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Dance of Death est le treizième album studio du groupe de heavy metal britannique Iron Maiden sorti le 8 septembre 2003.
Ce second album avec Bruce Dickinson, après l'intermède Blaze Bayley, a connu un grand succès (seconde place des charts britanniques) comme aux plus belles heures des années 1980. Cet album marque un nouveau changement dans la musique du groupe : en effet le style très recherché, voire progressif, est plébiscité par le Heavy Metal pur et dur. Le groupe décrira l'album comme épique car il aborde des thèmes complexes comme la place de l'Homme dans le monde (dans Gate of Tomorrow et Face in the Sand), Dieu (dans la chanson New Frontier), l'Histoire et la guerre dans le titre Paschendale qui décrit l'enfer des tranchées lors de la première guerre mondiale. La chanson Montsegur fait référence au célèbre château Cathare.
Un album live, Death on the Road a été publié suite à la tournée entamée après la sortie de cet album. Pendant la chanson Dance of Death Bruce portait des masques de théâtre et une cape tout en dansant autour de la scène. À la fin, il était habillé comme La Grande Faucheuse pour le refrain final. Déguisement qu'il réutilisera dans la tournée suivante sur The Trooper.
Pour la première fois, le batteur Nicko McBrain est crédité pour des paroles d'une chanson avec New Frontier.
Le titre fait référence à la danse macabre, thème artistique chrétien du Moyen Âge sur la mort.
User Album Review
There's a very good case to be argued that a review of the latest Maiden album is a redundant exercise. Fans of the band (and they number in the millions) will adore it. The rest of us will just shrug our shoulders and make the odd Spinal Tap joke. Yet, while there's no denying the oft-comical aspects of all things heavy and metallic only the most hard-hearted of critics could deny the quality of their latest offering.
Dance Of Death is, appropriately enough, the band's thirteenth (woah...spooky) studio album and more than justifies their longevity. Always a band with a fearsome live reputation, this outing finds them playing at the top of their game and bringing a fair amount of that live prowess into the studio. Producer Kevin Shirley has spoken of them as being 'the last of the naturally moving rock bands', and DOD seems to bear this out. The whole thing has an almost organic feel to it with the rhythm section of drummer Niko McBrain (crazy name, dude) and bass player (and main writer) Steve Harris providing a rock solid backing for the three (count 'em) guitarist's fretboard fury, and Bruce Dickinsons operatic yowls.
Lest it be forgotten, this band have now been around, in one form or another, since 1976. Once considered the young pups of NWOBHM, Maiden now show youngsters how it's done. Dickinson has never sounded better (maybe his day job as a BBC DJ is good for the vocal chords?) and relative new boy Janick Gers (only with the band for thirteen years!) seems intent on cramming in as many wild solos as he can muster. From McBrain's count in on ''Wildest Dreams'' to the last poignant chords of ''Journeyman'', DOD displays a rude energy that would shame the Darkness.
Song lyrics reflect the overall epic feel. War (''Paschendale''), religious martyrdom (''Montsegur'') and, of course, death and horror (''Dance Of Death'') all get the Maiden treatment. The only real lowpoint comes with ''Age Of Innocence'' whose lyrics seem ripped directly from the letters page of the Daily Express.
No matter. Maiden have always survived by ignoring fickle fashion and giving their loyal minions exactly what they want; all wrapped in the obligatory cover featuring deaths head mascot, Eddie. With Dance Of Death they won't have one dissatisfied customer.
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