Search - Iron Maiden :: Somewhere in Time

2 words: Adrian Smith

Gregg gleb2044@fau.edu | Florida, USA | 03/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is an Iron Maiden video (circa 1985) called "Behind the Iron Curtain" in which a seemingly drunken Bruce Dickinson tells a fan: "you can't play heavy metal on a synthesizer." Well, Bruce was wrong. He and his bandmates proved this with 1986's Somewhere In Time. Oddly, while Dickinson himself is not credited with authorship of a single song on the album, it is perhaps his finest vocal effort. The true genius of the album, however, lies in the guitar playing of Adrian Smith. He shines, on every track, but Alexander the Great deserves special mention. In a single minute of guitar playing, Smith outflashes Van Halen or Vai, AND plays with more soul than Clapton or Beck at their best moments. That he had anything at all left in him for Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (my vote as THE greatest album recorded anywhere, anytime, by anyone, ever) 2 years later is a minor miracle. That he surpases his SIT performance on the album, well that's just spooky!"

A jazz lover strays into unknown territory

Gregg gleb2044@fau.edu | 12/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I took "Best of the Beast" out of the library to give myself a reason not to like Iron Maiden (don't ask me why) and with tracks like "Run to the Hills" and "Rime..." I was just staggered at the energy and musicianship of this outfit - I will gladly defend them on these grounds to anybody. Oh, the Wasted years I've had not knowing this group. I am further amazed at their consistency. But this album is the most solid of the lot - it gives you that thrill you get to be able to enjoy a whole album at a sitting and it's that effect which sets it apart. Each track builds as it goes along. Yet it is beautifully understated. For the record, I hate "Bring your Daughter" and had long been put off the band by macabre album covers or subject matters. But call this fun and shock value if you like, I know it's no laughing matter and evil often has a fair face. "Somewhere in time" is however, in some strange way, free of this stuff for the most part. I'm not trying to be judgmental but nor am I letting myself be non-judgmental - at the end of the day Iron Maiden aren't wise to joke or play around with the spirit world as a subject (see Seventh Son) but the vast majority of their repertoire in their hey-day is on good subject matters and is exceptionally briliant and great fun music. Buy this. Buy it. Go On. Go on go on go on!"

Beware the Morons!

liverhooligan | Bliss | 03/05/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After reading all these customer reviews I just had to respond on this album. Only because it's my favorite, from my favorite band, a band I've been freebasing since I was 11 years old.So, to you morons who slag off on this disc, here's what I say...1. Someone wrote that his album doesn't "pack enough punch". Did they miss "Sea of Madness" and the title track? Finding songs with more punch in the Maiden catalog is real, real hard.2. Someone complained that no Dickinson compositions are on here. He did write during this period, and you know what he wrote? "Run Silent, Run Deep" (later released on No Prayer). Sorry folks, but that song is weak when compared to other songs Bruce wrote from 1984-1988. If that was the best Bruce wrote for this album, I'm sure glad they put it on hold!3. Synth! Synth! Synth! Hey, live a little. Musicians as complex as those in Maiden NEED to find different ways to test themselves. It's called maturing. The bass/guitar synth is awesome in my opinion. It gives this album a futuristic feel like nothing else.4. Someone also said the band was "burned out" on this since it followed the huge World Slavery Tour. Burned out? No, only on fire. As a guitarist, I must say that the Murray/Smith solos on this disc are BLAZING! Check out Davey's on CSIT, or Adrian's on SOM, and then check out the pair on "Alexander the Great", a song Steve Harris himself recently called "the best song we've never played live". Oh, and Adrian's slow solo on SIASL is proof that some of the best solos don't have to be played fast.5. Any more complaining morons need to just pick up a live bootleg of this tour. They reproduced it live. Complain about "over-production"? Well then how did they play it live? This is the greatest Maiden recording of thier 12 studio albums. Hands down. End of story."