Iron Maiden - Somewhere Back in Time: The Best of 1980-1989 (Album)
After shattering our eardrums and blowing us away with their last tour, Iron Maiden have left us a little something to remember them by; a best of album showcasing their most memorable songs.
Maiden have been doing this for over 20 years, and unlike other bands that seem to feel the need to keep changing and alienating their fans, these guys are not slowing down and have found a formula that works for them and are sticking with it... It may be a little predictable, but damn it’s good...
And the demographics of their fanbase is growing. It’s not just those that were introduced to Maiden in the eighties, but an ever-growing allegiance of younger fans as well. This is more for them, as an introduction to what metal was like in the eighties.
All of the favourites are on there, and even in the order you could expect to hear them in at a live gig.
You can’t properly capture a live gig on disc, but this comes close. The album opens with Churchill’s Speech and closes with Iron Maiden, the Maiden anthem that closes the set on every show the band has done.
Then there’s Aces High, 2 Minutes to Midnight, The Number of the Beast , Run to the Hills and more, all showcasing how tight these guys play and how amazing Dickenson’s vocals are. The music is classic metal, and Dickenson’s vocal range never ceases to amaze me. And it’s real, this is what they sound like live as well. Every time I play this album, I’m taken back to the last two times I saw them live- once on their last tour in Australia, and a few years back when I was lucky enough to catch them play a stadium gig just outside Zurich in Switzerland. It was a two hour drive from where I was staying to get to the show, but worth every minute on the road and every dollar spent.
Even their live show is classic metal to the core. From elaborate stages, pyrotechnics, guitar solos, blistering drums, amazing vocals to the obligatory Eddie monster on stage. You may not be able to capture the live performance properly on disc, but this comes close.
If you’re a classic fan from the eighties, there may not be anything new on here for you but it will be a great reminder of the last tour. If you are new to Maiden, this is a good place to start. And it’s worth it just for the little booklet- classic Maiden artwork and the words to all the songs.
This is classic metal the way it should be played. Get a copy and get yourself a taste of Iron Maiden. And next time Ed Force One with Captain Bruce lands in town, get along to catch them live...
