If ever there was an iconic band in heavy metal, it’s IRON MAIDEN. Their fans are known the world round for being some of the most dedicated, as well as perhaps some of the nerdiest (in the best possible way, of course). Perhaps the peak of the band’s creative quality would be considered the ’80s, which was where most of Bruce Dickinson‘s albums with the band land on the timeline, before his left to pursue a solo career. May 16th, 1983, marked the release of Dickinson‘s second album with IRON MAIDEN, and a step-up from the already very well-received “Number of the Beast” the year before. This release also marks the introduction of Nicko McBrain on drums, replacing original drummer Clive Burr. Today we look back on “Piece of Mind” for its 40th anniversary!
While I will always cite “Brave New World” as my favorite album from IRON MAIDEN, it was “Piece of Mind” and, more specifically, “Flight of Icarus” that worked as my gateway into IRON MAIDEN‘s music and heavy metal itself. My first time hearing this song coincided with both an active distaste for unrelatable pop love songs, as well as a relatively new fascination with Greek mythology (which I had then been studying in school), so naturally, I fell instantly in love with the lyrics, as well as everything that accompanied them, such as the guitar solos and the vocal wailing. The rest, so to speak, is history. Admittedly, however, this was never a favorite album of mine, though it does boast some of my all-time favorite MAIDEN tracks.
This album is further known for having almost every song referencing an existing work of art (all references are listed in the track listing below, with the most noteworthy being, of course, the Greek mythology reference in “The Flight of Icarus,” and “To Tame a Land” revolving around Dune. Funnily enough, when the band asked Frank Herbert’s agents if they could call the song “Dune,” the response was, “Frank Herbert doesn’t like rock bands, particularly heavy rock bands, and especially bands like Iron Maiden.” Seems he was a man of poor taste.
Opening with the punchy and fun “Where Eagles Dare,” which showcases MAIDEN‘s creative riffing style spectacularly from the first notes through to the end. In fact, the song boasts far more riffing than singing, if we’re being honest, along with some ambient sounds of guns firing. However, the album takes a surprisingly melodic yet powerful turn with “Revelations,” which is another longstanding personal favorite from the band’s discography, taking lines from O God of Earth and Altar for its mesmerizing lyrics and fantastic riffing.
“The Flight of Icarus” is, of course, a longstanding favorite of IRON MAIDEN that hardly needs any description, as it has been a live staple more or less since its release. Featuring a bit more of a straightforward drive, it nevertheless has an awesome solo section and features a few of Bruce Dickinson‘s best longstanding wails towards the end. Then, we have the groovy and energetic “Die with Your Boots On,” which seems (according to the internet, at least) to be the only song not specifically based off any existing art, text, or people. The sentiment is strong, with the main line based off old American war sentiments that if you’re going to die, you may as well do it while achieving something of value. There have been some very awesome covers of this song throughout the years a well, with a standout one coming from none other than SONATA ARCTICA.
“The Trooper” really does need no introduction, as it is probably the band’s most well-known and heavily played hit. Admittedly, I’ve seen this song live so many times and heard it on radios so much that I could surely happily live my life without hearing it again, but it nevertheless holds up as a really awesome track and there’s surely a reason that it’s been played over and over, everywhere, since it came out.
This is probably a bit of an unpopular opinion within the hoards of metal fans, but personally, I’ve always found that this album loses a bit of its momentum at this point. While sometimes MAIDEN have knocked it out of the part when delving deep into literature and the like (see “Brave New World“ for reference), they have also been known (at least in recent years) to get a bit bloated by trying a bit too hard on certain songs. Notably, it does tend to lean a bit towards bassist Steve Harris‘ material when the music loses intrigue, but that’s not a hard-and-fast rule, as “Where Eagles Dare” and “The Trooper” are certified bangers.
“Still Life” starts on ambient guitar solos, at least after Nicko McBrain‘s reversed vocal recording, which was a joke on everyone accusing MAIDEN of being Satanic after the release of “The Number of the Beast,” and for, you know, being a metal band. This is a pretty rockin’ track as it builds up, with a fun bridge and a catch chorus, but doesn’t pack quite as much punch as many of the previous tracks. Of note, this one also references the album’s title in its lyrics, with “Piece of Mind” being one of very few MAIDEN albums without a title track. “Quest for Fire,” meanwhile, has a bit of a vibe that feels like someone was trying to push the vocalist too hard for no reason other than “because I can.” Surely, Bruce is throwing some wild wails around, but they’re quite stark and come a bit out of nowhere and tend to interrupt the flow of music rather than add to it, so this one has never sat very well with me, personally.
“Sun and Steel” is a pretty straightforward track all around, with perhaps a bit of a classic Paul Di’anno -era vibe, with the chugging riffs and simple chorus, pretty back-to-basics MAIDEN. Then, the release ends with the notoriously rejected “To Tame a Land,” named so because author Frank Herbert did not consent to them calling the track “Dune.” This is a traditional longest-track-finale, with more ambient guitar riffing opening the song, before those sweet chugging riffs take over. There’s almost a bit of Egyptian flavor to the guitarwork, which is intriguing if they made that association because Dune features a planet of sand. I wonder if there’s an advantage to appreciating this song if one has read Dune, as I find this to be a perfectly acceptable storied MAIDEN song, but it has never really stuck with me. Perhaps if I were a big fan of the book, the song would make more sense, and perhaps paint more of a picture of the world from the novel. Either way, it’s a good song, just not one that I personally tend to really remember exists.
While this album may have its highs and lows, it maintains its truly iconic status for having some of IRON MAIDEN‘s longest-standing biggest hits on it – namely, “Revelations,” “The Flight of Icarus,” and “The Trooper.” While some of the more experimental tracks don’t pan out, it nevertheless means that “Piece of Mind” earned its status as a fantastic classic album from this legendary band, worthy of giving a nostalgia spin anytime!
Written by Bear Wiseman
Tracklist
- Where Eagles Dare (based on the Brian G. Hutton film of the same name)
- Revelations (based on G.J. Chesterton’s hymn, O God of Earth and Altar)
- Flight of Icarus (based off Greek mythology)
- Die with Your Boots On
- The Trooper (based on Aldred, Lord Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade)
- Still Life (based on Ramsey Campbell’s short story, The Inhabitant of the Lake)
- Quest for Fire (based on the Jean-Jacques Annaud film of the same name)
- Sun and Steel (based on the life of samurai Miyamoto Musashi)
- To Tame a Land (based on Frank Herbert’s Dune)
