Iron Maiden "Somewhere Back In Time: The Best Of 1980-1989" is an album that can serve many roles to many fans. For die-hard Iron Maiden fans like myself, the album is fantastic in that it contains some of the best songs the band has ever produced. The live tracks are of exceptional quality, and the fact they lead off the album just like an Iron Maiden show with Winston Churchill's speech (complete with the glorious sounds of RAF Spitfires racing skyward to defend England) followed immediately by the 1984 hit "Aces High" is all the more impressive.

Perhaps more importantly though is what this album provides to the younger generation. I grew up with Maiden, Saxon, Priest, and all the other great Metal Gods of the 1980's. These are bands that 20 years on, are still melting the speakers of my stereo system. But for kids today, being introduced to Maiden for the first time, there is probably no better album to complete this mission. With its' mix of tracks from Iron Maiden's most glorious time period, this album is perfectly suited to one who is just starting out on his or her journey into the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. For us old war dogs, it's just one more great compilation from the all time greatest Heavy Metal band to ever walk the earth. Up The Irons!!!