When it comes to opening tracks Maiden always deliver a gem... always!, an outstanding performance by Nicko... tight as fuck, 10/10.
I could listen to that drum fill intro for days. Insane riffage, Dave's solo is a highlight for itself, Bruce's performance is out of this world. The only thing why it doesn't make a full score is repetition. The middle part somewhat drags a bit, perhaps a few more licks would grant it a perfect score. 9.
9/10 One of the all-time classic drum intros leads into some excellent riffs with interesting triplet ideas. Dave's lead work in this track always makes me think of flight. I hadn't seen the film the first time I heard this, but did soon after - it's also amazing!
Nicko's on fire in his first appearance on a Maiden album, and his performance is the driving force of this song. Aside from that, Bruce provides a soaring performance (pardon the pun) here, capturing the energy of the song perfectly, though I'm not in love with the chorus. The guitars aren't anything particularly special here IMO. 8/10