Dutch classical guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has given a unique spin to classic IRON MAIDEN songs. Zwijsen is the six-stringer in BLAZE BAYLEY and last played on his 2012 The King of metal alum. But here, he strips down one of the biggest bands in the world classic songs in acoustic form. He tackles a variety of technical compositions in a lighthearted manner and gives the songs a makeover. A powerful version of “The Clansman,” featuring Zwijsen’s Blaze bandmate and namesake Blaze Bayley, is every bit as dramatic and poignant as the original. “Aces High,” minus the Churchill intro speech, begins with furious picking and plucking with a playful zest. Zwijsen gives a dueling-guns Spanish quality to “The Trooper” with Flamenco-style picking. Zwijsen is accompanied by drummer Nathanael Taekema on “Dance of Death,” adding a folky and Medieval touch. “Wasting Love,” from Fear of the Dark, gets a worthy makeover complimented by the violin melody of Anne Bakker and enthusiastic hand claps. “Can I Play With Madness” has a whimsical flavor with wonderful harmonies and innovative percussion elements. “Blood Brothers” gets the best treatment in this format as the original intro is basically acoustically-driven anyway. All the songs are good choices and they are all varied in composition and song structure. However, while playing the CD as background music, you’ll often forget Zwijsen’s performing actual Maiden songs. Zwijsen delivers a new way to listen to these Maiden classics, but when you want the real deal, nothing beats the originals.
