of an accomplishment.

You actually brought up a lot of great points I've been thinking, but didn't mention. Most notably how much of this sounds like it could be on a Bruce solo album - obviously there's If Eternity Should Fail, but I definitely agree on Tears Of A Clown and Man Of Sorrows too, and I hear it on Shadows Of The Valley and When The River Runs Deep to a lesser extent. You hit the nail on the head when talking about track lengths too - it really speaks volumes how strong Empire Of The Clouds is that it feels like it's half the length of The Red And The Black.

I get what you're saying about this album being more focused than TFF or AMOLAD to an extent. I'm really torn between this and TFF as my favorite reunion album. I think the top tier songs on both albums are pretty equal in terms of quality and quantity (Coming Home, Isle Of Avalon, The Talisman, When The Wild Wind Blows from TFF, and If Eternity Should Fail, The Book Of Souls, Tears Of A Clown, Empire Of The Clouds from TBOS). But think I'd agree that TBOS has more really solid second tier songs than TFF; the only TFF song I'd call a really great second tier song is Mother Of Mercy. AMOLAD is a strange album for me, because I absolutely love it, but it's not one I can play whenever - I need to be in a really specific mood for it, it's very atmospheric. These Colours Don't Run and The Longest Day are really the only ones I could listen to anytime, day or night.

I realized I haven't assigned numeric rankings to TBOS yet either:

If Eternity Should Fail - 9.5/10

Speed Of Light - 7/10

The Great Unknown - 8/10

The Red And The Black - 6/10

When The River Runs Deep - 9/10

The Book Of Souls - 9.5/10

Death Or Glory - 8/10

Shadows Of The Valley - 6/10

Tears Of A Clown - 9/10

The Man Of Sorrows - 6/10

Empire Of The Clouds - 11/10

So Zeppelin, how many gigs are you thinking for next year? I definitely want to do at least one with you, preferably on the barrier

[bran]

book of souls lands at #4 on the billboard charts, selling 74,000 copies in its first week.

[GivenToFly]

I'll be the one to give a dissenting opinion. I'm not crazy about it. It's my least favorite post reunion album. I really like the first four tracks and Empire (with Red/Black being my favorite) but everything in between is meh except some really nice instrumental bits. It's not that the songs are bad it's just that they would all be in my bottom 3 on any of the previous four albums.

[Anguyen92]

book of souls lands at #4 on the billboard charts, selling 74,000 copies in its first week.

Does Billboard still recognizes double albums as two album copies? If so, that's kinda depressing to see a top-caliber band, that delivered a top-notch album, like Maiden sell not that high, despite that if they announce a full-on NA arena tour, all the shows will be packed.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Anguyen92

[Powerage5]

South Africa dates announced:

May 18 - Grand Arena, Cape Town, South Africa

May 21 - Carnival City Festival Lawns, Johannesburg, South Africa

Shit, I may try to squeeze Cape Town in on my way home from Asia - the most expensive tickets are like $52, and isn't Cape Town supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world?

[Zeppelin]

So Zeppelin, how many gigs are you thinking for next year? I definitely want to do at least one with you, preferably on the barrier

Ahhh, as many as possible really. Not really sure about a number, but if I can do at least 4 or 5, I'll be happy.

[GivenToFly]

Scotland show please!

[Powerage5]

Download has an article about the new album on their homepage, so my bets are on Download as the only UK show.

[Anguyen92]

^^ Download for the UK show would be fine, but their last two trips to the UK has been nothing but festivals (Download in 2013, plus two shows at the O2, and Sonisphere in 2014). I think, at this point, doing their own arena tour at the UK (like 8-10 shows) should be more preferable if they are going to really do The Book Of Souls album justice and play a good amount of the songs live, plus their last UK arena tour was in 2011 on the backs of The Final Frontier. I honestly would think it's kinda a daunting task to get a festival crowd to react well to the new material, even if it is really good, when they probably do not know anything else about Maiden other than their classic 80s stuff.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Anguyen92

[Powerage5]

I don't disagree at all - just trying to stay realistic. I'd LOVE another UK tour, as I've still not been farther north than Norwich in the mainland UK (Though I have been to Belfast). I really love the UK and would love to see more of it, plus Scotland is high on my bucket list.