Today, Sept. 3, marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Iron Maiden's fifth album Powerslave, one of the greatest metal albums ever recorded, and arguably Iron Maiden's greatest work. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of this incredible album, here are its eight songs ranked from worst to best.
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
There are no songs on Powerslave that could be considered anything less than "very good," but if there had to be a "worst" song, it would have to be "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)," based solely on the fact that lead singer Bruce Dickinson is entirely absent. All of the riffs and guitar playing are excellent as usual, I just wish Dickinson was singing over all of it.
7. Back in the Village
"Back in the Village" has one of those signature Adrian Smith guitar riffs that's so bursting with energy that it completely envelops your brain like a spider web (1986's "Wasted Years" is another great example). Unfortunately, the vocal melody can't quite keep up, but it doesn't really have to when the riff is so strong.
6. The Duellists
Powerslave's single best showcase of Maiden's signature twin guitar leads is "The Duellists," which devotes its middle section to the stellar guitar work of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. They both take their own solos ("dueling" solos, if you will), but also share not one, not two, but three twin solos in between. Few guitar duos have ever had such chemistry.
5. Flash of the Blade
One of two songs from Powerslave to be written solely by Bruce Dickinson, "Flash of the Blade" is one of the album's most sinister tunes (that lead riff is something Slayer could have worked with), but that doesn't hold it back from also boasting one of the album's strongest and most cleverly integrated choruses.
4. Aces High
On an album full of mind-blowing guitar solos, we get the best one right off the bat in opener "Aces High." Dave Murray's solo in this song is far from the album' most melodic, but that's part of what makes it so great. It's entirely flash, made up mostly of blindingly fast hammers, pulls, and pinch harmonics, which fits in perfectly with the song's WWII theme. The rest of the song isn't bad, either.
3. Powerslave
Middle-eastern music isn't a well that metal bands, or any bands for that matter, dip into often enough. Soundgarden used it to great effect on Superunknown, and Death used it on occasion as well, but Iron Maiden incorporated it brilliantly on Powerslave's title track, which was written by Bruce Dickinson. Only a band as theatrical and ridiculous as Iron Maiden could have pulled off a song about Egyptian mythology.
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
Having both the best chorus and catchiest guitar riff of any song on Powerslave, "2 Minutes to Midnight" was naturally chosen as the album's lead single, despite being six minutes long. It's the first song from Powerslave that most people heard (including myself), and there probably isn't a better introduction than this.
1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
When I sit down to listen to a 13-minute song, I always think to myself, "All right, this better be worth it." Powerslave's huge closer "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is absolutely worth it: a multi-part epic written by bassist Steve Harris based on the poem of the same name by Samuel Coleridge Taylor, it's somehow both the longest song Iron Maiden ever wrote and one of the most exciting. The guitars and vocals are typically majestic Maiden, but what clinches this one for me is the bizarre spoken-word section in the middle, which should come off as hokey and pretentious but somehow works, especially coming at the end of such a powerful album.
What's your favorite song from Powerslave? What did I get wrong? Let us know down in the comments section!
