Continuing my way through the Maiden studio albums with the fifth album “Powerslave”. This was the bands biggest tour and when the band was starting to get huge in the US. The album starts out with the uptempo “Aces High”, that’s a classic Maiden opener through and through. Fast and melodic and that great vocal from Bruce. “Two Minutes to Midnight” was the first single and one of the more catchy Maiden songs from Smith/Dickinson. Those two always seemed to write great memorable choruses. “Losfer Words” is an instrumental and is kind of odd at track 3. It’s solid but also a filler but also just strange to put it so early in the album. “Flash of the Blade” is an uptempo and very catchy Dickinson written song about his love of fencing. A solid album track that I’ve appreciated a little more over the years. “The Duellists” another solid album track that’s good but not great for me. “Back in the Village” another solid album track that’s just good for me but I like it more these days than I probably did years ago. “Powerslave” is a classic for me. Heavy and just epic and cool lyrics about the Pharaoh dying to only live again. Just a cool story about history. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” closes the album in the most epic way with 13 minutes. Based on a poem about a crew on a ship being cursed it’s a great story and lyrics by Harris. Maybe a few minutes too long in hindsight but this one is always great live and considered one of the bands most epic songs. Overall another classic album but I always felt it was a couple of songs short from reaching the greatness of the previous two albums but it does have four classics with Aces High, Two Minutes To Midnight, Powerslave, and Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The instrumental is definitely a filler and the other three tracks are good but not quite great. The album cover is amazing and one of the best covers they have done.
Iron Maiden – Powerslave (1984)
