Following their mega-opus Powerslave, Iron Maiden toured for what seemed like a century before taking enough time off to make another album. This time around, Iron Maiden decided to get a bit adventurous. Powerslaveboasted that there were no keyboards or synthesizers used in the making of that album, yet with Somewhere in Time, Iron Maiden dove head-first into technology utilizing not just synthesizers but delving into synth guitars. This was a whole new world for the band, and it was a glimpse of the path they would take to making Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
I think the last time I listened to Somewhere in Time start to finish may have been the day I bought it. This is the first time in decades that I will be listening to it as a whole, so I am curious to see if my mind has changed at all about it over the years.
Caught Somewhere in Time
The intro to this song is very reminiscent of the “Ides of March” from Killers. Right out of the gates, I can hear a huge sonic difference between this and the songs from Powerslave. Iron Maiden embraced technology, and this song is a great way to show that they could utilize this new, exciting thing without losing the direction of their sound.
This is a solid album opener and also served as the opening song on this tour. I think it’s a really good song, but it sounds like a medley of just about every Iron Maiden song up to this point. There are elements of songs like “The Trooper,” “Aces High,” and “Powerslave,” to name a few. Not necessarily note for note, but it was like this song kind of encapsulated what they were as a band in one song. Not a bad thing at all and served as a dose of familiarity for the long time fans.
Wasted Years
The first single/video from the album is such a catchy song, and it’s a genuinely great song. The lyrics for the song had Adrian Smith delivering a reflective and even a somewhat personal song that spoke to Maiden fans. It’s a very positive “look forward, not the past” message that is valid some 34 years later. The song is perfectly placed in the 2nd position, which in some ways makes me wonder if it was done so to attract the newer fans who had heard of them via the single/video.
“Wasted Years” still makes appearances in Iron Maiden’s setlist and has become a “classic” Maiden song. As a matter of fact, this one and “Heaven Can Wait” are the only songs from the album that have made setlist appearances post the “Somewhere on Tour” tour. Great song all around and worthy of repeat listens.
Sea of Madness
The 2nd of three Adrian Smith compositions, “Sea of Madness,” is a song that I never really caught on to. I don’t know why because this song fucking kicks ass. The hammering riffs going on between “H” and Dave Murray are off the charts. The guitar synths on this song bring a Rush element to the song while the structure itself seems to pave the way for their following album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
“Sea of Madness” also has a kind of progressive/power metal vibe at times, which I loved hearing. Again, this had Maiden stepping outside of the box a bit and throwing it to the wind. “Sea of Madness” is a song I rarely, if ever, hear fans talk about when discussing great Maiden songs. It’s a shame because this is a great song, and it is definitely a song I will be revisiting.
Heaven Can Wait
“Heaven Can Wait” is a song that I feel for years was attempted to be played as a “classic” song. This is a song that I never really cared for, be it live or on this album. It has one of the single most annoying choruses, and it just sounds like it was thrown together to have a song on the album. As much hate as “Can I Play with Madness” from Seventh Son gets, I would say that this song is definitely not as good, in my opinion.
While the overall performances of the song are stellar but as a song, it just doesn’t gel for me. The galloping part of the song was written to bring on audience participation sing-along and bouncing. “Heaven Can Wait” seems to go on and on. I literally got bored waiting for it to finish that I started doodling on my notepad. I don’t feel anything from this song as it doesn’t strike any kind of emotion for me at all. It’s not tense; it’s not beautiful, it’s just a song.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
This is such a predictable song. The intro is a signature slow, bass chords, melodic, mellow guitar that suddenly morphs into yet another galloping song. This album is all about the “gallop,” and honestly, it just kind of gets annoying. This song sounds a little like a modified version of the previous song, “Heaven Can Wait.” There is some stellar guitar work on this one, and yet again, the interplay between “H” and Murray proves that they are a duo to be reckoned with.
The thing about this song and the others so far is that regardless of my thoughts on the songs, the band plays on top of their game, and Bruce sounds so over the top fantastic. I can tell that that long-ass “World Slavery Tour” for the Powerslave album molded the band into a well-oiled machine and solidified Bruce Dickinson as, in my book, the greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time. This song is not unlistenable by any means, but it is dreadfully dull. Six minutes began to feel like 15 minutes, and at one point, I forgot that this was the same song.
Stranger In a Strange Land
The final of three “H” compositions, and this is hands down the best song on this album. I will even go as far as to say that this is one of the best Maiden songs without a doubt. I will never understand why the band ignored this song over the years. This song has all the makings of a classic Iron Maiden song that stands the test of time.
Musically “Stranger…” sticks out like a sore thumb but in a great way. Much like Sea of Madness, in my opinion, this song once again forged a path towards what would be the following album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The song is so dynamic. The verses are so beautifully laid out, the hook right before the chorus is stellar, and the guitar solo is one of “H” s best solos. The interplay between him and Steve Harris is so fucking fantastic. I could listen to this solo all fucking day. Why they ignored this song after this tour is really disappointing. It’s an amazing song and one that I will always consider a Maiden classic.
Deja-Vu
When this song kicked in, it felt like I had already heard this song today. So many of these songs sound so much alike. This song is pretty much the cousin of “Heaven Can Wait.” This one is better than “Heaven Can Wait” because musically, it’s more dynamic, but it just isn’t a very good song. I do love the vocal effects that Bruce uses while singing the verses.
“Deja-Vu” does have a great hook in there, which keeps this song for being terrible. The chorus is yet another Harry repetitive chorus that kind of grates on my nerve. Musically, the song is just another galloping number, and it is a bit too repetitive but luckily isn’t
Alexander the Great
Ok, seriously. How many times can Iron Maiden play this song on this album? I swear this is a combination of the “chanting” part of “Heaven Can Wait” and a slightly different version of “Stranger In a Strange Land.” I also think the lyrics are pretty fucking hilarious. It is so over the top that it reminds me of something Spinal Tap would write.
The best word I can use to describe this song is “tired.” Everyone sounds tapped out and done. Even the usual stellar guitar playing of “H” and Murray is absent from here, and they sound, again, tired. The lead solo is quite good, but it is the only high point for me. It sounds like a deflated tire, and instead of going out with a bang, this song had Somewhere in Time going out, sounding like a tire slowly leaking air.
Listening to Somewhere in Time from start to finish, reminded me of just why I never really cared for this album. As a whole, the album bores me to death. It doesn’t have many dynamics, and the songs all sound so similar to each other. “Wasted Years,” “Sea of Madness,” and Stranger in a Strange Land “are powerful songs, and they honestly make this album worth owning. While it’s better than a mere collection for the completest, I still rank this one as one of my least favorite Bruce era albums to date.
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