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Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind CD (album) cover

PIECE OF MIND

Iron Maiden

 

Prog Related

3.80 | 672 ratings

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darkshade
4 stars The second of the Classic Three. This album took Maiden to yet again the next level. Production-wise the sound is a bit grittier than what came before and what would come next, but it just adds to the overall sound. Bruce's voice is becoming even more amazing than the previous album. He hits notes no man could touch in rock before (he'd surpass himself in following albums) The prog influences show more on this album than before as well.

The album opens with one of the best songs on the album Where Eagles Dare. Intricate drums are one of the highlights. Extremely melodic guitar parts carry the song. The middle instrumental section is so powerful and builds great tension, VERY Genesis-like in this song. The vocals aren't really a big part of the song since Dickinson sings very little on this song, but the climatic end to the song, Bruce sings so emotionally that you know right away, this a great song.

Revelations and Flight of Icarus are excellent tunes, again, very epic and melodic. Catchy melodies all around, you can't escape them. Great harmonies in the vocal department as well, especially on FoI, which leads right into...

...THE TROOPER! Easily the best song on the album and probably Maiden's most well known song. Sure they play it live a lot (like EVERY show since this album came out) but if you've heard the song, you know why. Everything is perfect on this song. Best melody, galloping bass riffs, fantastic solos from both Smith and Murray, and of course one of Dickinson's most shining moments "OOOH OH OH OH WHOAH OH OH AH OH". Classic.

The second half isn't 'as' good as the first, but doesnt say much, since it still consists of excellent material.

Still Life, Quest for Fire, and Sun and Steel are great metal songs, sometimes actually playing in a major key, which adds a different sound to the overall "Maiden Sound". Nothing is wrong with these songs, they just dont live up to The Trooper's superiority.

The last song is the epic To Tame a Land. This is a dark song, quite the opposite from the previous 2 or 3 songs. The bass is the feature on this track, playing some haunting melodies with the guitars counterpointing the basslines. It ends a bit anit-climatic but still a great song.

Essential of Maiden's catalouge, for The Trooper and Where Eagles Dare alone, but the rest of the albums owns as well.

GET!

darkshade | 4/5 |

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