Review by Time_Signature published
"It took me ten years to get my acts together and buy this album. Only after the return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith did I have the nerve to buy it, knowing that Maiden had been saved.
"Virtual XI" is the worst Iron Maiden album ever, in my opinion. I simply can't listen to it from the first track to the last track. I can't; I have to turn it off, skip through songs or, at the very least, fast forward now and then. Otherwise, it's too painful:
most of the tracks are totally void of energy there are hardly any catchy melodies the production is muddy and the guitars lack texture and substance whatever twin guitar melodies are there are uninteresting and hollow Blaze's performance is sub par on many of the quieter tracks (and sub par compared to the previous Maiden album and to his years in Wolfsbane) the tunes are generally weak (some sections bordering the pathetic, one section even sounding like polka played by old tired men) the album is uninteresting and uninspiring as whole Okay, not everything sucks. I think "Futureal" is okay, and "Clansman" is good. Other tunes contain certain interesting parts, such as the unusual chorus of "Lightning Strikes Twice" and "Educated Fool" contains one or two okay sections. The rest of the album is simply too depressive.
Although his performance is not optimal on this album, we shouldn't blame Blaze Bayley. It's the empty music that is the problem, as it limps forth like a sick, old, dying mammoth. I thought this was the end of Maiden... but then Bruce and Adrian came back, and the band was reborn on "Brave New World".
I wouldn't recommend this album, well, only to completionists. It certainly is not a good first hand introduction to Iron Maiden.
(review also posted on metalmusicarchives.com and progarchives.com)"
