Average Rating: 4.75 Rating Variance: 0.18 Objectivity Score: 26% (Not Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicIron Maiden Powerslave1)Aces High (Harris) Arguably the best opening track Maiden has ever recorded. The song has the sound and feel of a WWII dog-fight which is appropriate for the theme of the lyrics. Bruce’s vocals are similar to gunfire in its intensity and aggression. Steve’s bass compliments this well- it features more prominently than the guitar on this track. The guitar solo and the instrumental segments give the feel of aerial combat and the intertwining of aircrafts through the intricate note composition. 2)2 Minutes to Midnight (Dickinson/Smith) This song was MADE to be sung collectively by 10000 screaming fans! Ominous lyrics exemplified by the genius that is Bruce Dickinson and the elaborate guitar work complimented by relentless drums give the song a very powerful effect. An instant favorite! 3)Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Harris) The last instrumental to date by Maiden. What a pity! The quality of this track and the preceding instrumentals (particularly Transylvania) leave fans thirsty for more. In any case Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) can satisfy this thirst for the time being. The piece is built on a solid percussion base comprised of technical drumming and grinding bass and complimented by light airy guitar. Let’s hope for a repeat on the next album! 4)Flash of the Blade (Dickinson) Another Dickinson solo project (rare but always a delight). Here he depicts the story of a fencer (autobiographical?) from childhood dreams to the intensity of the sport as an adult. The song IS intense from the get-go; it doesn’t let up. The furious solo is the icing on this magnificent cake! 5)The Duelists (Harris) Yet another sword fighting song this time by the bassist. This one is about a real duel in which the protagonist of Harris’ tale is outmatched and defeated. In terms of musical quality I must say that the main riff is outstanding but the instrumental interlude is a tad too long. The solo is mediocre and so does not justify the length of the instrumental. The chorus I must say is catchy and well sung indeed. 6)Back in the Village (Dickinson/Smith) A furious and fast paced offering. Back in the Village remains one of my least favorite Maiden songs. It is the sequel to The Prisoner from the album The Number of the Beast (which didn’t catch my fancy either). The cause for this weak performance is the lack of coordination between the musical elements- vocals, percussion and guitar. Poor chorus to say the least. 7)Powerslave (Dickinson) Once again Dickinson goes solo with Powerslave. Next to Revelations this is the best song he has ever written. The Egyptian influence is absolutely superb. The guitar work is phenomenal as is the bass support proffered. Yet it is the chorus and vocal quality that strikes me most. 8)Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Harris) If the bassist’s love for art and literature isn’t already clear, this 13 minute epic should clarify. The song is an album on its own and the variations between the segments of it give the listener a lot to chew on. From the chugging riff to the bass interlude this song has just too much to analyze! Before Maiden people didn’t know that a band could grip an audience for that long; as always Maiden tried the unthinkable and made it work!Iron Maiden Piece of Mind1)Where Eagles Dare (Harris) The best album opener ever! It sets the tone of the album perfectly as it is representative of the unique style. It is gritty, fast paced and epic in every sense of the word. The machine gun sounds over the instrumental part in the middle is gripping. I must mention the high quality and technicality of the drum work- it is what I remember the song for. 2)Revelations (Dickinson) Dickinson, lyrically influenced be Aliester Crowley, has produced my favorite Iron Maiden song of all time. On occasion Bruce picks up the guitar during the middle of the song- an act which excites concert audiences. The strength of this song is its guitar riff which is definitive of heavy metal. Dickinson’s soulful vocal performance is chilling to say the least. Superb is an understatement! 3) Flight of Icarus (Dickinson/Smith) This is the song that sucked me into the world of Maiden. Every morning I’d experience chills the moment Bruce would say “A the sun breaks above the ground…” The song draws a parallel between the Greek myth and teenage rebellion- a concept that appeals would have appealed very strongly to the audience of the time. We are treated to three furious guitar solos on this track. 4)Die With Your Boots On (Dickinson/Smith/Harris) Smith, Harris and Dickinson are giving their fans valuable advice on this track! The group chorus is does this and to the audience hearing the backing vocals and lead separately it is very effective. The strongest suit of this particular track is the immaculate bass offering. The solo is also noteworthy. 5)The Trooper (Harris) Kicks off immediately with Maiden’s most famous riff. It is a very aggressive song about the heat of battle heightened by the convincing vocals. The solo is tremendous as well. There is really nothing more to say that you don’t know already! 6)Still Life (Murray/Harris) Contains a backwards message by the new drummer McBrain. When reversed is a quote from Idi Amin. The intention of this is to poke fun at those that accused Maiden of satanic influence. Still Life is the first song on the album that builds up slowly. For this reason I find that the momentum of the record is lost to an extent. When the song peaks, however, momentum is regained. Vocals are spectacular. 7)Quest for Fire (Harris) Great Heavy Metal riff on this one! Lyrically somewhat ridiculous to those aware of prehistoric chronology but that really doesn’t matter. Steve’s imagination has run wild on this one and has produced yet another epic. Catchy chorus and convincing vocals add strength to the blisteringly good solo. 8)Sun and Steel (Dickinson/Smith) Amazing imagery in this one brought out by the catchy, powerful chorus. Drums once again are a notable attribute. Smith produces a very memorable solo which makes Sun and Steel a track that fans will listen to over and over again… 9)To Tame a Land (Harris) The closing track is the second that required a build up in the eyes of the composer/bassist. Yet when the riff quickly gets underway the audience knows they are in for something special! Bruce singing along with Steve’s grinding bass is the most powerful aspect of the song. I would argue that the instrumental interludes are a touch too long. Yet the following solo is very noteworthy. The result is a song with multiple build ups and peaks- a musical journey to say the least!Iron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh Son1)Moonchild (Dickinson/Smith) “Seven deadly sins, Seven ways to win, Seven holy paths to hell and your trip begins…” This is the perfect way to start the album by setting the tone. Immediately we hear the synthesizers which some of us detest but in my opinion they are used very tastefully on this album. Instead of watering down the guitar sound it enhances it- Dave and Adrian sound great. Moonchild for me isn’t such a great opener. I can’t find anything wrong with it but I feel that it is not the right song to open this epic album up with. It is mediocre in comparison to the other songs. Also I am surprised at how often it is played live. 2)Infinite Dreams (Steve Harris) This song is absolutely beautiful. Vocally Bruce has never been better; he really should use that scream more often. The guitars are phenomenal and the chorus is to die for. Infinite Dreams definitely deserves more live play than Moonchild. 3)Can I Play With Madness (Dickinson/Smith/Harris) More or less a group effort both in composition and performance. Group choruses, chugging riffs, pounding bass and the KICK ASS GUITAR SOLO make this the best song of the album. That IS saying a lot considering the competition it’s got. 4)The Evil That Men Do (Dickinson/Smith/Harris) Another group effort. The strength of this song is in its lyrics. Again Bruce makes a good song great by singing the way he does. It is reminiscent of a love song in certain respects- a quality which I applaud. Please note that the chorus is Maiden’s gift to a live audience- it was made to be sung by a crowd 10000 strong! 5)Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Harris) The title track is a ten minute epic. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is comparable in a musical sense to Rime of the Ancient Mariner. To my ears the thirteen minute monster gives the listener more variation than its ten minute counterpart. Yet Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is undoubtedly a phenomenal piece of music particularly when considering the long instrumental in the middle and end of the song. It must be said that the chorus is uninspiring. 6)The Prophesy (Murray/Harris) The instrumental introduction of the song is a thing of beauty. My point about the synthesizers enhancing but not detracting is justified. The main strength of this song is the number of singers involved. Of course Bruce as always is phenomenal but Steve and Adrian chip in during the chorus to make it more three dimensional and all the more sinister. The instrumental end of the song reminds me greatly of Rainbow’s classic Temple of the King. If not for Can I Play with Madness, I’d consider this the best song of the album. 7)The Clairvoyant (Harris) The Clairvoyant is a n absolute knock-out! The bass introduction sets up the punch perfectly. Then the guitar comes in and grabs the listener. Bruce then is introduced and attention is kept throughout the song. This is perhaps the most engaging song Maiden has ever written- there isn’t a flaw to be seen. The chorus is very philosophical as are the verses. Furthermore the guitar solos and instrumental sections are exquisite. 8)Only The Good Die Young (Dickinson/Harris) A brilliant way to close this amazing album. Many say this song is Maiden’s most underrated- what a shame if that is true. Only the Good Die Young is every bit as good as any Maiden song considered a classic. Lyrically the song is very powerful and provocative. Musically it is one of the high points of the album, which really didn’t have a definite low. This is why I feel that on song average alone Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is Maiden’s finest work.4.0 excellentIron Maiden Fear of the DarkFirstly the album cover artist deserves credit for thinking outside the box and not simply giving our beloved mascot a wardrobe makeover- he changes his form! Only on Brave New World was this otherwise done. The art sets the album up as a classic and the tracks follow through… 1) Be Quick or Be Dead (Dickinson/Gers) A speed metal endeavor. Well done the opening riff is an absolute knockout. Opened up the album with a punch! Bruce’s raspy vocals fit the aggression of the song and the album as a whole. 2) From Here to Eternity (Harris) Cool “rock n’ roll” style riffing. Catchy group choruses, while un-Maiden to an extent, help gel this “groovy” song together. As a whole this works! One of my favorites from the album- OUTSTANDING SOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3) Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Harris) WHERE DO I BEGIN??! It’s a Classic. The build-up- lyrical, vocal and instrumental set up the audience for some MONSTER guitar work. Absolutely knocks you out of your seat when you hear that first instrumental piece and it gets better from there- a pickup in pace and subsequent repletion of the instrumental with slight alterations. Great, Great, GREAT song! 4) Fear Is the Key (Dickinson/ Gers) Sinister riffing (very Sabbath) but glam-ish lyrics about general decadence. LOVE IT! I quite dislike the interlude bit where Bruce vocalizes over some mediocre instrumentals but without this bit the song is very strong! 5) Childhood’s End (Harris) Great intro and build up, moving percussion, unoptimistic lyrics make for an anthem of despair. The blisteringly good instrumental sections, solos and so forth save this track from a depressing effect. There is diversity within the album (eg- From Here to Eternity/Childhood’s End) as there is within this song itself. The listener cannot become bored. 6) Wasting Love (Dickinson/ Gers) These two composers have so far, on two occasions, deviated from the norm of Maiden’s music (Be Quick or Be Dead/ Fear is the Key). This track is no exception- it is Maiden’s one and only power ballad! I for one absolutely LOVE IT- all of it. I live for the relentless drums during the chorus and that brilliant ***ing solo- Maiden is truly richer with Janick. This song moves me DEEEEEEEEEEP inside the way a power ballad should! Yet there’s nothing un-Maiden about it and I still am convinced of this bands integrity 7) The Fugitive (Harris) Another strong track with exceptional bass lines and an equally wonderful guitar solo. It’s no Afraid to Shoot Strangers but it deserves more credit. I think the simplistic lyrics are its downfall- instrumentally it’s very strong. 8) Chains of Misery (Dickinson/Murray) Another “cool” song in the same boat as From Here to Eternity. Group choruses, “rock n’ rolly” lyrics and well composed instrumental segments make this song as a whole very strong-however atypical it may be… 9) The Apparition (Harris/Gers) To gauge the value of a song in my book I ask myself “if this band only wrote this song would I still value the band?”. When I put this song to the test it failed. This is the only song on the album I take issue with because unlike the other atypical songs (Chains of Misery/Childhood’s End/ From Here to Eternity) which pay off this song doesn’t quite fit. Ultimately it is lacking in the overall musical quality the other tracks have. 10) Judas Be My Guide (Dickinson/Murray) The album recovers with this wonderful track. The chorus is of such good quality that heavy repetition is excused. Besides, the guitar solo and the vocals sung over the intricate axe work give this song added strength. Recommended for Judas Priest fans 11) Weekend Warrior (Harris/Gers) A song about football hooliganism- a path that Harris and the boys could well have been entrapped in given the hooligan tradition of their club West Ham United. It is about the pitfalls of this life on the edge. Musically BEAUTIFUL- the instrumental segments are mind blowing. The song is lyrically meaningful and vocally (raspy) representative of the aggression of the subject. Superb listen. 12) Fear of the Dark (Harris) When I first heard Fear of the Dark it was the live version from Rock in Rio. Therefore, I was spoilt by the exceedingly good recording and therefore cannot truly appreciate the studio version. In any case, this song will never fail to move my very soul, send shivers down my spine and look forward to the day that I can hear it live! As a piece of music this song is brilliant but Fear of the Dark is so much more than even that. It is testament to the longevity, immortality and greatness of Maiden and the composer Mr. Harris who has once more produced an album and particularly a title track that has given me the listening and emotional experience of a lifetime. UP THE IRONS!
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