IRON MAIDEN — Somewhere In Time (review)

IRON MAIDEN — Somewhere In Time album cover Album · 1986 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Pekka
Two times had Maiden come very close to crafting the masterpiece worth all five full stars, but there was always the track or two to keep it from happening. But then came 1986, a big metal year with Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood coming out and me being born, so Maiden saw that this is the moment to finally do it.

Somewhere in Time is notable for containing three songs solely penned by Adrian Smith, two of which were released as singles, and obviously for introducing guitar synths to the band's sound. While on some metal albums at the time synths may have seemed just a tacky add-on, Maiden managed to incorporate them tastefully, with their help creating a radiant future-like sound. Bruce Dickinson's song material was left off the album, but his vocal performance is perhaps my favourite from all the Maiden albums he's appeared on. Very clear and powerful with no sign of struggling to hit all the notes.

But this is Adrian Smith's album. Both of the singles, Wasted Years and Stranger in a Strange Land I rank among their very finest tracks ever, as I do their guitar solos. Rather light rock songs both of them, Wasted Years features one of the most memorable Maiden riffs ever and the solo in Stranger... I've got no words. And the way they keep driving the track still higher and higher after the solo with Harris' bass work is phenomenal.

I remember this album being very hard to get into when I first got my hands on it, but before long I grew to love each and every track. Songs like Sea of Madness, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Deja Vu have been for no reason forgotten, but these songs that someone could see as filler I find to be of brilliant quality, the band on full force brimming with gorgeous melodies. Ending the album is one of my favourite Maiden album closers ever, despite the somewhat history-lesson-for-kids sort of lyrics and some forced lines an extremely enjoyable epic battle trip with Alexander the Great.

Five stars, finally. An extremely strong album from beginning to end, with a few highlights still peaking through. A must have, definitely.
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Pekka wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Thanks :)
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Great review Pekka. Pretty much sums up my feelings toward Somewhere in Time. I love that album.

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