PROG RELATED

"Powerslave" flows with enormous energy and an unusual forcefulness, between the most aggressive "Maiden" sonorities, like the powerful and direct "Aces High" and "Two Minutes to Midnight", obligatory pieces in the live performances of the band, the suffocating urgency of "Flash of the Blade"' and the rawness of the early years in "Back in the Village", combined with the more elaborate metal of the instrumental "Losfer Words (Big "Orra)" and "The Duellists", a piece inspired by a knightly fight in the Napoleonic era that was made into a film by Ridley Scott in 1977.

However, the album's highlight clearly shines towards its final stretch, with the primal progressive metal emanating from the robust and mythic "Powerslave" (the solos and guitar duel between Dave Murray and Adrian Smith are formidable), and the stellar progressive exploration of the immeasurable "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", a vigorous sea epic inspired by the 1798 poem of the same name by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and masterfully sustained by Steve Harris' piercing bass, especially in the gloomy middle section accompanied by the plaintive creak of a ghostly ship, and topped off by the blast of the galloping guitars of the Murray/Smith duo supporting Bruce Dickinson's excellent vocal performance, in an unbeatable close.

"Powerslave" elevated Iron Maiden to worldwide megastar status, leading to the mammoth "World Slavery Tour" between August 1984 and July 1985, with almost two hundred shows in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Oceania, and over 3.5 million people in attendance.

Excellent.

4/4.5 stars

All nine tracks were composed by Salonen, some of them together with Leppänen. The lyrics were written by Wigwam's Jim Pembroke, except for the songs of the preceding single ('Playground' / 'Lighthouse') that had lyrics of Peter O'Neill, Irish troubadour living in Finland at the time. Musically the album more or less continues in the fairly straightforward rock style of the disappointing second album Boogie Jungle (1975) and yet it sounds stronger as a whole. The moods are generally darker, understandably so after the accidental death of Kurkinen.

'Silver Fish' is a sweaty, fast-paced rock'n'roll song. Leppänen's raspy vocals remind me of FAMILY's Roger Chapman without the lamb-like vibrato. Neither 'Lighthouse' is highly progressive as a chorus-repeating composition, but it sounds pretty good and has great Moog parts by Karimo. 'Forever Train' is a fast, semi-proggy and very dynamic rock song full of energy in the playing.

The album's undeniable highlight is the spiritually inspired, two-part title piece (6:40) which has the clearest prog tendencies and the most powerful emotional feel. Quite beautiful especially on the slower moments. Backing vocals are provided by Marianne Nyman and Jim Pembroke, the latter also playing piano on this piece only. Leppänen is admittedly a strong vocalist who is equally convincing on the rock intensity and on the calmer expression.

The album's references to drug abuse are at their clearest on the rocking 'Brown'll Might Suit You' and the slightly RUSH-reminding instrumental 'Panamian Red'. The remaining three rock oriented vocal songs are pretty average.

The album sold very weakly in Finland but it was marketed into several continental countries, helped by the band's touring with Poland's SBB and later with the French prog legends ANGE. Kalevala disbanded in 1978 -- but not entirely for good.

This is how the ship seated on the turbulent waters of its time, and began to do a difficult sailing, rolling and bumping with the (not so friendly) waves ahead. And that dizzying perception of coming up and down with the boat really comes through the heavily psychedelic sound of this, their discographic debut. The initial trio of Spinetta, Frascino and Amaya just went to the studio, and tackled the new challenge by unleashing the intoxicating cadence they had perfected in an extensive live duty. Probably, that was their glory, and their sin too: Too heavy to be easily accepted by the progressive tribe, but also too progressive for the typical heavy audience of yore, with tastes anchored in a rather squared blues-rock template, they kept rolling and bumping, leaving their own wake.

The album opens with Blues De Cris, a teaser of zeppelinesque manierism in the vocals, yet mounted in their own kind of sway. Great guitar break, too. Track 2, El Jardinero, grows infectiously like a maze of riffs and winding guitar lines, sublimating the initial nightmare into a more abstract scape of counterpointing arpeggios. Track 3, Dulce 3 Nocturno is the overnight sweet relief, an acoustic gem of unique vocal textures, including a rare lead by Frascino in the bridge. Track 4, Algo Flota En La Laguna, goes for a mutant blues-rock groove, rapidly corrupted with sharply bending guitars in a oh-so-tasty early seventies mix, and unexpected interlude of vocal splendour.

After that, Spinetta brings in Cutaia, just in time to cut Track 5, Serpiente, which he wanted to be given a Hammond C-3 laden treatment, after being impressed by ELP's Tarkus. Being the tale of a serpent that "travels through the salt" (don't ask - early 70's), the marvellous mini-suite got an accordingly winding lead from the keyboard, and Cutaia, of course, earned a place on board.

Two out of the three bonus-tracks make a worthy addition to the remastered reissue: Track 7, Despiértate Nena, with rare (and excellent) vocals by Lebón (Frascino's replacement) soaring over an acid-jazz groove embedded with great guitar fills. And Track 8, Post-Crucifixión, is one of those hipnotic riffs that, without being overly sticky, stays with you forever once heard. And don't forget the amazing vocals, distantly mirrored with echo for greater aural pleasure.

Perfectly useless, as a love letter or the buzz at your fingertips can be, and equally essential. Imperfect hearts will love it.

First Cutaia, then Lebón and finally Amaya himself, who had been on board since the very inception of the band. Left alone, and owing one more album to the Microfon label, Spinetta recruited two of his former mates in the band Almendra, plus his own brother Gustavo, and did Artaud with those same songs.

How could result, from such a turmoil, a recording in state of grace? Who knows, the songs were amazing, that helps. Working at home, with brother and old friends, that too. But in the end, there's no explanation for beauty, if true. And no need for one either, just wide open eyes and ears are required.

The cover sleeve was designed with an irregular edge, by Spinetta's request. It wouldn't fit any standard rack, because, you know, art shouldn't fit. From the edges to the inside, on the other hand, the album flows seamless, yet through very different moments. Even the acoustic songs are each one of a kind. Todas Las Hojas Son Del Viento, with tender innocence and anti-drug message. Por, almost a symbolist stream of consciousness, slipping through naked acoustic beauty. La Sed Verdadera, presumably inspired in Rimbaud, serene, contemplative, soaked in delicious lo-fi electronica towards the end. Cantata De Puentes Amarillos is the piece de resistance for acoustic guitar and vocals, but with the most amazing electric and percussive incrustations, turning it into a joyous ride, focused in the hope for a better tomorrow.

The electric element of the equation blossoms in Superchería, walking a fine line between the melodies of Spinetta's old band Almendra, and Aquelarre's rythmic drive, contemporary by then. That drive mutates at the end of the album, in the fascinatingly bouncing riffage of Las Habladurías Del Mundo. Bajan used to jump the airwaves in different times, thanks to a graceful melody, supported by catchy drums, courtesy of Gustavo Spinetta. Can Artaud poetry be set in a cheap horror comedy scenary? Don't know really, but that is what it seems to take place in the other piece with Gustavo in drums, Cementerio Club, and it's delightful. If, besides progressive, the term art-rock can (and should) be applied to this album, that is in A Starosta El Idiota, with a rare performance in piano by Spinetta, existential lyrics, and delicious bassline in the middle section, preceded by a concrete music incursion loaded with references.

After this, García and Del Guercio resumed their day job playing drums and bass in Aquelarre, and Spinetta went to form Invisible.

A delicate record that screams "Play me loud!", and never dissapoints.

Of course, the problem with such DVD's is that they become outdated, with pretty much all of the material here being available on YouTube. But there's no denying the quality of the music. I mean, at the end of the day, it's Iron Maiden! One of the greatest metal bands of all time.

Featuring some classic metal anthems, such as 'Run to the Hills', 'Aces High', 'The Trooper', 'Fear of the Dark', 'The Number of the Beast', 'Can I Play With Madness', and countless others, despite being outdated, this is no-doubt a worthy addition to the collection.

It's famously referred to as the album where Maiden went more progressive and experimental, not only in song structure but by the use of keyboards. But for me, I don't know. I just can't get into this as easily as I could 'Powerslave' or 'Somewhere in Time'. The commonly referenced keyboards are really nothing more than some backing chords over the guitar harmonies.

Regardless of that however, the musicianship is still of a high standard, and as always, praise goes to Bruce Dickinson's soaring vocals. Despite my thoughts on the album as a whole, there are still some bangers here. In particular, 'Infinite Dreams', 'The Clairvoyant', 'The Evil That Men Do' and closing track 'Only the Good Die Young' are all classic Maiden tracks.

And at barely 45 minutes in length, it's an easy enough album to listen to in one sitting. It's just really not the album I'd choose to listen to in the first place. Sorry Maiden fans. I love the band, and I DO like this album, just not as much as I feel I'm supposed to.

There is an argument that the album "Asia's" success combined with that of, for example, Yes' "90125," Genesis' "Invisible Touch," and The Moody Blues' "Other Side of Life," re-energized the late 1970's moribund and, ostensibly, bloated genre of progressive rock. As is widely attested by the membership of ProgArchives.com, this juncture in the history of progressive rock is somewhat regrettable. What happened to the Yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and Moody Blues of the "vintage" of 1972?

However, as I have written before, a presupposition of "both/ and" rather than "either/or" may facilitate a more balanced and inclusive view of life.

On the surface, "Heat of the Moment" cannot escape its association with the movie, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." Or, maybe not. Steve Howe contributes a rather jagged ending solo that disturbs the relatively complacent commerciality of the song.

"Only Time Will Tell" possesses an emblematic melodic synthesizer riff that evokes the milieu of 1982 in which my fiancé visited Notre Dame, IN, during my final semester there for the Michigan/Notre Dame football contest, the first night game ever on the campus. During the halftime show, the Michigan band performed "Only Time Will Tell."

As one ventures further into the album "Asia," its musical "inclusivity" becomes apparent. "Sole Survivor" may have originated as a reaction of John Wetton to the triumph of an Arthur Ashe tennis match. Yet, in its final form, the song contains an instrumental middle section that showcases the percussive precision of Palmer; one might describe Howe's guitar work as "Son of Yours is No Disgrace."

As one "flips the side of the record." "Wildest Dreams," "Without You," and "Cutting It Fine" illustrate Wetton, Howe, Downes, and Palmer's "fidelity" to the genre of progressive rock. Preeminent instrumentally in "Wildest Dreams" is Howe's torrid guitar solo that prefigures the intensity of the ensuing work of Dream Theater's John Petrucci.

Lyrically and conceptually, the song evokes in the contemporary listener acknowledgement of its "prophetic" relevance to contemporary events, within and without the United States: Putin's demonic invasion of Ukraine; the flagitious terrorist attacks of Hamas on Israel on 10/7/23 and the Israelis' ensuing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and, in terms of the popular vote, the anything but decisive victory of Neo-Mussolini in the US presidential election.

Perhaps, oddly, my explicit interest in Asia begins and ends with their 1982 eponymously released effort. Nevertheless, this album does occupy a germane place in my musical memory. Yes, "no pun intended," Tempus Fugit.