I've put a lot of thought into this and remain conflicted. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son has the sentimental vote - at one point in my life it was a huge metaphor for the new worlds that open up as you get older - and The Number of the Beast might have the single most legitimate headbangers. But after all due consideration, I have to say with a full and wicked heart that Powerslave is Iron Maiden's greatest album.
It's the heavy metal flow of the album that makes it shine above the rest. The powerhouse hits of Aces High and 2 Minutes To Midnight open up proceedings, before several standard Maiden chuggers that could go on any album.
And then, side two kicks in and it starts to pick up with the rolling thunder of Back in the Village, before the masterpiece that is Powerslave, arguably the band's finest moment, with a thundering riff and a desperate, last gasp chorus about spitting into the abyss that gets even chunkier.
And to follow that up wit their version of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which is just the most perfect meld of boneheaded lunkery, foppish yearning and genuinely creepy imagery that has been ever committed to vinyl.
It's Iron Maiden at their peak. They did a lot of great stuff before this, and a lot afterwards, but I swear by Eddie's dead gaze that this is their finest moment.
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