(Rated this album with 4 out of 10) Reviewed by
Geoff Childers
from Aptos, CA United States
I don't know what is is about No Prayer. It's like it has no soul or something. It's got great moments, like the dueling guitar solos in the title track, the guitar hook in The Assassin, the thumping of Bring Your Daughter, the chorus of Run Silent Run Deep. But most of the songs have parts that lag and about half of them don't have any really memorable parts at all. Though I've listened to this album at least 20 times, I can't remember what half the songs even sound like. You see Maiden experimenting with thier tongue-and-cheek approach here in songs like Holy Smoke, Hooks in You, and Bring Your Daughter, and I hate this stuff. Guys, you're a metal band, not Monty bloody Python! At best on No Prayer Maiden sounds like they're trying unsuccessfully to rip themselves off, at worst they sound like a complete farse. A better job of production (usually Martin Birch is top notch--what happened?) would have helped this album, but nothing could save it. I recommend Seventh Son or Live After Death if you are looking for a first Maiden purchase.
