(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
rcg2
from Phoenix
This was the last awesome album of the 1980's for Iron Maiden. It was the 3rd killer album featuring Bruce Dickinson. In 1982 & 1983, "Number of the Beast" and "Piece of Mind" (respectively) where instant classics - even tho their material never really made it to the radio... but in my opinion, if the stuff can be so popular without airplay, it HAS to be great! I can't say enough about bass plucker Steve Harris, guitarist's Murray & Smith, drummer McBrain and crooner Bruce D. These guys wrote the book on metal. The album opens up with "Aces High" and "Two Minutes to Midnight".... two of the bands hard rocking toe-tapping classics. Following is the band's best recorded instrumental, "Losfer Words". The album continues with some of Bruce's idealistic tunes... "Flash of the Blade", "The Duellists", and "Back in the Village". The album climax comes with the 2nd to last 'title' song and the 13 minute epic "Rime of the Ancient Mariner". Sound production is crisp. Material is 1984 fresh. For Iron Maiden, it never got any better than this. Classic metal and a MUST HAVE in any rock/metal library.
