Heavier Than Heaven

This is the thirteenth studio album and perhaps the most controversial albums in the history of the band. The album cover has severely been criticized for its unsightly appearance and it was considered to be unworthy of an Iron Maiden Album cover.

“Wildest Dreams” as the album opener sounds decent and is quiet passable. Dave Murray’s “Rainmaker” has a wonderful riff-pattern and the solo of the song cannot get any sweeter! This is followed by “No More Lies”, it is unquestionably one of the best songs of the record. ”Montsegur” has a very heavy start and is loud enough to blow your head off its place! The title song “Dance of Death” is pure class and a gem on the band’s crest, the slow start of the song is followed by a very melodious bridge and superb solos played by all the three guitarists individually! Adrian’s skillful piece of composition is the lengthy “Paschendale”, the song has a classy intro and is an epic both lyrically and musically! “Face in the Sand” exposes the remorseful state of our world and is a brilliant composition by the legendary bass guitarist, Steve Harris. The album finisher “Journeyman” is the first ever acoustic song recorded by the band and it describes the whole process of writing and being a musician, very beautiful indeed! Despite all the controversies surrounding the album art, the record was a huge hit among the fans and is undeniably a fascinating album!

The sixth studio album “Somewhere in Time” and the fourth in their “golden years”, was launched at the pinnacle of the band’s fame and success. The record saw a change in the style of the sound and there was an obvious addition of synthesizer which is neither overpowering nor disturbing. The record starts off with the title song; “Caught Somewhere in Time” is an outstanding composition by Steve Harris and has a deadly opening. It’s followed by the ever stylish Adrian’s “Wasted Years”, easily the highest rated song of the record; it’s unquestionably  one of the best among the master pieces the band has timelessly produced. “Sea of Madness”; Raw opening accompanied by paced up drums and high flying vocals, this song is an absolute frenzy and sea of madness! The delightful “Heaven can Wait” was an immediate fan favorite and should be included in all the set lists as the song sounds amazing in live performances. ”The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner” and “Dejavu” are decent songs but the band could have delivered better. Adrian’s “Stranger in a Strange Land” depicts the excellence of the guitarist’s composing and writing lyrics, and it’s tremendous nevertheless. The album finisher “Alexander the Great” is a great epic song recounting the life of Sir Alexander the Great and the hardships he faced; Deft use of the synthesizer and marvelous solos! On the whole this album was a great hit and is a classic album without doubt!

This album stands for the quintessence of the band at the height of their golden era. The record’s theme is a mix of power, emotion fantasy and mystery and was the first album to be released without any change in the line-up. The record consists of eight tracks out of which four have become timeless hits. The album kicks off with one of the most definitive piece of metal work ever recorded, “Aces High” and is by far the best opener for any of the maiden concerts. Another classic song to be included in a metal head’s play list is “2 Minutes to Midnight”, a brilliant intro by the maiden powerhouse Adrian Smith. The next four songs are just blatant fillers. The band has never disappointed their fans when it comes to an album finisher. The last two songs being “Powerslave” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” are the most important pillars of the Maiden stronghold. With dark and haunting lyrics, powerful riffs and a mind blowing bass solo, the title song “Powerslave” definitely speaks of the quality of a timeless maiden classic! “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, the longest track in the history of the band, brings the perfect ending to one of the most sought after heavy metal albums in the world!

With the return of the former lead guitarist Adrian Smith and the “Air Raid Siren” Bruce Dickinson, this was perhaps the most long awaited reunion record in the history of the band. But at the same time, the record faced ridiculously high expectations due to the band’s return to their 80’s line up. The record is filled with outstanding tracks and there isn’t a single weak song featured over here. The album starts with Adrian’s “Wickerman”, an amazing song with very weird lyrics and a very well crafted solo. “The Ghost of the Navigator” and the title song “The Brave New World” are two beautiful and well written melodic and progressive metal songs. The title song is followed by “The Blood Brothers”; This song in particular is exceptional because of the way in which it was played, heart and soul performance by the band. Dave’s “The Nomad” is an excellent song with mind blowing solos from all the three guitarists! “Dream of Mirrors”, composed by Steve Harris and the ex-frontman of the band, Blaze Bayley, is an epic not to be missed. One of the rawest songs ever produced by the band, “Out of the Silent Planet” is definitely a fascinating track lyrically. The “Mercenary” for its shear pace and catchy chorus will leave you high and wasted. An all killer no filler album, the band has undeniably surpassed all the expectations they faced prior to the launch of the record!!