Iron Maiden's Reviews
Powerslave (Average Rating: 9.32 out of 10)
Here's Sand in Your Face . . . (Rated this album with 8 out of 10)
Reviewed by
trebe
For Iron Maiden, following up the metal classic "Piece of Mind" would be no easy task, but the band proved themselves up to the challenge. With the release of Powerslave, and the subsequent World Slavery tour, the group arguably climbed to the top of the heavy metal heap, emerging as the most popular metal band of the mid 80's.At or near their creative peak, the band delivers powerful, energetic metal, dominated by the guitar work of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. The music shows growth and maturity, while still featuring driving riffs, blistering solos, harmony lines, and signature time changes. As always, Maiden's sound is propelled by the aggressive bass of Steve Harris. Nico McBrain is a solid, and often flashy drummer. And Bruce Dickinson continues to carve out a special place as one of metal's finest vocalists. Steve Harris often draws on novels or historical events as source material for his songs. "Aces High", his song about the Battle of Britain, is an extremely tight number that is one of Maiden's finest compositions ever. It features the customary alternating solo break, with Murray going first, followed by Smith, showing again their contrasting styles. "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner", is Harris's 13 minute epic based on the famous poem. It starts energetically, drags a bit in the slow middle section, but then finishes strong. Powerslave, drawing inspiration from ancient Egypt, is another tight, and powerful musical journey. Creating a rich atmosphere, it transports you there to feel the pain and despair of that time period. The Egyptian motif was both the album's theme, and that of the World Slavery tour. Blazing out of the gate, and humming like a motor, the guitars on "Back in the Village", never slow down. Murray and Smith continue to take their guitar playing in new directions, with their individual sounds meshing almost perfectly on this powerful number. Swordplay is the theme of two songs. Penned by Dickinson, "Flash of the Blade" is a dark tune with some interesting lyrics. Not particularly "heavy", it features some tasteful guitar work, and an unusual opening riff. "The Duelists", written by Harris, is a heavier, more traditional Maiden tune, with classic elements like time changes, arpeggios, duel solos, and harmony guitar. This under appreciated musical gem, finds Murray and Smith at their complementary best. The electrically charged "Two Minutes to Midnight", is Maiden's commentary on the politics of war in the Reagan era, and has gone on to become a concert favorite. Rounding out the album is the instrumental "Losfer Words", which is more upbeat and light, than previous instrumentals like, "Genghis Khan". Produced my metal specialist Martin Birch, the music is very tight, and precise. The guitar work is magnificent. The band continues to refine what it does best, and explore new musical realms as well. The writing credits reflect more balance. Bruce Dickinson's vocals are right on the mark, and never seem excessive. Powerslave is one of Maiden's finest recordings, and a classic for the period, and the genre.
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