I absolutely love your respect to Iron Maiden and refusing to critique them, rather choosing to admire and analyze what they do. You are a legend, sir!
I'm not a musician, I just like the songs. So a lot of this went over my head but I now realise there's so much more to making music than I could ever imagine! Stratego is my favourite from the new album.
I'm not even a guitar player. I'm a bass player. But you have the best Iron Maiden channel out there. Bruce's voice on this song is so powerful that I thought this was a song they recorded back in 1982... I thought the song was about Tokygawa Ieyasu. The helmet bears a certain ressemblance to the one he sports on several Ukiyo-e woodblock printings....
Oooh good one! Tokugawa Ieyasu makes sense too... First Shogun... that would probably make even more sense than a Daimyo. I guess we'll find out more eventually! Glad to hear you're enjoying the channel, man! Super appreciated!
Thank you for watching and I'm really happy to hear it's informative! And yeah, I have to be honest, right? There are times when I'm exactly sure about what and how they're playing but a new song I've only heard via streaming and never seen them perform is definitely not one of those times 😃 And also because I am not them so I can never replicate their sound exactly... not for lack of trying!! 😆
Dear Nico, Your disclaimer is so spot on. Congratulations for summarizing a tonne of truth in few lines. Iron maiden is an artistic experience similar to the great composers of the past, where in good and no so good moments have tried to honestly deliver what’s in their spirit along the different moments of their life. Always challenging themeselves for the best. Up the Irons!
I'm new here on this channel, but as a Maiden fan since 40 y (and a really (not that) bad guitarist) I feel that I now have found a good place to spend some time now and then. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Welcome to the channel and I'm really glad you found me! I hope these videos will be helpful in your musical journey and provide some entertaining moments as well. Cheers! 😃
That was the perfect disclaimer, Nico. It adds a whole load of respect to the piece we're listening and reminds us of how fortunate we are that this band has remained active for almost 50 years!!! I'm a big fan of these kind of videos, thanks man!
To me is a great song, and a great explanation and analysis... The verse's chords remind to my favorite song: "caught somewhere in time". The drum kick is awesome! It looks like a double pedal! Great! Ciao Nicko, grandissimo!
Thank YOU for watching and for your feedback!! It's always good to know whether I'm on track or need to tweak some things to make it more helpful or interesting 🙂
Dude perfect as always. I'd like to notice something that many players didn't get from one part of the song. Stratego has a new type of gallop for Iron Maiden. At pre chorus of the song (on 5:23 on your video) the gallop goes like : ta-tatata tata- tatatatata tatata-tatata tata-tatatatata(really pro example right??? 😂😂) . It's a bit thrashy gallop for Iron Maiden ,which is ultra cool and definitely someone (at least Dave Murray) does it, because I hear it clearly from my left earplug. Give me feedback if you notice it too. I really love your work man, and also congratulations for paying respect to the best heavy metal band by choosing not to criticize them at all. Keep going dude
Thank you as always! Yes absolutely I do hear it on the left side while the right side is a standard gallop. It's one of the things I discuss briefly in my Gallop tutorial video actually :)
Well done! This song is very complicated in its composure, there is a lot going on here. This reinforces the sheer brilliance of Janick Gers. He gets a lot of flak for his on stage antics but he is an epic guitar virtuoso 👍😎
Imagine enjoying your job and having fun and people give you flak for it. And how many of those people will still have the energy to do all that for 2 hours a night in their 60s…
Many thanks for this enlightenment man! It is always informative and inspiring to watch you break down these Maiden songs. The viewer is never lost with your words and imagery - outstanding bro! \m/
Thank you so much for this detailed analysis! Being Japanese, I'm really fascinated by the whole feudal Japan vibe in Senjutsu and Stratego, not to mention the amazing cover art. By the way, your pronunciation of Japanese words is great! As a matter of fact, I probably butcher those words more when I use them in English.
Thank you! I am also very fascinated by feudal Japan... I love jidai geki and taiga dramas (I actually want to watch Furin Kazan again... the one from almost 15 years ago about Yamamoto Kansuke). Fun fact: I bought the katakana in this video's thumbnail image in Noda-shi. 😊 Can't wait to see what the Senjutsu stage will look like!!
Ive been an Iron Maiden fan since seventh son and I have to say that this song along with “The Writing On The Wall” are quickly my two favorites. I totally agree Nicos galloping drum beat is the best I’ve heard. The chromatic rhythm is top notch and & Janeks solo (which I finally learned) is amazing. If the rest of the album is this good it could be their best yet. You’re amazing bro. I have been playing guitar since 1991 and I am not as good as you but I manage to get by.
I tought I heard some Powerslave vibes in there... Am I wrong? Btw, the music theory lesson, the historic details, your philosophy of analysis and respect to the work of such an important band ... 100 reasons to subscrive and follow your contents. Great job man!!! 💪🏻
Another great analysis! Thanks a lot! And I did really appreciate your little disclaimer and your absolute respect for this legendary band. Those two new Maiden songs are definitely top material, and your videos help us understand that really clearly. I can't wait to hear the whole album on CD. Eight days left! Up the irons!
Best Iron Maiden channel by a country mile. wow, excellent breakdown Nico. I made myself a good Cuppa tea as us English do & watched the video (don't think I even blinked). Got the feeling the Album is going to be superb.
Knowing that I'm what someone watches while having tea makes my day and even my whole week!!! Thank you very very much!!! And I can wait for the album either 🤘🤘
This channel is phenomenal, just the kind of musical breakdown/analysis I’ve always been seeking for my favorite band. Please keep up the good work! I hope you can post similar videos for all the new songs!
This gave me strong matter of life and death vibes. And I love what you said in the beginning brother. The people who have hated on the new tracks were looking for shit to complain about before they even heard them.
Thanks, that was great! Terrific insights. For a song that's not one of their more guitar-oriented ones, they're sure doing a lot! 😊🎸 I like what you said about not critiquing Maiden. And what you said about the band lasting more than 40 years reminds me of something I've been thinking about lately. They make me feel better about getting older. Whenever I think, oh my God, I'm 48, I'm so old, I remind myself that when I was a little kid, our guys were grown and already making great music. And they still are! My favorite part: 11:46 in this video. Sick! The whole thing is awesome. TWOTW is just as awesome, but in a different way. Oh my God, less than 10 days now!
I feel very much the same way! When I see guys like them still being so passionate and productive, releasing songs that are getting both old school fans and new young fans so excited is very encouraging both as a musician and as a fan who enjoys music. That breakdown part is so mean sounding, isn't it?? That is going to kill live!!! And thank you! I really appreciate your encouragement very much 😊🤘
Hey Nicko im loving these vids! Maiden inspired me to pick up the guitar and bass a long time ago. Only recently, did i start dipping my toes in to the theory side of it and these analysis are super insightful. Thank you for your awesome vids!
Great video as usual. Agree 100% on the production I love the sound and amazing job to capture all the parts going on with such clarity. In some ways, I think the producer wanted to capture everything the guys were doing in a way where you can hear it all clearly, like a painstaking catalogue of their genius for all to enjoy.
Thanks for the video and analysis. Great job as always! Am I the only one who is reminded of Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger and These Colours Don't Run?
Thank you so much!! I have seen a few comments on here about don't look... I noticed it right away and I didn't want to mention it because I didn't want people focusing on that. Also because once you hear it, you can't unhear it 😆
Hey, Nico!! I was looking forward to your analysis of Stratego. As I told you on your analysis of TWOTW, I'm not a guitar player, so I don't really fully understand scales and progressions. However, seeing your explanations do make me appreciate the songs even more. I don't know whether you've already considered this, but please, PLEASE, do this with every track on Senjutsu when it's released and whenever you have the chance. I know it's hard work, but I can tell you love what you do and it won't feel hard at all. Best regards from Caracas!!
Well thank you very much! I do try to keep that balance between talking about more theoretical things, technique and the songwriting aspect as well as how things feel as a simple listener - which I enjoy being when I turn off my brain and just enjoy the song. Glad it's coming across that way!! I don't know about the whole album but I'll definitely do more once Senjutsu is out 😃🤘
Agreed. Compression, on the vast majority of streaming platforms, does alter the audio quality a great deal. CD and vinyl, on the other hand, should do justice to this magnificent recording.
I feel so appreciative to be getting this new album from my favorite band. I’m just glad that they are still producing music, amazing. I love this song, it’s been in my head ever since I first heard it and now I’m playing it pretty much every chance I get. It really captures my imagination and has awesome ambiance. Janick and Steve a great writing combination, they have a lot of excellent songs together. Janick is a legend, and absolutely essential to the Maiden experience (imo).
Ciao Nico,ti seguo su tutti i canali e cerco di imparare da te..ho iniziato da poco ma la passione per gli iron è tanta..perfetto e davvero belle queste spiegazioni! Che dire..ti vorrei come vicino di casa !! Grazie e continua così, avrai sempre il mio supporto!
Excellent video and analysis! For me, I love this song, I think it is fantastic, but I’m a bit biased as well because I am a huge Iron Maiden fan and I’ve also read the book Shogun several times 🤘 Great job Nico!
This was very informative. As someone who doesn't understand a thing about playing guitar or music in general, I'd be very interested in seeing similar videos breaking down the different parts the three guitars are playing.
Thank you for posting all these wonderful videos. Lifelong maiden fan here as well, and have played guitar as long as you have. Just wanted to say the intro theme is giving me a “caught somewhere in time” feel… (not the worst one to be compared with. ;)
Yeah I totally understand why... and it's definitely not the worst one to be compared with (for me, that's the opener to my favourite album) :) Thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement!
Bruce’s voice is phenomenal on this! Are both Janick and Dave playing the melody that outlines the verses (what you’re playing at 4:38)? Your favorite part of Janick’s solo is also mine. I also love that part right after the solo. I’ve been listening to Stratego on Apple Music, and it sounds great, IMO. I’m both curious and excited to hear how it sounds on CD. Thanks for the video!
It really is, isn't it?? So much power and intensity in his delivery! It sounds like one guitar is playing the melody, another is doing the moving root/third chords and the third one is playing a gallop with just an open E and the C chord accent. There is nothing like that first listen with the CD or vinyl, looking at the sleeve, lyrics, credits and images as you discover the album for the first time! Can't wait 🤘🤘
@@LicksOfTheBeast The melody at 4:38 sounds like one guitar to me, too, but I couldn’t figure out if it’s Dave or Janick. It sounds like Dave, but Janick co-wrote the song, so it made me wonder. Thanks for explaining the 3 parts that are going on. I was so happy to hear the gallop! 😃
@@SomewhereInTheMaidenverse I’m sure it’s Janick, especially as he co-wrote it, that would have been how he got the vocal melody across to Steve (and ultimately to Bruce) because, to my knowledge, he doesn’t sing at all. Kind of like how Steve writes guitar melodies on his bass, he doesn’t really play guitar himself so has to portray it to the others through his own method.
Love your videos more and more Nicko! They are up to the point, make exploring music theory concepts and analyzing songs very interesting and of course are about my favorite band! Ohh and by the way - 30 years with a guitar! No wonder you can play every part of any of their songs :D. This is even more proof that you need to talk more about your Iron Maiden related guitar journey! Well done and thanks for the video!
Always greatly appreciated. Thank you!! And yeah I've been plucking away for maybe 32 years now... A guitar journey video will definitely come! Cheers 🤜🤛
@@LicksOfTheBeast it would be nice to see you do a series of Maiden tones episodes. One per each album. That would be epic!! What equipment do you play through when you do these videos? Amp? Modelers?Plugins?
Another great breakdown! I think this album has some of Janik’s best offerings to date. I hope you do a break down of The Time Machine. That is just a brilliant song!
I have been thinking of adding that as well sometimes. Of course I'll never be able PLAY this stuff like Steve (or anywhere close for that matter as I'm not a bassist) but still I agree it could be interesting for sure!
Hi Nicko! Two questions: 1) I have seen a guitar lesson about Stratego. In this lesson on the verse the guitarist played a pinch harmonics whereas you play the legato, how have you figured it out? B) Have you figured out about the 2nd minor interval on the bridge? (At 2:12 of the song) As always, great job. Finally there is someone who is analyzing one of the best metal band ever!
It sounds like he is alternating between a trill and an intense vibrato on one note. Hard to tell from the low quality streaming audio. For the minor 2nd, I talk about this at 9:29 :)
They know exactly what they are doing. I felt that this song has something to do with the Shadow of the Valley from Book of Souls that btw was also written by Harris/Gers
This is great. One thing I have noticed in all your videos is your awesome tone. Would you be up to showing us some Bias FXII settings as they are great!
Glad other people are picking up on the Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger similarity. My first thought on my first listen was that the song had a VXI vibe to it. Then the second time I heard it I noticed that melody. I sat down with my guitar unplugged the other night and literally learned the first half of this song by ear in about 10/15 mins. It's not exactly complex but there's a lot of color and texture going on here and I think that's a really accurate representation on where the band stands on the whole today. Not that they don't still write complex songs, but, I think there's a lot more focus these days on layering, atmosphere, tension and color and texture than complexity, speed and performance. That said, I think this is the closest thing to "classic" Maiden for quite a while all while still sounding fresh with them exploring new ideas. I love how direct this track is compared to how sprawling TWOTW is. Great analysis as always man. Haven't tried to learn the solo yet. Still haven't tried to learn a Janick solo yet 🤣
It's also a straightforward single. Icarus, 2 minutes, Can I play with madness and wasted years weren't exactly Dream Theater were they? 🤣 I think overall their music is much more complex now than it ever was in the 80s.
@@LicksOfTheBeast front to back album wise I mean. I think their sound is more refined now is what I'm trying to get at. I do like how they've reigned in the speed a bit these days. I find myself enjoying the nuances of some of their classic material live a lot more now when they perform them than when they did back in the day. I know that was something Adrian was unhappy with when he departed.
Great video, sir !! Clear and straight to the point ! Big respect for explaining why you wont critique Maiden and their songs ,,, I do critique them maybe a bit too much, but that s because I love them and I somtimes expect or wish that they would do things differently.
come sarebbe scritta la parte sincopata nell'outro? Volevo impararla però la vorrei scrivere su guitar pro per rallentarla... E' come una cavalcata però invece di avere il battito ha una pausa? provo a scriverlo ottavo sedicesimo sedicesimo pausadaottavo ottavo sedicesimo sedicesimo... e si ripete così ?
Great song and analysis! Don't you think the part outlining the vocal melody in the verse sounds a little bit like the chorus of Angry Again by Megadeth? Cheers
You got the intro chords wrong, the second chord moves the 5th in the power chord to a dim 5 or aug 4 or whatever its called, a tritone, and you've misheard Daves part on the verse as well!
Are you sure that the intro and outro octave melody is played by two guitars? I thought that only Janick plays it, while Adrian and Dave are hitting power chords. Also I think that during the verse, the riff starts from F# third chord and goes into G third chord, not the other way around. Nevertheless, we will see when they play it live :D
I figure it makes sense that it's two guitars playing the octave riff because usually when they have a part like this (like in greater good for God for example) Dave will play chords and the other two will play the more melodic riff so that it doesn't get buried underneath two layers of power chords. But whether or not that is how it was recorded or that is how they'll do it live, I have no idea. It's possible that on the recording, Dave and Adrian played power chords and Janick played the octave riff either double tracked or just positioned louder in the mix (or both). As for the diads during the verse, I wasn't entirely sure at the time (that's why I said "something like this") but after having listened to it many times from the CD since then, I'm pretty sure it is in fact F# to G.
Regarding musical ideas, I only didn't like the guitar melody following the vocals as in the first part of the lyrics. And the mixing was not as good as Writing on the Wall. Bruce's voice sound muffled in the background. It didn't do justice to the synth keyboard too. As far as the rest, great song!
As I mentioned at the end of the video, you really can't judge a mix by streaming audio. Especially not for this kind of music... Wait until the CD comes out and I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot more. Kevin Shirley will never replace Martin Birch but he's definitely no slouch! :)
@@LicksOfTheBeast it's been ups and downs with Kevin "demo tape" Shirley since Final Frontier for me. Even within the same album, some songs sound great, others we have to hope for a live version to have a better impact. Ironically, I think "En Vivo!" sounds way better than all last releases both live and in studio, even on streaming. I just don't understand how the same guys (Kevin and Steve) can do works that sound different in quality (I mean, Brave New World and live in Rock In Rio are one of the best Maiden albums in terms of quality of sound). Yet I still consider "Empire of the Clouds" Maiden's masterpiece and everyone did a good job there, including Kevin, all the instruments and Bruce's voice are delightful to listen to in that one. I just hope everything sounds right this time. 😉
Maybe we are the first Spiritist band of PopMetal Rock. Check out our sound and lyrics. But don't pay much attention to the rustic English, hahahaha 😁😁😀
Stratego has some nice riffs in it, but when they have choosen to record it with click track it would be more powerfull. The guiitars sounds better like on TBOS, but they are not as tight as on the 80ies albums, because they recored Stratego 'live' in the studio. Also I don't like the vocal meoldy played by janick, because a guitar and a vocal can't never in the exact same tune and it sounds sometimes a little bit like dissonance. Stratego would be a killer track if it was better produced.
Well, saying it's ridiculous to be critical of Maidens music due to them being so experienced and amazing musicians, I see as kinda like you're worshipping them as Gods. Nothing they do are bad or can't turn out weak. I'm a huge fan myself and I know you are Sir, but I think the most important thing we can do is to be critical of their music. Luca Turilli once said that we shouldn't take his music for what we wanted it to be, but rather what it actually is. He's got a good point there, but if you have build up a name for yourself you know that people are going to expect certain things of your music. That is not to say that you should always do what the fans want of course, as a musician you should always do the stuff you want. However, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think we should sit blindley and just accept everything Maiden puts out just because it's Maiden. We should be allowed to dislike or be critical of the music, that's how we all evolve. For example I do not share your view on The Writing on the Wall as I was extremely disappointed by it and just don't like that style of music, but that's perfectly fine for both of us to disagree there :) But we shouldn't forget to celebrate and enjoy the good stuff either, because there certainly are a lot of good stuff with Maiden. Stratego is one of them!
![[UNCUT] เก็บ "สจ.โต้ง" เอี่ยวมาเฟีย รู้ตัวคนบงการ ก่อนสั่งลั่นไก I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 13 ธ.ค.67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o-J_p62D40w/mqdefault.jpg)
I absolutely love your respect to Iron Maiden and refusing to critique them, rather choosing to admire and analyze what they do.
You are a legend, sir!
Thank you!! Massively appreciate your support, man!!!
I'm not a musician, I just like the songs. So a lot of this went over my head but I now realise there's so much more to making music than I could ever imagine! Stratego is my favourite from the new album.
The respect, maturity and humility of this more than awsome guitar player and fan here is a life lesson
I'm not even a guitar player. I'm a bass player. But you have the best Iron Maiden channel out there. Bruce's voice on this song is so powerful that I thought this was a song they recorded back in 1982... I thought the song was about Tokygawa Ieyasu. The helmet bears a certain ressemblance to the one he sports on several Ukiyo-e woodblock printings....
Oooh good one! Tokugawa Ieyasu makes sense too... First Shogun... that would probably make even more sense than a Daimyo. I guess we'll find out more eventually!
Glad to hear you're enjoying the channel, man! Super appreciated!
I love this song, it’s like a perfect blend of old and new.
Thank you again for this lesson! I learn a lot this way. I like the way you say “it goes something like this”, very modest.
Thank you for watching and I'm really happy to hear it's informative!
And yeah, I have to be honest, right? There are times when I'm exactly sure about what and how they're playing but a new song I've only heard via streaming and never seen them perform is definitely not one of those times 😃
And also because I am not them so I can never replicate their sound exactly... not for lack of trying!! 😆
The guitars at 6:40 are so "don't look to the eyes of a stranger"! You're the best at this man, keep it up!
And right after that sounds like "The Man Who Would Be King"
I purposely didn't say that because I know that once you hear it you can't unhear it ROFL
Found new appreciation for the song after this video.
That makes me super happy! :)
Dear Nico,
Your disclaimer is so spot on. Congratulations for summarizing a tonne of truth in few lines. Iron maiden is an artistic experience similar to the great composers of the past, where in good and no so good moments have tried to honestly deliver what’s in their spirit along the different moments of their life. Always challenging themeselves for the best.
Up the Irons!
Thank you VERY much for those encouraging words. It's hugely appreciated 🙏🙏
Wow... you are amazing... Maestro! Without a doubt very clear and precise explanation 👌
Thank you so much!
I'm new here on this channel, but as a Maiden fan since 40 y (and a really (not that) bad guitarist) I feel that I now have found a good place to spend some time now and then. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Welcome to the channel and I'm really glad you found me! I hope these videos will be helpful in your musical journey and provide some entertaining moments as well. Cheers! 😃
That was the perfect disclaimer, Nico. It adds a whole load of respect to the piece we're listening and reminds us of how fortunate we are that this band has remained active for almost 50 years!!! I'm a big fan of these kind of videos, thanks man!
To me is a great song, and a great explanation and analysis... The verse's chords remind to my favorite song: "caught somewhere in time". The drum kick is awesome! It looks like a double pedal! Great! Ciao Nicko, grandissimo!
Thank you very much for the video! Very instructive for an intermediate guitar player and great to see the guitar parts of the song
Keep on going
Thank YOU for watching and for your feedback!! It's always good to know whether I'm on track or need to tweak some things to make it more helpful or interesting 🙂
6:40, don't look to the eyes of a stranger, from virtual XI
Yuuuupppp! 😆
Great video and great channel. cheers.
This is gold for me. I'm a maiden fan and play guitar as well
Thank you!
Dude perfect as always. I'd like to notice something that many players didn't get from one part of the song. Stratego has a new type of gallop for Iron Maiden. At pre chorus of the song (on 5:23 on your video) the gallop goes like : ta-tatata tata- tatatatata tatata-tatata tata-tatatatata(really pro example right??? 😂😂) . It's a bit thrashy gallop for Iron Maiden ,which is ultra cool and definitely someone (at least Dave Murray) does it, because I hear it clearly from my left earplug. Give me feedback if you notice it too. I really love your work man, and also congratulations for paying respect to the best heavy metal band by choosing not to criticize them at all. Keep going dude
Thank you as always!
Yes absolutely I do hear it on the left side while the right side is a standard gallop. It's one of the things I discuss briefly in my Gallop tutorial video actually :)
Well done! This song is very complicated in its composure, there is a lot going on here. This reinforces the sheer brilliance of Janick Gers. He gets a lot of flak for his on stage antics but he is an epic guitar virtuoso 👍😎
Imagine enjoying your job and having fun and people give you flak for it. And how many of those people will still have the energy to do all that for 2 hours a night in their 60s…
Many thanks for this enlightenment man! It is always informative and inspiring to watch you break down these Maiden songs. The viewer is never lost with your words and imagery - outstanding bro! \m/
Thank you so much for always being so supportive and encouraging. I appreciate it so much!
And I am really glad you found this video interesting 😊
Thank you so much for this detailed analysis! Being Japanese, I'm really fascinated by the whole feudal Japan vibe in Senjutsu and Stratego, not to mention the amazing cover art.
By the way, your pronunciation of Japanese words is great! As a matter of fact, I probably butcher those words more when I use them in English.
Thank you! I am also very fascinated by feudal Japan... I love jidai geki and taiga dramas (I actually want to watch Furin Kazan again... the one from almost 15 years ago about Yamamoto Kansuke). Fun fact: I bought the katakana in this video's thumbnail image in Noda-shi. 😊
Can't wait to see what the Senjutsu stage will look like!!
Ive been an Iron Maiden fan since seventh son and I have to say that this song along with “The Writing On The Wall” are quickly my two favorites. I totally agree Nicos galloping drum beat is the best I’ve heard. The chromatic rhythm is top notch and & Janeks solo (which I finally learned) is amazing. If the rest of the album is this good it could be their best yet. You’re amazing bro. I have been playing guitar since 1991 and I am not as good as you but I manage to get by.
We have a similar background and appreciation for these tunes it seems... Cheers! :)
We sure do blood brother. I really look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.
Cheers mate.
@@trevorwhittemore8036 🤜🤛
I tought I heard some Powerslave vibes in there... Am I wrong? Btw, the music theory lesson, the historic details, your philosophy of analysis and respect to the work of such an important band ... 100 reasons to subscrive and follow your contents. Great job man!!! 💪🏻
I just discovered your channel, and man, I am glad I have found it! Great stuff, nice job 🤘🏻🎸
Thank you so much man!! Really glad you found me 😊
Another great analysis! Thanks a lot! And I did really appreciate your little disclaimer and your absolute respect for this legendary band. Those two new Maiden songs are definitely top material, and your videos help us understand that really clearly. I can't wait to hear the whole album on CD. Eight days left! Up the irons!
Thank you!And I am glad my little disclaimer was received in the positive spirit it was intended 😃🤘
Epic review and analysis mate, really dig this 🙂🤘🔥 Easpeically with the Phrygian dominant breakdown, it really is an interesting and firing song !
Glad you enjoyed it!! I am trying to find a balance between making it interesting for guitarists without making it a snooze fest for everyone else :-D
Impressively researched for this type of video, excellent job!
Great video! Great channel!
I agree 100%!!! Great video, great demonstration, great song.
As expected, you definitely showed me some bits I hadn't picked up... Great analysis as usual!
Thank you! There is also a ton of stuff I left off because the video was getting a bit long as it was :)
I love your passion for Iron Maiden
Best Iron Maiden channel by a country mile. wow, excellent breakdown Nico. I made myself a good Cuppa tea as us English do & watched the video (don't think I even blinked). Got the feeling the Album is going to be superb.
Knowing that I'm what someone watches while having tea makes my day and even my whole week!!! Thank you very very much!!! And I can wait for the album either 🤘🤘
This channel is phenomenal, just the kind of musical breakdown/analysis I’ve always been seeking for my favorite band. Please keep up the good work! I hope you can post similar videos for all the new songs!
I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. Thank you!!
@@LicksOfTheBeast very welcome! It sounds like it will be a tall order to analyze some of these monster tracks but it’s really exciting.
This gave me strong matter of life and death vibes. And I love what you said in the beginning brother. The people who have hated on the new tracks were looking for shit to complain about before they even heard them.
Thanks, that was great! Terrific insights. For a song that's not one of their more guitar-oriented ones, they're sure doing a lot! 😊🎸
I like what you said about not critiquing Maiden. And what you said about the band lasting more than 40 years reminds me of something I've been thinking about lately. They make me feel better about getting older. Whenever I think, oh my God, I'm 48, I'm so old, I remind myself that when I was a little kid, our guys were grown and already making great music. And they still are!
My favorite part: 11:46 in this video. Sick!
The whole thing is awesome. TWOTW is just as awesome, but in a different way.
Oh my God, less than 10 days now!
I feel very much the same way! When I see guys like them still being so passionate and productive, releasing songs that are getting both old school fans and new young fans so excited is very encouraging both as a musician and as a fan who enjoys music.
That breakdown part is so mean sounding, isn't it?? That is going to kill live!!!
And thank you! I really appreciate your encouragement very much 😊🤘
Great breakdown of a great song. Thanks again...
Hey Nicko im loving these vids! Maiden inspired me to pick up the guitar and bass a long time ago. Only recently, did i start dipping my toes in to the theory side of it and these analysis are super insightful. Thank you for your awesome vids!
I am so glad to hear this! Thank you!!! A little theoretical knowledge can definitely help enhance one's appreciation for the music :)
Absolutely brilliant video! Thank you! Up the Irons! 🤘
What can I say...You are amazing. Great analysis
Infinite thanks!!!
Droped a like even before watching it! Cheers
Much appreciated!!!
Good explanation in the beginning. I'm coming around to giving this album another fair listen.
Man, your mindset is just amazing!! As is your great video!!
Always massively appreciated my friend! Thank you!
Great point you made on your disclaimer. Excellent stuff on this channel.
Yes, the disclaimer is awesome!
Thank you! I'm happy it was well received as I did mean it in the most positive way 😃
Great video as usual. Agree 100% on the production I love the sound and amazing job to capture all the parts going on with such clarity. In some ways, I think the producer wanted to capture everything the guys were doing in a way where you can hear it all clearly, like a painstaking catalogue of their genius for all to enjoy.
Interesting as always! Great take on a great track! Cheers from 🇸🇪
Tusen tack!! Much appreciated 🤜🤛
You nailed it again man! Great dissection as usual. Up the Irons!
Cheers brother!! 🤜🤛
Brilliant!
Thanks for the video and analysis. Great job as always! Am I the only one who is reminded of Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger and These Colours Don't Run?
Thank you so much!!
I have seen a few comments on here about don't look... I noticed it right away and I didn't want to mention it because I didn't want people focusing on that. Also because once you hear it, you can't unhear it 😆
@@LicksOfTheBeast Oops :)) Sorry for mentioning then :))
@@FatemeKhodayari hahaha well the comment section is out of my hands so it's all good in here 😆
Excellent explanation and tutorial! - As always, of course :)
1000 thanks!!! 🙏
Hey, Nico!! I was looking forward to your analysis of Stratego. As I told you on your analysis of TWOTW, I'm not a guitar player, so I don't really fully understand scales and progressions. However, seeing your explanations do make me appreciate the songs even more. I don't know whether you've already considered this, but please, PLEASE, do this with every track on Senjutsu when it's released and whenever you have the chance. I know it's hard work, but I can tell you love what you do and it won't feel hard at all. Best regards from Caracas!!
Well thank you very much! I do try to keep that balance between talking about more theoretical things, technique and the songwriting aspect as well as how things feel as a simple listener - which I enjoy being when I turn off my brain and just enjoy the song. Glad it's coming across that way!! I don't know about the whole album but I'll definitely do more once Senjutsu is out 😃🤘
Dude you are awesome! 🤘
Amazing song and Bruce is phenomenal 🤘
Much much much appreciated my man! Thank you 🤜🤛
Love your videos man. You express yourself so clear! And in this one, great wisdom on the disclaimer. Up the irons!
1000 heartfelt thanks!
Agreed. Compression, on the vast majority of streaming platforms, does alter the audio quality a great deal. CD and vinyl, on the other hand, should do justice to this magnificent recording.
Less than a week to go now!!!
What an excellent, intelligent and helpful analysis. Thank you!
Much much appreciated. Thanks!!
I feel so appreciative to be getting this new album from my favorite band. I’m just glad that they are still producing music, amazing. I love this song, it’s been in my head ever since I first heard it and now I’m playing it pretty much every chance I get. It really captures my imagination and has awesome ambiance. Janick and Steve a great writing combination, they have a lot of excellent songs together. Janick is a legend, and absolutely essential to the Maiden experience (imo).
I absolutely agree with you 1000%!
Ciao Nico,ti seguo su tutti i canali e cerco di imparare da te..ho iniziato da poco ma la passione per gli iron è tanta..perfetto e davvero belle queste spiegazioni! Che dire..ti vorrei come vicino di casa !!
Grazie e continua così, avrai sempre il mio supporto!
Grazie davvero tante per queste gentilissime parole!! Mi fa molto piacere sapere che questi video possano essere di aiuto. Salutoni!
Great job, Nico. Your breakdown really helped sell me on this song! Nice choice to use a beefy SG for the playthrough.
Glad I could provide some insight 😃
And yeah the SG is just a nice blend of beefy tone and enough presence to cut through a mix nicely.
great content, great videos, keep it up! Iron Maiden is such an incredible band, i enjoy hearing about them from people who know about music
Excellent video and analysis! For me, I love this song, I think it is fantastic, but I’m a bit biased as well because I am a huge Iron Maiden fan and I’ve also read the book Shogun several times 🤘
Great job Nico!
Shogun! You know I hadn't even thought about that? :-D
This was very informative. As someone who doesn't understand a thing about playing guitar or music in general, I'd be very interested in seeing similar videos breaking down the different parts the three guitars are playing.
That's awesome to hear! I will definitely do more 😊
Once again, nice video Nico!!
Great job 👍
Stratego sounds like an unreleased track from ‘Somewhere in Time’ or ‘Seventh Son’ it’s fantastic.
Thank you for posting all these wonderful videos. Lifelong maiden fan here as well, and have played guitar as long as you have.
Just wanted to say the intro theme is giving me a “caught somewhere in time” feel… (not the worst one to be compared with. ;)
Yeah I totally understand why... and it's definitely not the worst one to be compared with (for me, that's the opener to my favourite album) :)
Thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement!
I had the same experiance with the look at my eyes.... Line. Reminds me of the powerfull vocals produced on the song seventh son of a seventh son.
Bruce’s voice is phenomenal on this!
Are both Janick and Dave playing the melody that outlines the verses (what you’re playing at 4:38)?
Your favorite part of Janick’s solo is also mine. I also love that part right after the solo.
I’ve been listening to Stratego on Apple Music, and it sounds great, IMO. I’m both curious and excited to hear how it sounds on CD.
Thanks for the video!
It really is, isn't it?? So much power and intensity in his delivery!
It sounds like one guitar is playing the melody, another is doing the moving root/third chords and the third one is playing a gallop with just an open E and the C chord accent.
There is nothing like that first listen with the CD or vinyl, looking at the sleeve, lyrics, credits and images as you discover the album for the first time! Can't wait 🤘🤘
@@LicksOfTheBeast
The melody at 4:38 sounds like one guitar to me, too, but I couldn’t figure out if it’s Dave or Janick. It sounds like Dave, but Janick co-wrote the song, so it made me wonder. Thanks for explaining the 3 parts that are going on. I was so happy to hear the gallop! 😃
@@SomewhereInTheMaidenverse I’m sure it’s Janick, especially as he co-wrote it, that would have been how he got the vocal melody across to Steve (and ultimately to Bruce) because, to my knowledge, he doesn’t sing at all. Kind of like how Steve writes guitar melodies on his bass, he doesn’t really play guitar himself so has to portray it to the others through his own method.
After watching this video I appreciate more this song. Thnks!
That makes me very happy! 🙂
i really like your speech. I learn a lot on your channel, thank you
Love your videos more and more Nicko! They are up to the point, make exploring music theory concepts and analyzing songs very interesting and of course are about my favorite band! Ohh and by the way - 30 years with a guitar! No wonder you can play every part of any of their songs :D. This is even more proof that you need to talk more about your Iron Maiden related guitar journey! Well done and thanks for the video!
Always greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
And yeah I've been plucking away for maybe 32 years now... A guitar journey video will definitely come! Cheers 🤜🤛
Loved it. Gonna plug my Helix now and learn it.
It's a fun one to play - enjoy!!!
@@LicksOfTheBeast it would be nice to see you do a series of Maiden tones episodes. One per each album. That would be epic!! What equipment do you play through when you do these videos? Amp? Modelers?Plugins?
Another great breakdown! I think this album has some of Janik’s best offerings to date. I hope you do a break down of The Time Machine. That is just a brilliant song!
I think Janick really shines on the album!
This is a perfect explanation of the song, I wish you could make an explanation for the bass parts as well.
I have been thinking of adding that as well sometimes. Of course I'll never be able PLAY this stuff like Steve (or anywhere close for that matter as I'm not a bassist) but still I agree it could be interesting for sure!
Hi Nicko! Two questions:
1) I have seen a guitar lesson about Stratego. In this lesson on the verse the guitarist played a pinch harmonics whereas you play the legato, how have you figured it out?
B) Have you figured out about the 2nd minor interval on the bridge? (At 2:12 of the song)
As always, great job. Finally there is someone who is analyzing one of the best metal band ever!
It sounds like he is alternating between a trill and an intense vibrato on one note. Hard to tell from the low quality streaming audio.
For the minor 2nd, I talk about this at 9:29 :)
@@LicksOfTheBeast Don't know how I missed that part 😂
About the first point, maybe we'll figure it out listening to it on CD.
Cheers!
They know exactly what they are doing. I felt that this song has something to do with the Shadow of the Valley from Book of Souls that btw was also written by Harris/Gers
Probably the best reaction/analysis for stratego so far. Maiden are going cinematic indeed. Next James Bond theme maybe? 😊
Maiden doing a James Bond song would be pretty incredible wouldn't it? 😆
Brilliant
Album of the year.. Is only just over a week away now!!
Hai fatto un video bellissimo complimenti!UP THE IRONS!
Grazie tantissime!
Great analysis, I hope you do more off the new album!
You bet!!
This is great. One thing I have noticed in all your videos is your awesome tone. Would you be up to showing us some Bias FXII settings as they are great!
Thank you!! Go under pedalboard and search for Licks Of Beast. You can download my basic settings there 🙂
Glad other people are picking up on the Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger similarity. My first thought on my first listen was that the song had a VXI vibe to it. Then the second time I heard it I noticed that melody. I sat down with my guitar unplugged the other night and literally learned the first half of this song by ear in about 10/15 mins. It's not exactly complex but there's a lot of color and texture going on here and I think that's a really accurate representation on where the band stands on the whole today. Not that they don't still write complex songs, but, I think there's a lot more focus these days on layering, atmosphere, tension and color and texture than complexity, speed and performance. That said, I think this is the closest thing to "classic" Maiden for quite a while all while still sounding fresh with them exploring new ideas. I love how direct this track is compared to how sprawling TWOTW is. Great analysis as always man. Haven't tried to learn the solo yet. Still haven't tried to learn a Janick solo yet 🤣
It's also a straightforward single. Icarus, 2 minutes, Can I play with madness and wasted years weren't exactly Dream Theater were they? 🤣 I think overall their music is much more complex now than it ever was in the 80s.
@@LicksOfTheBeast front to back album wise I mean. I think their sound is more refined now is what I'm trying to get at. I do like how they've reigned in the speed a bit these days. I find myself enjoying the nuances of some of their classic material live a lot more now when they perform them than when they did back in the day. I know that was something Adrian was unhappy with when he departed.
The cd sounds indeed much better for all the songs. For what i hear from just the transferred tracks the vinyl is probably the best sounding version.
Still waiting for my vinyl to be delivered... can't wait for that!
@@LicksOfTheBeast I have two copies of this masterpiece: all black vinyl & the multi-colored vinyl \m/
Great video, sir !! Clear and straight to the point !
Big respect for explaining why you wont critique Maiden and their songs ,,, I do critique them maybe a bit too much, but that s because I love them and I somtimes expect or wish that they would do things differently.
Your the best
come sarebbe scritta la parte sincopata nell'outro? Volevo impararla però la vorrei scrivere su guitar pro per rallentarla... E' come una cavalcata però invece di avere il battito ha una pausa? provo a scriverlo
ottavo sedicesimo sedicesimo pausadaottavo ottavo sedicesimo sedicesimo... e si ripete così
?
6:08 Whats that weird mark on the screen around fret 5 / your thumb?
🤔 that's most likely the backlight hitting the top edge of the cushion
Great song and analysis! Don't you think the part outlining the vocal melody in the verse sounds a little bit like the chorus of Angry Again by Megadeth? Cheers
don't look to, don't look to, don't look to the eyes of the stranger
No i don't!
Senjutsu means tactic and strategy
🤘
You got the intro chords wrong, the second chord moves the 5th in the power chord to a dim 5 or aug 4 or whatever its called, a tritone, and you've misheard Daves part on the verse as well!
Adding to that theres only one guitar playing the intro melody, and two guitars playing chords
Are you sure that the intro and outro octave melody is played by two guitars? I thought that only Janick plays it, while Adrian and Dave are hitting power chords. Also I think that during the verse, the riff starts from F# third chord and goes into G third chord, not the other way around. Nevertheless, we will see when they play it live :D
I figure it makes sense that it's two guitars playing the octave riff because usually when they have a part like this (like in greater good for God for example) Dave will play chords and the other two will play the more melodic riff so that it doesn't get buried underneath two layers of power chords. But whether or not that is how it was recorded or that is how they'll do it live, I have no idea. It's possible that on the recording, Dave and Adrian played power chords and Janick played the octave riff either double tracked or just positioned louder in the mix (or both).
As for the diads during the verse, I wasn't entirely sure at the time (that's why I said "something like this") but after having listened to it many times from the CD since then, I'm pretty sure it is in fact F# to G.
Very cool video, the song intro remains the intro of another great russian band Aria' track called "the executioner" from the "Baptism of fire" album,
Regarding musical ideas, I only didn't like the guitar melody following the vocals as in the first part of the lyrics. And the mixing was not as good as Writing on the Wall. Bruce's voice sound muffled in the background. It didn't do justice to the synth keyboard too.
As far as the rest, great song!
As I mentioned at the end of the video, you really can't judge a mix by streaming audio. Especially not for this kind of music... Wait until the CD comes out and I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot more. Kevin Shirley will never replace Martin Birch but he's definitely no slouch! :)
@@LicksOfTheBeast it's been ups and downs with Kevin "demo tape" Shirley since Final Frontier for me. Even within the same album, some songs sound great, others we have to hope for a live version to have a better impact. Ironically, I think "En Vivo!" sounds way better than all last releases both live and in studio, even on streaming. I just don't understand how the same guys (Kevin and Steve) can do works that sound different in quality (I mean, Brave New World and live in Rock In Rio are one of the best Maiden albums in terms of quality of sound).
Yet I still consider "Empire of the Clouds" Maiden's masterpiece and everyone did a good job there, including Kevin, all the instruments and Bruce's voice are delightful to listen to in that one. I just hope everything sounds right this time. 😉
Maybe we are the first Spiritist band of PopMetal Rock.
Check out our sound and lyrics.
But don't pay much attention to the rustic English, hahahaha 😁😁😀
Nice nose....equal me ....you have a new follower man! Comhrats!
Hahahahahaha I can't believe nobody's mentioned my nose until now 🤣
Cheers man 🤜🤛
And thanks for subscribing!
I think this is a brilliant song that suffers from a muddy production. Maybe it also needs to be a bit faster.
Stratego has some nice riffs in it, but when they have choosen to record it with click track it would be more powerfull. The guiitars sounds better like on TBOS, but they are not as tight as on the 80ies albums, because they recored Stratego 'live' in the studio. Also I don't like the vocal meoldy played by janick, because a guitar and a vocal can't never in the exact same tune and it sounds sometimes a little bit like dissonance. Stratego would be a killer track if it was better produced.
Well, saying it's ridiculous to be critical of Maidens music due to them being so experienced and amazing musicians, I see as kinda like you're worshipping them as Gods. Nothing they do are bad or can't turn out weak.
I'm a huge fan myself and I know you are Sir, but I think the most important thing we can do is to be critical of their music.
Luca Turilli once said that we shouldn't take his music for what we wanted it to be, but rather what it actually is. He's got a good point there, but if you have build up a name for yourself you know that people are going to expect certain things of your music.
That is not to say that you should always do what the fans want of course, as a musician you should always do the stuff you want.
However, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think we should sit blindley and just accept everything Maiden puts out just because it's Maiden. We should be allowed to dislike or be critical of the music, that's how we all evolve. For example I do not share your view on The Writing on the Wall as I was extremely disappointed by it and just don't like that style of music, but that's perfectly fine for both of us to disagree there :)
But we shouldn't forget to celebrate and enjoy the good stuff either, because there certainly are a lot of good stuff with Maiden. Stratego is one of them!
Fkn blabbered on and on .
Who cares ur opinion
Give us the goods
That’s why we’re here 😀😀😎
?