Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
| "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" | |
|---|---|
Promotional single by Iron Maiden | |
| from the album The Final Frontier | |
| Released | 13 July 2010 |
| Recorded | 2010 |
| Studio | Compass Point, Nassau, Bahamas |
| Genre | |
| Length |
|
| Label | EMI |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Kevin Shirley |
"Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" (or simply "The Final Frontier") is the first track from British heavy metal band Iron Maiden's album The Final Frontier. A short teaser for the song's music video was released on 9 July 2010 and an announcement of the full video's release was made on 13 July.[1]
Lyrics
The lyrics of the song are about a man who is stranded in space contemplating the final moments of his life. In this sense, the titular chorus line "The final frontier" takes on a double meaning: as well as referring to space, it also means passing the final frontier of life, into death.
The line "Too close to the sun, I surely will burn, like Icarus before me or so legend goes," is a reference to the ancient Greek myth of
Music video
The music video, presenting a 4-minute edit of the song ("The Final Frontier"), shows an astronaut (Gudmundur Thorvaldsson)
The video was created in eight weeks from a mixture of live action, CGI, and 3D animation by Darkside Animation Films. Written by Dirk Maggs, the live-action sequences were directed by Nick Scott Studios and shot in Rendlesham Forest.[3]
The song's guitar solo, lasting from about 6:32 to 7:16, is a trade-off divided into two parts; the first is played by Adrian Smith (6:32-7:01), while the second is played by Dave Murray (7:01-7:16).
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" (Director's Cut Music Video) | Adrian Smith, Steve Harris | 5:00 |
| 2. | "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" (Short Version) | Smith, Harris | 4:05 |
Personnel
Production credits are adapted from the radio promo cover.[4]
- Iron Maiden
- Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
- Dave Murray – lead guitar
- Adrian Smith – lead guitar
- Janick Gers – rhythm guitar
- Steve Harris – bass guitar, co-producer
- Nicko McBrain – drums
- Production
- Kevin Shirley – producer, mixing
- Nick Scott Studios – director (promo video)
- Darkside Animation Films – producer (promo video)
- Anthony Dry – cover illustration
- Peacock – art direction, design
References
- ^ Iron Maiden [@IronMaiden] (4 November 2010). "July 13th is the video premiere on www.ironmaiden.com" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Mandy Actors
- ^ "Iron Maiden.com". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "The Final Frontier" Promo (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 13 July 2010.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
External links
- Music video on YouTube
