Customer Reviews

Powerslave

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album was a mountain-top for Iron Maiden. They really were in a groove here and the tour following this record proved it. The artwork is stunning: Rigg's really out did himself with this. The only thing even close, in my opinion, would be the "Live After Death" artwork.

Every song on this album is strong. My favorite would be "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner." These guys definitely do their homework when it comes to lyrical content and they show a great respect for their audience because of it. They write about some very historical and intellectual stuff and their musical content matches the thought behind the words. Proof in point: "Los'fer Words," a wonderful instrumental that shows a lighter side and that they are still having a blast playing music.

This album was recorded in 1984, when the band had finally solidified it's line up and had fine tuned the members' roles, resulting in a exploitation of their strengths. By this time in their career, they were working like a fine-tuned machine. This trip to the studio, Martin Birch was able to better capture a more raw-yet-refined and punchier sound then their previous work. Their first album, "Iron Maiden," had a very raw power, yet lacked a worthy sonic production that Harris and Co still regret to this day (Martin Birch even regrets not producing that album). However, they definitely made up for it with this album.

Murray and Smith don't disappoint even the most critical guitarist. Bruce nails every note with the character, power, and heart of a professional singer. McBrain just gets better and better and demonstrates a prodigious technique that leaves many wondering, "How could any human possibly do that?" And of course Harris, Wow! How this guy endlessly and spontaneously comes up with this stuff still inspires me. Maybe he's Mozart's long lost son?

These guys have never sold out. They do exactly what they want, how they want, and when they want to do it. They deliver a live performance that surpasses many other bands half their age and even out-perform their own studio performances. Many bands just can't do that; no matter how good they sound in the studio they usually suck live. However, Iron Maiden is one of a very, very few bands that performs live better then they record.

This album is a must for any Maiden fan, or metal fan for that matter. It demonstrates that hard and heavy music isn't and doesn't have to be stupid or full of anger to prove a point and be "cool."

When I first heard Maiden, I did not like them. It took time to recognize the genius-yet-still-grounded band that they are. To put it simply, they are an acquired taste well worth any discerning metal connoisseur's time. Get this album on whatever format you want, give it a little time and I promise you won't regret it. You'll probably want more. And if you get the chance, see these guys live: they really put on a great and authentic show.

If you are a true Maiden fan, you'll love this cd. It contains possibly the best instrumental piece ever (Losfer Words). If you're a true Maiden fan you should already have this cd or get it right away. "Rimes of the Ancient Mariner" is the best 13 minute song based on a poem (Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge). Powerslave is an essential cd for your collection. Every song is true Maiden from "Aces High" to "Rimes of the Ancient Mariner". Possibly the best cd you could invest in.

Powerslave was the breakthrough album in America for Iron Maiden. With such classics as Aces High, 2 mins to 12:00, Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient mariner there's no wonder why. The quality of the production is unsurpassed and, musically, the guys went to the maximum of their capabilities.

1-Aces high : The ultimate album opener. Fast and furious with a killer chorus. A masterpiece that is just uncomparable. 10/10
2-2 mins to 12:00 : It takes a special song to follow Aces high. 2 minutes does it great. 9,5/10
3-Losfer words (Big `Orra) : A very melodic instrumental piece. 8,5/10
4-Flash of the blade : A super fast-paced rocker. Very solid. 8,5/10
5-The duellists : Very unknown and underrated song. The guitars and bass are just amazing. 9/10
6-Back in the village : In my opinion, the most underrated song of Iron Maiden. Technically, their best ever. 9,5/10
7-Powerslave : You can almost feel that you're in Egypt ! Adrian Smith solo is full of emotion. After hearing this song, you will be a slave to the power of Maiden. 10/10
8-Rime of the ancient mariner : The best song of all time. A 13 minutes song of that intensity and excellence is a "tour de force". The masterpiece of all masterpieces. Bottom line. 10/10

For some, it's the ultime Maiden album, for others the middle part is weak. The songs need time to grow but they are brilliant. Maybe not my favourite but near the top. A must.

This is a WARNING to anyone that is about to buy this specific version of Powerslave cd. It is NOT a remastered cd! This issue came from 1998. When I bought mine 3 years ago, it was advertised as "ENHANCED" [DIGITALLY REMASTERED]. This is a total lie and a waste of money. The CD you want was produced in 2002. I bought three other "enhanced" Iron Maiden cd's and I got scammed on those as well. The packaging on the 1998 and 2002 are identical. Make sure you buy the 2002. Maiden pisses me off for putting out way too many repeat cd's of the same material. They use distorted lawyer words like "enhanced" and make different song compilation cd's. It has gotten ridiculous. FYI "enhanced" means a couple of videos added... Read the cd case and it mentions you should have Windows 98!!!

I don't understand the hype with this album and I am a huge Iron Maiden fan. For me it is one of the weaker albums with Dickinson. However, there are still great songs on the album that I enjoy listening to including Aces High, 2 minutes to Midnight, Powerslave and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Losfer Words is a pretty good tune, but not as good as their previous instrumentals. Apart from that, the other songs I find are weak. If you are a big maiden fan then I understand why you would get this album, but if not you should check out the self-titled debut or piece of mind, which are both better in my opinion.

I don't understand the hype with this album, and I am a huge Maiden fan. In my opinion it is one of the weaker releases with Dickinson. However, it still has great tracks I enjoy listening to like 2 minutes to midnight, aces high, powerslave and rime of the ancient mariner. Losfer Words is also pretty good, but not as good as previous instrumentals. Also, I find that the other songs on the album are weak. If you are a huge Maiden fan I understand why you would buy this album, but if not I suggest checking out the self-titled debut or Piece of Mind, both which are better overall in my opinion.