Let's rank Iron Maiden, #1

Let's settle this once and for all. Pick the best album.

(15 is the maximum number of options on a poll, so if Virtual XI is your favourite... actually, nevermind, who am I kidding)

For me, it's Powerslave.

This is really, really hard! I change my mind about this at least once a month haha. Part of me wants to say the debut because I find myself returning to it the most and it sounds like nothing else out there. Then part of me wants to choose Piece of Mind because the majority of my all time favorite Maiden tracks--Trooper, Icarus, Tame, Eagles, Revelations, Still Life--are on there.

But I'll have to go with Number of the Beast. It is truly the pinnacle of metal greatness of that era and destroyed me when I first heard it. There are days where I simply can't believe that album exists. AND it's got Clive Burr at his best. I'm not afraid to admit I enjoy his work quite a lot more than Nicko.

Killers.

Powerslave. Fear of the Dark would definitely be next.

For me, Number of the Beast is their most solid album front to back. It's a tough choice though, as they have so many classic songs, but all of the albums have their weak points too. There isn't one that immediately jumps out as #1 to me.

I also wanted to say that I really love the 1982 live at the Palladium FM broadcast that has been widely circulated. It has the best six tracks off of TNotB mixed in with some great Di'anno era material. The band was on fire on that tour.

Piece of Mind

SiT followed closed by Number.

Powerslave - the nostalgic power it holds over me ultimately meant the margins were in its favor.

Piece of Mind followed by Number of the Beast.

My top 3:

1. Somewhere in Time
2. Piece of Mind
3. Seventh Son

Powerslave or GTFO.

Lari wrote:

(15 is the maximum number of options on a poll, so if Virtual XI is your favourite... actually, nevermind, who am I kidding)

I consider Virtual XI my favorite from time to time. It's certainly way way WAY better than The X Factor so it would've been better if you would've left that out and put Virtual XI in its place.

Really, Virtual XI is a massively underappreciated album. Many bands have their one oddball album that has this odd feeling of being somehow darker and maybe heavier than the rest. Helloween has The Dark Ride. Red Hot Chili Peppers has One Hot Minute. I think Virtual XI is that for Iron Maiden. Lightning Strikes Twice is great. When Two Worlds Collide is another. Both are some of my all time favorite Maiden tracks.

That said, I picked Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. It's the album I find the best most often.

EDIT: Powerslave is overrated. There it is. Powerslave is overrated and Virtual XI is underrated. Come at me!

*slaps Rami with a trout*

Time to wake up!

Definitely Somewhere In Time.

Lari wrote:

*slaps Rami with a trout*

Like this?

For me it's Killers.

Rami, everyone can be wrong sometimes, it's ok.

Killers

S/T and Killers are a tie for #1.

The rest have some great songs but not complete albums of excellence.

Lari wrote:

*slaps Rami with a trout*

Hey, all I need is to grow a fetish for having trouts slapped on my face so joke's on you.

Iron Maiden

I voted Killers without hesitation.

Their debut! Though, this isn't easy by any means.