Powerslave - Iron Maiden (1984)

I won’t even bother with a “quality or nostalgia” tag here. This is one of the best metal albums of the 80s, as nearly anyone will tell you.

A thing I really appreciate in music–especially rock–is a group that are great because each of their constituent parts is a great musician, with everyone both doing their own thing but also managing to work together. It’s the reason I love some of the rock bands I love most (The Who, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, REM, Rush, The Police). I don’t think this classic Iron Maiden lineup gets enough credit for being exactly that.

Steve Harris is the heart and soul of the band, a fantastic bassist who never seems stumped for how to make his bassline even more dynamic with each track. He lends a slightly proggy edge to go along with the straight guitar shred and Bruce Dickinson’s banshee vocals.

Tracks I Liked

Aces High / 2 Minutes To Midnight - the one/two punch that almost makes it irrelevant whether you like the rest of the record or not.

Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - Maiden’s knack for turning literature and history into epic songs is one of the best things about them.