These days, live albums aren’t generally considered to be major events in the way they were when Iron Maiden’s Live After Death was released in ’85, but the circumstances behind Nights Of The Dead might make it one to remember.
With this year’s Legacy Of The Beast dates cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, the band have opted to fill the void with an atmospheric show recorded before a boisterous audience on the 2019 leg of the tour.
They tear forcefully into Aces High and The Trooper, and negotiate the tempo twists of long-form epics Sign Of The Cross and For The Greater Good Of God with vigour.
Bruce Dickinson’s lung power and stamina remain impressive as he nails high notes he first sang decades ago, most notably in Revelations and Flight Of Icarus.
A well-balanced set-list showcasing bloodthirsty versions of the band’s classics and desirable deeper cuts makes this one of Maiden’s more essential live albums.
