Virtual XI

Infobox Album
Name = Virtual XI
Type = Studio album
Artist = Iron Maiden


Released = March 23 1998
Recorded = Barnyard Studios, Essex, England, 1997 - February 1998
Genre = Heavy metal
Length = 53:06
Label = EMI
Producer = Steve Harris, Nigel Green
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:iwfjzfgoeh7k~T1 link]
Last album = "Best of the Beast"
(1996)
This album = "Virtual XI"
(1998)
Next album = "Ed Hunter"
(1999)

"Virtual XI" "(pronounced: Virtual Eleven)" is the 11th studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The album was released on March 23, 1998. It was the second and final Iron Maiden album recorded with vocalist Blaze Bayley. The album is slightly unusual in the Iron Maiden catalogue for its extensive keyboard use. For this album all the keyboard parts were performed by band founder/bassist Steve Harris whereas on previous albums the keyboard parts were handled by session musician Michael Kenney. The album also had a reduced songwriting input from Janick Gers compared to the previous Iron Maiden albums since he joined the band in 1990.

The album cover and tour tied in with two extra-musical events: The band played football games alongside their tour (the album title relates in part to the eleven players on a football team), and the Iron Maiden videogame "Ed Hunter" provided much of the album art.

This is the third album by Maiden that was not named after a song on the album (similarly to "Piece of Mind" and the previous album). The limited edition of the CD came with a lenticular cover.

Just like the tour of "The X Factor" album, the tour for this album was cut short when Bayley suffered from an allergic reaction caused by certain elements used on the stage

The Songs

The songs on the album vary greatly thematically. "Futureal" and "When Two Worlds Collide" both appear to hold futuristic themes, while relating to lyricist Blaze Bayley's accommodating to a different lifestyle after joining a major musical group; "The Angel and the Gambler" deals someone who won't be dissuaded from taking risks ; "Lightning Strikes Twice" deals with not rejecting something just because it's improbable; "The Clansman" tells of the Scots' battle for independence in medieval Britain; "The Educated Fool" deals with having the increased responsibility of maturity without having all the answers; "Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger" is inspired by Steve Harris's observation of the dangers of the world now that he's a parent; "Como Estais Amigos" is a tribute to the soldiers on both sides in the Falklands Warcite web
url = http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/url=album11_vxi/commentary11_vxi&lang=eng&link=albums#track8
title = Steve Harris Quote from Japanese liner notes
accessdate = 2007-03-23] and marked the first time the closing track on an Iron Maiden album was not a Steve Harris composition.

Many fans felt that tracks like "The Angel and the Gambler" and "Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger" were overlong, which was the basis of much of the criticism aimed at the album. For example, the chorus line in "The Angel and the Gambler" is repeated 22 times.

"The Angel and the Gambler" and "Futureal" were released as singles. After Bruce Dickinson came back to the band, Iron Maiden continued to play both "Futureal" and "The Clansman" in concert. While "Futureal" only was performed live in 1999, "The Clansman" would become a popular live track on all tours through 2003. Live versions of both songs with Dickinson on vocals can be found on "The Wicker Man" single and the "Rock in Rio" album, respectively.

Track listing

# "Futureal" (Blaze Bayley, Steve Harris) – 2:55
# "The Angel and the Gambler" (Harris) – 9:52
# "Lightning Strikes Twice" (Dave Murray, Harris) – 4:50
# "The Clansman" (Harris) – 8:59
# "When Two Worlds Collide" (Bayley, Murray, Harris) – 6:17
# "The Educated Fool" (Harris) – 6:44
# "Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger" (Harris) – 8:03
# "Como Estais Amigos" (Bayley, Janick Gers) – 5:30

Credits

* Blaze Bayley - lead vocals
* Dave Murray - guitar
* Janick Gers - guitar
* Steve Harris - bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
* Nicko McBrain - drums

References