POWERSLAVE

What to say about this album? Amazing artwork, catchy songs, great production... This is in fact the first Maiden album I bought, at a time I wasn't too much in listening to metal, but I got very impressed back then. Clearly this album is the reason why Maiden has been added here, as it is the real first effort with significant progressive elements.

However, the album starts with two basic metal songs, "Aces High" and "2 Minutes To Midnight", both sharing the same war theme with fast paced riffs (both ending as classic Maiden hits and live favorites). "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)" is a great instrumental, sharing the same complexity as its predecessors "Transylvania" and "Genghis Khan" (the last guitar part is amazing). "Flash Of The Blade" is maybe the only weak track here - nothing original in the melody. "The Duellists" is again one of my favorites - very catchy double verse/chorus structure, very melodic instrumental mid part that seems to last forever although it's only 2-3 minutes long. "Back In The Village" is another catchy song, almost funny too like "Quest For Fire" on the previous album. Then the two masterpieces: "Powerslave", written by Bruce Dickinson, is a mid paced song with an instrumental break in the middle, and "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner", written by Steve Harris, a conceptual epic song based on Samuel Coleridge's book.

Rating: 90/100 (5 stars)