iron maiden' ın baba şarkılarından biridir. 11 dakika civarında bir şarkıdır. ve de başındaki kilise ilahileri insanı gerilimden gerilime götürür.
bunlar da sözleri:
eleven saintly shrouded men
silhouettes stand against the sky
one in front with a cross held high
come to wash my sins away
standing alone in the wind and rain
feeling the fear that is growing
sensing the change in the tide again
brought by the storm that is brewing
feel the anxiety hold off the fear
some of the doubt in the things you believe
now that your faith will be put to the test
nothing to do but await what is coming
why then is god still protecting me
even when i don't deserve it
though i am blessed with an inner strength
some they would call it a penance
why am i meant to face this alone
asking the question time and again
praying to god won't keep me alive
inside my head feel the fear start to rise...
they'll be saying their prayers when the moment comes
there'll be penance to pay when it's judgement day
and the guilty'll bleed when the moment comes
they'll be coming to claim, take your soul away
the sign of the cross
the name of the rose... a fire in the sky
the sign of the cross
they'll be coming to bring the eternal flame
they'll be bringing us all immortality
holding communion so the world be blessed
my creator, my god'll lay my soul to rest
the sign of the cross
the name of the rose... a fire in the sky
the sign of the cross
i lost the love of heaven above
chose the lust of the earth below
eleven saintly shouded men
came to wash my sins away
Live olarak çalındığında çok daha zevk veren, tüyler ürpertici şarkı. hele hele "there'll be penance to pay when it's judgement day" anında adrian smithin bacaklarını açıp drop d ye çekilmiş gitarıyla ritim tutması vardır, gözden yaş getirir.
iron maiden'ın en iyi parçalarından biridir bence. stüdyo kaydındaki blaze beyi birçoğu beğenmez. bence dickinson'un yerinde olduğu için, yoksa gayet güzel vokaldir. parça da on numara on bir dakikadır. acilen dinlenmelidir.
