Returning from their time off, the band added different musical

Returning from their time off, the band added different musical elements to their 1986 studio album, Somewhere in Time . These focused on synthesised bass and guitars to add textures and layers to the sound. The release performed well across the world, particularly the single ” Wasted Years “, but included no writing credits from Dickinson, whose material was rejected by the rest of the band. The album was the band’s biggest American chart success to date, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK charts. The Somewhere on Tour was also a success. The band played 157 shows for over two and a half million fans, including eighty-one shows in North America. Once again, Iron Maiden visited Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia to play for tens of thousands of fans in each country. The experimentation evident on Somewhere in Time continued on their next album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son , which was released in 1988. A concept album recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and based on the 1987 novel Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card , it was the band’s first record to include keyboards, which were performed by Harris and Smith. Dickinson’s enthusiasm was also renewed as his ideas were accepted for this album. Another popular release, it became Iron Maiden’s third album to hit number 1 in the UK charts and reached number 12 on the Billboard 200.