Iron Maiden
Powerslave

Powerslave is, without a doubt, my favorite album by Iron Maiden.

On a technical, production, and sound level it is the most successful album of the Dickinson era and contains, not by chance, classics that have been extensively performed live by the band.

The album maintains a phenomenal charge and tension in every track, making it difficult to determine which is the best song and necessitating listening to it in its entirety.  

Since it is a historic group in the heavy metal scene, loved and known by everyone with something like 50 million albums sold, it is not necessary to dwell too much on their history.

I will just say that, like some other "old" bands of the genre, they are one of the few groups still worth seeing live.

After decades of concerts, I can say that at present I "move" only for a very few groups, most of which I call the so-called "old hyenas," like Motorhead, AC/DC, Ozzy & Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Slayer, etc., all groups that continue not to disappoint both partly in studio and especially live.

Returning to the album, it opens with the powerful "Aces High", which has always been challenging live for Bruce, as his limitation has always been vocal range.

Then it moves to a super classic, "2 Minutes To Midnight", which opens with a sharp guitar riff that, similar to "Smoke On The Water", is one of the most replicated ever by anyone who owns an electric guitar at home.

It's then time for the beautiful instrumental "Losfer Words", which contains some typical Maiden harmonized twin-guitar passages. During those years, it was almost mandatory to feature at least one instrumental track on each album, but few bands were able to compose decent ones.

The fourth track is "Flash Of The Blade", whose ingenious yet minimal initial riff, even in terms of technique, will become highly imitated in the years to come. This track was also used in some horror films.

"The Duellist" is the next track which, although it is the one I like the least, fits perfectly well into the overall flow of the album. 100% quintessential Maiden sound, unmistakable, and which has made this group legendary for a reason.

Next up is the lively "Back In The Village" which features a phrase and riffs quite characteristic of this album, with indiscriminate use of the so-called "legato" guitar technique, along with the usual harmonic twin-guitar passages. The pace is relentless and very similar to that of the opening track, though even more sustained.

Then comes the title track "Powerslave", a track with an initial heavy use of the harmonic minor scale that creates beautiful "Arabian" atmospheres, then gives way in the middle to the classic arpeggios and solos of the incomparable Smith-Murray partnership.

The album closes magnificently with one of the best pieces ever written by Iron and one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time, "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner". In many interviews, Iron Maiden has said they composed the track under the influence of marijuana. Well, if these are the side effects, they should legalize it! The song, lasting over 13 minutes, is splendid and ingenious, with a spine-chilling instrumental interlude. Listening to tracks like this truly evokes sadness because it makes you realize that there will never be albums and bands like this again, unlike the unimaginative and unoriginal garbage that circulates now and is even propagated...