Iron Maiden - Live After Death DVD Review

Posted by Dan Haggerty on 02.14.2008

Believe the hype, or Eddie will return for you…

Live After Death is the reissue of the classic video of the same name, long out of print save for bootlegs, and is the video complement to the legendary live (double) album. After a journey through many formats, including VHS, BETA, laserdisc, VHD, Hi-8, and DVD, the classic concert finally gets the full re-master treatment. The original show was a four-night sold-out showing at the Long Beach Arena, which took place in March of 1985 during the bands acclaimed World Slavery Tour. Interestingly, for those who notice a difference from the original album, the video footage was shot on a different evening (Friday) than the audio recording. This tour was in support of the bands Powerslave LP, their third album with Bruce “Air-Raid Siren” Dickinson on vocals, and at the height of the bands classic era run, or what’s affectionately known as the bands golden-era. Needless to say, for a heavy metal band to fill an arena four nights straight, with little media or label support, is a testament to the band’s music and live show.

Number Of The Beast, while their third album, was the bands breakout album that gained the band popularity and notoriety. The follow up Piece Of Mind did even better sales wise, and thanks to the tight songs received high critical praise. With Powerslave, the band went all out on their world tour with a state of the art set. The live album itself is considered a classic and a must have for Iron Maiden/heavy metal fans. The only real question to ask is whether the DVD lives up to the hype…

Disc 1

1. Aces High


2. 2 Minutes to Midnight


3. The Trooper


4. Revelations


5. Flight of Icarus


6. Rime of the Ancient Mariner


7. Powerslave


8. The Number of the Beast


9. Hallowed Be Thy Name


10. Iron Maiden


11. Run to the Hills


12. Running Free


13. Sanctuary

Disc 2

1. The History of Iron Maiden - Part 2 (60 mins)


2. Behind the Iron Curtain (57 mins approx)


3. Live Footage - Rock in Rio '85 (50 mins approx)


4. Interview and live.


5. Artwork Gallery, Tour Programme, Tour dates and photo gallery


6. Promotional clips for "Aces High" and "2 Minutes to Midnight"

Line-Up:

Bruce Dickinson - vocals
Dave Murray - guitar
Adrian Smith - guitar
Steve Harris - bass
Nicko McBrain – drums




Starting with the extras on disc two, you get some great extras. Even if you own the original video of Live After Death, these extras really make picking up the DVD a viable option. First you get the “History of Iron Maiden”, which is a self-documentary from the band during this time period (60 minutes). Second, you get “Behind the Iron Curtains” which features the live and off-stage footage of the band touring the Cold War eastern-block countries in ’84 (just shy of another hour). Next, you get 50 minutes of live footage from Reo in ’85 wear the band supported none other than queen! As if all of those extras were not enough, you also get an interview, photo gallery, and some promotional music videos. I mean, the extras are worth the money alone clocking in at almost three hours.

But your not going to buy this for the extras, you’re in it for the concert…

Disc one is the actual live show at the Long Beach Arena. From the opening riffs of “Aces High” to the galloping “Sanctuary”, the masters of British metal pour heart and energy into song after song. This is a whirl-wind tour of classic era Maiden set to the key of live, the band firing on all cylinders. Rhythms gallop, riffs turn with a work ethic per song that puts many bands entire albums to shame, and twin leads swing left and right. This is the kind of performance that demonstrates why you have those twin leads, as they work in conjunction with or in support of each other, Murray and Smith doing more by accident than some acts do intentionally. Big kudos to Steve Harris, as his bass support is evident for what it brings to the plate without being the overdriving factor that has hampered later recordings. He’s mixed right and the performance is solid. Speaking of solid, drummer Nicko shows what a metal drummer, past or present, has to do to get through a show, and that is keep a break-neck pace that neither lets up nor loses it’s technical edge. Finally, what can be said about Bruce Dickinson that you already don’t know? His voice and has range and power, and live he proves it’s not a studio trick. Once in an interview he pointed out that his mission as a singer was to sing to the guy at the back of the stadium. All I can say is that the man certainly reached that guy in this performance, putting out more volume per square inch than what could be replicated by industrial equipment.

One of the aspects of this DVD that makes it so successful is the fact you can clearly discern each band member in the sound without the band losing the vibe of a live show. That is the sign of good production, the fact that the sound is clear and each person is represented without over-production turning the concert into a studio album with crowd noise. This kind of production is also key to a band like Iron Maiden, whose music incorporates each band member. If this was a pop metal band, then the focus would be placed on the frontman, the lead (and solos) while the rhythm section blends together as one unit. But Maiden is a traditional metal band that uses all the instruments in a song, requiring solid production to not lose one of the members. It might sound picky, but trust me when I say you’ll be rewarded with the difference in the sound you get. Anyway, lecture over – The point being is that this album delvers stellar, proper production. It feels live while the whole band is wonderfully captured.

And while I’m speaking on production, the video coverage of the show and editing is also well done. They had camera’s everywhere to capture the band, each member when need be as well as the awesome set. During the concert they did very little cutaways to the audience, which I loved. I don’t need to see the kid’s headbanging; I want to see the band rocking. They finally did more cuts to the audience come the encore, and by then it was cool because it added to the excitement of the show building to its climax. Again, good editing that really makes the DVD.

But what about the show you ask? Well to highlight this beast (and only highlight it because you need to just go and buy it) I need to point to a few moments. The show starts with Winston Churchill’s famous speech from the German blitz, so typical Maiden to go historical and iconic, all to open with the appropriate “Aces High”. Murray and Smith rip while Bruce’s voice soars like the aircraft he sings of. Great opener and gets the show off to a flying start. “The Trooper” gallops and drives, being a good example of the entire band firing on high-octane horsepower. Every instrument sharpened into an instrument of metal delivery. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” gets its moody fog and stage lighting to highlight the prog epic, although “Hallowed Be Thy Name” takes top honors as the group’s classic epic, of which it is portrayed. It is one thing to hear the song on CD, it’s quite another to hear Bruce’s delivery live. You can feel the tension and drama of the tale in the performance, making the live version in many ways better than the original. And I’m dead serious on that point. You also get fan favorites “Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills”, obligatory live staples, but the real gem comes in the band pulling out some pre-Dickinson era goodness to close the show. I won’t spoil the end, but let’s just say Eddie returns from his execution on the previous tour.

Front to back, this is the show to define a metal concert, and more so, the definitive look at the height of an era in music. In 1985 thrash was still building into a monster and glam was rising to the top of pop purgatory, but before them Iron Maiden was already there. Selling out shows and hitting fans larger than life. All of that is captured in spectacular fashion on this DVD, the strength and power of the performance still holding it’s own to this day. You almost have to pity the bands that came afterwards for having to live under the shadow of the bar Iron Maiden set so high.

The 411: If you like metal, then Live After Death is an essential DVD to add to your collection. If you like hard rock or even straight up rock and roll, this still holds they keys to a classic concert performed by a band at the height of their game – You will enjoy the show. If you don’t like metal, then beware this DVD… It might just make you grow your hair out and change your mind.

Final Score:  9.5   [  Amazing ]