BLAZE BAYLEY
“LIVE IN CZECH”
Album Review by Piers Renfree

10/10

Nearly eleven years ago, my friends and I caught Blaze Bayley touring his then current album “The Man Who Would Not Die”. One of the support acts was a band called Fury UK and we were blown away by them, so much so, that instead of purchasing a copy of Blaze’s album, I picked up their then current three track “Salvation” E.P. (I lacked the funds to purchase both at that moment in time). Fury UK would soon be on indefinite hiatus, as bassist Luke Appleton was recruited by the big guns in Iced Earth and the remaining duo of vocalist/guitarist Chris Appleton & drummer Martin McNee would form a new metal band with the name Absolva, who currently have four studio albums and a live album to their name.

Blaze Bayley is best known to the metal world as the guy who replaced the air-raid siren Bruce Dickinson, in Iron Maiden from 1994-1998, fronting the band for their albums “The X Factor” (1995) and “Virtual XI” (1998), as well as recording the single “Virus”, for the band’s 1996 compilation “Best Of The Beast”. Prior to Maiden, Blaze was the frontman for the Tamworth metal band Wolfsbane (who supported Maiden in 1990 on their UK leg of their “No Prayer For The Dying Tour”).

Since leaving Maiden, Blaze has produced some quality albums, 2000’s “Silicon Messiah” (which is an all-time classic & should be in every metalhead’s music collection). “Tenth Dimension” followed in 2002, “As Live As It Gets” in 2003 and “Blood & Belief” in 2004. To me it felt like Black Sabbath meets “The X Factor” (the Maiden album, not that waste of time, televised Cowell show). 2007 saw Blaze with a new line-up for “Live In Poland” DVD+CD set and then the studio albums “The Man Who Would Not Die” (2008) and “Promise & Terror” (2010). Sadly, this line-up, which just like Blaze’s first solo line-up held so much promise, fell apart. 2012 saw Blaze with some guest musicians for “The King Of Metal” album & 2013 saw Blaze release his “Soundtracks Of My Life” compilation. His band for this tour was non other, than the previously mentioned Absolva and in 2016 this collaboration bore the fruits of the first of a trilogy of concept albums “Infinite Entanglement” (2016), “Endure And Survive” (2017) “The Redemption Of William Black” (2018). 

So, “Live In Czech” is Blaze and the Absolva boys (Chris Appleton on guitar & backing vocals, Karl Schramm on bass & backing vocals and Martin McNee on drums) laying waste to Melodka in Brno, in the Czech Republic, on one of the final shows of the “Eagle Spirit” tour, on which they have been playing mostly songs from their epic concept trilogy. The artwork for the album was done by Akirant Illustrations who have done artwork for Blaze’s old muckers in Iron Maiden, as well as artwork for Star Wars. Produced by Chris Appleton, the sound is crisp & clear, yet keeps the raw feel of a live show. The band tear through the set, barely pausing for breath whilst giving us a fantastic live reproduction of the studio songs. Blaze is the perfect frontman, interacting effortlessly with the crowd. 

Of the eighteen songs, spread over two discs, only four are from Blaze’s Maiden years, “Virus”, “Futureal” the epic, Braveheart inspired “The Clansman” and the Top Of The Pops invading “Man On The Edge”. Two songs are from Blaze’s debut solo album, the title track “Silicon Messiah” and possibly the best song Blaze has ever done, “Stare At The Sun”. “The Day I Fell To Earth” breaks down into a band jam that doesn’t get boring and the other eleven songs are all taken from the “Infinite Entanglement” trilogy. The set-list is second to none and a perfect showcase for the collaboration between Blaze & Absolva so far. Long may it continue.

TRACKLIST

The Dark Side Of Black
A Thousand Years
Dark Energy 256
The World Is Turning The Wrong Way
Human
Together We Can Move The Sun
Solar Wind
Virus
Life Goes On
Fight Back
Silicon Messiah
The Day I Fell To Earth
Eagle Spirit
Calling You Home
Man On The Edge
Stare At The Sun
Futureal
The Clansman

http://www.blazebayley.net/
https://www.facebook.com/officialblazebayley

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