JoeLumb's Album Review Iron Maiden's "Powerslave" (1984)

 In 1982 Iron Maiden released "The Number of the Beast" (album review for another time) that marked the debut of singer Bruce Dickinson after replacing Paul Di'Anno. In 1983 Iron Maiden released "Piece of Mind" that marked the debut of Drummer Nicko McBrain. Following their World Piece Tour which was highly successful where Iron Maiden headlined large venues in the United States for the first time in their career. Following a three week break in January of 1984 Dickinson,McBrain,Guitarists Adrian Smith and Dave Murray and Bassist/primary songwriter Steve Harris regrouped at Le Chalet Hotel in Jersey where they did a six week rehearsal. Most of the material written for "Powerslave" was done and later recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau,Bahamas (like their previous album "Piece of Mind") It took four months of writing and recording (February to June of 1984)

The longest song it's the album closer the near 14 minute epic called "Rime of The Ancient Mariner" a musical re-telling of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem of the same name. The lyrics of which include some lines from the poem. At that time it was Iron Maiden's longest recorded song to date. (Until "Empire of The Clouds" from 2015's "Book of Souls")

Iron Maiden's fifth album "Powerslave" was released on September 3,1984 the month prior they kicked off their monumental World Slavery Tour Beginning in Poland and ending in California in July of 1985. Two singles were released in support of "Powerslave" as "2 Minutes to Midnight" and "Aces High" were those singles. "Flash of the Blade" was included on the soundtrack to the 1985 Dario Argento horror film "Phenomena". Since it's release "Powerslave" made it to #21 on Billboard 200 (#2 in the U.K.) and had gone Platinum. 

My overall rating for "Powerslave" is an 80/100 half the songs on the album were awesome,however I could not sit and listen to "Rime of The Ancient Mariner" maybe if I gave it another listen,then I'll have a different opinion.

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