Iron Maiden: EVERY Album Ranked Worst To Best
9. Dance Of Death
In 2003, the band put out their second album since both Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith rejoined the line up and the Blaze Bayley days were put behind them. Dance of Death is something unique from Iron Maiden, and features some of their best, and possibly most underrated work.
The fast paced, breathless start of Wildest Dreams, followed by Rainmaker, gave no indication to the orchestral masterpieces that would appear later on the album.
Naturally, the first that comes to mind is Dance of Death, a nine minute tale of a supernatural meeting around a fire with the dead. There are few, if any other than Iron Maiden that could take a subject such as this and turn it into something so hauntingly beautiful. However, the titular track isn't the only masterpiece on the album, as Journeyman, the band's only acoustic song, shows another side to the band that is just as impressive.
The greatest aspect of this album however, is Paschendale. Iron Maiden are masters of telling war stories, and this epic about the battle of the titular battle is one of their best ever. Overall the album benefits from the angelic use of the strings wonderfully partnered with the band's typical, heavier sound.