The Final Frontier
by Iron Maiden
  • Record Label: EMI
  • Release Date: Aug 17, 2010
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. Rolling Stone
    60
    Maiden have long had a knack for the lung-busting chorus, but what impresses here are the complicated arrangements.
  2. Kerrang!
    80
    Only Iron Maiden know if this is their last hurrah. But if it is, they're going out the same way they came in: fearless, adventurous, and with a record that'll still bowl you over in a decade's time. [7 Aug 2010, p.50]
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  3. Drowned In Sound
    60
    While sometimes The Final Frontier seems to mine the Maiden groove until the canary chirps its last, the better songs are an indication that they aren't yet trading solely on their reputation.
  5. Mojo
    60
    The Final Frontier, its scratchy, clattering intro resembling The Mars Volta and signifying that this national institution's quest for adventure remains unabated. [Sept. 2010, p.98]
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  6. Uncut
    60
    Opener "Satellite 15" might hint at something dark and abrasive, but they're soon back on track, rattling through robust, enjoyable nonsense like the multi-part epic "When The Wild Wind Blows." [Nov 2010, p.93]
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  7. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Now they've reinforced their position as the credible elder statesmen of metal, with a tightly focused, self-referential effort.
  8. BBC Music
    90
    There are more ideas here than many bands manage in their entire career, but in inimitable Maiden style, it's woven together beautifully.
  9. AllMusic
    70
    The Final Frontier still brings Iron Maiden closer to their aesthetic legacy and triumphant year 2000 rebirth than its two predecessors.
  10. Sputnikmusic
    70
    The Final Frontier is the kind of record that takes several listens to truly appreciate, but it's definitely worth it.
  11. The Guardian
    60
    The Final Frontier becomes less an exercise in experimentation than old-fashioned endurance, and the hushed-intro-bombastic-chorus dynamic begins to grate a little.
  12. Billboard.com
    74
    The delicately crafted "Coming Home" is Maiden's most effective power ballad ever, while "The Man Who Would Be King" delivers a slice of medieval mayhem. And the jam section during the cut "Isle of Avalon" suggests a metal take on the Grateful Dead. With all that, The Final Frontier boldly goes where few metal bands have gone before.
  13. PopMatters
    80
    Iron Maiden has put together the best late-career run metal has ever seen, and the only thing we can hope is that it lasts for at least one more album.
  14. Q Magazine
    60
    Steel-plated national treasures hit the epic button. [Sept. 2010, p. 117]
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  15. Rock Sound
    80
    The Final Frontier might sound alien at first, but Iron Maiden's DNA is splashed all over it.
  16. Austin Chronicle
    67
    Nearly 77 minutes, The Final Frontier calls for a harsher edit and, of course, Maiden's early punk tenacity.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Most Discussed Album of 2010

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 103
  3. Negative: 3 out of 103
  1. dbone
    Aug 22, 2010
    10
    Brilliant comes to mind.
    Listen to it a few times in its entirety, its honestly too big to digest in one listen, you may ask yourself along    Brilliant comes to mind.
    Listen to it a few times in its entirety, its honestly too big to digest in one listen, you may ask yourself along the way if they can do this or that the way they did and then you will come back to it again latter and say yes, yes they can and then you smile as it just keeps getting better and better.    … Full Review »
  2. MattMcpherson
    Sep 12, 2010
    10
    This album is absolutely amazing. I've been a Maiden fan for years and I have never been more excited about hearing an album of theirs ever,This album is absolutely amazing. I've been a Maiden fan for years and I have never been more excited about hearing an album of theirs ever, and the way it starts is awesome, as soon as you hear it you know that this is going to be an epic album and it doesn't disappoint. I advise everyone to listen to this album start to finish many times so that they can fully appreciate what a truly awesome album it is. Also the cover art is awesome. Cant wait to see them live next year because the only thing better than Maiden on cd is Maiden Live… Full Review »
  3. Dog-owar
    Mar 25, 2012
    10
    Can't stop listening to this album! Its something a little different from most maiden albums, but still great, i especially like "when theCan't stop listening to this album! Its something a little different from most maiden albums, but still great, i especially like "when the wild wind blows" and "mother of mercy".… Full Review »
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