Every Iron Maiden Album Opening Song Ranked From Worst To Best

17. Futureal - Virtual XI

Surface level Iron Maiden fans may not know that Bruce Dickinson hasn't always been the band's vocalist.

For two albums in the 1990s, Maiden were fronted by Blaze Bayley, formerly of the band Wolfsbane. Bayley's career in the group was fairly hit or miss, with this opening track from 1998's Virtual XI being an example of a miss.

Futureal, which is not a real word, sounds totally flat. The riffs are fine, if unmemorable, but the recording style fails to pack a punch. As for Bayley, he stumbles his way through uninspiring lyrics without any hint of the the talent that had gotten him signed in the first place.

A total flop of an opener, Futureal sets the stage for what is a bad Maiden album through and through.