POWERSLAVE
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IRON MAIDEN’s 3rd release with Bruce Dickinson (and 5th release overall), POWERSLAVE, might very well have been the most progressive heavy metal album of 1984.
In fact, it is easily the most progressive metal album of the early Dickinson era, with ½ the songs from this album being included on their 1985 “World Slavery Tour” concert souvenir, Live After Death.
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Released: 3 September 1984
Recorded: February–June 1984
Studio: Compass Point (Nassau, Bahamas)
Producer: Martin Birch
Tracks
Side one
1. Aces High
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
4. Flash of the Blade
5. The Duellists
Side two
6. Back in the Village
7. Powerslave
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
1995 reissue bonus disc
1. Rainbow's Gold (Beckett cover)
2. Mission from 'Arry
3. King of Twilight (Nektar cover)
4. The Number of the Beast (live)
It's time to find “the emergency lane before the off ramp” and discover which “really weird question” might be “good for you!” and prompt you to stop yelling at “mumble rapping 10-year-olds” while playing Call of Duty.
Always remember to get your tattoos at a place where they play metal to avoid a “paisley sleeve”, behold the “paranormal footage” we captured in the Bunkerpoon, leave us some 5-star ratings & glowing reviews, find out how best to ruffle the feathers of your high school English Lit teacher and JOIN US for a dive into one of the finest hours of 80’s metal as we take on POWERSLAVE.
ACES HIGH:
One of the best harmony guitar riffs in all of metal from the best harmony guitar BAND in all of metal.
Fun fact: the album version on YouTube begins with Churchill’s speech.
Actually, this song was NOT “written about religion…or about washing your car” but it WAS written about dog fights in the air during the 2nd Great War. (And no, we’re not talking about dogs that were crossbred with dragons, we’re talking about airplane dogfights…).
Go check out the video: it’s rad, 80’s Iron Maiden with lots of vintage footage. Always remember that 80’s metal videos on MTV were generally the best ones they ever showed. (And yes, I’m pretty sure they played this song on 96 Rock in Atlanta during the daytime back then…).
“Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die,
Won’t you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high…”
2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT:
There’s actually this thing called The Doomsday Clock and when it gets to midnight, it’s officially “mushroom cloud o’clock” across the planet. Currently, the “Doomsday Time” is set to 90 seconds to midnight…so yeah. Oh, and that’s actually less than 2 minutes in case the math threw you.
Actually, I never noticed the complexity of the riff during the guitar solo before. Definitely a headphone record.
Also, check out the classic 80’s era music video and note the repeated “Eye of Horus” references in the video.
“As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy,
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies…”
LOSFER WORDS (BIG ‘ORRA):
Apparently “’Orra” is short for “Horror”. I just figured “Big ‘Orra” was referring to an enlarged prostitute.
Even for an instrumental, it passes all of the requisite Maiden song qualities: great riffs, great harmonies, a sense of “epicness” to the music…it almost sounds like it fits in with some of the other songs too. They could have shoehorned this into the middle of “Rime” after the mid-section but before the creepy part “on the boat” and it would have fit perfectly.
FLASH OF THE BLADE:
Never noticed how busy that bass was, but HFS, Steve Harris is doing way more than just riding the E.
That whole harmony guitar middle section with the multiple harmony guitar lines is absolutely perfect. Actually, if any additional guitar solos had been added to this, it might very well have ruined it.
“He taught you all he ever knew, to fear no mortal man,
And now you’ll wreak your vengeance in the screams of evil men…”
THE DUELLISTS:
As many know, Bruce was (and likely still is) a fencer (or is it fenceman? What’s the proper term here: swordsman?). I’m guessing that’s likely where some of the inspiration comes from. Well, that and of course, the act of dueling.
Between the multiple harmony guitar parts and the guitar solos, this one is like a Maiden instrumentalist fan’s wet dream…oh yeah, and that harmony BASS line… absolutely subtle perfection. Also, many thanks to Dave & Adrian for the multi-layered harmonies…that’s just good old Iron Maiden guitar gravy right there.
“The Angel of Death hears your last breath
Meanwhile the reaper looks on…”
BACK IN THE VILLAGE:
Weirdly, probably the “worst” song on the album…and it’s still actually really good. Maybe the better term is weirdly generic. Sure, maybe it’s not the “best” song on the album, but it’s still Maiden in their prime.
Back in the village? Most of us live in cities. Actually, the Village People probably live in cities too (the irony).
According to www.genius.com the lyrics to this song tie into The Prisoner.
Read those lyrics…I’ve never experienced “shellshock in the kitchen” unless I microwaved a potato for too long (without forking it first) and it blowed it up, which would easily make me the village idiot (see what I did there?).
“Questions are a burden,
And answers are a prison for oneself,
Shellshock in the kitchen,
Tables start to burn…”
POWERSLAVE:
“Long Beach Arena…scream for me!!!”
This version actually sounds a bit slower and heavier than the Live After Death version. It’s safe to say that Powerslave is, without question, Iron Maiden’s most progressive album to date (to this point) and certainly one of the earliest progressive metal albums to have ever blessed the ears of all who have ears to hear Iron Maiden.
Maiden always had progressive tendencies, but this was next level. In 1984, there was absolutely nothing like this.
“So, bring me the blood and red wine for the one to succeed me,
For he is a man and a God, and He will die too…”
RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER:
Kind of a weird, albeit epic as fuck way to end an album.
It’s a fan favorite and really a favorite across the board in metal, merging history, poetry, and the writers of yore. What’s more fucking progressive metal than writing an epic, 13-minute song based on a poem penned by a poet from the 19th century (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)?
As for the creepy “on the boat” middle part: use those headphones. There’s some serious panning going on…and also, what kid didn’t take this into their English literature class in high school and show their teachers how cultured they were? (Naturally, “one of us” took the Live After Death version to school because opening banter profanity is hilarious: “And the moral of this story is this is what NOT to do if your bird shits on you…”).
Listen for that thunderclap…it sounds very familiar to the thunderclap at the very end of Slayer’s Raining Blood…maybe they’re the same…or maybe I’m wrong.
“The Mariner’s bound to tell of his story,
To tell his tale wherever he goes,
To teach God’s word by his own example,
That we must love all things that God made,
And the wedding guest’s a sad and wiser man,
And the tale goes on and on and on (and on…)”
Show Notes:
(00:01): #nowitsofficial / “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking…” / #blackalbumreference #hahaha #bonjoviASMR #hotgirlsOMGASMR #hotgirlcheerleadersASMR #preppyOMGASMR #slipperywhenwet / “Most girls weren’t #heavymetalgirls…” / #cheers #lettucedoit / ***WARNING #listenerdiscretionisadvised*** / ***WELCOME BACK everyone to the Metal Nerdery Podcast!!!*** #jagercoldbrew #jagermeisterASMR / #buttonrub / #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #gatecitybrewing (“Playing #callofduty and yelling at 10 year olds…”) / “Did you get a pic of this…Will?” / “Not a fancy #albumcover…” / #fivepointtwopercentABV #daydrinkingbeer #theverdict #distinctive #yunglung/ “Oh yeah…how much did you like it last night?” / #akabobert #akawill #akataintler / “Did you have some reflections?” / #modernwarfaretwo / “It sounds relaxing…” / “How the fuck is #mumblerap popular?” / #yeah / #shootingnoises “If you get really lucky, you get #bolth…” / #likeminded / “They could afford the #Playstation, they could afford the procedure…” / “Ten year olds…” / #seriously / “Five year olds and mumble rappers…” / The obvious question… #soloplay #nailedit / “Maybe it’s gonna turn into a button…” / #naileditforsure / “It’s more rewarding…” / #campaignmode (“It’s one of my #addictions”) / #supportgroupASMR / “You stay for the #kidyelling…” / #greaticing / “I feel like that’s the whole reason you do it…” / “The best icing ever…”
Beer of the Episode
Gate City Brewing
Copperhead
(11:52): “I’m gonna do the fucking jingle for #bolth…” #thevoicemailsegment ***GIVE US A CALL AND LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182*** #thereturnofthepost #gentlemen #listenerfeedback #excellentpromotionalness (“That’s so awesome…”) / “I’m not getting a #tattoo there…” / “What if they play a mix…?” / #paisleytattoos / “We do have some #shittah…” / WE’LL PLAY YOUR SHIT-TAH!!! / “This is an #albumsubmission…” / #psychedelicdoommetal #CrypticWitch (It sounds exciting…) / #powerthreesome / WHITE HORSE (Killer artwork…) #fuzzybass #DoomyZeppelin / CRYPTIC WITCH #awwwmannn (“I already likey…”) / “There’s a little bit…but not a lot…” / #killerartwork / “Your artist is a genius…” / SUMMONING (“this is black light…shag carpet…wood paneling…lava lamp…”) / #veggie / Got an email…and some #DariusASMR #futureepisodeidea #fivestars #fiveinches #JoesASMR #blessing / #tobefair / “You just pick it right up…” #thankyou / ***LEAVE US A RATING AND/OR A REVIEW AND/OR BOLTH ON WHATEVER #podcastapp YOU USE!!!*** / #algorithmASMR #fiveinchesrating #fourpackoftennisballsASMR
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(24:42): ***If you’re NEW here…please note the #outroreel at #theveryveryend which is #thebestpartoftheshow*** / #bolthbolthbolthbolthbut / “I’m not saying there’s a connection…” / “The emergency lane before the offramp…” / #myfavoriteaussie (“Let’s be real…a little bit of bolth…”) / #younailedit / #TheDocket IRON MAIDEN’S 1984 MASTERPIECE: POWERSLAVE!!! / (See also #LIveAfterDeath #IronMaiden #WorldSlaveryTour) / “The same bucket…” / The orientation of Live After Death relative to Powerslave and the comparison of a #studioalbum vs a #liveconcertalbum / “What would a #turntablewalkman look like?” / “I remember…it was thick…” / #tallboyfostersoilcan / The various #hieroglyphics buried in the #albumartwork (which is fucking superb!). HAIL to #DerekRiggs for the #albumcover!!! / #hieroglyphiceastereggs / September 3, 1984 / “Did anyone take #IronMaiden to school for #educationalpurposes?” / RUSSELL, JUST STFU…SERIOUSLY… / “No need for circumcision…” / #briefintermission / “They might have even played ‘em during the daytime, dude…” / #potentialspam
(37:20): A strange choice for a closer… / ***Have you checked out #BookOfSouls?*** #Yeah*** / #slavenotes #productionnotes #insidesleeve/ #itsmarked / #killeropener ACES HIGH (“You can hear a little more of the bottom…”) #killermix #multipartharmonies #musicalgenius / 11:58 p.m. 2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (***Seriously, how can you NOT listen to this and NOT automatically think of Live After Death?***) / “I went to #readiness…” / #firstgarten #especial #birthdaytiming / “You just saved your time for later…” / “I actually figured you put all that work into your hair…” / #eroticanovelcover #FabioWages #Flobbio / LOSFER WORDS (BIG ‘ORRA) #earlyvictorymetal (Easily the #bestharmoniesinmetal)
(48:10): Have they played these next ones live? / How it must be recording in the Bahamas… / Iron Maiden was easily one of the earliest #progressivemetal bands/ FLASH OF THE BLADE (This one aged very well…lots of proggy texture here…) / #WolfgangLedZeppelinVanHalen #innit / THE DUELLISTS #harmonybassline #lmmfaho #misheardlyrics (“Fight for the splendor…”) / “Did a doozy the other night…” / “Hey Russell, have you ever told a lady…?”
(58:26): BACK IN THE VILLAGE (“I’ve gotta say it up front…it’s a grower…”) / “What kinda guitar is that?” / #headstockASMR / #tittlee POWERSLAVE (Slower and heavier than the L.A.D. version…) / “You know what it sounds like…?” #gallopinginmolasses #extraguitarharmoniesASMR / Definitely the heaviest song on the album…
(1:05:16): #crescendo (***go check out our #LiveAfterDeath episode!!!***) / RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER #slowerandheavier #SamuelTaylorColeridge #earpopparanormalASMR (“I heard the silent and the pop…”) / Moving forward… / #tobefair / #recordscratch #youknow #headphonesASMR #doomygloomytime #panning #usethoseheadphones #nicefullydone #youarenumbersix #woetoyou (“I need to get to the #poopdeck…”) / “…with their vaginas and their tits…” / #goodforyou #snortworthyASMR / “I swear it sounds like Raining Blood…” / “Is that their… Stairway to Heaven?” / #ayo / “The epicness of it…” / Tracking changes (if need be) / #leastfave #tangentional #winner / “That’s the highest I’ve ever been in anything…” / “Like more intensive than…” #goodforyou / “That’s gonna be a rough day at the office…” / “That was their Slippery When Wet, right?” / ***THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR ANOTHER FABULOUS TRIP DOWN THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST BUNKERPOON RABBITHOLE!!!*** / #justunderthemotherfucker #thelastword / “Probably not now…” / #untilthenext / JOIN US AND CHECK US OUT AT THE #BUNKERPOONSTUDIOGIFTSHOPPE & #purchandise your very own #metalnerderymerchandise at metalnerdery.com/merch / #outroreel #listencarefully
