SOMEWHERE IN TIME

This was the first actual metal I owned, after hearing Wasted Years and being impressed by the opening guitar lead riff. While Bruce Dickinson is a focal point of sorts, this album showcases all of the band members on the top of their game, well balanced, executing well, and full of energy. Where some of the earlier albums may have rocked harder, they always had a looseness to them that didn't appeal to my musicality (Run to the Hills is a great example), and the subsequent album was almost poppy to my ears, Somewhere in Time struck the right balance.

Is it prog? No. Is it as sophisticated as much of the material in our Prog Metal category. Yes. And just as well executed. Further, I think Iron Maiden influenced those bands perhaps more than any other. Certainly my old favorite, Queensryche, started as a Maiden clones, and in fact one of the classic riffs from Eye of a Stanger resembles the signature riff from Somewhere in Time to a suspicious degree.

My favorite songs from this album: Caught Somewhere in Time, Wasted Years, Stranger in a Strange Land

Least favorite Deja Vu