Album #39 : Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

Iron Maiden

Somewhere In Time (1986)

Somewhere In Time marked something of a departure for Iron Maiden from their established reputation as the hard-rocking vanguard of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The album marked the band's first use of synthesizers as an integral part of their sound, something they would continue to explore on later releases. Somewhere In Time, therefore, marks the transition between the early 80s hard rock/metal sound and the later 80s progressive flavour of Maiden's music.

As a fan of Maiden, I was excited by this album, as prior to today it was the only release of the 80s that I hadn't heard, making it a new experience for me even as a person very familiar with the group.

Let's press on, shall we?

The Album

The most noticeable difference between this album and its predecessor, the mostly outstanding Powerslave, is that previously mentioned emphasis on synthesizer sounds. Unlike later releases, which used keyboard synthesizers, Somewhere In Time uses guitar and bass synthesizers. Consequently this is the only Maiden release where there isn't a 'pure' guitar sound, as it were, on most of the tracks (there are two songs without guitar synth). 

However, even though the album is synth-effect heavy, none of the trademarks of Iron Maiden are sacrificed. That famous 'gallop' that has always been a hallmark is there in abundance, there's typically face-melting solos from Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, the rhythm work of drummer Nicko McBrain and band leader/bassist/superman Steve Harris is above reproach...and of course, topping it off like a big aeroplane-flying cherry, is vocalist extraordinaire Bruce Dickinson. 

To the songs then, and Somewhere In Time has eight of them, that cover fairly typical ground for an Iron Maiden record - there's a song based on a novel (the solid but not outstanding The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner), a historical epic (Alexander The Great), a relatively radio-friendly track (Wasted Years) and a future live staple and crowd participation encouragement tune (Heaven Can Wait). The latter three are the album's best songs - Wasted Years featuring two terrific riffs and some fantastic soloing from Adrian Smith, while Dickinson wails tunefully about finding positives in negative situations; Alexander... telling the tale of the famous Macedonian king in bombastic Maiden style, going from slow, bluesy buildup to pacy trademark gallop in one swift blow, and at times recalling the classic Hallowed Be Thy Name (I should also make mention of the doleful, doom-laden riff later in the song that conjures images of a great army marching to glory...or death); and Heaven Can Wait, with its kickarse main riff, utterly fucking unbelievable axe solos and manly choral vocals that are ripe for a live setting.

Of the other tracks, opener Caught Somewhere In Time is a rompingly good tune, lots of gallop and Bruce Dickinson pomp, but the star of the song is the midsection, where Murray and Smith trade more face-melting genius; Sea of Madness (another Smith tune) is darker in tone and features some smashing work from Nicko McBrain; Stranger In A Strange Land is another cracking track, telling the story of an explorer trapped in ice for a hundred years with evocative and haunting lyrics. It also features darker riffs, heavy on the synth effects, while Dickinson pours out close to his best vocal on the album; while Deja Vu is the only real disappointment of the album, as it doesn't match the other tracks in scope, sound and execution, even if it does feature a cool riff from Dave Murray and some more quality work from partners-in-rhythmic-crime, Harris and McBrain.

Overall the album leaves you with the feeling that this direction was worth exploring further, as the synths are used to great effect and add extra depth to the music (even if at times that pure guitar sound might have been better suited). As history would later record, the band did just that on their next album...and produced one of their absolute masterworks.

The Verdict

Somewhere In Time is a pretty good album from a bloody good band. While, in my opinion, it is probably the worst of the group's 80s Dickinson period albums, that is less to do with its own problems and more to do with the fact that the rest of the band's work in that period is close to peerless. What lets it down slightly in comparison to all the other 80s releases is that change in sound and direction, simply because it's clear that the band themselves are experimenting with a new approach. What I heard was a band working out the bugs, so to speak.

Such is the quality and power of Iron Maiden, though, that even their working out the bugs is better than most bands' career-defining work.

Definitely worth listening to.....after you've heard all the other 80s Dickinson-era work.

My rating: *** and a half

Standout Tracks

Stranger in a Strange Land

Alexander the Great

Wasted Years

Heaven Can Wait

Tomorrow, I try to listen to an album that may scar me for life. If it turns out how I'm expecting, it's going to be a short review......