Iron Maiden - Powerslave

Albums I like a lot: Part V

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on August 27th 2021)  

They say every journey starts with a single step, and music, or more precisely metal in this case is no different. I remember listening to Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark” when I was 11 like it was yesterday, for it was that song that sparked my love for metal as a whole. From that point forward the British titans were almost all I listened to for the next two years, before I took a detour into other genres *cough* nu-metal *cough*. Following that though I got back into the good stuff, and the band got back into rotation as if they never left. Picking a favourite album from these guys is the equivalent of having to pick a favourite child (it’s actually rather easy to do the latter but we don’t talk about that), but after a great deal of thinking I settled on their fifth album, the amazing Powerslave.

This is probably the first Maiden album where the band came 100% into their own and perfected their craft. For all it’s worth, the band’s previous two albums, despite having some excellent songs were also dragged down by filler (see “22 Acacia Avenue” off Number of the Beast, or “Still Life” from Piece of Mind). Here though? There’s not a single moment that goes to waste. Even the short instrumental “Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)” kicks ass, despite its brevity and lack of lyrics. Powerslave is probably one of the few, if not the only Maiden album that is absolutely bereft of filler, and it really shows. Every gallop and dueling guitar lead is exhilarating and propels this album’s enjoyment factor into the stratosphere.

Powerslave is also where the band managed to hit a perfect balance between their shorter and their more epic side. You get legendary gallop fests like “Aces High” and “2 Minutes to Midnight”, which have stood the test of time and have been setlist mainstays for the past few decades, as well as more long winded and grand compositions like the title track and the sailing “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. All of these tracks are filled to the brim with catchy riffs, exciting choruses and all around fantastic songwriting. I’d be remiss not to talk about the title track specifically, which to this day stands as my favourite song the band has ever written, with its ominous Egyptian atmosphere and steady mid-paced gait making it one of the best heavy metal songs of all time.

And how could we possibly forget about the vocals? Bruce Dickinson absolutely nails it here, as he did for every single album they put out during the 80s. His iconic delivery and wailing has resulted in some of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in my life. I shit you not, I regularly catch myself humming and singing a lot of these tracks to myself even after going for long periods without listening to the album itself. If that’s not a testament to how catchy the vocal lines and hooks are I don’t know what is.

The production is also another reason as to why the album sounds so good, besides the compositional skill itself. Everything sounds bright and full, with the guitars having a sharp sound that is supplemented by the plunky bass, while everything is propped up by the punchy and driving sound of the drums. The mixing is also flawless, with everything being perfectly audible at all times and never struggling to be heard. It’s just a complete joy to listen to, and the fact that they managed to get such results while avoiding sounding saccharine and sterile is commendable.

Powerslave is awesome. It’s an album that has been with me since the start of my journey in metal music and its importance to me cannot be understated. I’ve enjoyed it regardless of what phase I was in musically, whether that’d be black metal or something else. Many albums have come and gone through the years but this one has stood the test of time and has stuck around for the past 10 years. Here’s to 10 more.

Highlights: Aces High, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Powerslave, Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Rating: 100%