Simple really , just pick one. I've been over and back on this for years but im going with Somewhere in Time.
I'd agree. It's all gold for me between the Debut up to Seventh Son. But on all those records except Somewhere there's at least one clanger present that prevents the album being 10/10 e.g Losfer Words, Invaders
Number of the beast.
Clichéd choice I know
I'm also going to add that Fear of the Dark album is the weakest.
Quote from: Kunt 4 Life on May 25, 2026, 10:26:45 AMI'm also going to add that Fear of the Dark album is the weakest.
Yeah agree with that, there are a few songs on it that are ok but the much maligned no prayer for the dying is a far better album.
I'm not really going to get into the Blaze albums as I can't really listen to his voice.
Powerslave
Ugh... there are three for me but I'll go for Seventh Son. Impossible really to pick between it, Number of the Beast and the debut. Each are perfect in their own different ways.
It's gotta be Seventh Son!
also calling FOTD the weakest is an insane statement?!
It's always been a difficult one for me, I'm split between Somewhere and Seventh, I always have a special place for Killer and Beast. Because I've Somewhere np I'll give myself peace of mind and say Somewhere in Time.
I think we can all agree that Killers is their most consistent album.
Quote from: Mithrandir on May 25, 2026, 10:58:03 AMIt's gotta be Seventh Son!
also calling FOTD the weakest is an insane statement?!
Not really. It's heavily bloated. If you take out the amazing title track what sort of album do you have left?
Live After Death is still the best thing they ever released. Studio album, Powerslave today... tomorrow will be different.
Fear of the Dark has a decent opening, but after Wasting Love, it gets really inconsistent until the title track.
Quote from: Kunt 4 Life on May 25, 2026, 11:34:38 AMQuote from: Mithrandir on May 25, 2026, 10:58:03 AMIt's gotta be Seventh Son!
also calling FOTD the weakest is an insane statement?!
Not really. It's heavily bloated. If you take out the amazing title track what sort of album do you have left?
Be Quick or Be Dead
From Here to Eternity
Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Ok the start is a little painful)
The Fugitive
Judas Be My Guide (THE most underrated Maiden song in my opinion)
FOTD
All great tracks I rate, it has plenty of other moments throughout (I like Wasting Love :abbath: ), certainly not their best but far from the worst. Considering NPFTD and the Blaze albums are right there and that's not even getting started on the post 2000s stuff.
Quote from: Maggot Colony on May 25, 2026, 11:27:36 AMI think we can all agree that Killers is their most consistent album.
That's bottom of the list of the 80s output for me!
Yeah FOTD is way more consistent than people give it credit for.
My pick is A Matter Of Life And Death. But Somewhere In Time is VERY close to the top spot as well.
Somewhere In Time. Also their best sounding album. You can't go wrong with any of the first seven, though.
Fear of the Dark is a good album. Not up there with their best, but not bad by any stretch.
Quote from: Bürggermeister on May 25, 2026, 12:00:31 PMSomewhere In Time. Also their best sounding album. You can't go wrong with any of the first seven, though.
Amazing run by them to crush the 80s like that. They should've taken 10 years off from recording and cemented how good that was.
Bathory first 6, Opeth first 6, Sabbath first 6 as some other favourites
Changes day to day but right now I'd go for Seventh Son.
No Prayer and FOTD are both awful, I never thought I'd rate a Blaze album higher than a Bruce album but The X Factor is the only decent '90s Maiden album.
Honestly could stick on any of the 80s albums and make an argument.
Piece of Mind? Not filled with hits but not a bad song on there imo, love the production too.
Quest For Fire is stupid an I've never been a fan of Die With Your Boots On, the 2015 reissue is the first version where the production hasn't been a distraction.
I always thought if side A of Piece of Mind was an EP it would be up there as one of the best metal EPs ever. Very front loaded album.
Quest for Fire is an OK song really, the lyrics to To Tame a Land are way fucking stupider, I can't listen to that song.
Studio Album is Powerslave, but best overall is Live After Death
Just watching some Greece footage there, isn't it fuckin great to see Bruce long of mane again ( much as I decry his ability to do it), feels like its all come full circle.
I'll go Somewhere just edging Beast. Today.
Somewhere In Time comes out on tops for me almost always but love almost everything up until NPFTD
For years, would have said Seventh Son. In typical style, it was the first album of theirs I really got into, so that made it stick out. These days though, I don't think I could choose between it, Number of the Beast, and Somewhere In Time.
Best is probably Powerslave.
Favourite is Piece of Mind. As soon as the drums kick off on Where Eagles Dare... can't be bayte!
I've only really gave Maiden the time of day in the last few years.
Powerslave all day for me. The opening 2 are so iconic, hard to beat.
Powerslave is let down i think is great but 2 or 3 weaker songs on there, same with Piece of mind.
The debut is fantastic and Number of the beast also , and Seventh Son jesus it's hard to choose
I never clicked with Powerslave either. Some rapid tunes on it, but some filler too. Might be high time to revisit it, though.
I gave it a good spin again the other day while out & about, it holds up well I think. I wouldn't find any filler on it, even the lesser mentioned tracks like Losfer Words, Back In The Village, Flash Of The Blade etc. are class to my ears. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is still massive, the best of their 'epic' songs by a long way.
Powerslave all day long, closely followed by SSoaSS. there's a bit of filler on each of the other 80s Brucie albums, and I cannot abide the pub rock shite of the first two at all.
Quote from: Carnage on May 26, 2026, 04:58:50 PMI gave it a good spin again the other day while out & about, it holds up well I think. I wouldn't find any filler on it, even the lesser mentioned tracks like Losfer Words, Back In The Village, Flash Of The Blade etc. are class to my ears. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is still massive, the best of their 'epic' songs by a long way.
Back in the Village is one of the best songs they've ever done.
But Somewhere in Time is my favourite.
Seventh Son of the Seventh Son easily
It's interesting that Somewhere In Time is coming out as a firm favourite for many these days, I have vague notion of it being maligned/poorly thought of in general until very recently. It was the very first Metal album I EVER got, so holds a special place in my heart, but I will say that "Sea of Madness" & "Heaven Can Wait" don't rate very highly for me.
For me best is either Piece of Mind or Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
I think the only clanger on Piece of Mind is "Sun and Steel" - total skipper, hate the chorus - would have been a perfect album if they'd dropped it. I love "Quest for Fire" & "To Tame A Land" - top drawer Maiden for me, they've got it all. Outside of the just the tunes, I think the overall atmosphere, cover art and band promo photos all just capture that early 80s Heavy Metal vibe perfectly - before it became somewhat mainstream.
Piece of Mind, followed by Number of the Beast
Die With Your Boots On!
I hated Somewhere In Time the first time I heard it, the synths totally threw me off and the outright commercialism of Stranger In A Strange Land and Wasted Years weren't too welcome at the time either. I love it now of course, and would put it up there among their best. Finally seeing Alexander The Great live a few tears ago was one of my biggest live moments.
Somewhere in Time was an album I had never listened to in full until I was well into my twenties. Cant even explain why, it was like some weird blindspot for me. Tis good but wouldn't have it over POM, Powerslave, NOTB or SSOASS.
Not that anybody asked but worst Maiden album is that latest shlop, followed closely by the 2nd latest shlop.
I and many other old farts have been bangin' on about Somewhere in Time forever :laugh: its always been my favorite, since i first started listening to them when SIT was only a couple of years old. Its great to see that so many others have picked up on its brilliance after so many years. Its the album I have purchased physical copies of more than any other album cost I kept (literally) wearing them out.
7th Son is also perfect - as is Peace of Mind. Hard to separate any of those 80's albums really. The level of quality they maintained up til 7th son year after year was just staggering, especially given the constant touring.
But SIT has Adrian's writing and solos at its core and that makes it stand out for me - the solos on Stranger and Caught Somewhere in Time are some of the finest things he ever wrote and to see them live over the last few years was just amazing.
Somewhere In Time was the first of theirs I got and still my favorite.
I'd probably go SIT if I had to choose, but there isn't much for me between the 80s Bruce albums. NOTB would be bottom of that pile, only because I can go the rest of my life without hearing title track, Trooper and Run to the Hills ever again
You must have a limited edition of TNOTB with The Trooper on it. ;)
Also, Somewhere In Time.
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son closely followed by Somewhere In Time.
Some of their best work is on those records.
Wasted Years, Stranger In A Strange Land, The Clairvoyant. Absolute classics.
May be something for the controversial thread but I think Seventh Son has six absolutely classic tracks but is smudged by the Evil That Men Do and Can I play with madness both of which are throwaway
The Evil That Men Do is class. You're close to the truth, so very close.
Quote from: Bürggermeister on June 02, 2026, 06:46:45 PMThe Evil That Men Do is class. You're close to the truth, so very close.
He's talking bollix is what he's doing ;D
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on June 02, 2026, 06:41:28 PMMay be something for the controversial thread but I think Seventh Son has six absolutely classic tracks but is smudged by the Evil That Men Do
Playing with madness!
Top five Maiden track for me.
Can I Play With Madness is throwaway for sure but in the context of the album it works perfectly, and the rest of the album more than compensates for it.
The Evil That Men Do is mighty.
I'm digging in. Even the lyrics are toss, like Bruce couldn't be arsed. Livin on a razors edge, balancing on a ledge times 50. Grand Job.
Can I Play With Madness is bollox.
Quote from: Carnage on June 02, 2026, 07:39:23 PMCan I Play With Madness is throwaway for sure but in the context of the album it works perfectly, and the rest of the album more than compensates for it.
There needed to be a single at that stage of the career and it does the job.
The Evil That Men Do is top 5 Maiden for me.
The Evil is the second song that got me hooked on metal. Can I Play is the fifth.
Madness to diss either of them!
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on June 02, 2026, 09:00:18 PMI'm digging in. Even the lyrics are toss, like Bruce couldn't be arsed. Livin on a razors edge, balancing on a ledge times 50. Grand Job.
Shtap.
"Love is a razor and I walked the line on that silver blade
Slept in the dust with his daughter, eyes red with the slaughter of innocence"
Mighty I sez.
The evil that men do being a throwaway is one of the craziest takes I've ever read around here!
It's our job here to examine all possibilities :laugh:
Quote from: Eoin McLove on June 02, 2026, 11:01:44 PMThe Evil That Men Do is top 5 Maiden for me.
Thank you, I agree , that opening is just awesome.
I'd probably edge Powerslave first. I'll need to revisit Somewhere in Time after seeing all the praise on this thread, it's one I'd dismissed in my teens as kind of average and nowhere near as good as the albums around it.
Just as big of a debate, but which album has the best artwork? Might be an odd choice, but the first album has always really grabbed me. So many good covers in the 80s though (plus a few outside like Brave New World). Something has always grabbed me about the Seventh Son artwork too...
Quote from: Mooncat on June 03, 2026, 09:13:14 PMJust as big of a debate, but which album has the best artwork? Might be an odd choice, but the first album has always really grabbed me. So many good covers in the 80s though (plus a few outside like Brave New World). Something has always grabbed me about the Seventh Son artwork too...
Probably Somewhere in Time, just for all the little details in it. Brave New World is OK, but just seemed to be a bit similar to Virtual XI, only not as good
Don't think there's any debate that Dance of Death is the worst, but the last three have all been crap too.
The Final Frontier Eddie looks utterly shite, and the Book of Souls and Senjutsu ones are decent but the blank black backgrounds and that both of them are only from the waist up make them seem unfinished
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on May 25, 2026, 09:52:36 AMI'd agree. It's all gold for me between the Debut up to Seventh Son. But on all those records except Somewhere there's at least one clanger present that prevents the album being 10/10 e.g Losfer Words, Invaders
As an aside, I don't agree with the notion that an album having a clanger prevents it from being 10/10. 10/10 shouldn't necessarily represent perfection. If an album had unquestionably 9 of the best songs of all time on it, and one clanger, it should still absolutely be a 10/10 album. Like Ride the Lightning, maybe two average songs there, and another 5 or 6 of the best metal songs ever written. Easy 10/10 for me.
Quote from: Trev on June 03, 2026, 09:30:26 PMQuote from: Mooncat on June 03, 2026, 09:13:14 PMJust as big of a debate, but which album has the best artwork? Might be an odd choice, but the first album has always really grabbed me. So many good covers in the 80s though (plus a few outside like Brave New World). Something has always grabbed me about the Seventh Son artwork too...
Probably Somewhere in Time, just for all the little details in it. Brave New World is OK, but just seemed to be a bit similar to Virtual XI, only not as good
Don't think there's any debate that Dance of Death is the worst, but the last three have all been crap too.
The Final Frontier Eddie looks utterly shite, and the Book of Souls and Senjutsu ones are decent but the blank black backgrounds and that both of them are only from the waist up make them seem unfinished
I do like that Somewhere in Time looks like a comic book panel, but I prefer the ones with Eddie a little more in focus, like the first two, or Piece of Mind.
Always loved SSOASS Eddie, great cover. When it comes to Maiden covers, only Riggs is real.
Killers would be my favourite I think. Eddie at his most sinister looking.
Seventh Son is class too but then so is Somewhere In Time and Piece Of Mind.
Fear Of The Dark is probably the best of the non-Riggs art
Break it down further and Clairvoyant Eddie and Stranger in a Strange Land Eddie are two of the coolest. Can't stomach the non-Riggs Eddie at all, like some cheap ass caricature out of a comic book .
Powerslave is the best Maiden cover art, TNOTB and SSOASS are close behind. Somewhere In Time is obviously great but with all the easter eggs is too cluttered.
It's definitely the best Maiden album title! Powerslave, fuck, hearing that term as a teenager pre superhero shit taking over the world.
If we're not talking about studio albums only Live After Death wins best cover hands down!
Quote from: Thorn on June 03, 2026, 10:52:42 PMBreak it down further and Clairvoyant Eddie and Stranger in a Strange Land Eddie are two of the coolest. Can't stomach the non-Riggs Eddie at all, like some cheap ass caricature out of a comic book .
I bloody love that Clairvoyant Eddie, so much so I have it tattooed on me!
Another favourite of mind is the Fear of the Dark (Live) Eddie with the bass. The most evil and rabid he's ever looked!
As much as I love the Live After Death cover, there's something about Eddie's face that I don't like. It seems rushed or unfinished or something. If not for that it might be the one.
Quote from: Carnage on June 03, 2026, 11:40:50 PMAs much as I love the Live After Death cover, there's something about Eddie's face that I don't like. It seems rushed or unfinished or something. If not for that it might be the one.
Naw, that cover art is perfect, as is the album... a true 10/10 in every aspect.
I have always loved the artwork for No Prayer For The Dying.
Live After Death is their best cover, the blue and yellow is stunning, I would have SIT after that followed by Powerslave, all artwork after SSOASS is shite
Best album... SSOASS
It was just such a massive album at the time. Not a dud track on it, in my opinion.
Personal favorite... Powerslave
Combo of killer artwork and classic songs. Even with a clanger or two.
My personal favorite could also go to SIT or POM if the wind changes direction.
Love the first three albums, too, but when it came to Maiden I started with SSOASS and worked my way backwards.
Live After Death is one of the greatest live albums ever released. And the cover art is metal perfection.
Yeah Live after Death is phenomenal. Great album too.
Somewhere in Time or the Stranger in a Strange Land single... Probably. No Prayer is a great cover as well, probably their last good one.
Just an aside, I was listening to Helstar last night, A Distant Thunder, and I'm going to posit that Winds of War from that album may be the best song Maiden never wrote.
Had a rattle through most of the main ones there over the last couple of days. Definitely going with Powerslave as the best. I mean, realistically it's probably Number of the Beast, but it's also the most overplayed one. I liked Piece of Mind better then Seventh Son or SiT.
This is a bit odd/dodgy surely: https://www.ironmaiden.com/iron-maiden-x-pophouse/
It's the way of things and is only going to expand, throughout the entire industry. Music, the only worthwhile bit of the whole thing, is essentially worthless now, so partnerships like these which exploit established and recognisable brands by selling branded tat and lifestyle experiences are how to make money. Expect Eddie and the logo to show up on all kinds of shite you never would have dreamed of.
Quote from: Floss on Today at 04:04:05 PMThis is a bit odd/dodgy surely: https://www.ironmaiden.com/iron-maiden-x-pophouse/
It was inevitable for them as a business. They've had merch in Asos, Pennies etc.
Be quick or be in the red
The Red and the Black
Running ain't free
Run from the bills
Fear of the Trademark
I'm Losfer Words
The VAT Number Of The Beast
The Ides of Merch
Stranger In Strange Tat