Bang on. There were still some fucking good songs written in that era. There was also The Angel and The Gambler, which everyone else seems to hate but I like.

Not only is it shite but it's 10 minutes of shite.

Like I said. Which everyone else seems to hate but I like. I'm not apologizing for it.

The like to dislike ratio on that youtube link seems to be on your side. Currently 2,291:142

It's actually been a very long time since I've seen that video. It reminds me (painfully) of just how horrendous Blaze really was, and how wacky the band were for thinking that the music they were making at the time was in any way acceptable. Regardless of how we disagree on Black Metal, Vim, I struggle to see how an otherwise sensible human being could listen to this muck and derive any pleasure whatsoever from it.

Time to go and watch the Women in Uniform clip again to cleanse myself of this shite.

Oh fuck no! "The Angel & The Gambler" is an absolute atrocity. A musical abomination of the highest order. In fact there's not one song on "Virtual XI" that I don't hate.

Have I ever mentioned I like Lulu as well?

To be fair I quite like the second disk of "Lulu" but the first disk is disgustingly bad.

I do recall you saying that you liked Lulu, now that you mention it. That level of wackiness puts Sol to shame.

I think I've said before (I know Spiny likes to bring it up) but I really don't think VXI is that bad an album, and whilst the angel and the gambler don't belong anywhere near being considered one of the bands best, I'd sooner listen to that than the majority of AMOLAD.

Watching that video above just reminds me of playing Ed Hunter as a kid, and how bad it was.

Hhhmmmm.... interesting opinion you have there Anni. "A Matter Of Life & Death" is my favourite Maiden record since the 80's while "Virtual XI" may be the worst release ever from a big name metal band.

VXI has "The clansman" which is certainly better than any one song on Matter. It's also mercifully shorter too.

"The Clansman" is probably the best song on "Virtual XI" & I'd rate it about on par with "Different World" which is the weakest song on "A Matter Of Life & Death".

Was it you who posted that youtube link of that whole album live on here a while ago, opaline? I listened to that, whoever posted it, and enjoyed it a bit more than I expected - "Different World" especially.

I watched the Abbey Road session they did recently too where they did "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" - sounding pretty laughable next to "Hallowed".

Aside from The Clansman, I also liked When Two Worlds Collide off VIX.

And Vimto, you must really be looking to take Sol's wacky crown for liking 'Lulu' yet hating 'Rust In Peace'. Dave Mustaine mastered Five Magics while James Hetfield is a table...

No it wasn't me. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a diehard fan of "A Matter Of Life & Death" or anything like that. I just think it's the best of their post-80's material. I still don't think it quite meets the mark for me to give it a 4/5 but it's very close.

Dave's penis is also an intercontinental ballistic missile shooting it's payload all over the place.

And Hetfield is a SMALL TOWN GURRL!!!