Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
Best song on the album, very moody and the chorus is so fun 
Palpy
Blacker than the night
I don't think it was put there at random. Staring at the water is like looking in a mirror, which fits the concept of the backward messages, and in a certain way Nicko can be warning the protagonist of the story not to be influenced by what he sees, which is most likely his and his lover's reflections in the pool.
Jer
'Til Tomorrow
Backward Nicko vocals herald a gentle, chilling intro. Bruce delivers a great, husky whisper of a verse on top of brilliant guitar accompaniment. This kicks into a heavier pre-chorus and a heavier version of the verse that's less successful but still good.
Another pre-chorus and we get an OK but out of place chorus with some rote backing music. Disappointing. Then we get a stronger semi-heavy verse and pre-chorus before returning to the OK chorus.
A brief interlude leads into a nice harmonized section and a pretty good solo followed by a better one. A variation on the verse with busier drums and some nice vocal harmonies takes us through the pre-chorus and chorus before we end on a final vocal and a faint "yeah!".
This is probably the song most frequently called out as underrated in the catalog. I'm guessing people say this because of its brilliant opening and the nice heavier callbacks to it later on. But for me the song loses some steam after the opening and the chorus is so-so, so I'm thinking that it's not really underrated at all. 7/10.
Another pre-chorus and we get an OK but out of place chorus with some rote backing music. Disappointing. Then we get a stronger semi-heavy verse and pre-chorus before returning to the OK chorus.
A brief interlude leads into a nice harmonized section and a pretty good solo followed by a better one. A variation on the verse with busier drums and some nice vocal harmonies takes us through the pre-chorus and chorus before we end on a final vocal and a faint "yeah!".
This is probably the song most frequently called out as underrated in the catalog. I'm guessing people say this because of its brilliant opening and the nice heavier callbacks to it later on. But for me the song loses some steam after the opening and the chorus is so-so, so I'm thinking that it's not really underrated at all. 7/10.
Jer
'Til Tomorrow
(Insert joke about "The Apparition" and "Weekend Warrior" here.)No, it's because the song is literally perfect and people like you don't recognize that.
I think Still Life is a song that really appeals to certain types of listeners. It has some really interesting parts to it, not least of which is the way Bruce sings the verses, that almost breathless huff. I personally really like the song, 8+ when I rank it, but it's an odd little construction for an Iron Maiden album. Piece of Mind is full of odd constructions, some of them really work, and some of them don't work so well.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Still life is a very interesting song. Lyrics are great and Bruce sounds really good here. 9
Stardust
Rainmaker
...ah, where was I? Oh, yes, I was supposed to be doing these song reviews. Geez, I need to be consistent with these. But looking past that for the time being, let's get the ball rolling again. And next up is Still Life, a song often named one of Maiden's most underrated songs. Hmm, can you really call this one underrated, then? Eh, whatever, people tend to use the terms "overrated/underrated" for everything now.
ANYWAY, before I get sidetracked again, this song has been a considerably slow grower. It was amongst the first ten Maiden songs I ever heard back when I first got into the band in good ol' 2011. Yes, indeed! ...back then, I didn't like it very much. It stood out from the other decidedly more standard Maiden songs on that list. What songs were on that list, you may ask? Well, I'll talk about that a later time but not now. So, it fell to the wayside while I got into the band through the other songs. And to make a long, long story short, only THIS year I got a new appreciation for it. Now...I love this song. I really do. It's not a top ten song but it's sure close! The lyrics, the music - everything just works here. That major-key prechorus gets some ire from people here but I love it.
Buuuut, aside from that, I've not got a lot more to say about this one, unless you guys really want to see me gushing endlessly. Don't worry, you'll get that in due time. For now, I'll just reward this one with a 10/10.
ANYWAY, before I get sidetracked again, this song has been a considerably slow grower. It was amongst the first ten Maiden songs I ever heard back when I first got into the band in good ol' 2011. Yes, indeed! ...back then, I didn't like it very much. It stood out from the other decidedly more standard Maiden songs on that list. What songs were on that list, you may ask? Well, I'll talk about that a later time but not now. So, it fell to the wayside while I got into the band through the other songs. And to make a long, long story short, only THIS year I got a new appreciation for it. Now...I love this song. I really do. It's not a top ten song but it's sure close! The lyrics, the music - everything just works here. That major-key prechorus gets some ire from people here but I love it.
Buuuut, aside from that, I've not got a lot more to say about this one, unless you guys really want to see me gushing endlessly. Don't worry, you'll get that in due time. For now, I'll just reward this one with a 10/10.
Luisma
Years Wasted
Well... Since I have my book to sell (http://subscribepage.com/luisma666) for supporting my old folks in Venezuela, this kind of post will be one of the lasts...
"[The song] it's basically the story of a guy who is drawn like a magnet to a pool of water. He sees faces in the lake. He has nightmares about it and in the end he jumps in and takes his lady with him. It's a very enjoyable number to play because there's a lot going on. Again we're creating a mood and coming in with a very heavy guitar sound. Adrian takes the first solo. After his solo there is a really tight bass and drums staccato part which goes right across the top of the riff. I like that part a lot." (Steve Harris for John Stix – Guitar For The Practicing Musician – February 1984)
"It' about fear of drowning." (Steve Harris for Kresimir – IronMaiden.com Q&A – September 30, 2000)
You like this kind of info? My book has tons of more information and trivia AND by buying it, you help me support my family in Venezuela which suffers from hyperinflation!
"[The song] it's basically the story of a guy who is drawn like a magnet to a pool of water. He sees faces in the lake. He has nightmares about it and in the end he jumps in and takes his lady with him. It's a very enjoyable number to play because there's a lot going on. Again we're creating a mood and coming in with a very heavy guitar sound. Adrian takes the first solo. After his solo there is a really tight bass and drums staccato part which goes right across the top of the riff. I like that part a lot." (Steve Harris for John Stix – Guitar For The Practicing Musician – February 1984)
"It' about fear of drowning." (Steve Harris for Kresimir – IronMaiden.com Q&A – September 30, 2000)
You like this kind of info? My book has tons of more information and trivia AND by buying it, you help me support my family in Venezuela which suffers from hyperinflation!
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
One of the best intros from Dave (along with the vocals). Thunderous drums from Nicko after it. Very good verses and riff. The chorus is good. Both solos are well executed. Great twin-lead harmony before the solos too. The drumming through the whole song is immense. This is a interesting song in the band's discography. 8/10
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Nicko takes the piss, then we enter a beautiful melodic guitar piece that instantly captivates. Bruce’s voice is wonderful, just wonderful. Nicko rolls in with the drums and kicks things into higher gear, and we balance between haunting verses and slightly more anthemic choruses. The instrumental section is brilliant, great solos and dual guitar harmonies on display. There’s so much crammed into this song’s four minutes, it’s amazing. A truly underrated Maiden track, the best on the album, and deserves to be resurrected live. 10/10
Yeah, still thinking the same. Kind of a forgotten song btw. I haven't heard much clamoring about it being brought back for a reunion tour.
Vaenyr
Ancient Mariner
This was the second "new" song to me that I hadn't heard on live albums. Just like DWYBO before it, this one is one of the strongest songs on the album and my overall favorite song. Full of great riffs, some intersting vocal harmonies, an interesting interplay with soft and heavy verses. The intro is kinda goofy and I wonder how folks felt about that back in 83. Also, in my head canon this is the title track of the album for the notable "Nightmares will give me peace of mind" lyrics
It's a shame that it didn't land on most live albums and that the Maiden England show features a fatigued Bruce who sings the verses totally breathless. Would've loved to hear this with the reunion line up.
Not quite ready for a 10 yet, so this is a very strong 9.
It's a shame that it didn't land on most live albums and that the Maiden England show features a fatigued Bruce who sings the verses totally breathless. Would've loved to hear this with the reunion line up.
Not quite ready for a 10 yet, so this is a very strong 9.