10 Greatest ‘Legacy Of The Beast’ Set Songs From Iron Maiden
6. The Clansman
One of Iron Maiden’s least successful albums was the second they recorded with vocalist Blaze Bayley, 1998’s Virtual XI. The X Factor (1995) - Bayley’s debut with the band - is considered to be the darkest work of Maiden’s career, but has a clearer identity than the follow-up in which most of the songs are forgettable and have been over looked in the Maiden setlists of the 2000s.
However, the one exception to the rule is The Clansman, which has remained as the standout anthem from the era. This is a strong song with the feel of a rabble-rousing call to arms, and with Bruce Dickinson absolutely making the vocals his own, despite him not performing on the original studio version.
The Clansman is influenced by the freedom fighters of medieval Scotland, with Maiden, and specifically song composer Steve Harris, once again dipping into the history books for lyrical inspiration.