Aces High

How good is Aces High on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    19
I'm going to be completely honest here. I know this is a very good song, but I honestly don't enjoy it that much. The intro is very atmospheric and the song is a very energetic opener, Bruce sounds great and the lyrics are good, same can be said about the solos. However, there is something off about it that I don't like, but I don't really know what. Maybe it's the lack of changes in the chords, but not being a musician myself I can't judge too much from a technical standpoint. So while I still know it's a good song and considered a classic, I don't find myself listening to it all that much. 7/10
 
GiovaOfficial said:
I'm going to be completely honest here. I know this is a very good song, but I honestly don't enjoy it that much. The intro is very atmospheric and the song is a very energetic opener, Bruce sounds great and the lyrics are good, same can be said about the solos. However, there is something off about it that I don't like, but I don't really know what. Maybe it's the lack of changes in the chords, but not being a musician myself I can't judge too much from a technical standpoint. So while I still know it's a good song and considered a classic, I don't find myself listening to it all that much. 7/10
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You took the words out of my mouth, thats exactly what I would say too. It's a great song live, but I never find myself listening to it anymore. It's just not that interesting.
I'd also give it a 7/10.
 
Diesel 11 said:
I disagree, I think it's their most overrated live song. Bruce cannot hit those notes and it really hurts it. In studio though, it's amazing.
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Well, I don't really consider Bruce's voice, because I ment "LIVE live", not any recorded stuff. It's a great sing-along-song for the audience and reason to go wild! When standing 10 meters from the stage and hearing Churchill's speech go off, I dont really think "I wonder if Bruce will be able to hit the high notes", instead I'm looking forward to scream "RUN, LIVE TO FLY, FLY TO LIVE, ACES HIIIIIGH"

Hope you get my point :)
 
naikon said:
Well, I don't really consider Bruce's voice, because I ment "LIVE live", not any recorded stuff. It's a great sing-along-song for the audience and reason to go wild! When standing 10 meters from the stage and hearing Churchill's speech go off, I dont really think "I wonder if Bruce will be able to hit the high notes", instead I'm looking forward to scream "RUN, LIVE TO FLY, FLY TO LIVE, ACES HIIIIIGH"

Hope you get my point :)
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Makes sense; I should've tacked that bit on. :)
 
Powerslave begins... with nearly no warning of what's to come... "Aces High"... men have heard the air raid siren... they heed the call... they run towards their Spitfires... they're ready to fly....

BAM! Guitars, bass, drums, all collide as this song gets into full swing. The riff is melodious to a fault, the bass is thumping, and then - HOLY SHIT BRUCEY BABY!

I don't think the singing on "Aces High" will ever be matched by anyone ever. It is utter perfection from start to finish. During the verses, we're treated to Bruce, but he's got a little bit of the rasp here and there. That's okay. He's looking for those damn Germans, gotta take 'em down. Then the chorus hits and it's just high note after high note, clear, clean singing. FLY TO LIIIIIVEEEE!! ahahahaaaaa my god! Awesome motherfucker whew!

The solo is awesome, too.

It's interesting to note that Bruce, well-known for his love of airplanes, didn't write this. It's an 'Arry composition. And goddammit Steve, look at all the crazy shit ye've thrown in here! "Bandits at 8 o'clock move in behind us! / Ten ME 109's out of the sun!" Bruce fucking sells it and I don't think another band outside of Sabaton could pull it off THIS fucking WELL.

So perfect. Every moment of it. This is THE Maiden song I don't think I will ever get tired of. Any time I've been binging another artist and I feel the need to get back into Maiden but don't know how, I simply put on "Aces High"

There are moments when I feel this could be my favorite song of all time. 10/10.
 
A simple harmonized lead punctuated by bass and drum accents breaks into a driving dual lead. This breaks into a good tension-building verse that's held back slightly by a rote guitar-doubled vocal melody and slightly awkward phrasing.

The pre-chorus amps up the tension with a driving riff, echoing vocals, and a short percussive break in the middle before giving way to a soaring chorus with harmonized vocals.

A brief uptempo interlude leads into a fantastic pair of solos. Another round of verse through chorus and the song slows things down to end with a percussive flourish.

This song has some brilliant parts, but the verse has some weaknesses and the chorus isn't quite a home run. Still, I think on balance I'd round this up to a 9/10.
 
A great opening leads into one of Maiden's best riff, a soaring piece that sets the scene for what's to come. A fiery Bruce storms into the listener's ear, detailing the POV of a British ace in the Battle of Britain, fighting the Luftwaffe with everything he's got. "Aces High" has the distinct title of featuring the band's best chorus, with a soaring performance of Bruce's showcasing at long last why this motherfucker is the best singer in metal history. Don't quote me on that. Great solos help bring the song to life, and when all's said and done, this is one of the band's greatest songs, a fast and furious showcasing of just how good classic Maiden is. 10
 
Classic opener and one of the all time classics from Maiden. The intro is one of the best, the twin-lead harmonies, the riffs, the verses and especially the chorus are fantastic! Both solos are one of the best back-to-back solos from Dave and Adrian. Great drumming and tempo. The scream at the end is epic. This song contains some of the best melodies from the band. Bruce shines (one of his best performances). Run, Live To Fly, Fly To Live.... 10/10
 
What a way to open an album! “Aces High” bursts out of the speakers and instantly hooks you in its fast, aggressive, blinding and breakneck pace. If this isn’t Maiden’s fastest, most energetic song, it certainly feels like it. Bruce lays down one of his hardest-to-sing vocals, Steve keeps thumping away at the bass, Nicko is on fire, and the dynamic duo blast away with two of their best guitar solos. There’s not a moment wasted in this song, and it remains their best opener. 10/10
 
Time to review one of Maiden's most inconsistent albums. Starting with Aces High we have a song with some amazing individual sections, but somehow the whole product is far lesser than its components. I'll make the rather controversial claim that Aces High has only ever sounded good on the studio album. The vocals are incredibly demanding, requiring a ferocity and speed as well as a high register and a lot of indurence. Because of this there isn't a single live version of this song that actually works in my opinion. I know it's heresy and blasphemy, but I hate the way the verses (especially the ones in A minor) sound, they're simply awful.

The guitar melodies are great, the chorus is anthemic, the solos are stellar and I love the backing vocals in the chorus. The Flight 666 version adds a neat little harmony guitar to the outro which I really enjoy. Unfortunately it simply doesn't work as a whole track. All in all it's one of the most overrated songs in the catalogue and as the years have passed I liked it less and less. A 5.

(Side note: I know that Churchill' Speech is iconic and I chanted it word for word each time it appeared on a Maiden concert, but I can't really take it seriously with the way he sounds. I know that it was a historic speech and all that, but the dude sounds so insanely bored that the whole thing just sounds goofy to me.)
 
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Haven't heard the studio version in... years, probably.

I had totally forgotten how astonishing it is. What a fucking way to open an album. The most heavy, straight-in-the-face opener they have ever done.
 
Key changes all over the shop on this one, but works so well. Really impressive writing from Steve. Wish he could write short ones like this still.
 
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