Doing the holiday travel thing, so I have lots to catch up on. Let me just say that “Aces High” and “2 Minutes to Midnight” is the strongest opening 1-2 punch in the entire Maiden catalog. It’s difficult for any album to live up to that type of opening, which is probably why I put Powerslave at the bottom of the first five releases (but it’s still a terrific album!) The Duelists is my third-favorite tune from this album, and I never realized how certain parts of the verses are very reminiscent of Where Eagles Dare. That’s one reason I love threads like this. I agree with a lot of the posters that have said this is an overlooked tune. Coincidentally, I received a new copy of Live After Death for Christmas, and am really loving how the band sounded at this point and time. I hadn’t listened to this album all the way through for a long time, but they are really cooking here.
I definitely get what you're saying here, it's great and essential to find some really forgotten tunes and now perhaps people can see and hear them in completely new light? Time to get some of the songs that haven't been paid much attention anywhere (even if you listen to these albums fully always like me) to spotlight, feels like almost getting new sort of favorites. Iron Maiden deep cuts, the fan-edition or something? Think Im gonna name the playlist "Iron Maiden Deep Cuts".. Soon we go to title-track of the album, Powerslave?
Powerslave: And now we arrive at the title track of the album, written by Bruce about a dying Egyptian pharaoh lamenting the limits of his power. He also had in mind how Maiden was constantly in a cycle of Album-tour-album-tour due to their increasing popularity. The song starts with a killer driving rhythm before Bruce starts at :07, delivering a scowlin vocal but with that theatrical flair that is pure Dickinson through and through, and I love the dark melody that the guitars play. And we must mention the more mellow section at 2:35, adding some great light and shade to the track, and then there is Dave's solo at 2:45, gripping, powerful, and I adore what Steve is doing underneath, it's such an amazing conterpoint, and then we get some excellent harmonized guitars at 3:55 which lead into Adrian's dirty ass solo at 4:19, and then there's the drum roll by Nicko at 4:45, which leads back into the opening riff. This is a stellar, stellar track and my favorite on the whole album. On a scale of one to ten, I give it Eddie kicking Satan's ass
Playing catch up. Beast, A 10. I even love the couple most quip about. Piece, first album with a couple that I put in the ok camp. Strange enough my favorite Bruce album. Love the production love the Brains what's not to love.
Here's Powerslave from Rock In Rio 1985: The show did not go as planned otherwise, during "Powerslave" the fire comes too late and Bruce had to stamp it out himself at mark 01:52 onwards. I commented this show on page 60, in post #1490: Iron Maiden Song By Song Thread
Oh yeah, I read that in Bruce's book (I'm almost at SIT by the Way), and when Rod commented on Bruce's bleeding, I thought about Frank Zappa telling Alice to just go with the Chicken story
Quick reply, Im not sure why is Rod talking in interviews and on Live After Death-dvd (History of Iron Maiden Part 2), that Bruce ran towards Dave and that's how we got that cut on his forehead? As we know and can see (on the video) that Bruce hit himself with his own guitar and Bruce tells and also confirms this in the book aswell. Maybe Rod doesn't remember correctly or something? But the Rock In Rio 1985 show is strange anyways as they have all the problems with the sound and stuff.. That Bruce's autobiography is great, I've heard some nagging comments (because some feel it wasn't right to leave family and etc stuff away from it) but everyone else says it's great. I think he made right decision to leave family stuff from it. I've read the english-edition and soon going to start reading my signed Finnish-translation. As I talked with Bruce, he made big signature to my book and it's now my precious
Being a serious Iron Maiden fan is a lifestyle. Their music can affect your psyche like no other band. Someone mentioned buying Killers when it was new and their teenage head exploding. Well yes. The songs "Murders in the rue morgue" and "Killer" have that effect. They are not songs, they are invisible entities that come out and kick your ass. Those of us lucky enough to grow up listening to these guys, we had it good. The censored part is absolutely correct. This is THE band that got me into heavy metal. Interestingly enough - Flight of Icarus is the song that got me into them. I remember hearing that song and the FIRST time i heard it, I liked it. Second time i heard it, I was hooked. It was like nothing I ever heard before.
Powerslave From the sinister opening laugh to the closing crescendo, Powerslave is a masterwork of metal. I for one prefer the LAD version to the album cut by a hair. You know they knew they had a good song here when they based the album cover around one song. Not only were the band on fire during this period but so was Derek Riggs.
Before I begin, I must apologize for not posting as often as I would like to this thread, but the notifications are not showing up!!!! Powerslave (the album) is just mother ****ing epic. After Piece of Mind, I didn't know it could get better, but holy ****ing **** did they take it to another level with this masterpiece. Aces High What a starting track! And to begin the concert with Churchill's speech was amazing in person. 5 Cranks! Two Minutes to Midnight OMFG talk about an iconic track. In the top 5 iconic Maiden tracks for me along with The Trooper, The Number of the Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name, and Fear of the Dark. 5 Cranks! Losfer Words - Flash of the Blade - The Duelists Take no prisoners in triplicate here...the guitars just kill. 4, 4.5, and 4.5 Cranks, respectively. Back in the Village - 4.75 Cranks Powerslave - 5 Cranks Rime of the Ancient Mariner - 4.75 Cranks Rainbow's Gold and King of Twilight are just ****ing awesome. I love these covers as much as Maiden's original material. 5 Cranks each. Mission from 'Arry I remember listing to this on a 12-incher and played it over and over. ****ing hilarious. 5+ Cranks! The Number of the Beast (live) - I've seen them do this live so many times it has become a part of my soul.
Powerslave Cards on the table. This and the following track...are the best closing tracks they have ever done. Special, epic...brilliant. 5/5
I need to play catch-up, too! I'll pick up where I think I left off... THE DUELISTS--Another song about swords/fencing, and it's no worse for it. Sometimes I think I like this song even better than "Flash of the Blade." I like the part after all the solos where the guitars just start chugging away at the intro riff again (which others have pointed out sounds a bit like parts of "Where Eagles Dare.") It's just so powerful how they're all just doing the duh duh duh, duh duh duh, duh duh, DUNT DUNT DUNT, duh duh duh... BACK IN THE VILLAGE--I've just never liked this one that much. My least favorite song on Powerslave, by far. It's got energy and some intricate riffing but it seems like they took bits and pieces of 2-3 other fast songs they'd been working on, and combined them into one, to make the "token" semi-speed metal song. I never really thought about it being a sequel to "The Prisoner," but I guess I've skipped it one too many times to pay close attention to the lyrics. POWERSLAVE--Featuring a great opening riff that Dio was probably quite jealous of. Fun to play this riff on guitar. But...I don't know...I used to like this song a lot better, now I sometimes skip it and go straight to "Mariner." I think this one came across better live with all the pyro, plus the hawk's head mask. Some good soloing and nice tempo/contrast changes, but...it's just never been one of my favorites and would not make my Maiden top 25 (or probably even top 50).
I'll try to play catch up here a bit: "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra): Fun as hell to play along on my bass listening to the record. I mean, let's be honest, this album sounds terrific. Steve's bottom end isn't as over bearing as on other albums. The mix has a great balance. This is just a great instrumental, but I just feel like it could have been just easily a good song with vocals. It has a good groove and movement and I can totally hear Bruce singing on this on if he was so inspired. LOTS of stuff going on here with the guitars, drums, and, of course, bass but it all works. "Flash of the Blade" is fun as hell to play on the bass, but the song is not that great. I don't like the verses or the chorus which doesn't leave that much. Great bass work from Steve on the rolling riff that precedes the verses, but to say Iron Maiden has great bass work gets a little tiresome to repeat over and over: duh. I don't like this one that much. "The Duellists" not a huge fan of this one, but I guess maybe the movie ruined it for me? I've listened to the lyrics and knowing the song was inspired from the Ridley Scott movie, I was just kind of 'meh'. The song crams the lyrics in and it's just not a favorite. It never was. "Back in the Village" Oh, boy, here's another one I didn't like that much, either. I didn't know the song was based on "The Prisoner" show, but I always thought "Back in the Village" was a pretty weak premise from a tune (even if I had no idea what the song was about). Like most Maiden tunes, this one has stellar musicianship, but the song is kind of a dud. "Powerslave" I'm afraid this one is a bit of plodder. This is Bruce's song, right? I'm not looking at the credits, but that's what I remember. I think the chorus to this one is pretty bad, but not a terrible job of trying to incorporate middle eastern tinged music into metal. Maybe a tad better than to "To Tame a Land" in that it seems to have more force and purpose to it. Still, as I said, not that great. I do like the middle instrumental section quite a bit. Nice job, but when Nicko's tom runs come in you know that part is over and it's a sad.
Powerslave I didn't like this song initially when the album came out, however loved the artwork and all its imagery, mind you I was 11 at the time I felt it was just to long (stupid kid) This is an example of how a truly great Maiden songs can just grow on you over time because, I love this song now. I agree with @The Slug Man that this song sounds excellent played live but I'm not sure if that's because of all the fire
Powerslave A lot of Maiden songs have an intro, but this one comes right out of the gate with guitars chugging . Bruce wastes no time coming in, with some nicely descriptive vocals. There's something about the music that evokes ancient Egypt. Love the guitar solos, and Steve even throws in a little bass solo of his own. ... Tomorrow, we should just skip the next song and move on to the next album. Everyone knows the next track is just filler...