Powerslave

by Greg PratoIron Maiden's music was evolving and growing with each successive release in the '80s; each album outsold its predecessor and widened the band's fan base. This was never more apparent than on 1984's Powerslave. It was the first Maiden album to feature the same lineup for more than a single record, and with a long tour under their belt, the band's playing on Powerslave was tight and inspired. While other popular metal bands of the day were busy conquering radio with accessible singles, Maiden decided to include several noncommercial extended pieces, a throwback of sorts to their '70s prog rock influences (Jethro Tull, etc.). MTV embraced the album's two singles/videos, the rapid-fire "Aces High" and the complex antiwar tale "2 Minutes to Midnight," but what really made the album stand out as a true heavy metal achievement was the epic compositions. The second side only consists of three songs, including the superb and explosive title track, plus the long and winding 13-and-a-half minute "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (based on the famous Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem). Add to it perhaps Maiden's best instrumental, "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)," and forgotten-yet-strong album cuts like "Flash of the Blade" and "The Duellists," and you have yet another highly recommended, essential Maiden classic.