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The X Factor
Studio album by Iron Maiden
Released	October 2, 1995
Recorded	Barnyard Studios, Essex, England, About 1994 - August 1995
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	1:11:02
Label	EMI
Producer	Steve Harris and Nigel Green
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Iron Maiden chronology
Live at Donington (1993) The X Factor (1995) Best of the Beast (1996)

The X Factor is a heavy metal album released October 2, 1995 by Iron Maiden. It is notable for being the band's first album to include Blaze Bayley, formerly of Wolfsbane, as vocalist, replacing Bruce Dickinson who left the band following their previous tour to pursue a solo career.

The title of the album came about in the early part of the recording. According to producer Nigel Green, "We all felt that the way things were progressing - the songs, Blaze's new involvement, the sound, the commitment - the new album really would have that extra quality, that bit of magic, that X Factor. This became the working title for the album and we liked it, so we kept it. It is also very apt as this is our tenth studio album and "X" can bring up many images."

The tour for the album, like the tour for their next album, Virtual XI, was cut short after Blaze suffered a violent allergic reaction to certain elements used on the stages where the band performed.

The album cover depicts the operation which left Eddie's head broken (first seen on the Piece of Mind album cover) and was done by Hugh Syme. In some releases, the cover was replaced with a less graphic alternative, showing Eddie from a distance, with the original artwork on the back of the booklet.

This is the second album after Piece of Mind that was not named after a song on the album. The words The X Factor do not appear in any of song's lyrics.

"The Edge of Darkness" is based on the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now and "Man on the Edge" is based on the 1993 movie Falling Down.

"Man on the Edge" and "Lord of the Flies" were released as singles. Both of these songs, and "Sign of the Cross", remained in Maiden setlists following Bruce Dickinson's return. Live versions of these songs can be found on the single for "The Wicker Man" "Death on the Road", and "Rock in Rio", respectively.

1. "Sign of the Cross" (Steve Harris) – 11:17
2. "Lord of the Flies" (Janick Gers, Harris) – 5:03
3. "Man on the Edge" (Blaze Bayley, Gers) – 4:13
4. "Fortunes of War" (Harris) – 7:23
5. "Look for the Truth" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 5:10
6. "The Aftermath" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 6:20
7. "Judgement of Heaven" (Harris) – 5:12
8. "Blood on the World's Hands" (Harris) – 5:57
9. "The Edge of Darkness" (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 6:39
10. "2 A.M." (Bayley, Gers, Harris) – 5:37
11. "The Unbeliever" (Gers, Harris) – 8:10

• Blaze Bayley - vocals
• Dave Murray – guitar
• Janick Gers – guitar
• Steve Harris – bass guitar
• Nicko McBrain – drums

with

• Michael Kenney - keyboard