Iron Maiden, what a great band! One of the titans in Heavy Metal and with good reason, this glorious band has been committed to bring good music to the fans for over 20 years now, establishing a band with a unique sound and a fantastic positive surrounding aura.
Somewhere In Time was one of the first Metal albums I listened to and Maiden will forever be one of my absolute favourite bands.

One of many great things with this release is the diversity of the songs. When the 8 tracks run out on my stereo I really feel like I have been listening to a lot of different spheres of musical expression, something that keeps me coming back to it pretty often. It should not come as any surprise looking at the names performing on this record that the musical skill is as good as it gets.

Caught Somewhere In Time is one of many Maiden faves, a blast of(f) energy, power and intensity. The beginning is classical Maiden stuff, harmonious guitar leads and a slowly build up by the drums and bass before it all explodes into madness. Bruce performs with great detail and skill; his voice is simply perfect for this track, just listen to the powerful chorus.
The guitar solo part is one of Maidens best, extremely melodic and technical, also the bass lines from the master Steve Harris is pure magic, the bass is always very present, creating a rhythm section on it's own that fits the flow of the track in just the right way.

Wasted Years: Well what can I say, also one of Maidens absolute best and clearly one of Metal's finest moments altogether. Smith really made an all time classic with this very melodic and catchy song. Nicko really put out a stunning performance on the drums, its not the most complicated song in the world, but all the great details in the drumming gives it something extra.
The chorus has "sing a long" written all over it and the guitar solo is, as the rest of the song perfect. The great emotion filled lyric about leaving the past behind and start searching for something good in the present is very relatable and fits the musical side brilliantly.

In Sea Of Madness a harder style is approached and also a more complex one. It has a lot of diversity and there are many great details to enjoy. It's got a growing main rhythm and the slower atmospheric mid-section works very well. Also the pounding and raw bass lines are simply fantastic.
Also Heaven Can Wait has some great different parts to offer, the mid-section harmony guitars are fantastic as well as Bruce's strong vocal passages. The use of guitar synthesizers is easily heard and it fits the mystic atmosphere brilliantly.

The opening melody-making guitar lead in The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner is really of high class as goes for the rest of the track's guitar parts. If I should come up with one thing on this record that is not working really well, it has to be the chorus part in this song, which seems a bit stretched out. The song is pretty good even though it hasn't the same drama and intensity as the other songs.

One thing that is really amazing in Stranger In A Strange Land is the distant and dark atmosphere that fits the songs lyric so well. This time it's the rhythm guitar that creates the main melody, which is full of depth and rawness.
Deja-vu is a track that I've have grown to like more and more with time. The up-tempo rhythm and fantastic lead guitar melodies are working in perfect harmony. The detailed drums and pretty complex style is also helping to create a unique track with much musical flair to enjoy.

As on countless other occasions an epic historic track by Steve is featured, this time its Alexander The Great and what a fantastic song. Through the diverse and very melodic passages a broad reaching track full of excitement and change is created. The great bass lines tie the different parts nicely together and the background guitar synthesizers create just the right epic mood. The extensive, almost jamming guitar parts is a really great working feature.

Lyrically seen there are some fine moments on this record, I really like the theme of spirituality in Heaven Can Wait, which is very well written. Other parts of the lyrics are a bit on the simple side (The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner); anyway overall a pretty high standard is upheld.

Turning to the sound quality of the record, the first I think of is a high amount of clarity in each instrument and a nice balance between them, so all in all a high level of production skills.

All Maiden album contain a lot of melody, with Somewhere In Time I think the melodies and catchy tunes is of a special kind though, some of that lies in the fact that guitar synthesizers are used quite a lot, making things even more interesting. It's hard to explain but especially the lead guitar parts from Smith/Murray are brilliant through every song, just listen to the guitar melodies in Wasted Years (ear hanging), The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner (moody), Alexander The Great (epic).

All in all this is a magnificent release that has tons of well-played, diverse and melodic Metal to offer.

Written by Tommy
Tuesday, August 5, 2003
Show all reviews by Tommy

Ratings

Tommy: 9/10

Members: 9.16/10 - Average of 6 ratings.



Member ratings

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Steen (Staff) Rating: 8.5/10 No review was posted

notrap Rating: 10/10 This is a very special record for me. Somewhere In Time is in my opinion Maiden's secon... · Read more ·

ProfessorShred Rating: 9.5/10 This classic release will stand the test of time The mighty Maiden's finest hour,along wi... · Read more ·

LemmingDeMerciless Rating: 9/10 One of the more "poppy" maiden albums full of hit tracks Love all the songs but what let... · Read more ·

Dark Lord Rating: 9/10 No review was posted

Sandra Rating: 9/10 I totally agree - it is classic. I believe this was one of my first Maiden albums too, wit... · Read more ·

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Comment by Ole Bach (Anonymous) - Sunday, August 10, 2003

The best album from Iron Maiden.O.B.

Comment by salty dog (Anonymous) - Tuesday, August 19, 2003

this album rocks///it still sounds soooo good up the irons s.t tel-aviv rock city

Comment by mads (Anonymous) - Tuesday, August 19, 2003

one of the best Maiden albums!!! no doubt about it...

Comment by mads (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 27, 2003

this album is a maiden classic

Comment by Peter B (Anonymous) - Monday, September 8, 2003

One of the best albums, ever ! I didnt think it was possible, but I actually played the cd so many times that I killed it. I have to go and by another copy - but hey ! - I dont mind. Its Somewhere in Time !!

Comment by dorin fucking hostile (Anonymous) - Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Somewhere In Time is the best realised Iron Maiden LP. My favourite song from this album is obviously Alexander The Great. I read the review from above, but I don't understand why the comments about the Harris' bass in Wasted Years is ignored... In my opinion is the best part of the song

Comment by Marcio - Brazil (Anonymous) - Thursday, December 11, 2003

This album is the best. I have the long play album too, this is the best of the best

Comment by The Metaller (Anonymous) - Wednesday, January 7, 2004

I'd give it a 10/10 ... one of the best ever Metal album

Comment by i.Ron S. (Anonymous) - Wednesday, May 19, 2004

the guitarsound is so nice, fine and relaxing. You can listen it from beginning till the end without having the intention to press the 'next' button. I think the album is global a little underrated or unknown. People know 2 minutes to midnight and can i play with madness from the Powerslave and the 7th... album but they don't seem to remember where Wasted Years comes from. To be honest: it doesn't sound like Iron Maiden, that maybe why it had a great radio-succes, Maiden normally makes good music, not big-sell music. I don't think Wasted Years is the best song, Stranger in a Strange Land is and Deja Vu has the best intro, what a great solo. 10/10.

Comment by I Maiden (Anonymous) - Saturday, May 22, 2004

This album is good, not as good the past more powerfull ones, but better than Fear of the dark, the only beef I have with this album is to why Harris let Smith write so much poppy, commercial assed fucking shit like he always does, you can tell that this album, didn't have much Harris , Murray in it because it is more bland and commercial, and Smith hogs all of the solos, and if you don't believe me, why is it that of all the songs Smith writes he does all of the solos (wasted yrs, Wicker man, Can i play, stranger in a strange l, The evil that men do, )and many others, yet when Murray writes he at least shares the duty as a three way w/ GERs (Brave New world, sanctuary, Rainmaker, nomad, total eclipse, still life, the Prophecy and many others), It just bothers me to watch murray just stand there wasting his talent, while smith steals the spotlight and he can at least join in on their fun and not just look so stiff and vacant. and Dickinson he is one weired motherfucker, riding his donkey with his frenchman hat, he is one fucked up guy, he used to be cool but he got strange, but in all fairness so did di'anno with his bald ass head. There I have spoken, rock on Murray, Harris.

Comment by The Nomad (Anonymous) - Sunday, May 23, 2004

In terms of melody, I like this album the most, more than SSOASS, powerslave, NOB, and POM. The melodies were beautiful. A great album from maiden. 9/10

Comment by dude (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 12, 2004

I maiden you are full of shit man, dickinson is so cool, if i was gay i would jump his bones, and murray sucks smith tough him how to play and gers was the origional gitare player and who the hell is diano dickinson was there onny singer, you don't know shit

Comment by I maiden (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 12, 2004

DUDE, Shut the fuck up! sounds to me like you don't know squat about Maiden, go listen to abba, I should slap you out you half a faggot. listen to you prick, peple like you piss me off! #%@^* dumbass

Comment by munch (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 12, 2004

DUDE where do ya live, I want to go down there and shoot YOU

Comment by IM fan (Anonymous) - Tuesday, August 17, 2004

hey, i luv iron maiden dey r gr8 fav. songs av 2 b rainmaker, 2 mins 2 midnite n run 2 da hills dey r complete legends n hu ever is munch u suk! ty

Comment by IM fan (Anonymous) - Tuesday, August 17, 2004

woops soz munch not u i wana kill dude dats da 1...

Comment by Munch (Anonymous) - Saturday, September 4, 2004

hey IM fan speak english jackass none of this eye h8 u shit, u suk I rule u drool sucka

Comment by dude (Anonymous) - Saturday, September 4, 2004

kiss kiss

Comment by pranilator (Anonymous) - Wednesday, September 15, 2004

maiden are the gratest band of all time.

Comment by Jeff (Anonymous) - Monday, December 6, 2004

Priest is the greatest metal band of all time, ya retard. Maiden would tell you that themselves.

Comment by Jeff (Anonymous) - Monday, December 6, 2004

Priest is the greatest metal band of all time, ya retard. Maiden would tell you that themselves.

Comment by im man (Anonymous) - Tuesday, February 8, 2005

hey jeff : priest is the village people of metal and halford is liberace.

Comment by Ashley (Anonymous) - Monday, April 18, 2005

i gotta say this is my fav iron maiden album of all time, there's something about it that just hit me on the first listen, 'heaven can wait', 'stranger in a strange land' 'deja vu' and of course the title track, the use of synthesisers gives it a new creative element, that and its just a fucking good listen!!!

Comment by Jumblee (Anonymous) - Thursday, July 28, 2005

Somewhere In Time Pros-Caught Somewhere In Time, Wasted Years, Stranger In A Strange Land, Deja Vu, Alexander The Great Cons-Sea Of Madness, Heaven Can Wait, The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner 8.9/10

Comment by ????????????? (Anonymous) - Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Fuckin' good album. 10/10 in my book.

Comment by HAGEN OF VALHALLA (Anonymous) - Monday, June 12, 2006

GREAT REVIEW PAL, SOMEWHERE IN TIME ITS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ALBUM FROM IRON MAIDEN AND IT IS A TRULY MASTERPIECE. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT THIS ALBUM JUST LISTENED IT AND YOU'LL FIND IT FOR YOURSELF GREAT SONG, AMAZING GUITAR PLAYING, FINE LYRICS, METAL CLASSICS(WASTED YEARS, CAUGHT SOMEWHERE IN TIME) AND A OUTSTANDING DRUMS ALL THE ELEMENTS TO MAKE THIS ALBUM AND INSTANT CLASIC AND ONE THE BEST MAIDEN EFFORT ALONG WITH SSOSS. 10/10

Review by Sandra (Member) - Sunday, January 25, 2009

View Profile Comments: 36 Ratings: 25 I totally agree - it is classic. I believe this was one of my first Maiden albums too, with Powerslave... Somewhere in Time is one of their best! The guitar solo in the beginning of Deja vu is mesmerizing - every single time I hear it, it is as if I'm drifting off to another state of mind. There is nothing left to say, Tommy has said it all - if you already haven't then buy it, you wont be disappointed, It rocks. By the way, put this album in your stereo... cleaning is never boring when Iron Maiden is spinning... especially this spectacular album. Rating: 9/10 Posted by Sandra Sunday, January 25, 2009

Review by notrap (Member) - Saturday, July 17, 2010

View Profile Comments: 55 Ratings: 66 This is a very special record for me. Somewhere In Time is in my opinion Maiden's second best record. The futuristic concept of the songs is just amazing and Martin Birch did a great job (as usual). Special credits: Somewhere In Time - Excellent guitar solo by Adrian Smith Wasted Years - An all time classic with another extraordinary guitar solo by Adrian. Belongs to my personal top 5. Sea Of Madness - Excellent riff Heaven Can Wait - Works always well on gigs. Stranger In A Strange Land - A different song with a very unique felling. One of my biggest disappointments was missing this tour. Somewhere In Time is an all time classic. If you don't have this record..well..something just missing in your life. Up the Irons!!! 10/10 Rating: 10/10 Posted by notrap Saturday, July 17, 2010

Comment by endofus (Member) - Monday, February 15, 2010

View Profile Comments: 4 Ratings: 0 Deja Vu, the best song on the album Posted by endofus Monday, February 15, 2010

Review by ProfessorShred (Member) - Sunday, April 17, 2011

View Profile Comments: 16 Ratings: 45 This classic release will stand the test of time The mighty Maiden's finest hour,along with Savatage's spectacular Hall of the Mountain King 2 of the best Rock albums of ALL TIME Rating: 9.5/10 Posted by ProfessorShred Sunday, April 17, 2011

Review by LemmingDeMerciless (Member) - Saturday, May 14, 2011

View Profile Comments: Ratings: 4 One of the more "poppy" maiden albums full of hit tracks Love all the songs but what lets it down for me is the production I find it very badly mixed and everything stuck in the mid range, drums sound awful throughout Still a 9 out of ten for the songs though Rating: 9/10 Posted by LemmingDeMerciless Saturday, May 14, 2011