Powerslave: individual album judgement by yours truly

My issue with this album is the same as many of their newer albums. The studio versions sound too processed and the live versions blow the studio ones out of the water. Exceptions are Powerslave and Rime and maybe Back in the Village.

Otherwise ……

Aces High - 9
2 Minutes to Midnight - 8
Losfer Words - 8
Flash of the Blade - 8
The Duelists - 8
Back in the Village - 9
Powerslave - 10
Rime of the Anceint Mariner - 10

8.75

one of my highest held albums and probably the greatest pure metal album from them.
 
Powerslave - unsurpassed classic, from the songs to the album cover !

Aces High - 10/10
2 Minutes To Midnight - 10/10
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - 5/10
Flash Of The Blade - 7/10
The Duellists - 8/10
Back In The Village - 7/10
Powerslave - 10/10
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - 10/10
------------------------------------------------
Average album score: 8,37
 
Aces High - 10
2 Minutes To Midnight - 8
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - 8
Flash Of The Blade - 8
The Duellists - 7
Back In The Village - 9
Powerslave - 7
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - 10
 
Aces High - 10 >
2 Minutes To Midnight - 10 >
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - 9 >
Flash of the Blade - 9 >
The Duellists - 10 >
Back in the Village - 10 >
Powerslave - 10 >
Rime of the Ancient Mariner - 10 >

Average Score: 9.75/10
Actual Score: 10/10

Powerslave is a perfect album and the pinnacle of Maiden's career. They would hit this same peak again later, but with a different lineup and completely different sound. As far as classic heavy metal goes, this album slays all competition. It's just that good.
 
Jer said:
:huh:
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"Losfer Words" and "Flash of the Blade" lose out here because while they have no real weaknesses, they just aren't as good as several other songs by the band. It's still perfect as a whole.
 
Aces High 10
2MTM 9
Losfer words 6
Flash of the Blade 8
The Duelists 8
Back in the Village 7
Powerslave 9
ROTAM 8

My #10 Maiden album, Average rating 8,125. An extremely overrated album with an extremely overrated epic and lackluster instrumental song.

Edit: Overall album rating 84%
 
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  1. Aces High - 10/10
  2. 2 Minutes To Midnight - 8.75/10
  3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - 8.25/10
  4. Flash Of The Blade - 8/10
  5. The Duellists - 8.25/10
  6. Back In The Village - 8.75/10
  7. Powerslave - 10/10
  8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - 10/10
Average: 9/10
 
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1. Aces High 10
2. 2 Minutes to midnight 9,5
3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) 10
4. Flash of the blade 9,5
5. The Duellist 10
6. Back in the village 9,5
7. Powerslave 10
8. Rime of the ancient mariner 10

9,8

F***ING BRILLIANT
 
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POWERSLAVE (1984)

1. Aces High - 10/10
A metallic build up of riffage leads into the most action-packed historical number ever written. This is the band’s best album opener and Bruce’s best performance as a fucking. Fucking amazing.

2. 2 Minutes To Midnight - 10/10
Backed by one of the most iconic riffs in metal history, this one keeps up the momentum with some very raw war lyrics.

3. Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) - 10/10
The band’s best instrumental. While Steve and Nicko hold down the fort in the rhythm section, Dave and H duke it out in the guitar field.

4. Flash Of The Blade - 10/10
A blazing riff shreds all opposition in Bruce’s ode to fencing.

5. The Duellists - 10/10
And a sword-fighting song from Steve, another track in which the guitars become the spotlight.

6. Back In The Village - 10/10
Another ripping riff, this Prisoner sequel is better than the original in every way and powers up the energy already present on the album.

7. Powerslave - 10/10
A credit to Bruce’s imagination, this song about a dying Pharoah is a monster and features possibly the band’s best solo section.

8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - The greatest metal song of all time. You heard me. This was a culmination of everything that Hallowed, Phantom, and TTAL had attempted, and no other ‘80s band had anything like it. It’s still an incredible piece of storytelling all these years later.

Perfect album.

Rating: 100%
 
Diesel 11 said:
POWERSLAVE (1984)

1. Aces High - 10/10
A metallic build up of riffage leads into the most action-packed historical number ever written. This is the band’s best album opener and Bruce’s best performance as a fucking. Fucking amazing.

2. 2 Minutes To Midnight - 10/10
Backed by one of the most iconic riffs in metal history, this one keeps up the momentum with some very raw war lyrics.

3. Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) - 10/10
The band’s best instrumental. While Steve and Nicko hold down the fort in the rhythm section, Dave and H duke it out in the guitar field.

4. Flash Of The Blade - 10/10
A blazing riff shreds all opposition in Bruce’s ode to fencing.

5. The Duellists - 10/10
And a sword-fighting song from Steve, another track in which the guitars become the spotlight.

6. Back In The Village - 10/10
Another ripping riff, this Prisoner sequel is better than the original in every way and powers up the energy already present on the album.

7. Powerslave - 10/10
A credit to Bruce’s imagination, this song about a dying Pharoah is a monster and features possibly the band’s best solo section.

8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - The greatest metal song of all time. You heard me. This was a culmination of everything that Hallowed, Phantom, and TTAL had attempted, and no other ‘80s band had anything like it. It’s still an incredible piece of storytelling all these years later.

Perfect album.

Rating: 100%
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Aren't you being a bit unfair with Powerslave? :D :D :D :D

P.S. : on a more serious note I don't think it's a perfect album... But it's damn near perfect!
 
Diesel 11 said:
1. Aces High - 10/10
A metallic build up of riffage leads into the most action-packed historical number ever written. This is the band’s best album opener
Click to expand...

Diesel 11 said:
6. Back In The Village - 10/10
Another ripping riff, this Prisoner sequel is better than the original
Click to expand...

Diesel 11 said:
8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - (...) This was a culmination of everything that Hallowed, Phantom, and TTAL had attempted,
Click to expand...

100% agreed.
 
Aces High: 9,5
2 Minutes to Midnight: 10
Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) : 8
Flash of the Blade: 10
The Duellists: 9,5
Back in the Village: 7,5
Powerslave: 8
Rime of the Ancient Mariner: 9

Avg: 8.9
 
KidInTheDark666 said:
Aces High 10
2MTM 9
Losfer words 6
Flash of the Blade 8
The Duelists 8
Back in the Village 7
Powerslave 9
ROTAM 8

My #10 Maiden album, Average rating 8,125. An extremely overrated album with an extremely overrated epic and lackluster instrumental song.

Edit: Overall album rating 84%
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I agree with you. I could listen to Killers, Piece of Mind, Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son all the way through, but with Powerslave I find myself skipping Back in the Village. Losfer words is just ok, I prefer Transylvania and Genghis Khan for instrumentals.
 
I never ever skip songs (if you’re gonna listen to an album then you might as well listen to The Album, The Complete Work Of Art As Its Creator Intended, Despite Any Weaker Songs In The Mix Because They Are, After All, A Part Of The Album) but if I did then Killers is the most skippable album.
 
Aces High - 9
2 Minutes to Midnight - 9.5
Losfer Words - 8
Flash of the Blade - 8
The Duellists - 6.5
Back in the Village - 7.5
Powerslave - 9
Rime of the Ancient Mariner - 9.5
 
2019 re-listening thoughts on Powerslave:
  • I think Powerslave is probably Maiden's funnest album of all time (while also retaining a high level of quality). Even the weaker songs on this album are just a blast. It flows perfectly from start to finish and really feels accomplished from a performance level. The whole record just has a ton of get-up-and-go.
  • Easily Maiden's best dual guitar album. Yes, they've had better and harder dual (and triple) guitar riffs and solos, but this whole album feels like H and Davey are just battling the whole time in the most complimentary way.
  • Fuck, Aces High is a ludicrous song on the vocals. Bruce's performance on the record is astounding, but even then it's forced and absurd. Still the most energetic, anthemic opener in Maiden history.
  • Losfer Words is easily the weakest Maiden instrumental and entirely pointless. There's nothing wrong with it and the music is perfectly fine (if too chordal for an instrumental), it's just not good enough to justify it's track placement or being an instrumental at all. The ending is very cool, though.
  • The middle portion of the album succeeds in spite of some weak choruses. The vocals and music throughout the verses of Blade, Duellists, and Village are all superior to the (sometimes cloying) choruses.
  • Gods, that neoclassical section in the middle of Flash of the Blade is great. Why haven't they brought this song back now that they have three guitarists? There's clearly three distinct guitar parts on the record. Same goes for the bridge of Duellists. All of these instrumental sections are just plain ear candy.
  • I think Powerslave might be the pinnacle of Steve's bass playing prowess. Sure, the guitars are on fire throughout this album and often steal the show, but Steve might be the instrumental MVP here.
  • Adrian's riffing on Village is just so damn incredible. His super weird atonal chord guitar solo just makes it better. What a master.
  • I really want to see a documentary or interview that explains the specifics of Maiden's songwriting. For instance, the title track is credited to only Dickinson, but what does that mean? Did he write all of those riffs and changes as they are or does he get sole credit for writing all of the lyrics, melodies, and song basics? Like, did H and Steve fill in around some basic chords or did Bruce actually write those Egyptian-sounding turnarounds in the verses and the riff tags at the end of each chorus vocal line? Anyway, this track is Dio Tier.
  • Dave Murray peaked at the Powerslave solo. Fight me.
  • Speaking of ludicrous vocals, whoa boy, Rime is just stupid. Doesn't matter. What a tune!
 
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