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“If someone says they don’t like something, that makes me embrace it even more”: Steve Harris defends Iron Maiden’s No Prayer For The Dying album – and names the one radical thing he’d change about if
Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris has defended the band’s 1990 album No Prayer For The Dying, arguing that it is much stronger than its reputation suggests. The album is often viewed less favourably than several of the band’s most celebrated records, but Harris’s comments underline the gap between critical or fan consensus and an artist’s own view of their work.
Released as Iron Maiden’s eighth studio album, No Prayer For The Dying is contrasted with albums including The Number Of The Beast, Powerslave, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son and A Matter Of Life And Death. Harris spoke to Metal Hammer for a feature reassessing metal albums widely regarded as poor, and said he particularly embraces music when others say they dislike it; he also identified one major change he would make to the record.
In short
- Steve Harris strongly defends Iron Maiden’s No Prayer For The Dying.
- The 1990 album remains less celebrated than several Maiden classics.
- Harris says criticism can make him value music more.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Harris’s view can argue that No Prayer For The Dying is unfairly judged against Iron Maiden’s most ambitious and iconic albums, rather than on its own direct, hard-rocking merits. They may value its stripped-back approach, memorable songs and the artist’s authority to assess work shaped by his own creative intentions; unfashionable records can also gain appreciation when listeners approach them without inherited consensus.
The case against
Critics can reasonably maintain that the album’s lower standing reflects considered comparisons with the band’s stronger catalogue, not mere bandwagon hostility. From this perspective, its simpler production and songwriting may feel less distinctive or cohesive than the records around it, and fans are entitled to judge the finished music by its impact rather than the creators’ attachment to it.
Explained simply
Iron Maiden are a British heavy metal band formed in 1975, with bassist Steve Harris among its founding members and principal songwriters. No Prayer For The Dying, released in 1990, was the band’s eighth studio album.
It is often rated below better-known Iron Maiden albums such as The Number Of The Beast and Powerslave. Views of an album can differ between musicians, critics and fans, and Harris’s defence offers his perspective on a record whose standing has been debated.
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