30 Years Ago Today...

RTC

RTC

Libera et impera!

Not only is this my favourite Iron Maiden album, but it's my favourite album of all-time. An absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. The production is sublime, the songs are pretty much all exceptional, the cover is atmospheric and its contributions to the entire genre cannot be denied. This was truly where Maiden hit their peak in the 1980's and continued on for the rest of the decade.

Use this thread to discuss Powerslave's legacy on the band and heavy metal in general here.
 
For a long time my favourite album, but in recent years it's slightly topped by SIT and probably also SSOASS. The differences are minor and of course it can also depend on the day I play it. I have to admit that the high quality level is not the same from start to finish (“Flash of the Blade”, “Losfer Words” and “Back to the Village” are not my favourite Maiden tracks) but this album contains some of my favourite Maiden songs of all time: “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, “Powerslave”, “Aces High” and “The Duellists”. Apart from Aces High (nr. 32) these are all in my top 10, and I still find Rime the best song ever made.

"The Duellists" is for me the ultimate "forgotten song" in Maiden’s catalogue. I like it because of the brilliant mid piece. GREAT melodic guitar work, with the rhythm tandem McBrain/Harris underneath it. The song has a catchy chorus, that stays in your head (not the way the chorus of TAATG stays in your head!). No weak parts. Unlike most Maiden songs, the tempo is all the time the same, but despite this, the song has an enormous drive!

On Powerslave we can hear a different way of guitar playing than on Piece of Mind. Adrian often plays different things than Dave. E.g. in “Rime…” and in “The Duellists” Adrian plays open long chords where Dave plays fast rhythm guitar (powerchords). For someone who likes to hear more variation and details in the guitar work, Powerslave is definitely the better “product”!

Realizing this, it's quite odd that this album features only two songs written by a guitarist (Adrian Smith)! It’s one of the very few albums without a Dave Murray-track on it. This album is especially a Steve and Bruce product.

The bass can be heard very well, and all sounds by Harris are clear to the ears, and the guitars are more separated to the side channels, compared with the full and fat guitars on the previous album.

The ultimate Iron Maiden experience ever was witnessing “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” on Wacken Open Air, in 2008.

...and then, down in falls comes the RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RTC
This was the first Maiden album I bought on day of release. Myself and a few friends were at the record store the moment it opened, ran home fired that sucker open and tried figuring out all the stuff on the album cover. Those were the days
 
bearfan said:
ran home fired that sucker open and tried figuring out all the stuff on the album cover
Click to expand...

The cassette inlay. Fragile as eggs, and it unfolded to about two feet long. Text written for ants.

And oh that new casssette smell. I'm not kidding, I still remember how Powerslave smelled.
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
The cassette inlay. Fragile as eggs, and it unfolded to about two feet long. Text written for ants.

And oh that new casssette smell. I'm not kidding, I still remember how Powerslave smelled.
Click to expand...


I got the LP .. in fact, I still have the LP. Think I will put it on
 
I didn't hear any of it when it came out, but I remember being quite overawed by the artwork when saw it somewhere.
 
I obviously didn't get this on the day of its release as I was only two years old. However, Powerslave was the first Iron Maiden album I bought (along with Seventh Son) and it hooked me instantly. I enjoy every single track on this album, even those who are categorized as "filler" by many. Why? Because every measure of music sounds like the band is truly enjoying playing it. It is a very fun album to play along to. And it contains no less than four songs regarded as timeless Maiden classics. It certainly is on the list of albums every heavy metal fan must know.

10/10 with oak leaves and sword.
 
SixesAlltheway said:
I have this exact smell memory of my A Real Live One CD too :D That booklet print smell or something!
Click to expand...
Exactly the same, with exactly the same release!! Wow. They used some particular paint (or something) indeed. It still smells the same, after 21 years (I had it in my hands a few months ago).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top