Starting to get bad vibes from some of the advance reviews.
https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/senjutsu/ Quote:
"Senjutsu" is a musical marathon exceeding 82 minutes and divided into 10 songs. Considering that the regular nature of verse-chorus-verse is thrown out the window, it's difficult to connect with some songs, even after repeated listening sessions. But with that said, there is so much detailed, nuanced material to enjoy that numerous full play-throughs seem mandatory. "Senjutsu" truly is a "grower," so to speak. Will today's short-attention-span listeners have the patience for it?
from a
9/10 review. Like, jesus, if it's a long boring mess just say so!
And
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album ... -senjutsu/Quote:
What stands out, and unfortunately not a good way, is the keyboards floating over the chorus. It’s debatable whether keyboards help or hinder the sound, but it certainly stands to reason that if keyboards were deemed necessary, a better sound or player or mix or something could have been attempted. These keyboards sound like how the “Dance of Death” cover artwork looks. In continental Europe, where one cannot swing a French Baguette without hitting a prog-metal band, it couldn’t have been hard to locate a Tuomas Holopainen or some comparable keymaster to add the right sort of atmosphere. As it stands, the keys on the finished “Senjutsu” album are like some sort of Paul O’Neill demo tape about the meaning of Christmas.
Also apparently Writing on the Wall is Bruce at his strongest.
Fuck me.
Fair assessment. I definitely prefer the instrumentation to the lyrics, Bruce is sounding his age. Would have hoped for perhaps even a lightening of their sound, perhaps a step towards classic rock? Deep Purple have aged their sound well, for example. But I guess that wouldn't be Maiden if they weren't straining at the limits...
Still, "living legends, if you don't like it you're at fault, 98/100", etc etc. A negative review, if I do end up disliking it, will be akin to the proverbial 
