So we know now that Iron Maiden just announced a 2022 tour, and that’s great. And no doubt, both Bruce Dickinson and Paul Di’anno have performed brilliantly for Maiden. But there’s one Maiden vocalist who, in my opinion, really never received fair treatment from Maiden fans and that’s Mr. Blaze Bayley. Indeed, he is a much different vocalist than Dickinson and that was an issue for the fans. Secondly, he came in at a time where traditional metal was dying and everything was all about the grunge. Now that grunge has moved along into our collective memories, it is, perhaps, time to reintroduce the voice of Blaze Bayley and exemplify just how outstanding he really is as a singer. Here are five songs that might make you think twice about Blaze.
01) “War Within Me”
Let’s start with Blaze’s newest work, “War Within Me” off the 2021 record of the same name. It’s music composed specifically for Blaze’s voice and range and it’s a positive rocker of a song.
02) “Eating Lies”
This is a beautifully sung track that really showcases Blaze’s craft. It’s heartfelt, clean and crisp. The key here is the match between Blaze’s range and the composition of the song.
03) “Escape Velocity”
It’s so great to see Blaze having fun performing with his band. A great track from his second concept album, appropriately entitled Endure and Survive.
04) “Infinite Entanglement”
2016’s Infinite Entanglement has become one of my favorite Blaze records. The first in his three-part concept trilogy featuring the band Absolva. How I would love to see this record performed live. Honestly, I think I’d fly across the Atlantic just to see this.
05) “Virus”
This track is actually from the pre X-Factor sessions. It’s a dark song and slightly different than where Maiden was, sonically, before Bruce left the band. Whether you love or hate X-Factor, this Maiden song demonstrates how Blaze could actually be a good fit in the band when given material to sing in his natural range.
There you have it, five songs that will make you take a second look at Blaze Bayley, perhaps that most underrated in all of metal.
