Critical Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Kerrang! | 5/5 |
| Sputnikmusic | 4.0/5 |
The album has received consistent critical praise since its release, with Allmusic rating it 4.5 out of 5, saying that the addition of keyboards "restores the crunch that was sometimes lacking in the shinier production of the previous album" and that it "ranks among their best work." Sputnikmusic scored the album 4 out of 5, and, while they state that "the band has better releases, such as Powerslave and Somewhere in Time", they argue that it is "lyrically... one of Maiden's finest efforts."
Although Geoff Barton states that contemporary reviews contained "a definite reaction against Maiden emphasising their prog-rock pretensions", and that "one critic... slammed Maiden for Seventh Son... and accused them of having regressed into Genesis-style prog rockers from the 70s", Kerrang! were extremely positive upon the album's release, awarding full marks and stating that " Iron Maiden have given rock music back its direction and its pride" and that the record "will eventually be hailed alongside such past milestones as Tommy, Tubular Bells and Dark Side of the Moon."
Read more about this topic: Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
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