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No Prayer for the Dying

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No Prayer for the Dying is the eighth studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the first album recorded following the departure of guitarist Adrian Smith who left the band during the pre-production phase of the album. Smith does have one co-writing credit on this album, for "Hooks in You", the third installment of the ongoing story of Charlotte the Harlot. The album ushered in a change of vocal style for Bruce Dickinson from the operatic sound of the '80s to a raspier way of singing, and also produced Maiden's only number one single to date, "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", originally written and recorded by Dickinson alone for the A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child movie soundtrack. The version that appears on No Prayer for the Dying was rerecorded by the band as a whole. The album was also the band's first for Epic Records in the US after the band left Capitol Records but remained with EMI for all territories outside the US.

Adrian Smith was replaced by Janick Gers who had assisted Dickinson in the recording of his first solo-album, Tattooed Millionaire, and had also worked with Fish and Ian Gillan, among others.

No Prayer for the Dying is the only Iron Maiden studio album to date without a song exceeding six minutes in length.

"Holy Smoke" and "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" were released as singles, with the latter reaching the #1 position in the UK charts, despite receiving a Golden Raspberry Award for "Worst Original Song".

Following Bruce Dickinson's departure from Iron Maiden in 1993, songs from No Prayer for the Dying have been largely ignored at live performances. Only "Bring Your Daughter...To the Slaughter" has survived in concerts since, but it was only included on a nightly basis in setlists from May-July 2003.

Album cover

No Prayer for the Dying was the first album not to feature a wrap-around cover since 1984's Powerslave. It also does not follow the continuity of previous album covers, as Eddie no longer exhibits his lobotomy or cyborg enhancements. Considering Eddie was driven to madness and all-but destroyed in the album cover of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (as well as its singles), it can be assumed that the character required a reboot in order to return him to his original look. The events depicted on this album could also be viewed as a prequel; considering the age of the lamp that the grave-digger holds in his right hand, it could be assumed that the events took place in either the late 19th Century or early 20th Century.

Two versions of the cover exist. The original 1990 version has Eddie bursting from his grave and grabbing the grave-digger by the neck. The cover was altered for the 1998 re-release. In this version the grave-digger is absent. The original cover can still be seen on the disc's label, however. Additionally an inscription was added to the plaque on the tomb, which reads After the Daylight, The Night of Pain, That is not Dead, Which Can Rise Again. The picture disc LP shows Eddie firing a weapon made of four machine guns (a reference to the album's opening track, "Tailgunner"). It has the original cover on side 2.

No Prayer On The Road was the tour supporting the album.

Track listing

  1. "Tailgunner" (Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris) – 4:15
  2. "Holy Smoke" (Dickinson, Harris) – 3:49
  3. "No Prayer for the Dying" (Harris) – 4:23
  4. "Public Enema Number One" (Dickinson, Dave Murray) – 4:13
  5. "Fates Warning" (Murray, Harris) – 4:12
  6. "The Assassin" (Harris) – 4:35
  7. "Run Silent Run Deep" (Dickinson, Harris) – 4:35
  8. "Hooks in You" (Dickinson, Adrian Smith) – 4:08
  9. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" (Dickinson) – 4:45
  10. "Mother Russia" (Harris) – 5:32

1995 Reissue Bonus CD

  1. "All In Your Mind" (Stray cover)
  2. "Kill Me Ce Soir" (Golden Earring cover)
  3. "I'm A Mover" (Free cover)
  4. "Communication Breakdown" (Led Zeppelin cover)

Credits

with

Chart performance

Album

Year Chart Position
1990 United Kingdom UK Albums Chart 2
1990 United States Billboard Hot 200 17

Singles

Year Single Chart Position Album
1990 "Holy Smoke" United Kingdom UK Singles Chart 3 "No Prayer for the Dying"
1990 "Bring Your Daughter...To the Slaughter" United Kingdom UK Singles Chart 1 "No Prayer for the Dying"
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