Welcome back! We have left the 1980s in the rear-view mirror and have arrived at a somewhat lean decade for Maiden fans. No Prayer for the Dying opens the ‘90s with a radical departure from the band’s last few studio albums. The heavy synthesizers, grandiose themes, and sweeping epics that fans have come to expect are not to be found here. The band has opted for a more stripped-down approach, with Bruce Dickinson in particular replacing his operatic vocals with a raw snarl.
The reception to this album is mixed, to say the least. Personally, it’s one of the albums I rarely revisit, despite a few standout tracks here and there. To me, it feels like a downstep from the excellence that came before it. However, after some re-listenings, I will say that it’s better than I remember it being. It’s a fairly easy listen at just over 43 minutes, much more digestible than a lot of the much longer albums that we’ll see later in this series. While I’m not overly effusive with my praise for this effort, this one definitely has its supporters.
Apparently, guitarist Adrian Smith was not too keen on the direction the band was going for this album, so he exited stage left during pre-production and didn’t come back until 1999. He was replaced by Janick Gers, who had worked with Dickinson on his 1990 solo album, Tattooed Millionaire. Gers remains with the band to this day, even after Smith returned.
Cover Art
Eddie himself has gone back to his roots, breaking the continuity established by the albums beforehand. He’s no longer a bald, lobotomized cyborg, returning to his classic debut look. He is seen bursting from a grave and grabbing the throat of a gravedigger, modelled after manager Rod Smallwood (see above artwork).
Smallwood allegedly wasn’t too happy with this depiction, so he asked Derek Riggs to remove him. Later releases of the album simply show Edward the Headward bursting from the grave.
10. “Hooks in You”
The third part of the “Charlotte The Harlot” saga kicks off this list. Honestly, it’s probably the weakest track I’ve heard so far doing this list. It’s not the very worst that I’ll get into, but a catchy chorus, decent opening, and COWBELL don’t do enough to elevate a generally lacklustre song. The solo is a bit weak compared to everything else, and it just feels a bit clumsy, especially when transitioning into the chorus.
9. “Public Enema Number One”
Definitely one of the sillier Maiden song titles you’ll ever see, for better or worse. The opening guitar riff is great stuff, and Bruce really leans into the raspiness during the verses, but the rest of the song doesn’t quite live up to that potential. It’s mostly just there, but it’s not actively off-putting or anything.
8. “The Assassin”
Written from the point of view of an assassin (shocking, I know), the opening suggests “ninja” to me, even if the lyrics are about a firearm-based protagonist. This is one of many songs on this record that can be considered silly and cheesy, but still pretty fun. It’s straightforward, punchy, and the bridge near the end was very enjoyable. Plus, they say “ASS”, another rarity for Maiden.
7. “No Prayer for the Dying”
The title track starts off with some soft, melodic guitar and matching vocals from Dickinson. “No Prayer” feels probably the most “Maiden-esque” of these tracks in terms of sound, theme, and structure. This one doesn’t rise above ‘decent’, but the shred-heavy solos from Dave Murray and Janick Gers really stand out here.
6. “Fates Warning”
Ahhh, good ol’ fashioned predeterminism. Another somewhat melodic opening gives way to some hard-hitting guitars and drums, and the lyrics carry the theme well, especially the catchy chorus. It’s another fairly simple song, but it’s a solid listen.
5. “Run Silent, Run Deep”
This little ditty is about submarines (the underwater vessels, not the long sandwiches) and is based on the novel and movie of the same name. It features excellent drumming here from Nicko McBrain and a steady, galloping beat that gets the head nodding. We get some more snarl from the vocals, but they match quite well with the guitars and the drums here.
4. “Mother Russia”
This examination of a rather turbulent 20th century endured by Russia has some of the more evocative
instrumentation you’ll find on this album. “Mother Russia” is the longest song on the album, but it’s not this grand epic like a lot of other album closers. It still goes down easy, and the changes in tempo and the strong riffs are enough to end the album on a relative high.
3. “Tailgunner”
The album kicks off with one of its stronger tracks in “Tailgunner”. It pales in comparison to fellow aerial
combat-inspired opener “Aces High”, but “Tailgunner” is a major example of Maiden’s change in style actually working to the band’s benefit. It’s one of Dickinson’s better vocal performances on the album, and the excellent riffs really paint the picture. The lyrics also carry much more attitude 
and bombast than most songs with similar themes.
2. “Holy Smoke”
A gigantic middle finger to televangelists and others who exploit people’s religious beliefs for profit, “Holy Smoke”
utilizes a more conventional, almost pop-like structure than the usual Maiden fare. It’s short and straightforward, as it should be. The song is meant to be an assault, and it delivers some serious impact. A favourite of mine from a rather sketchy decade for the band, and even the music video is great, with the guys just acting like complete dorks. It’s also one of the few Maiden songs to contain profanity with Bruce dropping a couple of s-bombs, a rather clever decision given the subject matter.
1. “Bring Your Daughter…To The Slaughter”
“Bring Your Daughter” was originally released as a Razzie Award-winning Worst Original Song by Dickinson for the Nightmare on Elm Street 5 soundtrack. However, the band liked this one so much that they requested it be re-recorded for their album instead of being put on Bruce’s solo album. Good choice, because not only do I feel this is the best track on the album, but it was also the only UK #1 single for the band as of June 2024. Much like a lot of this album, it’s cheesy and corny, but it’s extremely effective. Great riffs, killer vocals, and catchy lyrics put this one over the top.
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