Iron Maiden's best album

[Trev]

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...

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

[Mooncat]

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

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.

[Mooncat]

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...

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.

[Bürggermeister]

Always loved SSOASS Eddie, great cover. When it comes to Maiden covers, only Riggs is real.

[The Great Cull]

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

[Thorn]

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 .

[Carnage]

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.

[Thorn]

It's definitely the best Maiden album title! Powerslave, fuck, hearing that term as a teenager pre superhero shit taking over the world.

[Mithrandir]

If we're not talking about studio albums only Live After Death wins best cover hands down!

[Mithrandir]

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 .

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!

[Carnage]

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.