The Book of Souls
by Iron Maiden
  • Record Label: BMG
  • Release Date: Sep 4, 2015
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
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  1. Drowned In Sound
    Sep 21, 2015
    60
    An album that wouldn't be out of place if it had come out 30 years ago.
  2. Record Collector
    Sep 11, 2015
    60
    The flipside of all the editorial freedom is that rather too much of the album is made up of endless midtempo guitar chug, which can feel like a bit of a chore after a while.
  3. Q Magazine
    Aug 31, 2015
    60
    Their 16th LP is their most challenging to date. For all the fine musicianship and vaulting ambition, though, there are lengthy longueurs. [Oct 2015, p.111]
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Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Most Discussed Album of 2015
62
#62 Most Shared Album of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 177 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 160 out of 177
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 177
  3. Negative: 8 out of 177
  1. Shioned
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    A great album with epic songs like 'The Red and The Black', 'Empire of the Clouds' and 'The Book of Souls'.

    Bruce's voice sounds great    A great album with epic songs like 'The Red and The Black', 'Empire of the Clouds' and 'The Book of Souls'.

    Bruce's voice sounds great again, specially in "The Book of Souls".    … Full Review »
  2. Hellclaw
    Sep 4, 2015
    8
    By the time they announced the tracks and their respectively lengths we could know that this album would be something like Maiden's last two,By the time they announced the tracks and their respectively lengths we could know that this album would be something like Maiden's last two, with a little more "power short songs" than those previous mentioned.
    The Book of Souls sounds like A Matter of Life and Death, with some flavor of the 80s. Their most powerful songs, like the opener "If Eternity Should Fail", "Speed of Light", "The Great Unknown", "When The River Runs Deep" and "Shadow of The Valley" may take a couple of listening to get the right mood of them. But as their last two albums, their greatest works are at the most progressive songs. "The Red and The Black", "The Book of Souls" and the 18-minute epic "Empire of the Clouds" are the highlights of this double album. For the ones that loved A Matter of Life and Death, or those that prefer "new Maiden" style, this album is gold. For those that are not too much into it, like me, you will have the feeling that it lacks more powerful songs, with major and catchy riffs and lyrics. We can't argue about the quality of the sound though. This is why Maiden is still among the greatest, if not the great metal band still around.    … Full Review »
  3. hungbeachboy
    Sep 9, 2015
    5
    I am a big Maiden fan and love almost all their work. I really wanted to love this record especially after reading all the glowing revuesI am a big Maiden fan and love almost all their work. I really wanted to love this record especially after reading all the glowing revues before hearing it, but truth be told I think it's an very weak album. Most of the riffs are just slight reworkings of old familiar favorites. The overall feel is that they are trying too hard to do something epic, something like their own version of Trans Siberian Orchestra, but they just fall short and the songs all song the same and lack the power and focus I am accustomed to from these true masters of the genre. Empire of the Clouds is just a long mess or over repetitive nothingness that never has a focus or build up or payoff. Rime of the Ancient Mariner it is not, and not even close. Red and Black is perhaps the best but even it has the familiar undertones of the main riff of Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    Sure Bruce sounds great as always and the musicianship is excellent, but the mixing, and overall live feel just comes off sounding less crisp, heavy and hard as I usually expect from Maiden. There's not really a single memorable song of the bunch and I don't foresee any of these songs ending up on my favorites playlist. I laud them trying to be different, but different isn't enough, it also has to be good, and I just don't feel it from this effort. Sure it's better than most of the crap that comes out from everyone else out there today, but as a Maiden album it is arguably one of my least favorite.    … Full Review »
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