As an Iron Maiden fan, I feel that it is safe to say a few things about the band: Maiden’s concepts, subject matter, and records are not always up to snuff. Let’s face it. Maiden recorded some awful albums. Does “No Prayer for the Dying” (1990) ring a bell?

That being said, there is much pleasing about the band’s new release, “A Matter of Life and Death.” After 14 studio albums over 26 years, Maiden has found a way at this late stage to craft its most thematically advanced album.

“A Matter of Life and Death” displays a different direction for the legendary forefathers of epic metal. The concept is broad and the songs are expansive in length — only three of the ten tracks are less than six minutes.

Thematically, “A Matter of Life and Death” is mostly about war, but there is no limitation to the kind of war the band is willing to explore. Maiden covers everything from World War II to the war in heaven. They touch reoccurring themes of sacrifice and valor. In a more chilling turn, a guilt-ridden soldier sees through the eyes of the dead.

For a band like Iron Maiden, this is pretty deep stuff.

The concept is anchored by the band’s tight performances. Frontman Bruce Dickinson shows his best vocals since he rejoined the band for the 2000 album “Brave New World” and his distinctive voice is still as operatic as ever. Drummer Nicko McBrain holds the rhythm section to a progressive standard allowing tracks to flow coherently and succinctly. Steve Harris’s bass is the perfect counterpart to McBrain’s drums as it drives the rhythm and feel of each song. The band’s three guitarists, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, combine their instruments into a wall of sound that is overwhelming and awe-inspiring.

Maiden is about the sum of its parts. It's obvious on the album’s opener, “Different World,” because it shows the incredible melodic and harmonic capabilities of the band. “The Pilgrim” displays some impressive riffing and drumming that is rounded out by layered vocals. The album’s first single, “The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,” opens with subdued guitars, bass and vocals before exploding into an epic whose power is impossible to deny.

This, of course, is not to mention that the entire album is rife with Maiden’s signature blazing guitar solos, which sound as great as ever.

“A Matter of Life and Death” is conceptually rich and more of a return to the 1980s sound of Iron Maiden. It’s been a long time since Maiden recorded such an inspired release, but the result makes the wait well worth it.

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