A record that I barely remembered having listened to, this is definitely the Maiden album I always cared the least about, and listening to it again now I understand why. This is the first Maiden album that has all of the "classic" pompous and epic Heavy Metal that, honestly, is a bit of a turn-off for me, also losing that fun, somewhat horror caricature vibe and the "pop" and melodic inspirations from the previous album. "Where Eagles Dare" is exactly the perfect example of the Metal that grates on my nerves. Other tracks, like "Revelations," "The Trooper," and, to some extent, the longer and more elaborate "To Tame a Land" (from "Dune"), with the latter being a typical example of the more refined heavy style of Maiden, which I find convincing only to a degree—more often not—are certainly stronger, but overall the album has everything it needs, in the genre, to keep me at a distance. Except for the always stunning cover art (poor Ed…).
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