Virtual XI

Virtual XI is a record on which Iron Maiden builds an epic atmosphere through weighty riffs, bass that powerfully pulls the melody and long song construction. Rather than relying on speed alone, it carefully stacks tension with repeating phrases and mid-tempo grooves. It is the second and last studio album to feature Blaze Bayley. The speed of the opener “Futureal,” the over-nine-minute epic “The Angel and the Gambler” and the grandeur of “The Clansman,” depicting a Scottish hero, well show the album’s breadth, while cuts like “When Two Worlds Collide” and “Lightning Strikes Twice” are formed by the band’s twin-guitar and rhythm-section drive, and the lyricism of “Como Estais Amigos” is also striking. Its appeal is steadily giving form to large-scale themes through the playing power the band does best. It is a type of record for immersing yourself by carefully following the development, rather than flashy hooks. Capping the Blaze Bayley era and bridging to Bruce Dickinson’s return, it is an epic, engaging record.