5. Iron Maiden – Brave New World (2000)
We’ve discussed previously how hard it is to be the “new guy” in any well-known band, let alone being the guy who would eventually get replaced by his predecessor after a not so successful tenure in said group. That still doesn’t change the fact that Iron Maiden’s albums with singer Blaze Bayley in the late nineties (The X Factor and Virtual XI) were lackluster. And most fans agree, with Iron Maiden’s popularity at that time starting to diminish. So it’s understandable that Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith’s return to the fold in 1999 were welcomed with open arms by fans. And the following year, Dickinson and Smith proved why their presence in the group were key elements on the album Brave New World (even though a few songs were actually written for Virtual XI). The album’s success actually gave Maiden a resurgence in popularity, making them once again one of the biggest touring acts in metal.
Favorite Track: “The Mercenary”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2MNYrVtrs0[/youtube]
