IRON MAIDEN fan site MaidenFans.com report that the band received the following flattering paragraphs in an article on PopMatters.com (popmatters.com) that refers to Metal's major players and how they are getting more powerful as they get older:

Their refusal to soften in accordance with their maturity proves but one thing: when it comes to metal, age ain't nothing but a number.

Metal in its truest sense, on the other hand, has never been specifically about the celebration of youth, but all about power and proficiency. As long as a good band has its chops and a devoted fanbase, it'll have a long career — a point driven home with gusto by the perpetually indefatigable Iron Maiden. Triumphantly riding a wave of renewed popularity after their 1999 reunion, the masters of British metal have not lost a step. The year 2000's Brave New World was a glorious return to the halcyon days of the late '80s, and 2003's Dance of Death continued the forward momentum, the band touring the globe to throngs of adoring audiences. And no matter what Sharon Osbourne will have you believe, their show-stealing run during this past summer's Ozzfest was further proof.

Maiden has always enjoyed putting out live albums, and its fifth (sixth, if you include 1981's Maiden Japan EP), Death on the Road, ranks as one of its better efforts. Performing in front of a rabid crowd in Dortmund, Germany, who try their best to match the insane audience on 2002's Rock in Rio by singing along to even the new songs, Iron Maiden tear through a set comprised of old concert staples (‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’, ‘Run to the Hills’) and fervent newer material, highlighted by ‘Rainmaker’ (one of its best songs of the last two decades) and ‘No More Lies’. While the last thing we need is another rendition of ‘Number of the Beast’ or ‘Wrathchild’,

the performances of the newer material, plus the underrated ‘Lord of the Flies’, make up for the been-there-done-that feel of the double CD set.

As long as you can keep sounding sharp and powerful, nobody will care how old a metal act is, and the six members of Maiden, most approaching their 50s (Nicko McBrain being the one old fogy), sound as muscular as they ever have. Everybody's favorite fencing flyboy, Bruce Dickinson, was apparently under the weather on this particular evening, as he does sound a touch flat every so often, but, true to form, he wills every high note out of himself in a typically passionate performance. As enjoyable as this live album is, do we really need another live CD from these guys? Not really (and quite frankly, you'd be best to hold out for the DVD version coming in

February 2006), but if ever there was a testament to the ageless quality of classic heavy metal, it's here.