Coming of the heels of the mighty Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden’s most recognized album, Piece of Mind has a lot to follow up to. And Piece, the second in a line of Maiden’s three most powerful albums, consolidates Beast’s success. Classic, epic, heart-pounding heavy metal through and through.
The legendary Iron Maiden usually make two types of albums - the good, mind-blowing, stellar ones and then the groundbreaking, near-immortal classics. And very obviously Piece of Mind belongs to the latter. The album marks the birth of what was to be the band’s most definitive line-up with the arrival of Nicko McBrain. Dickinson stamps his characteristic operatic style in wake of Paul DiAnno’s departure and has really meshed in with the band at this point. Murray and Smith, purveyors of the dual-axe attack, tone down their aggression and get their interplay more integrated which results in more complex riffing and harmonized solos. As always the flow and feel of the entire album is anchored along the mighty bass lines of Steve Harris. McBrain’s ability to follow the complex guitar and bass patterns gives album a consistent, smooth, well rounded sound. On the whole, there’s a dark, moody, heavy tone that most of the songs take. The aural acrobatics, muscular rhythm sections and immaculate leads make sure that even the weakest track has a lot to offer. Every riff, every solo, every composition broke new ground and only reinforces the point this album absolutely could not have been written by any other band.
Both Dickinson and Harris’ fascination with Sci-Fi and mythology ensures that the lyrics draw inspiration from sources as varied as ever. Which together with Harris’ epic storytelling got them the tag of being the thinking-man’s metal band. In fact, most of the songs are either based upon either movies or literature, which, now with Piece get their own heavy metal incarnations.
If Where Eagles Dare sends us on a mission to infiltrate Hitler’s lair then the intricate dirge Revelations narrates a tale of Biblical intrigue. Flight Of Icarus retells the classic Greek myth of one who tempts fate with man-made wings. Die With Your Boots On gave us the dire warnings of the seer Nostradamus. The Trooper, with its frenetic bass lines, put us right in the middle of a fierce battlefield during the Crimean war that Tennyson envisioned in his Charge of the Light Brigade. Still Life thrills us with gleams of fantasy and horror. Quest For Fire took us back to a prehistoric time that never really was. Sun And Steel, another song about a warrior, lunges into the mind of the samurai and celebrated Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, and finally To Tame A Land thrusts us far beyond our universe and not to mention, our imagination, into Frank Herbert's desert planet Arrakis. Never before or since will any album take you to so many fantastic realms in such a manner.
As usual Maiden open the album with a sturdy, solid opener in Where Eagles Dare. Although it’s supposed to be based on a film and novel by Alister Maclean, it could also refer to one of Hitler’s homes - The Kehlsteinhaus (quite literally the eagles nest). Featuring one of Nicko’s most energetic and insanely unbelievable performances, the spitfire drumming that moulds the riffs will duly hold your attention through the entire length of the song. Which along with a amazing instrumental passage, inhuman vocals and typical Maiden solos is an extremely great way to kick-off the album.
And what follows is one of the band’s best power ballads, Revelations, which somehow balances the fine line between being dark and yet beautiful. The transitions between the tranquil, more melodic riffs and faster, aggressive ones (both of which are surprisingly simple and yet extremely likeable) and the enormous range displayed in the vocals make this track an unforgettable one. The song’s lyrics draw from both the Good Book, as well as one written by Aleister Crowley, an extremely odd pairing up. As expected, there are great solos thrown in as well. The song ends rather serenely given how fast it goes at times.
Next up is the first single of the album - Flight of Icarus. Great underlying bass lines, an amazing, sing-along chorus, taught riffs and lovely solos with brilliant drumming are what this song is composed of. This lyrics are great, and Dickinson pulls them off in his inimitable style with the occasional hint of inspiration from Ronnie James Dio. Thoroughly impressive, fast-paced solos from Smith and Murray makes the song THAT much more awesome.
Though beginning with a killer intro riff, the rest of Die With Your Boots On fails to work the kind of magic on the listener that the previous three did. The overall feel of the song is great, with Harris’ gallop and Smith’s soloing saving the song. Yet another good chorus, great drumming from the new guy and decent enough riffs allows the song to flow into the category of Maiden’s above average, straightforward tracks. Thematically the song deconstructs omens and nonsenses prophetic propaganda bullshit that fuels non-secularism. But just because it isn’t as great some of the others on this album it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good song. On the whole, a nice song but one that just doesn’t fulfill our expectations of Iron Maiden.
More than making up for it on the next track, Iron Maiden unleash one of the most potent, powerful and iconic tracks from their stable - The Trooper, ready to stuff leather and metal straight up your arse! Right from that nasty call-to-arms riffs to the vicious, trademark gallop, it explodes right in your face. The only modest way to describe this one would be to call it absolutely fucking badass. The song basically revolves around a nameless British soldier fighting in the Crimean War. The lyrics and music work hand in hand to put shivers right down your spine, taking you and throwing you bang in the middle of bloodied battlefield. The twin lead guitar attack that violently thrashes about, the galloping-almost-equestrian, kinetic bassline that throbs and pounds all along the way, two recklessly wild and furious solos, a thunderous, blitzkrieg drumming performance and finally one of metal’s best pipes putting in all he has, screaming his lungs out is why this one is such an indispensable masterpiece in the world of Heavy Fuckin’ Metal. And yes, it indeed is as great as they say it is live. The fact that it is absolutely impossible not to sing along to is proof enough as to why this song is such a great anthem, such a beloved classic. What more can you possibly ask for. All hail Steve Harris and the divine metal he puts forth here. ‘Nuff said.
The second half of the album has a noticeable dip in the feel and mood, though is no less impressive albeit, this is the half that has three songs which are debatable in terms of the quality. Still Life surprises with an ample amount of melodies and dynamics and dazzling solos. Somewhere in the middle of the song the title track is uttered occasionally, which sort of makes it the unofficial title track. The backwards intro by McBrain is intended as a slap on the face, a funny one at that, to anyone who thought of Maiden as satanists. Lovely song, though it could’ve been better.
The next track, Quest For Fire, is a forgettable one which is not all that great either lyrically or musically. Average riffage and unecessary operatic vocals do the song more harm than good. Though as with any track on this particular album, none of the solos cease to amaze. For once Maiden have gotten it wrong with the lyrics, which are both inaccurate and at times annoying. Though not a bad track for an album filler.
A much better improvement in the form of Sun and Steel positions itself at number eight. A tribute to the famed Japanese samurai Musashi, this one is aptly named Sun and Steel. The edgy fast paced riffs do wonders for the song. There isn’t much room for Dickinson to shine but he manages to carry it off well. The rhythm section is again something to look out for with both Harris and McBrain following the guitar patterns ever so well, whether in the solos or the riff itself. Maiden manage to redeem themselves at this point thankfully.
Maiden cap off the album with what would probably the best song in the latter half - To Tame a Land. Brilliant bass driven riffs that have a complex, oriental edge, trademark Murray, gives it an eerie feeling. The lyrics, based on the novel Dune by Frank Herbert only amplify the spooky feel the song has. Some powerful stuff from both Harris and McBrain like in the previous track takes things up a notch. Smith magically pulls out another beauty seemingly out of nowhere. Great track, great effort and a nice finale to one of their best albums.
Overview : Probably, and rather unfortunately the most under-appreciated of Maiden’s classics, Piece of Mind proves itself song after song. This album also marks the beginning what we all love and know as that classic Maiden sound. Each of the band members are at the top of their game vying to outdo one and other. What it all results in is a classic heavy metal album churned out by legends of the genre. Piece of Mind shows us why metal ruled the world back in the eighties and why Iron Maiden were as mighty as they were back then and why they’re as highly regarded now. Maiden seamlessly manage to pull of another classic from under the hat that stood out from all the other metal albums of the time. In the end Piece of Mind is an album that has that a great timeless quality and is one of the most definitive pieces of heavy metal you will find.
Genre : Heavy Metal
Track Listing :
Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1."Where Eagles Dare" | 6:10 | |
2."Revelations" | Bruce Dickinson | 6:48 |
3."Flight of Icarus" | Dickinson, Adrian Smith | 3:51 |
4."Die With Your Boots On" | Dickinson, Harris, Smith | 5:28 |
5."The Trooper" | Steve Harris | 4:15 |
6."Still Life" | Dave Murray, Harris | 4:53 |
7."Quest for Fire" | Steve Harris | 3:41 |
8."Sun and Steel" | Dickinson, Smith | 3:26 |
9."To Tame a Land" |
Total Album Time : 45:50
Personnel/Contributors :
- Bruce Dickinson – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
- Dave Murray – Guitar
- Adrian Smith – Guitar, Backing vocals
- Steve Harris – Bass, Backing Vocals
- Nicko McBrain – Drums, Percussion
- Martin Birch – Producer, Engineer
- Rod Smallwood – Manager
- Derek Riggs – Illustration
Release Date : 16 May 1983
Recorded : at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, From January to march 1983
Supporting Tour : World Piece Tour
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Trivia :
This is the first album not to be named after a song featured in it.
The initial name for the album was Food for Thought but was changed to Piece of Mind to suit the album artwork.
"To Tame a Land" is based on Frank Herbert's novel Dune. The name of the track was meant to be "Dune," but Frank Herbert, who disliked heavy rock bands, denied permission to use his book's name and thus a new name had to be chosen.
At the beginning of Still Life, the band included a hidden message which could only be understood by playing the album backwards. This was a joke and an intended swing back at the critics who had accused Maiden of being satanic. The backwards-message features Nicko McBrain mimicking John Bird mimicking Idi Amin uttering the following phrase "What ho said the t'ing with the three "bonce", do not meddle with things you don't understand...", followed by a belch. The phrase itself is taken from the satirical album The Colleckerted Broadcasts of Idi Amin by Bird and Alan Coren.
"Still Life" is inspired by fantasy/horror writer Clark Ashton Smith's pre-World War II short story Genius Loci.
"The Trooper" is inspired by Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade.
"The Trooper" is inspired by Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade.
"Where Eagles Dare" was insiperd by a film, and a novel by Alistair MacLean.
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