POWERSLAVE

Although this was the 5th album by IRON MAIDEN it was the only the 2nd to have the exact same lineup as the previous. Apparently this stability meant they could focus on the music and refine it until it was of near perfection. All members are on full display here at the peak of their careers. All stars align in this metal masterpiece just like the shadows on the calendar days of ancient Egypt at a time when the pyramids served as an aid to the mysteries of the universe. Eddie seems to be stuck in the insane asylum still on the last album since he is not on here and only a sarcophagus representation of his ancient ancestors seems to be on display.

POWERSLAVE was an important development in IRON MAIDEN's career as it took all which came to be on the previous albums and refined them into amazing creations that had the catchiness, the aggressiveness and the beauty and added more complex progressive elements as clearly shown in the band's most compex song ever "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" which is based on the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that was written way back in 1798.

This is simply one of those beyond belief albums in music history much less metal that demands to be heard and more than holds up the test of time. The band set off on their longest and most successful live tour based on this album which spawned the live album LIVE AFTER DEATH. At this point the band reached the level of superstardom and would forever be an influence on the musical world.

The only curiosity i've ever felt toward this album is that the cover art which is one of my favorites in all of music history suggests a concept album based around the medieval past in Egypt yet begins with a song that is about flying jets. I guess my expectations of a full on concept albums are too demanding and I will not impose it on this album because they did not fulfil them. Taken for what it is it is still a masterpiece of metal music that does not seem in the least bit dated all these decades later.