Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Nicko yells and hits the cymbal a few times before the band kicks in with a strong uptempo groove that serves as the verse. This breaks into a soaring chorus-like section with a nice harmonized lead.
An extended uptempo interlude follows, leading into a pretty good solo that breaks into a great descending guitar lead that will be repurposed by the band in several different songs for many years to come. This cuts into a great soaring solo on top of busy percussion before returning to the verse groove. Another round of "verse" and "chorus" and a quick swaying outro lead wraps things up.
This is a strong but not mindblowing instrumental that sounds like it was constructed to have lyrics, but just never got any. There are a couple of great parts, but most of it is just good. 7/10.
An extended uptempo interlude follows, leading into a pretty good solo that breaks into a great descending guitar lead that will be repurposed by the band in several different songs for many years to come. This cuts into a great soaring solo on top of busy percussion before returning to the verse groove. Another round of "verse" and "chorus" and a quick swaying outro lead wraps things up.
This is a strong but not mindblowing instrumental that sounds like it was constructed to have lyrics, but just never got any. There are a couple of great parts, but most of it is just good. 7/10.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
The main reason why Powerslave is not one of my favorite Maiden albums. Clive was better than Nicko in one thing, which was playing instrumental songs for Maiden. 6
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Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
With every instrumental, Maiden only got better and better, culminating in this blazing track, which feels like a look into the world of Powerslave and all that's in it. Bruce isn't even necessary here, and where that should feel out of place, it isn't. "Losfer Words" is a strong as fuck number with everyone present on the track giving a great performance. 9
LongDistanceRunner1981
Tailgunner
I just can't understand how a Maiden fan wouldn't absolutely love this track. Every riff and melody is amazing... the transitions, scales, patterns, the solo... it's one of their most beautiful tracks.
Black Bart
Ancient Mariner
I wish they had reinstated it on the reissues of Live After Death, between "Rime..." and "Powerslave" - they sure have the footage somewhere. Although we have it as a B-side, the concert on CD or video feels "too short" because of it.
Midnight
The Ever-Present "It"
True – the Live After Death version is miles better than the studio version.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Barely a room to breathe before Nicko counts us into Maiden’s last instrumental, and then away we go! This one is like a journey across desert sands, winding our way through the pyramids, almost like diving right into that album cover. I just love it. Every second here consists of great guitar, great drumming, great bass work. Spectacular, the band’s best instrumental song to date. 10/10
Vaenyr
Ancient Mariner
Unfortunately the last of the instrumental tracks. I'm not the biggest fan of Powerslave as an album. It's not bad, but it has some low lows.
Even then though, the saving grace, and what really elevates the album in my opinion, is the amazing guitar work. Even the weaker tracks are filled with creative riffs and melodies. Losfer Words is one of the stronger tracks for me and really plays to the strenghts of the album. Interesting rhythms, riffs and melodies coupled with the best production for a Maiden album up to that point. The only thing I don't enjoy are the final seconds. That outro lick simply sounds weird to me. An 8.
Even then though, the saving grace, and what really elevates the album in my opinion, is the amazing guitar work. Even the weaker tracks are filled with creative riffs and melodies. Losfer Words is one of the stronger tracks for me and really plays to the strenghts of the album. Interesting rhythms, riffs and melodies coupled with the best production for a Maiden album up to that point. The only thing I don't enjoy are the final seconds. That outro lick simply sounds weird to me. An 8.
srfc
Ancient Mariner
I've always thought that the title in parentheses was meant to be "begorrah", as all the usual explanations I've seen saying it's meant to be "big horror" in a cockney accent sounded like a load of bollocks, I've never heard anyone use the phrase "big horror".
Bruce confirms this in something that is on the FC website at the moment, and was published in the Fan Club Magazine Issue 117.
“An instrumental! Back in the day people thought that people from Ireland spoke like that. So it was: ‘ah, begorrah!’ So: big ’orra… losfer words. We thought it was funny back in 1984. Whatever, it doesn’t matter!”
Begorrah is bascially a minced oath, i.e. a nonsense phrase used to take the place of a curse, like e.g. gosh, darn etc. in this case it's a susbtitute for the phrase "by god"
Bruce confirms this in something that is on the FC website at the moment, and was published in the Fan Club Magazine Issue 117.
“An instrumental! Back in the day people thought that people from Ireland spoke like that. So it was: ‘ah, begorrah!’ So: big ’orra… losfer words. We thought it was funny back in 1984. Whatever, it doesn’t matter!”
Begorrah is bascially a minced oath, i.e. a nonsense phrase used to take the place of a curse, like e.g. gosh, darn etc. in this case it's a susbtitute for the phrase "by god"
Murder of Rue Morgue
They're never gonna find me!
"And there's no fucking singer on it. Bollocks, right?"