Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 31: Iron Maiden's Powerslave (+ Spice results)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, October 10 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to a user cycle for after we finish the queue; once we get through the last planned album, the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).
7c. The order of the user cycle will be randomly determined, but users will first be sorted into tiers by how many of their nominations have been covered during the early nominations period.

Iron Maiden's Powerslave track list:
1. Aces High
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
4. Flash of the Blade
5. The Duellists
6. Back in the Village
7. Powerslave
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Schedule:
10/10: Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves (Snake5555555555)
10/17: OutKast - Aquemini (Giggsalot)
10/24: Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is an Animal (Jesse_Custer)
10/31: Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Snake5555555555)
11/7: The Avalanches - Since I Left You (SpikeSetsFire)
11/14: Moby - Play (SpikeSetsFire)
11/21: Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill (Seginustemple)

User Cycle sign-ups:
11/28: MetalmindStats
12/5: TheArkOfTurus
12/12: Snake5555555555
12/19: Jesse_Custer
12/26: ZaziGuado
1/2: SpikeSetsFire
1/9: Johnbobb
1/16: VeryInsane
1/23: CasanovaZelos
1/30: Seanchan
2/6: Giggsalot
2/13: RyoCaliente
2/20: darkx
2/27: neonreaper
3/6: Great_Paul
3/13: jcgamer107
3/20: ChichiriMuyo

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Spice Girls' Spice results

The participants sorted by deviation from final results:
neonreaper (14)
CasanovaZelos (14)
hotdogturtle (14)
HBJDubs (16)
SpikeSetsFire (20)
Johnbobb (20)
Seanchan (22)
rwlh (28)
Raetsel_Lapin (28)
MetalmindStats (30)

CasanovaZelos: I've listened to this album before and the Spice Girls craze is among my earliest memories but I really cannot remember any song outside of "Wannabe."

Seanchan: So here's the story from A to Z...this album is way better than I initially expected. This isn't complicated music; it's just fun and unpretentious. I was struck by how "90s" it sounded. The hit single was Wannabe, but it's a lot of the deeper cuts that have beats and the hip hop influences that just screamed "90s" to me.

Raetsel_Lapin: A fun album. While I don't know that I'd actually call it good, it's certainly one of my favorites that we've ranked thus far. It's just so much fun that I find myself willing to completely overlook any flaws or personal grievances and just enjoy the ride.

hotdogturtle: This album didn't really show me anything too memorable outside of the one super hit song. But one thing that I did remember, from my first listen into my second, was repetitive lyrics. Several songs end with (what feels like) a straight minute of the same line over and over until they finally let you go.

MetalmindStats: Spice might not be a bottom-three album I've listened to for this topic series, which is a compliment even though it doesn't sound like one.

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Spice track ranking

10. Last Time Lover (Track #5)
Score: 37 (Average Rank: 7.3/10)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Johnbobb (#4)
Biggest Detractor(s): CasanovaZelos (#10)

neonreaper: I feel like some parts of this song are OK for what it is, and some are terrible, just built for 90s teen chicks. these people were geniuses

9. Naked (Track #9)
Score: 38 (Average Rank: 7.4/10)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): neonreaper (#10)

8. Something Kinda Funny (Track #8)
Score: 47 (Average Rank: 6.4/10)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#10)

7. Mama (Track #6)
Score: 48 (Average Rank: 6.7/10)
Biggest Fan(s): rwlh (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan, hotdogturtle (#10)

6. If U Can't Dance (Track #10)
Score: 51 (Average Rank: 6.4/10)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): SpikeSetsFire, HBJDubs (#10)

5. 2 Become 1 (Track #3)
Score: 55 (Average Rank: 5.9/10)
Biggest Fan(s): CasanovaZelos (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#10)

neonreaper: Trash

4. Love Thing (Track #4)
Score: 70 (Average Rank: 4.6/10)
Biggest Fan(s): SpikeSetsFire (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): CasanovaZelos (#8)

3. Who Do You Think You Are (Track #7)
Score: 81 (Average Rank: 4/10)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#10)

2. Say You'll Be There (Track #2)
Score: 90 (Average Rank: 3.3/10)
Biggest Fan(s): neonreaper (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#7)

neonreaper: My summer fling in 97 loved this song so I have odd fond memories of it

1. Wannabe (Track #1)
Score: 103 (Average Rank: 3/10)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Johnbobb, CasanovaZelos, HBJDubs, hotdogturtle (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): rwlh (#10)

neonreaper: We got trashed and did karaoke to this way back when, it was stupid

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2 Minutes to Midnight
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Aces High
Back in the Village
Powerslave
Flash of the Blade
The Duellists
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

A juggernaut of classic heavy metal. The riffs keep coming and they keep getting faster and heavier. Iron Maiden excels at creating songs like this but that which are also catchy as hell and makes you want to replay them over and over. It proves you don't have to eschew accessible songwriting for impactful tracks. "2 Minutes to Midnight" is my favorite Maiden song, with fantastic thematic qualities and instantly infectious hook. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is the progressive song on the album, a heavy metal tapestry exploring the frantic feeling of death portrayed through guitar and the dark ambiance of pure despair. Songs like "Aces High" and "Back in the Village" serve as your blood-pumping songs, "Back in the Village" in particular features one of Maiden's best and fastest riffs. The rest of the album is solid with nothing specific for me to say, but I still think they're awesome songs and any are worthy of being classics. This may not be my favorite Maiden album, but I could see the case for it being the best and regardless stands as influential and iconic to this day.

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Tag

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1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Powerslave
3. Aces High
4. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
5. The Duellists
6. 2 Minutes to Midnight
7. Back in the Village
8. Flash of the Blade

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woah I am absolutely startled and alarmed that Wannabe got #1

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Oh hey it's an album I know

Might try to leave comments later but this ranking feels right:

1. Aces High
2. Powerslave
3. Flash of the Blade
4. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
5. 2 Minutes to Midnight
6. Back in the Village
7. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
8. The Duellists

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I've been on an Iron Maiden kick somewhat unrelated to this being the album for the week. I had only heard The Number of the Beast before but have now gotten through their first four albums; Powerslave is next!

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The second new album for me from this project after Ben Folds Five - and I like every track here!

My ranking:
2 Minutes to Midnight
Aces High
Powerslave
Flash of the Blade
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Duellists
Back in the Village
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

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1. Aces High
2. Powerslave
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
4. 2 Minutes to Midnight
5. Back in the Village
6. The Duellists
7. Flash of the Blade
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

Choosing among the Top 4 is torture.

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1. Aces High - THIS is how you get somebody's attention. What a thrilling opener!
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner - This is how you create an epic operatic closer - a song that goes on and yet remains engaging throughout.
3. 2 Minutes to Midnight - This is how you keep someone's attention after getting it. Fantastic stuff.
4. Powerslave - One of those deep cuts that's just as good as the big stuff. One can see why it's the title track.
5. Back in the Village - Another epic hard-rocking guitar-fest of awesome. In a vacuum, I'd probably rave about it more, but against the first two tracks? Yeah...
6. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - It's a kickass instrumental, but I don't know about the title. The music certainly doesn't sound like somebody is at a loss for words.
7. Flash of the Blade - Doesn't have the same hook as the three songs that came before it. Could have been something more than it was, since it started strong.
8. The Duelists - This song is when I started feeling things were getting a little repetitive. It's still good on its own but it doesn't do anything that the songs before it didn't already do better.

This was a pretty good album - every song is great. However, for the cohesive whole, I think it needed a ballad (y'know, the really good '80s rock kind) before Flash of the Blade for a better balance. That could've made the subsequent riffs stand out even more while grabbing attention itself. That does not change that this is a fantastic collection of songs and I'd give it another spin (after listening to it twice today).
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bump

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Johnbobb posted...

woah I am absolutely startled and alarmed that Wannabe got #1

Yeah, I was afraid that was going to happen...

I'm TRULY at a loss for how I've never listened to an Iron Maiden album before. I've heard Run for the Hills and The Number of the Beast before, but never an full album, despite the fact that I went through a major metal phase back in college. I enjoy(ed) the hell out of bands like Metallica, Symphony X, Sonata Arctica. I've listened to Blind Guardian and Dragonforce and plenty of other metal bands/songs of various sub genres. And yet I never journeyed back to the source!

All of which is to say that this was a very positive first listen. This is the type of music that I've loved in the past and it was great to get back to it again.

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Johnbobb posted...

woah I am absolutely startled and alarmed that Wannabe got #1

Did I misinterpret your ranking?

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CasanovaZelos posted...

Did I misinterpret your ranking?

not at all! It was about the only song on the album I cared for tbh, but it was also probably the most guaranteed #1 we've had so far

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1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Aces High
3. Back in the Village
4. 2 Minutes to Midnight
5. Powerslave
6. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
7. Flash of the Blade
8. The Duellists

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bump

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up

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Bump

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up

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1: Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2: 2 Minutes to Midnight
3: Aces High
4: Powerslave
5: Flash of the Blade
6: The Duellists
7: Back in the Village
8: Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
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bump

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Iron Maiden...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnbj-_oPfys

Like seriously, how the fuck did I never listen to Iron Maiden until just now!?! This album kicks ass. Iron Maiden in general kicks ass.

It's hard to have a bad ranking for this album. Losfer Words was the clear bottom rung for me but even that's still pretty good. For the rest, I could have rearranged it a lot of different ways without feeling badly.

1. Aces High
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
3. The Duellists
4. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
5. Flash of the Blade
6. Powerslave
7. Back in the Village
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

In light of this, I went back to Crack the Skye again, as these are both metal albums and I wanted to try to understand why I bounced off Mastadon's album. While I might have been a little harsh on Crack the Skye, it wasn't even a question that Powerslave is much more to my taste. Powerslave is simply a more "approachable" album; it's got better lyrical hooks and more "fun" guitar melodies. Crack the Skye, in comparison, is a "heavier" album and feels more slow and plodding.

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Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Aces High
Powerslave
2 Minutes To Midnight
Back in the Village
The Duellists
Flash of the Blade
Losfer Words


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1. Aces High
2. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
3. 2 Minutes To Midnight
4. Losfer Words (Big Orra)
5. The Duellists
6. Flash Of The Blade
7. Powerslave
8. Back In The Village

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Seanchan posted...

In light of this, I went back to Crack the Skye again, as these are both metal albums and I wanted to try to understand why I bounced off Mastadon's album. While I might have been a little harsh on Crack the Skye, it wasn't even a question that Powerslave is much more to my taste. Powerslave is simply a more "approachable" album; it's got better lyrical hooks and more "fun" guitar melodies. Crack the Skye, in comparison, is a "heavier" album and feels more slow and plodding.

yeah can confirm that powerslave is enjoyable to me while crack the skye very distinctly is not
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1. The Duellists
2. Aces High
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
4. Powerslave
5. 2 Minutes to Midnight
6. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
7. Back in the Village
8. Flash of the Blade

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1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
3. Aces High
4. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
5. Flash of the Blade
6. Powerslave
7. Back in the Village
8. The Duellists


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Last day

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Get ready for a really different ranking

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Need to get to this tonight.

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Flash of the Blade
Powerslave
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Duellists
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Losfer Words
Back in the Village

huh I guess its not that different, btw I love Flash of the Blade its probably their most underrated 80s song by quite a bit

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Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Aces High
Powerslave
2 Minutes to Midnight
Back in the Village
The Duellists
Flash of the Blade
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

Album comments:
This is one of the albums commonly cited as Iron Maiden's #1. And personally I'm there with it, it's the one that I've always called my favorite when I'm forced to choose.

Song comments:
Rime of the Ancient Mariner: This song is more than just a poem set to music. It has distinct different sections to match the progression of the story, but notably, each section rocks just as hard as any individual song that Iron Maiden has. It's almost like 2 or 3 songs combined, but they all fit together to complete the story. Very enjoyable experience to listen to despite its length, and it makes the time fly by like nothing.

Aces High: For a long time this song was my favorite. Super high energy, intense, and catchy.

Interesting note: I originally wanted to put Back in the Village above 2 Minutes to Midnight, but I flipped them after my latest listen (the only major change from my "expected" rankings to my final list). This makes my ranking identical to ZeroSignal620's.

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