POWERSLAVE

Iron Maiden's first four albums are a document of the band's continuous upward drive to rock stardom, from the gritty clubs of Acacia Avenues to the pretensious nonsense of biblical narratives, culminating in a sold-out headlining tour of the US. This, the band's fifth studio LP, showcases a band much more confident in its own abilities... everything about the album is grandiose, from the acrobatic lead-off track "Aces High" to the almost ludicrously excessive closing epic "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," clocking in at a then- unheard-of (for the metal genre) 13 and a half minutes. Other highlights include the symbolism-ladden Cold War paranoia of "Two Minutes to Midnight," and the pummeling title track, notable not only for it's catchy Egyptian-style riffing but for the now par-for-the- course instrumental section that bisects the song, perhaps the band's most lyrical and sophisticated attempt at such prog aspirations. Iron Maiden's penchant for the dramatically larger-than-life makes this album live up to the gigantic Eddie pyramid that graces this masterpiece's cover art, but with enough bite and menace to retain their credibility in the metal crowd. I've heard countless Maiden fanatics name this album as their favorite, and sometimes I find it hard to disagree... there's not a sour note on the whole affair.