By the end of the Beast on the Road tour, it was clear that Maiden drummer Clive Burr, didn't have the stamina to be able to withstand the tough schedule that Maiden had been accustomed to since his recruitment for the debut album 3 years previously. Once again, the band had a change in lineup and settled on former Trust drummer Nicko McBrain, whom they had known as a result of touring together within the past year or so.

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From the opening salvo of Where Eagles Dare, it's apparent that Nicko was just as strong as Clive, if not even more energetic and dexterous in his abilities as a player, to become a worthy replacement and, with the passing of time, a key element to the band's overall sound. Bruce Dickinson comes into his own on his second release with Maiden and instantly, it's apparent that he surpasses former singer, Paul Di'Anno by leaps and bounds not only vocally but as a songwriter specifically. His contribution, Revelations, follows in with an arrangement that builds and grows beautifully, displaying the best elements of the band with Steve Harris' pulsating bass and the twin guitar attack of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith coupled with Dickinson's lyrical concepts that contain an otherworldly sense of imagery.

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Track 3 would become a Maiden staple in Flight of Icarus; penned by Adrian and Bruce, this number would be one of many songs that would establish them as a powerful songwriting team within Maiden and sustain it for the next several years. Die with Your Boots On consolidates the album thus far with a powerful precision in tempo and the, by-now, classic elements of what defines the sound of Iron Maiden. The Trooper is a classic number penned by Steve Harris and is yet another quintessential tune that has lasted throughout the years as another definitive number within their canon of material. Still Life is one of those rare Murray/Harris collaborations that adorns a Maiden release every so often, and although Dave may not be as prolific of a songwriter, when he does present something, its easily up to par with the core, creative sources of Dickinson, Smith and Harris.

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Quest for Fire, although, a bit mid-paced and containing a touch of filler here, remains sustainable enough within the collection of material presented thus far, and provides a credible inclusion of consistency. Sun and Steel follows next and is another melodic rocker from Adrian and Bruce and to me, personally, is another number that slips through the wealth of the Maiden catalog and is discovered as a hidden gem. Harris completes the album cycle with To Tame a Land, continuing the trend of ending each record with a longer, semi-epic style piece, sharing the traits of other album closer's like Phantom of the Opera(from the debut) or Hallowed By Thy Name(from the previous Number of the Beast set). Although an interesting track, it's a bit wanting for a creative, melodic hook and seems to suffer from a self-conscious and laboring arrangement.

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Overall, Piece of Mind is a consistent and slightly better follow-up to 82's Number of the Beast and would begin a string of quality albums that would sustain this particular lineup for the next 5 years. Even though in the present day, they have managed to turn out quality records since the reunion of 2000, with a trio guitar lineup of Janick Gers, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, the 83-89 lineup is best known and remembered as the most fruitful period and classic lineup for most Maiden fans. Excellent album. 

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Rating Grade- A+