Iron Maiden Discography Thread: Senjutsu

[PowerSlave]

While I do think that Powerslave was the end of their "golden age", I wouldn't call SiT non-essential. There's some really solid material on this record, and two of the b-sides are some of my favorite songs from this era. Reach Out and That Girl are excellent songs, and show that the band had the ability to record songs that are very different from what most people would expect from them.

However, I've always felt that the over production of the guitars on this and the next album were more harmful than helpful. At the time of this record's release, those guitar-synths and heavy use of chorus did aid in the feeling of it being futuristic, but in hindsight it makes it sound dated. I can still go back and enjoy listening to this record, but my visits to it are less frequent than other albums because of the production. I know that there is a feeling by some that the preference by the listener for this album vs. their previous output can be attributed to Metal vs. Prog, but I don't think that's true in my case. I really love a lot of Prog in many cases ect. ect...

On a side note, I'd like to echo what's been said before me. These write-ups are simply fantastic!

[MirrorMask]

Ah, here it comes. The album only two people in the world seem to not like: Bruce Dickinson, and me.

And by "not liking it" I don't mean that I think it sucks, or that it's a bad album, or anything like that. It's just that... you know with all the beautiful models and actresses there are in the world, all of them being pretty beyond belief, and maybe there's someone everyone drools over but you can't figure out why? you'd never say she's ugly, 'cause she obviously isn't, but you'd never pick her out of other equally beautiful women and everyone else instead insist that she's so hot? well, same with me with Somewhere in Time, it's still a classic Maiden album but I never warmed up to it.

Sometimes with music it's all about feel, the spark, the elusive magic that happens... well, I don't feel it with SIT. With Bruce MIA, I'd say Adrian Smith saved the album for me, his three songs are excellent. Wasted Years is a memorable classic, Stranger is so unique and groovy (pity by the time I saw them in the reunion 1999 tour, it had already been dropped) and Sea of Madness is quite memorable.

Steve Harris' songs are great, sure, but he seemed to have fun to strain Bruce having him spitting out a hundred words per second, see Heaven Can Wait and Loneliness' verses, and I agree that the repetiveness is starting to appear here. For the record I'm not particularly crazy over Heaven Can Wait, but I like a lot the "Take my hand" part that precedes the stage invasion.

Caught Somewhere in Time is quite good - as glorious as it was to hear Moonchild live with the acoustic intro in the Somewhere Back in Time tour, this song would have been a more fitting encore opener. And Alex the Great is nice, sure, but many fans today are still stuck on this song because it was never played live - I'm sure if it got played in the tour, people wouldn't insist to this day that they have to perform it.

Ironically, while Somewhere in Time fails to conquer me wholly and out of the classic Bruce albums is very easily my least favorites, it wins me on two other things: the cover art, righteously praised for its complexity and cleverness, and the B-Sides.
Somewhere in Time has the best collection of b-sides of the '80s. Reach Out is golden with Bruce coming in during the chorus, That Girl and Juanita are both good cover songs -  the first serious, the second more fun, and The Sheriff of Huddersfield is absolutely hilarious, it's a song mocking Rod Smallwood's moving to the USA and the band managed to get help from the record company to keep it hidden from him until it was released  A "listen with Nicko" session revealed that Rod was pissed at it in the beginning but eventually came to accept the joke.

I'll join in the congratulations for these write ups. I consider myself a quite knowledgeable Maiden fan so it's not that I read many stuff I don't know, but to read it presented in such a clear and nice way it's a great trip down the memory lane 

[Podaar]

I will repeat what I said earlier.   This album along with Judas Priest's Turbo were the albums that sent many metal fans over the fence to "the big 4", and were partially responsible for the explosion of thrash between 86-89.    Metal fans *wanted* heavier, and were very proud of the organic approach that metal bands had always had.   You had to be there, but trust me....IM and JP both going synth heavy at the same time really made it feel like our heroes had abandoned us in favor of trying to gain more popularity. 

Yeah, I was there at the time and was a little surprised by the synth sound but for some reason this album didn't bother me like Turbo did. It wasn't really a commercial sellout but the experimentation appealed to me. It still rocked, and Derek's album cover helped sell the sound of the record, I think.

But yes, thrash and it's aggression was a welcome change from where our metal heroes were going.

[Phoenix87x]

My favorite Iron Maiden album. Combining many of my favorite things, cyber punk, time travel and prog elements. It all comes together into something that just called to me and drew me in.

That album artwork is just spectacular and had my mind just imagining a bunch of cyberpunk scenarios as I was listening to the songs. This was also one of my first IM albums and I still love it to this day.

[TAC]

Oh man, where to begin.....

First off Mosh, another stellar writeup. Your enthusiasm and research has made this a great "meat and potatoes" discog thread, even for this life long Maiden fan. Very well done.

This album came out the same month I started my freshman year of college. So while even my life was starting a new era, it seemed my favorite band was starting one as well.

Like Powerslave, how I felt about it then, and how I feel about it today are quite different. At the time, I wasn't in love with Powerslave. When I first heard SiT, I was blown away. I felt it sounded so fresh, compared to the staleness and predictability of Powerslave. The synths did not bother me. I felt they were incorporated tastefully and helped expand Maiden's sound. I see the comparisons to Turbo, but SiT was so much stronger than the wimpy Turbo. I thought Turbo was lame, because the songs were lame. SiT seemed pretty strong all the way around.

I'll say this..that Caught Somewhere In Time remains my #3 Maiden tune of all time. I love the whole intro, the harmonized guitars, and the extended solo section. A great opening track.

The Lonliness Of The Long Distance Runner is probably my least favorite track from the Classic Bruce era (TNOTB-SSOASS). The live version is much better.

As far as Alexander, I have always liked it.

It was also becoming increasing clear that my favorite member of Iron Maiden was Adrian Smith. He was a great songwriter, and I liked his influence in Maiden.

The B sides.. well I was never in love with That Girl or Jaunita, but Reach Out was/is amazing. Love Adrian's vocals, and love how they used Bruce in the chorus. Really cool. But the grand poobah was The Sheriff Of Huddersfield. This is right up there with Mission From 'Arry, in the "cool things that Maiden has done" book. These types of things are true extras for the fans. You can see how MP, as a young Maiden fan, was influenced on giving the fans more.

You guys have all made some great points:

  I think Stranger in a Strange Land is one of the bands most underrated tunes; 

I agree. Does not get the love it deserves.

    But Seventh Son is an improvement on the same style. 

A huge improvement. I've been thinking the same thing. Seems Birch may have become for more comfortable with the technology. Today, SiT sounds a bit dated to my ears. Somehow, productionwise, Deja Vu stands the closest to Seventh Son.

For the record I'm not particularly crazy over Heaven Can Wait, but I like a lot the "Take my hand" part that precedes the stage invasion.

I agree. I could never understand why they insisted on keeping HCW in the setlist for the so many tours. But, this song, above all others, has really aged well for me.




Can't wait to discuss the tour. Have many pics to post from the show!

[Polarbear]

My favorite Iron Maiden album. Combining many of my favorite things, cyber punk, time travel and prog elements. It all comes together into something that just called to me and drew me in.

That album artwork is just spectacular and had my mind just imagining a bunch of cyberpunk scenarios as I was listening to the songs. This was also one of my first IM albums and I still love it to this day.

My second favorite Maiden Album! Agree with the other points you brought up as well. Also that album art is one of the best album arts ever created, it's just SO beautiful!

This album was my introduction to Maiden along with Brave New World, and thus holds a special place in my heart.

Seventh Son is even better than this though!

[Mosh]

Mosh, these write-ups are excellent.

On a side note, I'd like to echo what's been said before me. These write-ups are simply fantastic!

I'll join in the congratulations for these write ups. I consider myself a quite knowledgeable Maiden fan so it's not that I read many stuff I don't know, but to read it presented in such a clear and nice way it's a great trip down the memory lane 

First off Mosh, another stellar writeup. Your enthusiasm and research has made this a great "meat and potatoes" discog thread, even for this life long Maiden fan. Very well done.

Thanks all! Glad to see people are enjoying the write-ups. This has been a blast to do so far and I enjoy reading everybody's comments. Already a great discussion going on SIT. This is where Maiden's history gets really interesting.

I will repeat what I said earlier.   This album along with Judas Priest's Turbo were the albums that sent many metal fans over the fence to "the big 4", and were partially responsible for the explosion of thrash between 86-89.    Metal fans *wanted* heavier, and were very proud of the organic approach that metal bands had always had.   You had to be there, but trust me....IM and JP both going synth heavy at the same time really made it feel like our heroes had abandoned us in favor of trying to gain more popularity. 

Yeah, I was there at the time and was a little surprised by the synth sound but for some reason this album didn't bother me like Turbo did. It wasn't really a commercial sellout but the experimentation appealed to me. It still rocked, and Derek's album cover helped sell the sound of the record, I think.

But yes, thrash and it's aggression was a welcome change from where our metal heroes were going.

IMO the only thing Turbo and SIT have in common (other than being released the same year) is the presence of synths. Not only did JP include synths, but they went full commercial with that album. They were being influenced by glam metal and there were a few blatant attempts at catching that wave. Somewhere In Time went in the opposite direction. Yea there were synths, but the music is still aggressive and it's more prog than pop. Wasted Years crosses into commercial territory but then there's stuff like the opening title track and Alexander the Great balancing it out. There are also moments that make me think Maiden weren't completely neglecting what was going on with speed/thrash Metal. They really turned up the guitar harmonies on this. There are so many on this album, Long Distance Runner is a great example of them just being crammed in. It's like they noticed the younger bands doing the twin leads (obviously inspired by Maiden) and decided to remind everyone who the masters of it were.

I have mixed feelings on Somewhere In Time. I love how ambitious it is and how they gave it its own sonic identity. Some of the sounds are dated but sometimes that's not a bad thing. I like most of the songs, but some of Maiden's weaker songwriting quirks start to show up on this album, most notably the repetitive choruses. Bruce sounds tired. This is definitely an example of studio effects masking a less than ideal performance IMO. I don't have a problem with the processed vocal sound itself, it fits the material, but when you actually listen to the quality of Bruce's voice in addition to bootlegs from the tour you can tell he never fully recovered from the previous tour. He also just wasn't taking care of his voice the way he does now. So a lot of stuff in the vocal department, from many lyrics to Bruce's actual performance, brings the album down a notch.

That being said, it's really hard to fault the album because musically it's really incredible. So many great melodies, solos, and some of Maiden's most complex musical moments. The instrumental section to Alexander the Great might be my favorite instrumental moment in Maiden's history. Unfortunately it's sandwiched between some of their weakest vocal passages. Same with Loneliness. Adrian's songs help this album a ton. Steve's songs are good but not a single one is without some sort of hurdle, but every Adrian song is perfectly crafted. Maybe it's my imagination, but I also feel like Bruce puts more effort into these songs. Sea Of Madness would be in my picks for songs from the 80s to bring back some day. I think 2017 Bruce would turn in a much stronger performance than he did in the 80s.

Overall, it's a complicated album. I hate to call it the weakest of the 80s because it is so daring and progressive, but there are too many weak spots for me to place it above something like Powerslave. I think I'd take it over the two Di'anno albums at least.

[TAC]

When SiT came out, I flat out called it my favorite Maiden album to date.

I ate it up. It showed the band was not standing still. It expanded their sound and range. As discussed, the artwork was fantastic, and the theme was greatly incorporated into the live show. More on that later I guess when the tour is discussed.

Bruce sounds tired. This is definitely an example of studio effects masking a less than ideal performance IMO. I don't have a problem with the processed vocal sound itself, it fits the material, but when you actually listen to the quality of Bruce's voice in addition to bootlegs from the tour you can tell he never fully recovered from the previous tour. He also just wasn't taking care of his voice the way he does now. So a lot of stuff in the vocal department, from many lyrics to Bruce's actual performance, brings the album down a notch.

I don't recall having an issue with the vocals. I still don't. Didn't really get that feeling on 7th Son either. Certainly by the time we get to No Prayer and Fear, the vocals are almost unlistenable. So if one can start to pick a decline, sure.

When you look at their release and tour schedules for the 80's that is one hell of a pace. I guess we'll also cross this bridge when we get there, but after 7th Son, Bruce should've just shut it down for the next two years. What did he do instead? Toured a solo album.

[TAC]

Just grabbed my Run To The Hills book. Mick Wall gives Somewhere In Time 5 pages. 5 F'n pages!! WTF??

He talks about Bruce and how he took the news of not getting his songs in. I'm sorry, but that needs to be enhanced. It also talks about Bruce not trying on tour.
That also needs to be explained.
Obviously the problem with "authiorized" biographies.

[stargazer18]

This was the band's first new studio album released after I became a fan and I was really looking forward to it. I had already read enough about the introduction of guitar synths to their sound and really wasn't bothered by it after I heard it. It was being hyped pretty good in the magazines at the time.

I had the distinction within my group of friends of being the first to get my hands on it the day it came out. My friend was in a vocational program at another school in the morning and on that day he stopped by the local record store and picked up the cassette for me while on his way back to our high school. I remember passing the tape around in study hall in the afternoon to a few Maiden fans – everyone read the lyrics and, of course, checked out the cover!

I listened to it twice that night and loved every song on it. The album has really aged well for me though I do agree that the choruses on both the title track and Heaven Can Wait are a bit too repetitive. Not enough to ruin the songs but enough to be noticeable.

Adrian Smith really shines on this album bringing two top-notch singles AND a closet classic in Sea of Madness. The sing along chorus and feel good message of Wasted Years is classic. The groovy beat and dynamic sound of Stranger in a Strange Land is a change of pace from Aces High or The Trooper but I think it's great.

The rest of the songs have varying degrees of support from fans but I really enjoy both The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Déjà vu. Both have some very catchy melodies that can easily get caught in my head. Alexander the Great, the album ending epic has the music backtrack of another Harris classic but the lyrics seem thin. Here's a story that probably could be as long as Rime but I'm sure Harris didn't want the appearance of copying himself with another long epic. I knew after listening to it that it wasn't going to replace Rime but it was an excellent album closer for sure.

Also during the time when this album was released there was a 24 hour, hard rock / metal station in Cleveland called Z-Rock. It was only here for about a year or so but exposed me to a whole bunch of new bands that I had never heard of. Like all radio stations, they had particular favorites and they picked up on Juanita, the b-side of Stranger in a Strange Land and overplayed it to death. I think it was the most played Maiden song on the station. Sad. It's a catchy rock tune but not worthy of the attention it got, IMO.

[Grappler]

Somewhere in Time has become my go-to Maiden album, over NOTB and Powerslave (though Powerslave recently crept back into my listening habits due to this thread).  Aside from Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner and a little of Heaven Can Wait, the rest of the disc is pure awesome.  Stranger in a Strange Land is killer, and hello?  DEJA FUCKING VU.  Those harmonies are incredible and so addictive.  Also, the lead guitar lines in the intro to Alexander the Great.  Yeah, the song just plows through once it kicks in, but the intro is so cool!

The band may not play these songs anymore, but at least some tribute bands do. 

The Iron Maidens - Deja Vu:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrh0VkKirc
The Iron Maidens - Alexander the Great:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ_J4nYacqM

[Mister Gold]

Listening to Somewhere in Time right now for the first time in probably a year or so. It still holds up amazingly well imo and is one of the band's best efforts. Very proggy.

Its musical complexity and rich production quality really shine through and show Adrian Smith at his absolute best. Steve Harris gets in some great contributions too with the title track, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Alexander the Great, but those three Smith tracks really stand out for me. Especially Sea of Madness.

However I think Heaven Can Wait is a bit of a mess. Its over-repetitiveness aside, the chorus is just too damn happy sounding for me. It's tonally at odds with the rest of the song. I also think the bridge (which is by far the best part of the song) goes on a bit too long. That song really needed more work imo.

As a bit of a nitpick though, Bruce is probably my favorite songwriter in the band. So while the album is still fantastic without his musical contribution, a part of me would have rather preferred to see one of his songs make the album. Ah well!

[TAC]

The Iron Maidens - Deja Vu:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrh0VkKirc
The Iron Maidens - Alexander the Great:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ_J4nYacqM

They are so great!

As a bit of a nitpick though, Bruce is probably my favorite songwriter in the band.

At the time, his contributions were a bit guarded. At least for me. When I saw Smith/Dickinson, I had always assumed Bruce was the lyricist.

That would change for me in time.

[jammindude]

I want to expand on the idea of the synths for those that weren't there.

There is no doubt that SiT was not near as commercial as Turbo.   But in the context of the time, many metal heads were becoming VERY irate.   It wasn't JUST Maiden and Priest.   Believe it or not, there was a time when Motley Crue was just riding the wave of "Shout at the Devil" (which is actually a fairly brutal album) and opening up on Ozzy's Bark at the Moon tour.   But then they suddenly took a left turn into pastel spandex and piano driven ballads.   Ozzy teased up his hair, wore eye liner, and incorporated more synths for The Ultimate Sin.  Def Leppard had given us a very NWOBHM start to their career, and still managed to give us a really cool balance of heavy and radio friendly with Pyromania....but then practically turned into Journey with 1987's Hysteria...   Heck, even SAXON got in on the act. 

ALL of the most high profile *heavy* bands of the early 80's were chasing hit singles when the mid-80's hit, and the common denominator in this shift was synthesizers.   

It's easy to look back and be kinder to it now, because we eventually had bands like Ministry and some experimental death metal bands who showed us that you could incorporate keyboards and still be br00tal.   But we didn't have the benefit of that context in 1986.   That REALLY HEAVY DARK synth sound didn't exist yet to show us that synths could still be cool.    We only had our heroes developing tans, putting on eyeliner, wearing spandex.    And then.....OH LOOK!!!  Here's this new wave of ultra heavy bands playing at breakneck speeds and they just get up on stage in their T-shirts and jeans and shred and sweat and KILL IT for the whole show.   It was like a breath of fresh air.  And they don't need synths to do it. 

Short version...  time has been kinder to SiT than its contemporaries. But the synths were a much bigger deal back then than they seem like now. 

[NoseofNicko]

Maiden's best album. Metal's best album. Music's best album. Oh yeah.

[efx]

Now we're talking. I was 9 when this album came out but I didn't get into them at all until 1989 but ever since I came across this album it has alternated between SSoaSS as the best thing they've ever done. As someone who never minded the synth aspect but actually welcomed it (Power Windows is my favorite Rush album go figure) I think the adventurous streak that had only been hinted at on Powerslave comes to the fore here in a glorious way.

I think a large part of why I love this album (and the next one) is the way Adrian Smith has his stamp all over the proceedings. On this album his solos are really a stand out and a great model for how to think melodically.

The sad thing about this album is how undocumented the tour was. I get that back then you simply didn't put out live releases, much less on video for every tour you did but the little visuals we have from it makes it seem really cool and the setlists were interesting as well.

So yeah, thirty plus years on I still love this album more than most music out there. The production, while aesthetically set in that mid 80's period in regards to the usage of synths is still really modern sounding, the drums sound great and almost timeless and everyone is firing on all cylinders.

And of course, it still has the best record cover of all time

[wolfking]

This is such a special, majestic, brilliant album.  Everything here is perfect and the sounds, atmospheres, and overall feel of the whole thing is just incredible.  This album is perfect.  Maiden doing something a little different and it paid off big time. 

Sea of Madness and Long Distance Runner are two of my fav Maiden tracks, so underrated.  The title track seems a bit forgotten too.  7 and a half minutes of beautiful metal.

[Art]

SiT is one of my favorites IM records. Love it from start to finish.

[Zydar]

I usually have this tied with Seventh Son as my favourite Maiden album. The only weak spot for me is Long Distance Runner.

Sea Of Madness is among my favourite Maiden tracks ever

1. Sea Of Madness
2. Wasted Years
3. Caught Somewhere In Time
4. Heaven Can Wait
5. Stranger In A Strange Land
6. Alexander The Great
7. Deja-Vu
8. The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner

I'm not as crazy over Alexander The Great as many seem to be.

[Setlist Scotty]

As I think I mentioned before, SiT is my favorite Maiden album. I love the guitar synths and wish they would've stuck with them instead of resorting to having 'Arry's tech play keyboards on subsequent albums and tours (I don't like "touring members" of bands - make them official or not). The only song that I'm not big on is Heaven Can Wait, and I think someone nailed the reason why: the chorus. Not only because of the repetitive lyrics, but just because of the happy nature of them.

Add me to the list of those who *love* all 3 of Adrian's contributions to this album - definitely my favorite songwriter in Maiden, and he was sorely missed in the 90s.

It's funny reading all your comments on how SiT is their most prog album - I never noticed that until your comments. I guess that subliminally is one of the reasons why I favor this album over all their others, altho it being the "new" album at the time I got into the band and the killer cover art probably had a little to do with it too. And I'm sorry, but this album (aside from lacking Bruce's input) is waaaayyyy better than SSoaSS - when that album came out, I enjoyed it, but nowhere near to the level of SiT.

The one thing that's just been briefly commented on is the instrumental/solo section of the title track. That to me is just mindblowing and my favorite part of the whole album. In particular, I love how they go from that section back into the main song without any hesitation or stopping (from 4:40 to 4:52). One song I would've *loved* to have seen DT cover at a certain point (but I know will never happen).

While I was aware that Bruce's song submissions were not in line with the rest of the band and therefore rejected, I wasn't aware of the fact that the other guys had other songs written that also didn't make the cut. I'd love to have heard what those songs sounded like.

I also echo the comments about the B-sides from this album - probably the best batch they ever did, although That Girl rises above all the others for me by far. Some time ago, I looked up the original version out of curiosity, and I was surprised how different it was from Maiden's version - they really put their stamp on it when they covered it, and definitely improved on the original, IMO. The biggest thing I didn't like about the B-sides was Adrian taking the lead vocal on Reach Out - he has a fine voice, but leave the lead vocals to Bruce please!

One final thing: I still remember seeing other kids in my highschool walking around wearing these cool tie-dye Maiden shirts with cyborg Eddie on them - how I wished I could've gotten one too (or seen that tour). Anybody manage to pick up one of those shirts and post pix for everyone to see?

[cramx3]

Absolutely love SiT.  It was my favorite IM album until AMoLaD.  The title track is fantastic and one of IM's best IMO.  It's a shame it never made a return to the live set list during the reunion era.  I think it would rock so hard live. 

While most aren't crazy about it, I'd rate Deja Vu as my second favorite from the album.  Such a fun song.  SImilar to Rainmaker, short and lots of soloing, but it's fast paced, energetic, and fun. 

And to continue being contrary to most, Sea Of Madness is probably my least favorite on the album and the b-sides that have been referred are some of the worst things (to my ears) I have heard come from IM. 

I didn't get into the music at the time, so I didn't understand the dislike many of the old fans and the band themselves had for the album.  Knowing that backstory, I understand why some would feel that way, but to my fresh ears in 2004 this album was pure awesomeness. 

I still have some small hope that there is some good footage IM have of this tour in their basement or something that will someday see the light.  The Paris bootleg seems to be the best out there, but that doesn't give this album and tour what it deserved IMO. 

[Ben_Jamin]

I actually listened to this for the first time (don't ask me why it took so long). It's a fantastic album I must say. Really progressive, yet I'm loving the production, atmosphere and energy in the songs.

Now I understand the shame of only Wasted Years being played. CSiT and SoM would've been well received maybe even more than Wasted Years.

[Samsara]

Mosh -- another stellar write-up. It's actually really hard to follow you doing the QR one. Yours are extremely well written and detailed. Inspiring!

I am a bit fan of SiT. I only really got into Maiden in the early 00s, so I knew none of the history until I bought The Early Years DVD, which is awesome, but this record is one of my favorites. I love the title track (one of my personal Maiden favs), and while the chorus is repetitive, it works because of how Bruce sings it. Heaven Can Wait is cringe worthy. But such a great record overall.

[Mister Gold]

I will say, Somewhere in Time probably has the best studio production of any of the Maiden albums. It's gotta either be that one or Brave New World, imo. While I absolutely get Steve's desire to highlight that Maiden is very much a "live" band, I feel that the production of a lot of their albums- especially from the 90's onward- buries the quality of the musicianship just a bit. Hearing the band's whole work sounding so full and lush on SiT and BNW, regardless of what you might think of the actual songwriting on those albums, really shows just how incredible the band is.

But yeah, revisiting SiT is always a treat imo. The songwriting is, by and large, some of the best work the band ever did. Caught Somewhere in Time, for example, is one of the best openers the band ever did. It really hits the ground running and offers some of the most proggy work the band ever did. Hell, there's an amazing cover of the song that transcribed the whole song to piano (granted it was part of a whole album's worth of Piano-fied Iron Maiden songs) and the effect is gorgeous.

The only real flaws I can think of for the whole album are the mess that is Heaven Can Wait and the lyrics to Alexander the Great. The latter actually reminds me a great deal of the vocal melodies for To Tame A Land. Neither vocal melody are quite on par with some of Steve's other classic epics from the 80's (i.e. Phantom, Hallowed or Seventh Son), but there is a certain energy there. It's just that the lyrics for Alexander largely come off as a hastily written checklist Steve wrote down in the final days of recording the album while reading a biography book on Alexander.

Mosh -- another stellar write-up. It's actually really hard to follow you doing the QR one. Yours are extremely well written and detailed. Inspiring!

I am a bit fan of SiT. I only really got into Maiden in the early 00s, so I knew none of the history until I bought The Early Years DVD, which is awesome, but this record is one of my favorites. I love the title track (one of my personal Maiden favs), and while the chorus is repetitive, it works because of how Bruce sings it. Heaven Can Wait is cringe worthy. But such a great record overall.

I was just thinking about this. I absolutely think that the repetitive choruses that Steve likes to write only ever work when its matched with a strong vocal melody. Caught Somewhere In Time's chorus is every bit as repetitive as Heaven Can Wait's, but it's far more in line with the rest of the song that it's a part of and just sounds so damn epic and catchy. The title track of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son elicits the same reaction from me. I know in my head that Steve could have been more creative with the lyrics of that chorus, but goddamn its just too good for me to really give a damn there.

[Podaar]

Heaven Can Wait is a strange animal, isn't it? So much energy and a complete rocking tune that gets buried in the pedestrian chorus and the "woooah, woooah," in the center section. When I listen to it, I just love the underlying music but when it's over all I can remember is the sixteen times I had to hear the chorus.

[devieira73]

The one thing that's just been briefly commented on is the instrumental/solo section of the title track. That to me is just mindblowing and my favorite part of the whole album. In particular, I love how they go from that section back into the main song without any hesitation or stopping (from 4:40 to 4:52).

That solo is indeed incredible (one of all time faves), but its finale is really PHENOMENALl!  : 
And I hear that solo from time to time since 89...
Wonderful album, but Seventh Son is THE album.

[cramx3]

The one thing that's just been briefly commented on is the instrumental/solo section of the title track. That to me is just mindblowing and my favorite part of the whole album. In particular, I love how they go from that section back into the main song without any hesitation or stopping (from 4:40 to 4:52).

That solo is indeed incredible (one of all time faves), but its finale is really PHENOMENALl!  : 
And I hear that solo from time to time since 89...
Wonderful album, but Seventh Son is THE album.

Yea, that instrumental section really gets me worked up.  So much energy and just to go right back into it is so awesome and powerful.

[TAC]

Glad to see the love for the title track. Like I said, it's my #3 Maiden track.


Kind of surprised to see HCW catching flak. I guess I assumed most people liked it. Steve sure did. I find that song has really aged well. I think Bruce is awesome on it.

The problem that Alexander has is that there is never a climax like the "comes the rain" part in Rime. It just kind of awkwardly goes back into the song. I love The Nomad, but that also had the same issue.

I didn't get into the music at the time, so I didn't understand the dislike many of the old fans and the band themselves had for the album.     

This old fan LOVED it when it came out!

[cramx3]

I really enjoy HCW.  I understand the flak for the repetitive chorus, but honestly, if the song is good, the repetition never bothers me and I feel that way for most of their repetitive songs.

[TAC]

I actually never really cared for it, and couldn't understand why they kept it in the setlist for so long. But I really like it now.

[cramx3]

As much as I like it, I always felt I'd rather them play something else from SiT.  It really sucks that the only tracks that get continued play are HCW and WY.  And WY to the point that I've lost some interest in it over the years.  Still great song, but just overplayed from my own listening and from the live show IMO.

[TAC]

I totally agree on Wasted Years.

[MirrorMask]

Bruce doesn't care for the album. With so many albums out and songs to chose from, Somewhere in Time from the get go has always been the expandable one. And anyway many of the songs have difficult intricate passages that the band wouldn't want to spend a lot of time to relearn.

Wasted Years is the most memorable song off the record, for better or worse.
Heaven Can Wait was a must for the history tour, and they wanted to bring it back this tour around, but they switched to Wasted Years when the crew complained about having to watch out for all the extras while they were supposed to already start to pack things up.
Stranger in a Strange Land was considered not good enough to remain in the set when they tried it in 1999.
Deja Vu and Alex the Great were never played and Maiden have the unwritten rule (so enforced that it's probably actually written) to never play a song unless it's played in the tour for the album it comes from.
Sea of Madness and Loneliness are by now forgotten so half of the audience wouldn't even know which song they're playing.

Only Caught Somewhere in Time had a chance, as I said earlier it was a great choice to open the encore of the Somewhere Back in Time tour, but they didn't realize yet the massive success it would have become, ensuring therefore a high demand for Maiden England, and they chose to pack the set with Seventh Son songs instead.

[Setlist Scotty]

Only Caught Somewhere in Time had a chance, as I said earlier it was a great choice to open the encore of the Somewhere Back in Time tour, but they didn't realize yet the massive success it would have become, ensuring therefore a high demand for Maiden England, and they chose to pack the set with Seventh Son songs instead.

AND Fear of the Dark, which had NO reason whatsoever to be in that setlist. They should've had another SiT song in there, but noooooo, put in FotD for the umpteenth time.   

[TAC]

Only Caught Somewhere in Time had a chance, as I said earlier it was a great choice to open the encore of the Somewhere Back in Time tour, but they didn't realize yet the massive success it would have become, ensuring therefore a high demand for Maiden England, and they chose to pack the set with Seventh Son songs instead.

Is that right? They didn't plan the Maiden England at that point? That's surprising.

But yes, CSiT would've been a much better choice than Moonchild.