The X Factor (album)
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| The X Factor | |||||
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| Studio album by Iron Maiden | |||||
| Released | October 2, 1995 | ||||
| Recorded | Barnyard Studios, Essex, England, About 1994 - August 1995 | ||||
| Genre | Heavy metal | ||||
| Length | 71:02 | ||||
| Label | EMI | ||||
| Producer | Steve Harris and Nigel Green | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Iron Maiden chronology | |||||
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The X Factor is the tenth studio album, released October 2, 1995, by Iron Maiden. It is notable for being the band's first album to include Blaze Bayley, formerly of Wolfsbane, as vocalist, replacing Bruce Dickinson who left the band following their previous tour to pursue a solo career.
The album title came about in the early part of the recording. According to producer Nigel Green:
- "We all felt that the way things were progressing - the songs, Blaze's new involvement, the sound, the commitment - the new album really would have that extra quality, that bit of magic, that X Factor. This became the working title for the album and we liked it, so we kept it. It is also very apt as this is our tenth studio album and "X" can bring up many images."
Supporting the album was the X Factour tour. Much like the tour for their following album, Virtual XI, it was cut short after Blaze suffered a violent allergic reaction to certain elements used on the stages where the band performed.
The X-Factor's cover art depicts the operation which left Eddie's head broken (first seen on the Piece of Mind album cover) and was created by Hugh Syme. In some releases, the cover was replaced with a less graphic alternative, showing Eddie from a distance, with the original artwork on the back of the booklet.
This is the second album after Piece of Mind that was not named after a song on the album. The words The X Factor do not appear in any of song's lyrics. This album is also unusual for the band in that it produced several band compositions that did not make it onto the album. "Justice of The Peace" and "Judgement Day" would turn up on the Best of the B'Sides collection and the Eddie's Archive box set, but "I Live My Way" would not. All three were released at the time of the album as B-sides.
The album was not well received by fans or critics, and is to date the worst selling Iron Maiden studio album.[citation needed]
[edit] Song details
"Man on the Edge" and "Lord of the Flies" were released as singles. Both of these songs, and "Sign of the Cross," remained in Maiden set lists following Bruce Dickinson's return. Live versions of these songs can be found on the single for "The Wicker Man" and the live albums Death on the Road and Rock in Rio respectively.
"The Edge of Darkness" is based on the 1979 movie, Apocalypse Now, and "Man on the Edge" is based on the 1993 movie, Falling Down. Live versions of "Blood on the World's Hands" and "The Aftermath" can be found in Best of the B'Sides compilation album.
[edit] Track listing
- "Sign of the Cross" (Steve Harris) – 11:17
- "Lord of the Flies" (Janick Gers, Harris) – 5:03
- "Man on the Edge" (Blaze Bayley, Gers) – 4:13
- "Fortunes of War" (Harris) – 7:23
- "Look for the Truth" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 5:10
- "The Aftermath" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 6:20
- "Judgement of Heaven" (Harris) – 5:12
- "Blood on the World's Hands" (Harris) – 5:57
- "The Edge of Darkness" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 6:39
- "2 A.M." (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 5:37
- "The Unbeliever" (Gers, Harris) – 8:10
[edit] Credits
- Blaze Bayley - vocals
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Janick Gers – guitar
- Steve Harris – bass guitar
- Nicko McBrain – drums
with
