Here we go with the fourth IRON MAIDEN album Piece of Mind and another dead set classic from the lads. After the success of Number of the Beast and subsequent touring the lads have regrouped but unfortunately that regrouping didn’t include Clive Burr (I believe Clive left due not being able to handle the bands hectic schedule). The band recruited drummer extroidinare Nicko McBrain. This was the final peice of the puzzle in forming what is generally regarded as the golden age lineup of Iron Maiden.
As with everything the band do this is a high quality release with great musicianship, excellent songwriting and while Bruce Dickinson was already regarded as one of the best singers on the planet with the previous release he somehow managed to out do himself on this one. Simply marvellous stuff!
the album starts off with where eagles dare and straight away you know the band mean business great riffage of course bruce’s voice soaring majestically over everything. “Revelations follows on from that here we see iron maiden have really developed the art of storytelling in songs as well some lyrics really take the listener on a journey.
Speaking of soaring Bruce’s voice reaches new heights on “Flight of Icarus”. The guitar solo’s on this album are absolute brilliant too, the band here are untouchable. Side one is very ably completed with “Die with your boots on”
Side two kicks off with one of Maiden’s greatest ever songs “The Trooper” with with catchy riffs and of course Bruce topping things off nicely with those golden pipes of his. “Still Life” and “The Quest for Fire” are kind of sleeper tracks for me, but still magnificent deeper cuts that any lesser band would gladly claim as their flag ship songs. Sun and Steel and To Tame a Strange Land could also be considered sleeper songs but without the big choruses it does allow the listener to hear the finer nuances and in these songs Steve Harris’ bass playing really shines through, Just adding another layer to the brilliance really.
What can be said about such a brilliant album that hasn’t been said a million times before. I’m not the only one that thought it was brilliant as the album got to #3 on the UK charts and #14 on the American Charts making the band a household name on lips of teenages and scared Christian Housewives all through the US.
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