Iron Maiden

Is this album legendary? Well, it's got a few novel things going for it (developed later in this review), so there's at least some basis for that narrative, although it may not hold water if one considers the whole of the release, and not just a select few of the more notable tracks. The wah lead on 'Prowler' constitutes the first notes from a full-length release that would introduce the band to the world, and is famously another Maiden melody the commercial rap-rock band Papa Roach ripped off. It's an interesting song in context as it exhibits that playful quality the band were always about, as well as a characteristic melodic stickiness to the hook, although certainly with a more punk-infused momentum.

'Remember Tomorrow' introduces a 70's prog rock ambiance with a crystalline-sounding clean guitar picking in a very simple yet enticing minor mode, and the soft, supplicating voice aligns with the delicate structure laid underneath it. It sounds like a plead, to life in general, and the poetic lyrics lend their symbolism to the sorrowful musicality. A super heavy (for the time) riff comes on and it's like Candlemass before Candlemass (so, Black Sabbath?). Overall, a strong song with a clearly planned momentum buildup. This is one of the three (four at best) tracks that probably really matter on this album as all the rest is fairly run-of-the-mill punkish hard rock with ordinary chord progressions and developments, with an exception for the last track here, 'Iron Maiden', and its more distinct main melody line.

'Phantom of the Opera' is, quite basically, the early metal anthem for 1980. It's too dynamic to be merely hard rock like the other stuff that was coming out. That main riff; after the bass and guitar share octaves on the intro; is central to metal guitars, and that riff that takes that shape with the quick hammer-on, and that repeats the pattern while up half a tone, is simply one of the main building blocks in any metal since then, from heavy to thrash to death metal. The middle part with the bass thinking it's a lead guitar, and the actual lead guitars playing twin leads in stereo, will likely remind musicians of their earliest days jamming some metal together with the ol' band. It is sort of the very genesis of metal: synchronizing with the other instrumentalists, putting together neoclassical-inspired arpeggios, although very rudimentary, attempting to reach beauty through melody and ending up building a cohesive part. The following twin lead part though, still instrumental, is a lot more accomplished and musical.

'Transylvania' is quite possibly the most metal facet on this record, in particular the main riff. The intro riff gives off that boldness already, but it's not until the main verse riff comes on that the actual heaviness comes to town. Arguably, one of the main differentiators in early heavy metal with hard rock is the right hand on the guitar: the latter will generally settle for strums on rhythm work or simple picking strokes on single-note riffs, whereas metal starts looking for more complex picking techniques, as here on the triplets. That wrist-work is the prototypical metal guitarist's bread and butter. And this is true for heavy metal, all the way to extreme metal. The epic complementary lead part with the bends makes this track particularly memorable and triumphant in tone. It's something like the arrival of metal.

When you like a band so much, there's a sense of pride and respect for all they've done. It's an accomplishment that you feel as your own. Since Maiden is my favorite band of all time, I'm even one to say that they mostly never failed. But as age and maturity followed on, I became more open minded to their albums that i didn't think so good of, but also more rational and critical of their career as a whole.

That said, i think they actually started off pretty well themselves, specially within their context. It was the beginning of the 80's and, with that, you could very much say that this is a 70's heavy rock album. After all, many of these songs were first written in the previous decade and, of course, musical tendencies and cultural conceptions are procedural, so much so that, in its core, their debut album sound much like the novelties and archetypes of the ongoing "NWOBHM", with reminiscences to punk rock, traditional hard rock from the 70's, etc. But, much to the band's favor, it's also a very wholehearted effort into something fresh and bold. There's a lot of bright and energetic ideas put into display here, some of which will be better designed and executed beginning from Killers, albeit some of them are already well played on this debut.

The variety, for starters, is tremendous. "Prowler" comes as a vivid rocker with great riffs, very heavy metal lyrics and a fun vibe to start from. Then, we're into a wildly different landscape with "Remember Tomorrow", with its darker aura, gloomy vocals and lyrics and a menacing guitar that cycles from a lower toned phrase to a screeching melody. The process is replicated throughout the record, varying from straightforward rockers to epic tales('Phantom of the Opera, an almost 8 minute-long dramatic prowess, among the best things they ever did) and psychedelic tunes like "Stranger World", a very underrated gem that reminds me of good old "Planet Caravan" from Black Sabbath. To me, only "Charlotte the Harlot" is not as memorable, but it's still a nice jam that introduces a lore piece on Maiden's discography that spawns a few other songs regarding this (in)famous prostitute, who no one actually knows if is really inspired on someone real, known by one of the band members.

Formation-wise, "Iron Maiden" is the sole record to feature guitarist Dennis Stratton, whose presence, while fundamental to some good guitar leads, will also become a little forsaken due to Adrian Smith's recruitment for the next albums. Even so, he was consistent and made good, albeit brief partnership with Dave Murray, one of the two only remaining members from this "start"(the band had numerous other musicians from 1975's Christmas to 1979). Mr. Steve Harris, the captain of this ship and only consistent part of the band ever since it was conceived back in the day, already makes his point on this record but is a little shy compared to the following albums. He will, though, make a very fierce statement of his presence on the very first seconds of Killers, as most people can recall. Then we have Paul Di'Anno and Clive Burr, both of which will say their goodbyes rather soon, the lead singer being the first one to do so. Di'Anno is a very good singer on the kind of music Maiden was developing at the time. His powerful shrieks and upbeat musicality make for very good moments here, specially on the more relentless rockers. He will shine brighter, though, on Killers, which I'll not further detail on this review, of course. Clive Burr is a very underrated drummer and his star shines brighter on ulterior instances, but he already delivers his powerful blows on this one, really amping up the heaviness. On some other occasions. he's also fundamental to implement groove and rhythm to the more flickering songs.

Overall, this record is both a very remarkable start, one that put Maiden under the spotlight even within a already booming scene, but it also states quite clearly they were in the infancy of their sound. There are no clear flaws, to me, on the songs or the formation chemistry(maybe a little on Eddie's less captivating looks), but we all know what this band is capable of and, listening to this today, as much as it's refreshing and better than a plethora of records, one will still be craving for more. Fortunately, these wishes are to be fulfilled.

I don't think there are any words in the English language that can describe how influential Iron Maiden is. Ever since they gained mainstream success with their 1982 album "The Number of the Beast", the English band has come out with hit after hit, impressing many with their versatile stories that range from a battle in "The Trooper" or some space themes in "Speed of Light". And yet, they all began with this humble little album known as "Iron Maiden". Their eponymous debut may not be that impressive at first, and you may find it to be pretty weak. However, the more you listen to it, the more you begin to appreciate it. While it isn't flawless, it still remains a strong album overall and a great start for this iconic band.

Well, where do we start with this project? Well, we do begin the album with the track "Prowler". The track itself seems like your typical NWOBHM song, with some hard-sounding guitar riffs and some basic drumming skills. However, when you look a bit deeper into the instruments, you start to uncover some great stuff. The guitars have a very powerful sound that gives the riffs a tough, yet playful sound. The drumming may not seem that special, but the beat patterns are very energetic and set the basis for the other instruments. The bass, while not that prominent, still follows a similar flow to the guitars and also works with the drums for bringing in the foundation. All of this is combined to make an excellent track. In fact, each track has its own specialties that makes it sound special. Whether it be the more dark and gloomy atmosphere of "Remember Tomorrow" or the more relaxed and nostalgic tone of "Strange World", no track feels like a repeat of the other. They may not seem that impressive at first glance, but looking further in them reveals some of the best instrumentals heavy metal had to offer at that time.

But while these instruments are great, they need a great vocalist to back them up. This is where Paul Di'Anno comes into the picture. Now Di'Anno's time in Iron Maiden was very short. He was only involved in "Iron Maiden" and their next album "Killers" before he left the band. Now, I like Bruce Dickenson and all, but Paul had a certain charisma that gave his vocals a very unique sound. One of the best examples of this would be in the track "Phantom of the Opera". The track itself has a very upbeat and epic tone to it, and Paul reflects that. His voice is very vibrant and dynamic enough to make his talks of not falling for the Phantom feel serious. Not only that, but his voice flows perfectly to the instruments and further enforces the crazed atmosphere it's going for. But when Paul isn't being uplifting, his more chill personality is great, especially in the track "Strange World". There, his singing is very melodic and gives the themes of being in a dream a more sincere tone. It also reflects the very soft and calming instruments very well, and further executes the grand and dreamy atmosphere. Paul Di'Anno's vocals may have been a bit weaker in "Killers", but here, they're fantastic to listen to.

And then there's the lyrics. Now if you're hoping to find some amazing poetry of history that Iron Maiden is famous for, then prepared to be disappointed, since they haven't exactly reached there yet. However, the lyrics they have here are just as powerful. For example, in the track "Running Free", this verse quotes:

Just sixteen, a pickup truck, out of money, out of luck.
I've got nowhere to call my own, hit the gas, and here I go.

This verse sets up the story of a 16-year-old who has no home and only has a pickup truck, so he has no other choice than to drive away from his place. The lyrics themselves are pretty basic in terms of storytelling, but what makes the lyrics great is their execution. The overall atmosphere of the track has a more abrasive and rebellious tone to it, and it reflects well to the character's desire to "run free". Paul's vocals are also great, since his expressions of anger and rebelling enhances the character's personality. Just about every lyric on this album is like this, where the basic stories are further enhanced by the instruments and vocals. The lyrics of "Charlotte the Harlot", however, are a bit weak, since the more cheerful tone is slightly off-putting to the darker themes. Nevertheless, the lyrics are great overall.

So when all is said and done, there's a good reason why this album is highly praised. The instrumentals have a very unique sound and Paul's vocals are an absolute marvel to listen to. Virtually everything about this album is special, and while it does take some time to understand it all, you'll eventually realize that Iron Maiden still had a distinctive sound in them, even when they were just getting started. Nowadays, everyone seems to know the lyrics to "The Number of the Beast", but if you haven't checked out their debut album, then be warned: Wherever you are, Iron Maiden's gonna get you, no matter how far.

Iron Maiden is my all-time favourite band, and I will proudly fanboy them until the day I die. First of all, this album was the first Iron Maiden album that I listened to, and arguably this is the album that single-handedly turned me into a metalhead, so it holds a pretty special place in my heart. For 1980, this was extremely complex and intricate heavy metal, but still it never gets boring, whether you prefer the shorter, punkier 3 minute cuts, or the epic 7 minute anthems, this record has plenty of variety and still keeps things fresh, it holds up fantastically more than 40 years later. The production might be a bit one-dimensional, which is especially noticeable on songs like Sanctuary, which sounds quite dry, and I think this record doesn't have the production-wise touch that its successor had, so it doesn't have as much of a classic melodic heavy metal feeling as Killers. Despite this, the lineup worked with what they had, and the result was phenomenal. The drums sound great; the guitars a little bit thin, but honestly I've grown to love the sound, or maybe I've just listened to this so many times that the old-school crunch of the guitars is burned into my brain.

The performance from every member is tight and about as virtuosic as metal could get in that period. I don't know what Dave Murray was on at the time or even nowadays, but he is my favourite guitarist of all time, and the single reason I picked up the guitar. All of his solos are perfect, the melodies are fantastic and sound way too ambitious and smooth for a guitarist in his 20's. Clive Burr was a beast; his beats were machine-like and I don't think he misses or botches a single note during the entire 40 minute runtime. Dennis Stratton does a good job on rhythm guitars, but of course Adrian Smith is light years better, a necessary lineup change that happened a few months after this was released. Paul's voice is great, he may not have had the piercing range that Bruce Dickinson has, but Paul Di'anno definitely could sing. Steve Harris is probably my biggest influence as a songwriter, his basslines are amazing, and he plays with his fingers! That makes his brilliant playing even more impressive, considering how fast some of the riffs are, particularly on Transylvania and Phantom of the Opera, a song that I wanted to talk about for a minute.

Phantom of the Opera is a masterpiece, the track has an exceptional amount of sections and solos that all blend together unanimously, and regardless of whether some of the material is primitive, the fact that any band could have a song like this on their first album is a feat in itself. The song is emotional, driving, consistent, addictive and memorable, the haunting melodies sound epic and even medieval, this song really is a timeless classic that any metalhead should recognise. It's outstanding. This sense of melody and articulation is carried out in other great songs such as Strange New World and Remember Tomorrow, some more of my favourites. These tracks are just insanely beautiful, and underrated too. Some of these songs were just written to be played live, you have the massive Running Free, Charlotte the Harlot, and the title track, which I was lucky enough to see them perform in 2018 in London (best night of my life). These tracks are fast, thunderous, anthemic, powerful, and although they have a very classic rock and roll vibe, they were very heavy songs at the time, in a time before Bathory and Hellhammer and Possessed and Sepultura and Exodus and even Venom. I think the reason these songs stand the test of time so well is because of the colossal impact and influence that they had on the genre.

I think the majority of the album is a great blend of old school metal and very melodic, potent twists. Even on the first song Prowler, the band presents an original style of songwriting that was unheard of that the time, no other band was doing the things that Iron Maiden did, even Judas Priest was just starting to figure it out, and all of the other bands in the entire world were just playing rock, riff after riff and chorus after chorus, and that isn't an exaggeration. Priest and Maiden really were the first bands to incorporate kickass melodies in their music that really hit hard, with this album possibly being the first of its kind. Anyway, I don't think I really need to say more. With its perfect bridge between riffs and melodies, I think this is an essential for any metalhead. If it bores you, that's fine, I'm sure there's a Limp Bizkit or Black Veil Brides album you can go listen to.

When you look back to Iron Maiden’s long career it’s interesting to see how far Maiden has come and how much the band has evolved since those early days. Nowadays I feel the debut and sophomore album is more or less overlooked by the albums that quickly came after but that doesn’t change their respective qualities and the influence these albums had. Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut exhibits all their distinct sounds and rhythms that they would evolve as they went along but what makes this album, and their second, really different is the huge punk influence seeping through all that galloping rhythm. A big thanks to the more punk influenced sound is the addition of Paul Di’anno with his raspy, rougher voice.

Speaking of Paul, I feel like he’s the perfect fit for this album. His guttural singing adds power behind the more punk fashioned songs such as “Running Free” and “Prowler”. Paul isn’t all rough and tough though as he can still show a more gentle singing style in “Remember Tomorrow”, “Strange World”, and parts of “Charlotte The Harlot” as those songs change up the tempo so it isn’t a constant speed fest with some slower melody’s to add variety to the overall record. “Iron Maiden” is an excellent showcase of Paul’s talent and range but I feel as though his performance in “Killers” is overall a more fully realized performance.

Really, all the performances from the band are fantastic here which is surprising how tight the band was, especially for a debut. Dave Murray and Denis Stratton are able to interchange between punkish speed and the slower melodic tunes greatly influenced from early NWOBHM (early Judas Priest is a good example). Clive Burr is a excellent drummer as he offers some dynamic and tight drumming in songs such as “Transylvania” and “Phantom Of The Opera”. Finally we get to the big man Steve Harris utilizing his galloping bass lines that has influenced and still influences generations of bassists all over the world. Just listen to “Phantom Of The Opera” or “Iron Maiden” and tell me that he doesn’t have a distinct sound all of his own because it is nearly impossible to come to that conclusion, especially with this album.

Some say that the drums and guitars what really defines Iron Maiden’s trademark sound but I feel without Steve and his progressive rock influenced bass lines that their distinct gallop wouldn’t have as much of a punch and it certainly does punch here on “Iron Maiden”. Everything that would later be refined and expanded upon in future releases is all found here on this debut while also giving us more punk influenced song structures and vocal performances not found much on following albums after “Killers”. A highly influential and classic release that still holds up to this day, “Iron Maiden” is distinctly Iron Maiden that offers Maiden lovers, Metal lovers, and music lovers enough to satisfy all.

My first encounter with Iron Maiden occurred in 1993, the very first year of my meeting with hard rock and heavy metal. I was 14 then and though they were not my first discovery within The Genre (AC/DC were, Metallica and Maiden would follow a couple of weeks later), they are and will probably remain my favourite band, ever. So what would come more naturally to me to start writing my first reviews on the Archives with a Maiden odyssey? Not original at all, I know, as many reviewers here have adopted this same chronological approach. But while one may argue the world doesn’t really need another series of Maiden reviews (it seems there’s something serial about them…), hasn't the British legend become the greatest metal band of all time on which a lot of us, fans and other metalheads, are tempted to give our personal opinion? I have got to confess now that, and it's the less I can say, I'm not a huge fan of what they did after Fear of the Dark, that is, the Blaze Bayley era as well as the post-reunion stuff (we’ll fix this later…). Anyway, I think Maiden deserves another such effort for what they did for heavy metal, and for every one of us who grew listening to, singing and playing their songs, reading their lyrics, scanning their album covers, collecting their rare records like treasures… and for finally contributing to make a bit of who we are. End of the myth’s praise. Now let's go back to the beginning with the band's first album, which is just blowing 40 candles.

Iron Maiden is more often associated with its "classic era", well-known for crafting this melodic, subtle and kind of "cerebral" heavy metal, switching from imaginative yet sharp rockers to long epic numbers, supported by Bruce Dickinson's soaring and expressive voice, Steve Harris' inimitable galloping bass, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith's mastery of duelling guitar architectures, and Nicko McBrain's dynamic and refined drum work, all together forming this singular alchemy which is the very core of Iron Maiden's spirit. Not exactly like this, (but not exactly unlike this either…), Iron Maiden's first and eponymous album, released in April 1980, is loaded with the ardour, the raw power and the carelessness of youth, that the band would sparsely lose with the tides of time. At the crossroad of, back then, rising heavy metal, decaying punk rock, evergreen hard rock, and added to the stock hints of progressive rock complexity (that became one band's trademark… for the best and the worst), Iron Maiden is an undisputable milestone of the so-called New Wave of British Heavy Metal, this loose term that tries hard to unite under one banner many dozens of bands that were emerging at the same period. I remember an old interview of Pearl Jam's frontman Eddie Vedder describing the feeling he and his contemporaries had in front of the wave of energy and freshness that was early Maiden. And it remains a mystery to me how this album, although sounding dated (even maybe by 1980 standards because it has more of a mid-late 1970’s feeling) still manages to sound so refreshing even after all these years!

Iron Maiden confirms and refines what the band had built on their Soundhouse Tapes demo, adding even more intensity and balls to it. Whereas the NWOBHM at its early stage was mostly constituted of heavy rock acts (Quartz, early-Saxon, Diamond Head, Holocaust….) or sometimes straight-forward metal (Angel Witch) on which the punk rock invasion had left more or less of its footprint, Iron Maiden's debut perfectly epitomises the movement in all its aspects, while having an identity of its own that distinguished them from the bulk. The rhythm guitars hesitate between a hard rock and heavy metal distortion, this being mostly due to their raw and crunchy texture that marries so perfectly with the crackling sound. The same factor works to emphasize the punky feeling that infuses throughout the album, though Harris hates to admit it. The credit for this goes as well to Paul Di'anno's raging voice and occasionally high-pitched screams which suit perfectly the overall mood, and to the sense of urgency instilled by Clive Burr's nervous drumming. In that way, the album cover picturing the mascot Eddie as a kind of punkish zombie as well as the more concrete lyrics totally convey this nocturnal and dangerous feeling of East London's streets imaginary at the end of the 1970's. Add to this a touch of progressiveness and classy hard rock inherited from their heroes Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Wishbone Ash, UFO or Thin Lizzy among others, and now you get an idea of the magic formula.

All these ingredients are gathered to make a well-balanced and brilliant album. What you mostly get here are frantic hard rockers boosted with a good dose of metal heaviness and punk energy, catchy yet finely elaborate melodies and articulated breaks, such as "Prowler", "Sanctuary" (the choice of adding it as the second track on the 1998 remastered edition definitely benefits the dynamics of the whole album), "Charlotte the Harlot" and the smashing eponymous "Iron Maiden". You get softer moments too with the almost psychedelic ballad "Strange World" and the power ballad "Remember tomorrow", where the clean guitar arpeggios and bluesy solos showcase Paul Di'Anno's voice which turns surprisingly emotional and melancholic, pretty much in the way Judas Priest had done before them with “Dreamer Deceiver” or “Beyond the Realm of Death”. Hopping boogie moments help frenzying the mood too, notably thanks to Clive Burr's swinging and groovy drumming, such as on the catchy single "Running Free" or the speedier "Charlotte the Harlot" again. And you get of course pure heavy metal attacks, on which Judas Priest appear again to be an obvious yet diluted influence, with the instrumental "Transylvania" and even more the epic track "Phantom of the Opera", both more oriented towards fantastic imagery, and where the heavy and tremolo picked riffing contributed to pave the way for the thrash metal scene about to emerge.

Speaking of "Phantom of the Opera", I’d say this track is a concentrate of what you can find on this record: gritty vocals, aggressive heavy metal riffs with casual punkish rock n' roll vibes, harmonised duelling guitars lightnings or abrasive and dreamy solos flashing above the clacking bass and the bouncing drums, all this while the paces and moods keep changing in a kind of progressive structure. This track is the prototype for all epic songs Maiden would compose later and the closest here to their defining style. I must focus at this point on the central role Steve Harris plays here, driving the whole thing with the maestria of an orchestral conductor. The bass is unusually loud for the genre and manifests its ubiquitous presence by all possible means, from straightforward lines to purring solos, arpeggios, breakthroughs in the treble territories, supporting the harmonies like a third guitar or sticking to the drum fills like machine gun. It has this finger slapping sound to it that characterises Harris’ singular signature. The fact that he’s the band's main composer is doubtlessly the reason why Iron Maiden sounds so singular in the heavy metal spectrum.

I don't notice any real weak moment in this album. It’s almost perfect for what it is. Even though "Running Free" and "Transylvania" may sound just a little bit less interesting to me, they still are great fun tracks that totally fit the atmosphere of the disc. It’s intense and flows like a continuous assault from start to finish. Time passes so quickly that you can't believe it's already coming to an end when the anthemic dual guitar melody of "Iron Maiden" suddenly rings out. Iron Maiden is a fantastic album that sounds like they really didn’t want to be fought! Along with the next one Killers, it remains a bit apart of the band’s discography because Maiden would never sound that rock n’ roll again, moving towards more fancy horizons. But this is what makes it a unique piece of which I've never got bored for almost 17 years.

It’s been difficult to review this one for years, because for me it was the genesis of where I began listening to metal. I remember getting this in 2005 and knowing pretty much nothing about metal or its history – my parents weren’t into this stuff and my friends, at like 13 or 14, knew only as much as I did really. So I just had to go off of what it sounded like, and build my knowledge of the genre after that, piece by piece.

I’m not going to do the usual bullshit thing where I introduce you to this thing like you’ve never heard of the band or album – we all get it by now. Instead I’d just like to talk about what I remember hearing this the first time and what I’ve thought about it since.

I probably chose Iron Maiden as the first band to get into for the usual reasons; the cover art, gaudy and badass and comic-book-y. What I remember was just being blown away by the raw, warm guitar sound, the energy, and how different all these songs were. You got the rock-based screamers like “Prowler,” which is still such an adrenaline-fueled blast to crank with the windows down while driving. But then what to make of the almost religious, sacred-sounding “Remember Tomorrow” with its mellow parts and the choirs at the end as the heaviness ramps up? It’s free-form, rule-breaking shit, and a beautiful song, more importantly. They couldn’t have done anything like this by the time Powerslave defined them as a band fit for stadiums and history and fantasy-based epic metal.

They throw in a big epic with “Phantom of the Opera” that has all kinds of odd little twists – the odd, jaunty, funky sort of bridge with Di’Anno singing “Keep your distance, walk away, don’t take his bait...” is just so weird but delightful. The song evolves into the kind of rolling, intense epic Steve Harris and co. would become known for later – this was the primordial, Ur form. It sounds fresh and free-form here, but Harris was already dipping into the kind of idiosyncratic style he’d expound on later, with the wordy, breathless lyrical delivery, the big trilling harmonies, the jovial, clicking gallop of his own bass playing underneath like a skeleton.

You can hear the difference between this and bands who weren’t gonna make it. It’s just in the expansiveness of the ideas and the conviction with which the band attacks them. What I remember when I first heard this was the energy, the ferality, the direct ass-kicking of a lot of it. “Running Free,” “Charlotte the Harlot” and the title song are just bursts of energy. I was so uneducated about so much of music then, but I knew I wanted something like this, with real power behind it. Di’Anno growls like a street urchin. You get the cool, ultra-catchy riffs – Harris had a great ear for hooks from the start. Now years later I can hear the originality of it. This wasn’t just expounding on Sabbath and Purple and it wasn’t just everyday pub rock stuff. They pulled in prog rock and all kinds of stuff for a freak-chimera of an album. Then later they’d mold that into a sound that everyone else would call “Maiden-esque.”

“Strange World” is a hippy-dippy acoustic ballad. People who heard this after the other, more established Maiden albums might not even recognize the band on this one. But it’s that kind of ingenuity that keeps this sounding fresh all these years later. It’s such a weird album by this band’s standards, and history has only made it even stranger in the way that Maiden has become an institution with a defined image and style. Yet this is a recording from before all of that happened.

In some ways, it’s impossible to review this in an accurate way anymore, without having to take on the whole weight of what this band eventually became. It was the first stone of what would become a temple. Other bands were also very good, some of them totally unknown for no reason other than chance, but Maiden just had all the right shit together plus they were in the right place to explode the whole scene. So it goes. It’s irreversible now.

40 years since this thing came out. And 15 since I got into it. Time sure does fly.

Just so you know, “Phantom Of The Opera” alone rolls the entire Killers record up and smokes the hell out of it.

Haha! No, seriously though, Iron Maiden is an obvious classic that sits right alongside Angel Witch in the same year as the pinnacle description of what NWOBHM was all about. It’s easy to go on and on about this record. Whether it be the punchy and crunchy riffs of “Prowler,” the aggressive front of the title track, or the beautiful intricacy of “Phantom Of The Opera.” But there is something almost magical about the debut that I just don’t think was ever truly replicated, even by the band themselves the following year. Sure, Slayer and Overkill capitalized on it with Show No Mercy and Feel The Fire. But that’s obvious evolution that still isn’t quite the same. The fact is, it isn’t about the rawness that everyone for some reason complains about, or the attitude that was repeated time and time again after 1980.

Instead, the details lie in the fact that all of the rusty coating and straightforward punches were executed with immaculate layering. Looking at one of the more overlooked ones “Remember Tomorrow,” that song relies entirely on proper buildup, riff placement, and volume adjustment. That soft opening lick almost feels empty, even as Paul Di’anno lays on sad sounding vocals. But then the main riff comes in and breathes all of the life into it, so that when the verses return, the cooler emotion feels more in-depth. “Phantom Of The Opera” is just a longer version of that, adding all of the tone-shifts and progressive pace-jumps that it’s famous for. The vocal harmonies, the bouncy bridges, and the basslines all pop to the levels they do because of how they’re placed, and this will forever be one of the greatest songs ever crafted in heavy metal.

This is not to say that songs like “Prowler” or “Iron Maiden” don’t hold a flame. Those are the perfect bookending tunes that sandwich this powerhouse of a record together. Essentially acting as a backbone, they enclose the chaotic structure of this and don’t allow anything to overflow. They’re what likely leave the hardest impact to the newcomers. “Transylvania” dissolving into “Strange World” is another feature that flows so naturally despite the differences, that it brings Iron Maiden ahead of its time. Much like “Remember Tomorrow,” “Strange World” allows the somber feelings to capture you through a combo of unstructured melodies and straightforward softees. I’d say that it executes that idea even better though.

All this really means is that the debut record mastered advanced songwriting without needing good production, real structure, or for these purposes, class. It’s a pretty dank album in its own way. Steve Harris and co. wouldn’t reach their truest potential for a few more albums, but out of the first couple, the debut had an ear for songwriting that the others just didn’t. It’s one of my favorite examples to bust out when proving that stellar songwriting outdoes mediocre production or cleanliness issues.

There's no better indicator of how Iron Maiden grew as a band than by looking at Eddie. Eddie would eventually become a pharaoh, a puppeteer of Satan, and some sort of cyborg bounty hunter, but on Maiden's debut, he's some scraggly looking ruffian who looks like he'd approach you on the street with his dick out. And what do you know, there's a song about that on here.

This is Iron Maiden at their rawest and most primitive, with generally simpler songs than they would become known for in the future. Nonetheless, a few songs still contain the seeds of Maiden's proggier, more epic side that would fully come to fruition once Bruce Dickinson joined. But as its own entity, this album is still fantastic. The songwriting is on a level that so many of their NWOBHM contemporaries never came close to, thanks to the ambition and skill of Steve Harris. The guy just knew how to make a melody stick in your head. Take the title track, for example. It's bursting with the kind of energy and flashiness that makes this album a little different than most metal that came before it. The chorus somehow manages to be upbeat and catchy will still haing all the cuddliness of a porcupine covered in hypodermic needles. Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton make one hell of a guitar duo here. Even on their first album, it's apparent that guitar harmonies are an integral part of their sound. They elevate "Running Free" above being just a fun, simple metal anthem into something with a bit more pizazz and individuality. Which brings me to my next point: the clues of what was to come.

Even this early on, you could tell that Harris wanted to expand his horizons into more complex songwriting. And thus, we ended up with "Phantom Of The Opera." The whole song plays out like an opera, with dramatic swells and riff changes to match. The longer songs never overstay their welcome or seem self indulgent, and it seems like something a lot of NWOBHM simply weren't doing. Another great track that is different than your typical Iron Maiden song is "Strange World," which tries out a more psychedelic sound that never really took hold in their later work. It's mostly an excuse for Murray to show off his soloing prowess, but I'm not complaining.

And although some of these songs aren't as grandiose or ambitious as Maiden's later work, they're no less compelling or powerful. Paul Di'Anno's voice is very well suited to the gruffer style of music. He could never pull off the songs that Dickinson does, but Dickinson can never do Di'Anno's songs justice. He can also do a pretty solid croon when he has to, such as on the quasi-ballad "Remember Tomorrow." Harris was already making the bass into one of the primary elements of Maiden's sound. His style is as melodic as ever, cutting through the grittiness of the guitars.

The band themselves has stated their dissatisfaction with the production, but I actually think it works well. The bass has an almost piano-like ring that provides an excellent foundation for the rest of the band, and Murray and Stratton's guitars have all the necessary beefiness to power the riffs.

It's pretty rare that a band starts off this good. Although it may not be the most quintessential Iron Maiden album, it's probably one of the best.

I've always loved the idea of Iron Maiden, but really never gave their catalogue enough attention. Of course I have listened to "Number of the Beast" and "Piece of Mind", but the rest of their discography was really distant to me. That's why I wanted to change that. I've always heard from people that Iron Maiden is one of the greatest metal bands of all time, but are they really? I decided to start from the beginning and wanted to see how these guys evolved over time to truthfully answer that question.

I own this album on cd and decided to sit down and really give it a listen. The first thing that pops into my head is that classic, crazy, Iron Maiden guitar sound. There is no doubt in my mind that I am listening to an Iron Maiden album. The guitar work on this entire album is god damn incredible. For being Iron Maiden's first release and from it being almost 40 years old, it aged extremely well. In fact, all of the musicianship on this album is fantastic. From the drumming, to the guitar and bass work is truly stunning. The only thing I'm really not sold on is the original vocalist, Paul Di'Anno. Now, maybe I am just used to listening to Bruce Dickinson, but I feel like, even though this is before Bruce joined the band, Paul Di'Anno is doing his best Bruce impersonation. I know that sounds odd, but it doesn't come off as natural to me. I feel like every song could have been elevated from Bruce singing. I hate to compare vocalists because this is Paul's album that Paul sang on, but it stuck out in my head too much while listening.

The lyrics on this album is also something I was surprised about for a few different reasons. On the first song, "Prowler", I was shocked to hear typical Maiden guitar sounds, but the lyrics felt like they came straight from 70's rock and roll. Other songs that are similar are "Charlotte the Harlot" and "Running Free". As soon as I heard the lyrics, "Just sixteen, a pickup truck, out of money, out of luck", my brain switched to 70s rock mode. It was a really cool experience to listen to these songs and I felt like I had the most fun with them. Maybe I had fun with them because I'm not personally used to hearing Maiden this way. I can't say the same for all the songs on this album because some of them, frankly, were a chore to get through. "Remember Tomorrow", "Phantom of the Opera" and even "Strange World" had me looking at how long was left on each song. These songs are on the longer side and I feel like they all offer way too much filler and repeated lyrics. The worst case of this on the album is the title track, "Iron Maiden". It's a song that is similar to the songs I mentioned that gave me a 70s vibe, but the lyrics repeat way too much for my liking. The song "Iron Maiden" is only three and a half minutes, but the same two verses are repeated throughout the whole thing. I like them on their own, but to be repeated throughout the whole thing? It's like Maiden wrote out some fun lyrics and said, "Let's just keep this".

Overall, I say this is really a strong start for Iron Maiden. This just feels like first album material besides the guitar work. The riffs are absolutely incredible and definitely the highlight of the entire thing. The vocals and repetitive nature of the songs are distracting though. I'd probably pick "Piece of Time" and "Number of the Beast" over this debut album, but it's still a solid start to a legendary band.

Recommended songs: "Prowler", "Running Free", "Transylvania", and "Iron Maiden"

Iron Maiden is considered by most people, even by the non-experts, as the representative heavy metal band. Their first album was the first step for this. In my opinion, an album whose style would not characterize them yet. Since listening to this stuff, I think it's a new, charming experiment, a kind of "let's see how this will turn into a metal sellout". The sharp contrast between Dennis Stratton's guitars with Murray's strong rock base of personality, also mixed with a Harris who had everything planned, and a Clive Burr who magnifies any rhythm with his class and ideas... as a result, we can see excellent set of songs superbly achieved, even without compacting and defining completely, but pointing upwards. History has shown how Steve Harris knew how "to pray" hard and take advantages of this initial momentum as anyone else could not. Paul Di'Anno seems to move very comfortably in group's context; even when responsibility and discipline overwhelmed him, but above all he looks nice and jovial. Maybe he was thinking: "Let's see what singing is like". What many see is his unique talent, maybe he doesn't believe it, but looks like he doesn't care about. Paul compensates any possible lacking with his invincible twenty-something-years-old talent.

Iron Maiden presents their debut as a virtuous offer, the instrumental Transilvania developed real arrangements, solos and "conversations" between guitars, sounding very "oiled", a marvel thing which live recordings attest at that moment. Since then, every time when a musician left the group (who did parade one by one in early years), the substitute was forced to trap the band's body/soul and participating entirely on the creation of unstoppable musical synergy. Well, there are songs with fast, intricate passages, songs with an authentic marathon of riffs that every band would like to try ever. More youthful songs like the self-titled one compensate the result with their lighter structures, and with a more comfortable listening. The frenzy in Phantom of the Opera is equivalent to the songs you would consider insignificant. For insignificance, let's leave that award to Sun and Steel or Quest for Fire. What an irrelevance in such a disc, right?

Even though the production does not live up to their extraordinary successor (I hallucinate with Martin Birch production on Killers, damn!), it's still incredibly good, and better than Rocka Rolla. Judas Priest released Rocka Rolla after 5 years of formation like Maiden, but that album was a release without a fixed direction, an album that was adapted to the standards of progressive rock at that time, a good one, but their real debut was Sad Wings of Destiny. I remember when I first heard Phantom of the Opera in 2011, from a live version with Bruce's vocals. Then, when I heard the studio version I was a bit disappointed, because I didn't know Paul Di'anno and because it lacked the frenzy that live version did. In the end, it cost to chew it but thanks to the visceral range of Di'anno in Killers, he was able to convince me. Obviously, about the band, I realized later that all of their songs have more prominence live (which happens the opposite with Megadeth, although I still like that band).

The doll that looks at us from the cover art didn't know that he would give success to the group later, I guess he didn't even know that his name was Eddie, and who expected an urgent hairdressing session just to travel to the world like the giant heads of my town's great party. But I think Steve Harris was making an idea for the future, you know these things when you provoke it.

Let’s get straight to, shall we, as Iron Maiden were keen to do back in 1980. It’s no secret that I don’t think much of what this crew of Londoners have done since Dance of Death, nor do I mind people knowing that I'm much more a fan of Killers and Powerslave than the more considered efforts the band have put out, but this debut album frankly has nothing to do with all that. The truth is that Iron Maiden could well have been released by a different band to all those albums (and let's not forget that three out of the five musicians who play on this were out of the band within four years), sounding quite a world away from some of the other burgeoning NWOBHM bands too. For convenience's sake, I'll state now that I'm reviewing the widely available EMI remaster from the late '90s, which includes the wholly deserving 'Sanctuary' on the tracklisting.

Listening to the opening of a song like 'Running Free', it's plain to hear that Maiden were a much more rock-influenced band than they would become by the time of Bruce Dickinson, while Clive Burr has a more clattery kit and shuffling style than anything one might call metal these days. That Paulo Di'Anno also has a voice like the 40-a-day cousin of Graham Bonnet (of Rainbow around the same time period) doesn't encourage proclamations about Maiden's majesty either, though this all brings a street-level grit to proceedings that - coupled with a very warm and live-sounding production - supports the idea of these boys gigging in city pubs on a Saturday night. The way that the riffs of the short-lived Dennis Stratton and Dave Murray jab and rush on the briefer songs such as 'Prowler' and 'Charlotte the Harlot' is indicative of a more combative, but less cultured kind of music too, having one hand on the scruff of punk's neck and another holding back the onrush of a nascent speed metal scene. Even Steve Harris, his bass occupying its perennial position in the centre of the mix, spars altogether more with fists and nails than any more graceful weaponry.

What we get is thus exciting and unpredictable, though not polished or finessed by any stretch of the imagination. Listening to the raw trebly fuzz of the guitars as they pummel through 'Transylvania' is a display of pure concepts, the blunt riffs being wholly capable of supporting vocals, though the absence of any indicates that this was a ploy to draw attention to the roughness and flurries of pace that build up throughout the song, as opposed to later instrumentals such as 'Losfer Words' that were more exercises than explorations. Admittedly, I quite disliked this album upon first getting it, yet it was 'Transylvania' that I managed to latch onto from first listen and vaguely understood the band's desire to promote the storytelling aspect of their guitarists through simple riffs and duelling melodies. It's still one of my favourite instrumentals on any album, while the more instinctive songs wormed their way into my consciousness after a while, the pure presence of 'Running Free' winning out over complaints of idiocy or lack of creativity, 'Prowler' and 'Charlotte the Harlot' meantime gaining ascendancy through their apt subject matter and the fieriness of Di'Anno's delivery.

What I'm going to complain about - and it should really come as no surprise - is that the band couldn't do such a good job with the softer and slower songs as they would be able to do with the added arsenal of Dickinson and Nicko McBrain, not to mention Adrian Smith's more side-on approach to heaviness. Di'Anno doesn't really have the voice to hold the listener's attention throughout 'Remember Tomorrow', though that's just as much to do with a reliance on build and release techniques that ultimately frustrate in a song that spans five minutes and only makes it through three verses. To some extent, the same goes for 'Strange World', even if Murray's solos have an intoxicating power of their own, getting that classic Maiden tone absolutely nailed before the vocals come in, allowing him to conjure his trademark "timeless" atmosphere. The other drastic departure from three to four minute rockers is the historic 'Phantom of the Opera', which comes across as different from almost everyone's description, since it still sounds rough and ready to these ears, just with the ambition of classical music ladled onto a speed freak's come-up, sort of like the opposite of Cliff Burton steadying Metallica for 'Orion'.

What makes this quite a different experience to most other Maiden albums (although certainly shared with Killers) is the visceral quality of the recording and of the playing techniques, something that means playing 'Sanctuary' to a room full of mixed-age Chinese language students - you know, to teach culture and all that - is guaranteed to get a response, even 35 years after the event. That's the most cut-throat track here and should be sought out by any with the original recording of only eight tracks, though this kind of music invites the listener to rock out for the most part without worrying about finishing touches. That's something that people related to in 1980 and the story is no different now.

Here's where it all started. Iron Maiden, the definitive band and one of the forerunners of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Anyway, you gotta start somewhere, and this is where they started. One of the best Iron Maiden albums, and one of the best debuts ever. Almost every song here is a killer one, and the musicianship is just amazing. It's great listening to this with headphones and picking up the individual riffs, bass lines and drums. Take lesson.

Perhaps there is no better place to hear how punk and progressive rock converged on the NWOBHM than on this self-titled Iron Maiden debut. Often overlooked, it's easy to forget that Iron Maiden was changing something when it appeared on the 1980s. That year also saw great albums from bands like Motörhead, Saxon and Angel Witch, but Iron Maiden was always at the head of NWOBHM movement. On one hand, Maiden worked clearly on the basis of punk rock elements: the production, the acceleration of songs and the harsh voice of Di'Anno. On the other hand, they had all creative ambition of a progressive rock band. In terms of composition, even their shorter and simpler songs counted on abrupt changes in rhythm and sensation. Their musicality was already light years beyond punk, with complex instrumental passages between guitarists Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton, and bassist Steve Harris. The lyrics also did aspire to high ambitions, turning in first person the histories and drawings of characters, with a grotesque and deadly touch. If all is added, Iron Maiden performs the trick of reconciling two antithetical genders to each other, seemingly. Harris' bass is already outstanding and is a sign of what will become Maiden's main element for their career.

The seven minutes of "Phantom of the Opera" is a progressive, epic point of reference, with an ambitious fusion of musical styles and its construction in several sections. "Running Free" and "Sanctuary," reached the bottom of the British singles charts. The story "Prowler", one of the most enduring numbers of the band, is in the same order of ideas, but with a more instrumental complexity, while the title track continues being a basic element of their concerts. They also offer the first instrumental, "Transylvania". Perhaps the little sign of a bad step comes with the ballad "Strange World", the only song on this album that was never re-recorded in a live or alternative version. However, the whole project explodes with energy and ideas. This album laid a very strong basis for what Iron Maiden would become. Most of these songs have become metal anthems.

The production sounds very different to all other albums, because the producer is not Martin Birch. When I was first getting into Maiden this difference really stood out, but after a hundred of listens, I don't notice it much at all. It's difficult to place how is different, the backing vocals sound very old school, but it works. What else should I add? Come on, it's Maiden's first record! Is the album that introduced Maiden to this world and deserves to be owned by anybody who considers themselves to appreciate metal. Yes, Maiden's travel began with this album. It's worth getting even if only for "Phantom of the Opera". It's a good album that all fans should have. Well, I hope you enjoyed my humble review on this beautiful debut and I shall close by saying (again) that no Maiden fan should be without this essential record.

"I always thought the guitars weren't heavy enough."

That quote from founding member and bassist Steve Harris would cause me to see Iron Maiden in a newer, but less flattering light. Don't get me wrong, this album is a must own, brilliantly crafted, time honored classic of metal, but he is right about the Will Malone's production (or lack thereof) slightly hindering it.

Let's get a few things straight here for all you old "they were better when they were punk rock with Paul Di'Anno" assholes and the smegma-for-brains hipsters who think this album has a "raw" sound. First of all, this band was never, ever, EVER a punk influenced band. Right or wrong, Steve Harris hated punk down to the core for keeping Maiden from getting signed for so long, and I'm a little more willing to believe Steve's claim that Paul wasn't originally a punk fan and only latched onto it to annoy the rest of the band. Maybe I'm wrong, but let's just say Di'Anno's track record proves otherwise.

Second of all, you idiots don't have a tuppany fucking clue what "raw" is. Celtic Frost's Morbid Tales is raw. Venom's Welcome To Hell is raw. Bathory's discography is raw. Ace of Spades was raw. Iron Maiden's guitar sound is thin and sterile. Fuck even the first two Motley Crue albums were crunchier than this. When you have a band like Motorhead, with a taste for punk ethos, that has released four albums, all sounding rawer and heavier than an album by a band that has no punk ethos and fancies itself more of a prog outfit, and thus also fancies a more polished approach, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. Did I mention that most of those Motorhead albums were released before Iron Maiden, and therefore, technology itself should have made even the lowest amp settings heavier by default? Even Di'anno said the production was shit on the self-titled.

Another thing, these are the same folks who love to regale themselves with the idea that Di'Anno era Maiden was "so unpredictable" and Maiden became "so formulaic and predictable in their later years." Yes, nothing says unpredictable like using

"Won’t you come into my room? I wanna show you all my wares
I just want to see your blood, I just want to stand and stare
See the blood begin to flow as it falls upon the floor
Iron Maiden can’t be fought, Iron Maiden can’t be sought"

three verses in a row. It's not even the first song to do this on the album. Prowler, Remember Tomorrow, Charlotte The Harlot, Another Life, Purgatory and Innocent Exile and I'm sure a few others all suffer from lyrical repetition. A keen listener will also observe that a lot of these tracks had the same musical formula as well. Basic verse, chorus, second verse, second chorus, complete time change that is usually three times the speed, and a conclusion of one final verse and chorus. Most, if not all of the songs mentioned above along with a few others follow this formula. Even Phantom of the Opera can't help but fall victim to this formula as well, with the "keep your distance walk away" serving as the beginning of one really long bridge. Now I'm not knocking the formula, it's a great and effective formula, but that's just what it is, a formula, the exact opposite of unpredictable. All of you assholes with your so called "musical industry experience" can take your punk-rock Paul Di'Anno pedophilia and shove it up your ass!

But with all that said, not even Will Malone could fuck this up because the songwriting on this baby is nothing less than world-class. At the end of the day, great songs conquer through all and this baby has them in spades. Granted they were cherry-picked by the band out of the repertoire the band had grown throughout the years, but shit, Van Halen did that throughout their career! Honestly, as great of a song as Phantom of the Opera is, I almost feel it's out of place here, because as far as I'm concerned, Iron Maiden is about the ANTHEMS. Running Free was the first official single, but they could have picked any song from here and it would have performed swimmingly in the British charts. Prowler, Sanctuary, Charlotte The Harlot and of course, the eponymous set closer we all know and love are what leather and studs metal is all about. Even Remember Tomorrow has an incredibly heavy chorus which pushes the track over the required heaviness line.

One person that appears here whom we would never associate with Iron Maiden again is guitarist Dennis Stratton. If he wasn't such a big George Benson and Eagles fan he could have carried on with the band and done a fine job in the process. Hell as much as I prefer the Live After Death version of Phantom of the Opera, his guitar solo is a perfect Clapton-esque "only the right notes" break that I really wish Adrian Smith would have just bitten the bullet and duplicate it live. Now of course, only the most slovenly Pendleton adoring neckbeards would say Smith was inferior to Stratton. It's a case of comparing John Rutsey to Neil Peart, Brian Jones to Mick Taylor, or, um, Paul Di'Anno to Bruce Dickinson (awkward). Just because one musician was replaced with a superior musician doesn't make the predecessor's talents null and void. Dennis has entertaining guitar solos all over the album, but Dave Murray had even more of them.

No questioning that Maiden came out of the gate swinging. Iron Maiden is a near flawless LP, and easily one of the great debuts in all of music. If you're a Dickinson fanboy who's been avoiding the Di'Anno albums throughout the years for whatever reason then you had best un-fuck yourself and start shitting Tiffany cufflinks, because this album (as well as Killers) will definitely fuck you up.

During 1980, three events marked the rebirth of the British metal scene. Firstly, the arrival of Ronnie James Dio to Black Sabbath, which represented a new opportunity for the Britons after the mediocre creative direction they were following since a couple of albums ago. Secondly, Judas Priest released an album that would reach a legendary status, even though it is far from what represented their creative peak. And the third is the rise of a new movement that would become revolutionary for heavy metal going forward due to the relevant changes that this music would constantly experiment from there onwards: the NWOBHM. Among other bands in the movement, Def Leppard, Angel Witch and Saxon released albums that would be substantial in the reshaping of metal music.

Besides the aforementioned, Iron Maiden was emerging with a new sound, and despite the low expectations usually surrounding the debut releases, their self-titled release went far beyond. Displaying as much ambition as Judas Priest in their earlier releases, the British metallers brought out an impressive album that represented a middle point between the fast-growing punk movement and the metal music existing at that time. This combination is precisely the reason why the album persistently changes its vibe, transitioning from the happiness that best characterizes punk music in numbers like "Prowler" and "Running Free," to the fury that the speed metal closing track expresses.

The complexity that even the most straightforward numbers display is another special ingredient in the formula. Due to that, you can expect certain tempo changes that make the songs unpredictable, perhaps except for the ballad "Strange World." Outside of that, said changes appear throughout the album in both directions. On the one hand, "Remember Tomorrow" is pretty much inspired by "Beyond the Realms of Death," and they share the tempo changes and tend to explode with powerful and harsh riffs in the choruses. On the other hand, the intensity in "Charlotte the Harlot" is slightly neutralized at the moment in which the passage resembling the previous song enters in. Now, leaving the extremes aside, the album offers other outstanding numbers that would even make up their concert repertoire going forward. Among others, the Motörhead meets Judas Priest speedish number "Running Free", the frenetic closing title-track (seemingly screaming "Hell Awaits!") and "Sanctuary." (a song that was wipped-off from the first British editions, but featured in many reissues).

Although the formula used by the band in this album would apparently be polished over the years, the overall package worked quite well at this point, and it could have been functioning well, even if Dickinson never arrived. So, regardless of being subject to amendments, the album shows the band at a very high creative point. Instrument by instrument, the songs are greatly done and are a good omen of the things to come. Considering the greatness and influence that this album has had over the years, you should go ahead with no hesitations and buy it.

This is the album that started the official career of the legendary Iron Maiden. It definetly doesn't sound like anything that would have been written during the Dickinson years... or at least it has little resemblance to said point in the band's career. It's more stripped down, more spirited in the vein of 70s hard rock and heavy metal (flirting with punk at times), along with a bigger emphasis on attitude.

However, one thing that is rather peculiar is that it does show more resemblance to the band's later years than their next album, "Killers". It has more of an essence on vocal melodies, more of a melodic approach to songwriting, along with a bit more balladry. So this is probably a better album to go to if you want something that shows more resemblance to the classic Iron Maiden sound.

This album is relatively simple in terms of melody, yet it remains effective because of its innovation. The opening track, "Prowler" has a main chord progression that uses two power chords, but the pattern in which they are used has been done by both many other melodic heavy metal bands in later years, along with Iron Maiden themselves. But the song remains interesting today because of the second guitar's iconic wah-lead over it, which is followed by Paul Di'Anno's clean, yet forceful vocals.

Other tracks have similar traits (not that the songs sound similar), such as "Running Free", which uses a broken-up palm-muting pattern that is sure to interest the listener, though not as much as the ridiculously catchy chorus, which has some of the most effective vocal-layering in anything NWOBHM-related. "No Sanctuary" also follows this, with its grimy simple melodies with just enough minor-tricks to keep it from droning, resulting in something that remains catchy and nostalgic by today's standards, without becoming predictable.

Not to say that this album doesn't have its moments of instrumental genius. The title track makes use of jagged, complex, yet highly melodic riffs that are complimented by the galloping bass that remains independent from it, as it does for the majority of the album. "Transylvania" is a very accessible, yet genius instrumental that changes key many times without seeming jagged, but adding to the overall excitement (it might even be my favorite song of the album). It falls just a tad bit short of "Genges Khan", but it's still highly exciting, easier to listen to at first listen. "Phantom of the Opera", has one of the greatest main riffs of this band's entire career, working well as both an epic intro and a main course, complimented by Paul who constantly changes his vocal tone.

Speaking of Paul Di'Anno, he definitely makes use of his limited range. Or at least he chooses to limit his range, as he does plenty of high-pitched screaming on "Killers". He mostly does a soulful, yet powerful style of crooning, slightly reminiscent of John Devirill of Tygers of Pang Tang, or Kevin Heybourne of Angel Witch. However, as the album goes on, he begins to develop a more gritty vocal approach, particularly on "Charlotte the Harlot". Right before the solo kicks in, he bursts out into a bombastic fit of grunting that adds a shitload of tension to the track. In fact, I would argue that Paul is at his best when he sings like this. Especially when you consider how flat and boring he sounds on the two ballads.

Speaking of those two songs, they are both very bland and uninteresting, they both sound alike and the solos have very little to offer in them. They don't fit in with the rest of the music on the album and they are rather forgettable. Probably the only real complaint that I have about the album.

The self-titled debut album of Iron Maiden must have been incredible to listen to when it first dropped in 1980. It's like nothing that came before it - The perfect fusion of punk, hard rock, and heavy metal of the 70's, with its' own flavor of guitar harmonies and a stronger bass performance than many were used to hearing at the time.

Although I don't feel it gets off to the best start with a song like Prowler, which is about a dude exposing himself to women in the bushes and unlike anything they would go on to put out over the next 37 years, the rest of this album is solid for the most part and fun to follow because of how experimental it feels. Whether it's catchy yet prototypical rocker Sanctuary, the speedy head banging epic Phantom of the Opera, or a slower, more dramatic tune like Remember Tomorrow, Iron Maiden deliver in just about all of their attempts.

Singer Paul Di'anno has a rough sound to him that gives the band that punk edge they were probably looking for at the time, and even better, he could hit some high notes too. With that kind of range, it didn't have to be all doom and gloom in the lyrics. Charlotte the Harlot is a good example of his range. The other highlight in this debut are the twin guitar attack of Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton. Although Stratton would leave the band shortly after this album, it's very much worth mentioning his contribution for some fast, hard hitting melodies along with Dave Murray's technical prowess.

It seems the most contentious part of the album between Maiden fans is the production. Band founder Steve Harris has gone so far as to say the album could never be considered great because of the lousy production. However, some feel that it adds to the authentic, underground sound which represent Iron Maiden's roots. They did after all spend 4 years playing in pubs and small venues before they even released this album! Me personally? I don't mind the sound. Though it is a bit jarring to hear how much better the production became in the next album!

Overall, a great start to a great band. Not necessarily a masterpiece, but they were well on their way to producing a bunch of those!

Best song(s): Phantom of the Opera, Sanctuary

Skip: Prowler

Iron Maiden are one of the world's most revered heavy metal bands, they are also one of the most credible, as they have stuck fiercely to their guns regardless of trends in the music world. Ultimately it has paid off, as metal's resurgence of recent years has seen them hailed as heroes.

When this debut came out though, Maiden had already been around for years. Steve Harris had masterminded the band since the mid-70s, as well as their distinctive sound- a mixture of crunching heavy rock with progressive tendencies. By the end of the 70s, a new scene had emerged which Maiden could at last fit into New Wave of British Heavy Metal. After a few, slightly tentative recordings, they had finally got the chance to record a fully fledged album. It still sounds utterly brilliant to this day, and is still, in the eyes of many, the greatest album the band had ever done. It's certainly one of the greatest debut albums of the whole genre- up there with Black Sabbath's debut, but far exceeding Judas Priest's and The Scorpions', plus contemporaries like Saxon and Def Leppard's first shots at glory.

Fans of the more famous Bruce Dickinson-led incarnation will be surprised at how rawer and vital this album sounds to what they are used to. Of course, it's the more street smart, punky Paul Di'anno on vocals for this era of the band. Di'anno isn't a bit like his successor but nonetheless is an excellent vocalist. His raw tonsils make storming slabs of punk-metal like 'Prowler' and 'Charlotte The Harlot' even more powerful, both being characterized by his aggressive vocals alongside the driving riffing and relentless rhythm section.

Steve Harris' progressive influences are on show again in the technically astonishing instrumental, "Transylvania". The whole band rattle through this piece and its many sections seamlessly- there are faster and fiddlier solos out there today, but I'd take this every time as it has such guts and bravado that is often lacking from today's techno-flash metal. There are some old fan favorites here also. The aggressive punk stomp of "Running Free", with its relentless drum beat and street urchin vocal alongside some Wishbone Ash style guitar harmonies, still sounds brilliant now and was a sizeable hit in the UK when released as a single.

The debut also gave birth to a song that's probably been in every set the band have played since it was created- Iron Maiden itself. The guitar work here is excellent and the interplay is top notch, and Di'Anno's vocals make this statement of intent sound truly in your face. "Sanctuary" (originally a single-only track) is another song that captured the imagination of the metal fan base, yet again, Di'anno's rough and ready vocalizing made sure it had a certain amount of punk crossover. This was a perfect example of a song that Dickinson could never convey the same way as Di'anno effortlessly does here.

All in all, a truly superb debut that was probably the finest album of the era in the NWOBHM boom. Certainly, it sums up that whole period in heavy metal extremely well, and is a more consistently excellent album than most of the other albums from 1980. Some, notably Steve Harris himself, have criticized the overly clean production, but it's professional sounding enough for me, and refreshingly doesn't suffer from the murk that many early NWOBHM albums unfortunately have. This is probably the most direct album the band ever made, even though future albums would improve on this already incredible blueprint. Still, it's a truly essential cornerstone of any metal, even music, collection.

Iron Maiden's debut is one of the most infamous in metal history, and it's legacy cannot be denied. Overall, the 8 (or 9 if you add Sanctuary) tracks represent a band in their early stages, still searching for their true sound. Although the album contains its flaws, it still holds up in Iron Maiden's catalog.

The production for this album is one of the most significant flaws. However, the raw sound the tracks have do add to the classic feeling one receives when playing the album. On the other hand, once producer Martin Birch enters the scene later on, the sound improves vastly. The artwork is the 1st of numerous albums to be covered by Derek Riggs, and he delivers. With a grueling, yet detailed image of the bands mascot Eddie. The art does its job at standing out on store shelves. The performances on this album are fair, even if they don't equal those of later albums. Steve and Dave do a great job in their positions, and Paul seems to be putting in his all. However, Dennis Stratton seems lost in the mix and Clive hasn't seemed to have truly found his sound just yet.

When it comes to the track listing for this album, a major standout is epic "Phantom Of The Opera", which many consider to be Maiden's first true epic and a foreshadowing of what they would become. With incredible changes in tempo that leaves the listener guessing and amazing solos, it is a classic in their catalog. Other great tracks include the beautiful power ballad "Remember Tomorrow" and the instrumental "Transylvania." However, some songs don't seem to have as much work put into them as others. This includes "Running Free", which seems a bit too simplistic lyrically, even with it's catchy bass and drum line, the title track, which repeats the same verse 3 times, and the added track "Sanctuary", which is a bit simplistic as well. However, even if they lack a bit variety, the songs still remain somewhat powerful. Other good moments are other ballad "Strange World" (featuring an incredible vocal performance by Paul), opener "Prowler" and "Charlotte The Harlot".

Overall, Iron Maiden's debut record features a classic sound that remains strong to this day.

Iron Maiden is one of the most influential bands of the heavy metal world, surely this beloved world would not be the same without them. Being influenced by bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin or The Who, Steve Harris formed his third band in 1975, "Iron Maiden", passing various musicians before the lineup of this album. Iron Maiden in turn has influenced many bands of various genres such as thrash or power metal.

In 1980, Steve Harris and company released their first full-length (after recording a demo), self-titled name, with excellent musicians. It's a great start for this music legend. It’s an album with a dirty sound, however, the production is not bad at all, but it can be much better. Steve Harris never got completely satisfied with this but I like it because it gives an especial essence. You can hear perfectly all the instruments without forcing the ear and that's enough for me. But this not last long, in the "Killers" album, the production change completely, with a much better sound.

"Iron Maiden" has very punk style songs as "Prowler", "Running Free" or "Iron Maiden" and other more heavies as "Sanctuary" or "Phantom of the Opera" and the amazing instrumental "Transylvania" and the beautiful ballad "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World".

Clive Burr is a machine at the drums (it’s a shame that he’s no more with us) especially in songs like "Phantom of the Opera" where it looks incredibly good or the catchy "Running Free", he's just an excellent drummer. And not to forget Steve Harris, with his legendary bass and the feeling that he gives, so characteristic of Iron Maiden and distinctive, one of my favorites bassists of all times. I also highlight the voice of Paul Di'Anno, a singer with a big charisma and a perfect voice for the first Iron Maiden phase, with that raspy voice on songs like "Prowler" or "Iron Maiden" and the beautiful and clean vocal lines in "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World".

Dave Murray (loyal to the band since the beginning) and Dennis Stratton do an impeccable job creating and executing excellent riffs, as the beginning of "Phantom of the Opera" and all the incredible solos it has; or the catchy riff from "Iron Maiden", a fast track and a very thrash drumming. We also have "Strange World" with a beautiful and mysterious sound at the guitars, it reminds me to "Planet Caravan" from Black Sabbath.

Concluding, "Iron Maiden" is a highly recommendable album, here begins the legend and the best was yet to come. High quality songs, very worked, memorable and catchy. By the way, on the cover, we see an angry Eddie with war appetite and his long hair that would last three more albums until the poor creature get his head opened.


"Beware the Morbid Killer"

This album was the very first steps of what would grow into something legendary. With that said, however, I have quite mixed feelings on this first one from Iron Maiden. I've always felt that Paul Di'Anno never got enough credit for what he did on the two records he was on. Sure, he's far from Dickinson's level of talent; however, throughout this album, Di'Anno still shows a consummate talent level throughout his and Iron Maiden's first release. Iron Maiden's self-titled certainly has it's strong points, though for almost every strength this album possesses, there is a weak link to counter it.

First, let's begin with the musicianship. The guitar work on this album is, for the most part, very good. The track "Remember Tomorrow" exhibits some of the strongest guitar work we've ever heard from Iron Maiden. It's quite complex, but not complex to the point where it becomes overwhelming and repetitive, like some musicians fall victim to. Another track in which the guitar work stands out greatly is the Iron Maiden classic, "Phantom of the Opera". Honestly, everything about this song is borderline perfect to me, although I do prefer the later live versions of Bruce Dickinson singing it; nothing against Di'Anno, I still think he was a strong vocalist, but as most Iron Maiden fans, I've simply always preferred the range that Bruce brings to the table. However, despite the talent that Adrian Smith and Dave Murray exhibit in the strong points of this album, there are also points in this album where the riffs feel a little bit weak and are nothing compared to the riffs found in later Iron Maiden albums (i.e. Powerslave and Piece of Mind). For example, the riffing in songs such as "Running Free" and "Charlotte the Harlot" have always seemed a bit lacking to me, after a while becoming a bit repetitive and bland.

This album also shows the promising beginnings of having a guy the likes of Steve Harris on the bass; sure, it's not quite as strong as in later releases, but I still find his work on this record as a bit of a glimpse of things to come for him. Also, Clive Burr was for sure a solid drummer, however, he seems to have been for the most part unable to play some of the more difficult things that his successor in Nicko McBrain could do, which somewhat hurts the rating, as the drumming on this record is pretty simplistic.

Di'Anno's vocals, on the other hand, aren't quite as strong as the instrumentation on this record. Let me begin by saying I've always liked Di'Anno more than most Maiden fans; this may be because the first Iron Maiden album I ever heard was Killers. With that being said, however, I'm not as much of a fan of his vocals on this release as much as on Killers. I feel like he doesn't show enough range on this one as he does on their sophomore album. That's not to say his vocals on this one are bad, because they most certainly are not. Di'Anno's vocals just are not the best, and it feels a bit unfair to him to have to compare him to his successor in Dickinson, because their styles are completely different and with Dickinson, honestly, it's a bit unfair to compare almost anybody to him considering his overwhelming vocal talent.

The songwriting on Iron Maiden is very strong, as is the vast majority of the work that Harris has written throughout his musical career. The lyrics are spectacular, as all Iron Maiden lyrics are, though of course not as strong as their later releases when they further develop into musicians, lyricists, and song-writers. The songs themselves are formatted and written very well, though there are a few parts here and there that made me stop and think "I'm really glad they developed into much more powerful musicians."

Though this album certainly does not live up to many of it's later records to follow, it certainly shows promising beginnings of a band we all know to later become legendary. In terms of a band's first record, this album is certainly up there, as very often a band or artist will struggle a bit with their first record in finding what fits them best, being more well-developed in song writing, etc. Iron Maiden showed strong points in all of this, but it was relatively weak, as to be expected from a first album.

This is an almost perfect example of what a first album should sound like, and "Iron Maiden" has definitely made it's mark in heavy metal history. Although Bruce Dickinson is considered by many as the true Iron Maiden lead vocalist, the who can fire up an audience with his theatrics, his voice, I'm sorry to say, would probably not be as good as Paul Di'Anno's on this debut album. "Iron Maiden" and "Killers" are care-free (almost destructive) and less thought-through than Iron's Maiden's later albums and Paul's voice embraces that side better than Bruce would have.

Also, (and this has no direct impact on how you appreciate their music) on a personal, emotional note, it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming to hear Clive Burr's amazing skills at the drums.

Most of the songs on this album, edge more towards speed metal (i.e "Prowler", "Running Free") but the surprisingly soft "Remember tomorrow" (incidentally stuck right in between of the two previous ones) doesn't go along with that idea: whereas most of their songs want to make you pump up the volume and scream along with Paul, this one creates a totally different atmosphere, with softer sound, slower tempo and an more "sensual" voice from Paul (he doesn't hit the note, he creeps up to it). It's even more surprising when you listen to other NWOBHM bands, and it shows just how much range this band has, even in it's earliest years.

Now, how can you talk about "Iron Maiden" without talking about Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton's amazingly technical guitar solos or Steve Harris's surprisingly progressive musical ideas? Answer is, you can't. The progressive sound Steve Harris gives to some tracks on this album (especially "Phantom of the Opera") is innovative for his time, and the fact that he uses it here, in Iron Maiden's debut album, means that the band can evolve in the more progressive sound they favor nowadays while staying true to their roots. And Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton's technically demanding solos add some interesting melodies in songs that otherwise would be poor and lacking in consistency (like the song "Iron Maiden").

And yes, that was a criticism. I mean, Iron Maiden is one of my favorite bands and I up the irons and scream for Bruce Dickinson whenever I can, but a lot of the songs on this album lack the creative composition their later songs have, and have become favorites because they're catchy but not because they're great musically speaking (and certainly not because they have beautifully dark lyrics, for that matter: their lyrics on this album are average, for the best). Also, the fact that every song has a different style is a very ambitious thing to do and the order in which they displayed the songs doesn't make much sense, and it kind of feels like they had no idea what they were doing.

But, as a conclusion to this review, they probably didn't have any idea what they were doing, because this was their first album, but they had idea together, with passion and they gave it their all. So if you really go for it, even if you don't quite know what you're doing, you can still create one (and a lot more) killer albums (no pun intended).

I once spoke with another Iron Maiden fan who told me that he counted 1982's "Number of the Beast" as the band's 'true' debut. To him, Maiden couldn't be Maiden without Bruce Dickinson's trademark vocals. Of course, by the time Bruce had joined the gang, Iron Maiden were already running wild with potential. True enough, Dickinson's quasi-operatic tenor is now one of the band's most distinctive qualities, but this debut, and its sequel, "Killers", still hold up well. Even before they had truly made their mark on heavy metal, Maiden were already rocking.

I was first introduced to DiAnno-era Maiden through the mini-epic "Phantom of the Opera". Now a longtime favourite of mine, it's easily enough to foster some sort of interest in the band's early work. Especially regarding this track, it's not surprising that it took Steve Harris such a long time to find musicians willing to pursue this then-relatively progressive and technical brand of heavy metal. Fusing galloping rhythms with guitar harmonies and the atmosphere of progressive rock, "Phantom of the Opera" is a certain foreshadowing of what would later come for the band. Add in the trademark literature-based lyrics and you have a classic Maiden song, in spite of Smith and Dickinson's absence. Before even discussing the rest of the album, it's enough that one of the band's best songs is here.

"Phantom of the Opera" is above and beyond the most complex piece of music on "Iron Maiden", but the band gives a touch of sophistication to their aggression throughout the album. It's true that there is a sense of punk-ishness in large part thanks to the pummeling rhythm, but Steve Harris' progressive influences are in plain sight. Particularly on the eerie "Remember Tomorrow", Maiden divulge a sense of atmospherics that I've rarely heard in a NWOBHM act. On the other hand, there's raw carnage to be experienced in "Running Free" and the upbeat title track. One of the most common criticisms of this album is that Iron Maiden had not completely found their 'sound' yet, but in spite of the lineup differences, these guys seem to have had a firm idea of where they wanted to go musically.

Naturally, Paul DiAnno's vocal performance will be the sorest part for Maiden fans, if only for the fact that he ain't Brucey. For one, he's certainly not as brilliant a vocalist as Bruce is, yet his carefree, almost brutish approach to singing works well for the rawer sound Iron Maiden were bringing at this point. I imagine the 'rawness' will turn off some of the band's softer, or more progressively inclined fans, but it brings a more organic sound to their music than most of their following studio work. The production is a real highlight on "Iron Maiden", in spite of the fuzzy distortion and busy performance, things come through feeling warm and 'in-your-face'. The best way I might describe the production is that this sounds most suited for the atmosphere of a small club show, whereas "Number of the Beast" onwards gives the impression of a bombastic arena affair.

It's obviously nowhere near as 'matured' or 'realized' as the Iron Maiden they would become with later albums, but this debut should not be discredited by fans or newcomers. Although the band we know nowadays as Iron Maiden only shares two members with this incarnation, the signature sound and style is here, not to mention that "Phantom of the Opera" still stands as one of their greatest compositions. Check it out!

I'm always kind of intimidated when I approach albums (and bands) such as this one just because I feel hopelessly out of my element. Iron Maiden doesn't feature nearly enough slams to make it into my personal collection of favorites; there's a complete lack of wiggerisms in the lyrics, and gravity blasts are all but totally absent. You have to keep in mind that when it comes to metal, I really got into the scene through black and death, skipping most of the formative heavy and thrash bands most people are listening to long before Morbid Angel. This makes listening to bands like Iron Maiden sort of an odd, reverse-formative experience; in short, it's sort of alien to me, especially because I don't feel the sort of connection to bands like this one that others do. "Altars of Madness?" Of course, inspires youthful joy like nothing else. But "Powerslave?" I'm not so sure.

But I guess it's easiest for someone like me to tackle Iron Maiden's discography from this particular location; in short, where Iron Maiden basically lacks all the elements that would later define it as Iron Maiden in the minds of most people. Much in the way Black Sabbath's first, blues-oriented album is grandfathered into the metal scene due to its association with releases like "Paranoid" and "Master of Reality," Iron Maiden's scrappy rock/punk debut gets to cut the line even when, all things considered, it's not much of a metal album. At a stretch, I'd call four of the nine cuts here substantially metal, and even then not purely- to me, there's just as much Iggy Pop to this music as there is heavy metal. This doesn't really suggest anything about the quality, of course- just keeping it real. But what's there to expect? Heavy metal didn't really exist as a fully formed ideal yet, and Iron Maiden WERE one of the bands that helped establish it, so...

We're getting away from the album itself, though. In short: it hasn't aged very well at all. It might be perceptions getting colored by Iron Maiden's more substantial and seminal career as a heavy metal band, but hearing this album full of street punk-cum-prog rock songs tends to be a jarring and pretty unsatisfying experience for the most part. I wouldn't say that it's because Iron Maiden were particularly substandard songwriters at this point; more that they were using their particular brand of songwriting on a style of music that didn't lend itself to it. The influences of '70s prog alongside that same decade's style of punk run parallel from track to track (and sometimes even within them,) making for an album that attempts to be burly and aggressive but also nuanced and evocative in that Queenish "arena rock with a frontal lobe" manner.

Where the album tends to fall apart, in my eyes, is in its inconsistency from track to track alongside the vociferously mediocre sound. The latter, to begin; the production is fairly excruciating. Produced in the manner of a budget rock and roll album, the guitars lack bite and the bass is almost irritatingly loud and rubbery. More than any individual failure on the part of instrumental tones, however (and there are many,) is the incredibly shallow, flat mix which tends to highlight absolutely nothing going on in the song. It lacks depth of field; every instrument sounds paper thin, with no sense of aural space. It's like the band is playing right in front of you, but with practice amps and $50 guitars. There's not much that could be done to improve on it, though, and I try not to molest albums too badly for their sound, but in this case it's a serious issue that badly affects the music.

Beyond that: the inconsistency. I've always felt it took Iron Maiden a good four records before they started to actually make proper albums; all the way through "The Number of the Beast" the band had a tendency to arrange tracks in a haphazard, almost careless manner, making for releases that sound like a shuffled playlist more than a whole artistic piece. The debut is no exception to this rule, with some ghastly bizarre track arrangements (along with some songs that simply shouldn't have been present at all). The most obvious and glaring is "Phantom of the Opera" being stuck right in the middle of the album; the most ambitious and thoroughly Iron Maiden track on the release, it (and its cousin, "Transylvania") should have formed a suite to conclude the LP; instead, it's not given the significance it deserves, especially when followed by a set of sub-par tracks which do nothing but detract from it.

The final weak link? Paul Di'Anno. It's almost too easy to shit on him, particularly when considering how easily Bruce Dickinson snatched the crown from him (so to speak,) but the man's vocals are consistently one of the weakest and most grating parts of the album. Perpetually strained-sounding, like he was recording with a cold, Di'Anno's warbling, affectatious performance is bearable at best and sort of cringe-inducing at worst. He's functional on the more punk-influenced songs, where his throaty, somewhat hoarse shouting can come off like a cleaned-up, charming version of Lemmy at times, but he's completely lost on the more involved and metallic tracks on this LP, sounding weak and flabby when forced to compete with stronger and more bombastic guitar melodies. No wonder he's still so pissed about everything.

This release is basically an album of three, maybe four tracks: the eponymous rager, "Phantom of the Opera/Transylvania" (I consider them one song, in essence,) and perhaps "Prowler." The others are hit and miss, and mostly miss. The slower, ballad-style tracks ("Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World") are pretty dire, though the latter is better developed than the former, which is likely the single worst moment on the album, sounding like the sort of thing a 14 year old Iron Maiden fan today would pen as a tribute to their idols. "Sanctuary" and "Running Free" come off as filler, while "Charlotte the Harlot" is definitely the worst of the more aggressive tracks, with no structural coherency or real hooks for the audience. The album ends up being a life support system for what are far and away the most important tracks; the line differentiating the "real" songs from the filler is so stark I'd be amazed if the band themselves weren't firmly aware of it.

Many of the kinks from this release would be worked out fairly well by "Killers" and entirely absent a couple albums later, but Iron Maiden's debut still comes across to me as the immature, shaky first steps of a band unsure about their place in the greater musical community. I'm not going to damn it as awful, but I will say that I rarely, if ever, put this one on; considering the sheer volume of records in Iron Maiden's discography which are so far superior to this one, it just doesn't seem so necessary. The best songs from this release are better represented on live albums with better mixing and Dickenson on vocals; while this is historically relevant, the content itself might be better off forgotten by many.

When it comes to talk about one of my favourite band's debut album, I feel torn between many diversified and innovating tracks and complete lack of coherence concerning the composition of the album. I feel torn in between many lacks in the song writing and composition and on the other side the legendary status of this milestone.

From dreamy progressive rock ballads to straight punk influenced rock songs and a heavy metal epic blueprint you get pretty much everything on this record but the whole thing simply doesn't quite fit together yet. The whole album feels like an experiment, a compilation of ideas of different personalities, like some first careful steps into different directions. The fact that this album is so imperfect with its simple cover artwork, rather mediocre sound and has a considerable miss of equilibrium gives a very charming and authentic touch to the final result, though. One should also pardon the band their first mistakes as their whole epic career was continuously build upon this first album.

I happen to like the part of the atmospheric progressive rock ballads most. "Remember tomorrow" shows for the first time the band's great technical skills, their capacity to write long and coherent songs with a magic atmosphere. "Strange world" is even more simple, dreamy and atmospheric and it turned out over the years that this very unusual track happened to be my favourite one on the record.

"Phantom of the opera" is the band's first epic track and one of the first and most important epic tracks of heavy metal music that distinguished the band from many other that wrote short and sweet tracks to satisfy the masses and take advantage of a new hype. Iron Maiden were always more progressive and courageous than any other heavy metal band of the same age and delivers a stunning and diversified epic blueprint for their own and other band's future epic works. This track has a very important historical meaning even though it's far from being perfect. The vocals are too hectic and not always perfectly audible. The instrumental parts are sometimes way too long. There is not enough emotion and atmosphere in a song that refers to a legendary musical. But nevertheless, this song is something great and fits neither to the progressive rock ballads nor to the straighter and shorter punk rock influenced tracks. This song is the first one that simply sounds like Iron Maiden. This is where they get their own identity and deliver something one has never heard before in that way.

To come back to the punk influenced heavy metal tracks, they happen to be great and entertaining live tracks but the studio versions vary from very enjoyable like the straight and yet diversified bonus track "Sanctuary" to boring and faceless like the album's weak point which is "Charlotte the Harlot" as well as the unnecessary and overrated instrumental filler "Transylvania".

In the end this album is divided into three different parts that don't fit together and that vary from great to inspiring but imperfect to rather faceless material. The record is without a doubt technically and musically the most simple and in my opinion weakest track of the band's legendary works from the eighties. But this album should nevertheless please to any fan of heavy metal music as this first and rather shy debut album was a huge milestone for a whole genre and the begin of an incredible legacy.

What we have here is the legendary debut album of Iron Maiden. This album is a metal classic. This here is great quality NWOBHM with a sprinkling of 1977 era punk rock. These guys had talent right from the start and you can tell on this album. One of the extra special things about this album is that this is one of the two albums where Paul Di'Anno is singing, and he was definitely a great singer and his vocals suited the early style of Iron Maiden very well. They were a little different earlier on.

The production is a bit raw compared to most Iron Maiden albums, but the rawness fits the attitude of the songs. Everything manages to somehow sound cleaner on the more mellow songs though. Despite the rawness, the music is still your typical Iron Maiden, it's just with Paul Di'Anno singing instead of Bruce Dickinson. Paul's rough voice is fitting for the gritty atmosphere of the album, he sings a little on the raspy side. But despite Paul's rougher voice, he can still hit those high notes pretty good, and he proves it quite a few times on this album. All the instruments sound good here and Iron Maiden's classic galloping sound was already established on this album. Steve Harris was a great bassist then and you could really hear it the most on "Running Free". The bass is relatively audible, but it really sticks out in certain parts of certain songs, like the previously mentioned "Running Free". There is a definite punk influence in some of these songs. Actually, the way the guitars sound on this album is similar to a late 70's punk band called X Ray Spex. You'll find some gritty sounding guitars on this album. The drumming is also quite good, the drummer manages to mimic the guitar riffs with drum beats as best as he can, and he does it successfully. The music isn't very heavy here, but this is from 1980 so we can let that slide. This album's unique sound helped make Iron Maiden easily distinguishable from the other NWOBHM bands of the time.

There is a good variety of songs here, you've got your fast stuff, your mid paced stuff, and your slow stuff. "Prowler", my personal favorite "Sanctuary" which is about running from the police, and "Iron Maiden" are good examples of faster songs, "Prowler" has some of the catchiest riffs ever to be used in an Iron Maiden song, and is one of the heavier songs on here. The very galloping "Running Free" is mid paced and the lyrical content is quite rebellious. "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World" are slow and mellow with a melodic sound, but are still good. Paul also sings more softly on these songs. "Charlotte The Harlot" which appears to be a catchy song about a prostitute, the cool instrumental "Transylvania", and "Phantom Of The Opera" have a lot of changes in pace. They can be going fast and then suddenly be mellow. "Charlotte The Harlot" is a speedy number but has a couple of melodic breakdowns. "Phantom Of The Opera" is also speedy but has some creepy riffs thrown in here and there, especially in the beginning.

This is a good Iron Maiden album to start off with. If you prefer Bruce Dickinson as a singer then Paul Di'Anno may be an acquired taste. This is a different Iron Maiden after all. But I would still recommend this album for the music alone. There's a reason this is a classic. Go check it out.

First impressions are important, and I can only imagine how much they accomplished for Iron Maiden when they released their 1980, self-titled debut, the first mile marker on a long, fast paced marathon straight to the very summit of metal music and worldwide notoriety. This was unfortunately not my own first exposure to the band, as I hitched a ride on the wagon with Killers and then had to listen back. I don't enjoy it quite so much as its successor, since that album simply kicked my ass a lot harder in the long run, but there are a number of tracks here which are nearly impossible to shake out of the memory. At the very least, the firm roots were planted which would blossom into the steel fruits of the next three decades, and beyond...

Iron Maiden is notable as the only album in which the original lineup is over 50% different than the current roster, and to think...the band had a fair number of vocalists, guitarists and drummers before this one even took shape. Paul Di'anno and Clive Burr would go on to the sophomore album Killers, and Burr to The Number of the Beast, but this is the only studio album to feature Dennis Stratton on guitar alongside Dave Murray and Steve Harris (the two remaining 'original' members today). This is also perhaps the album which most matches the 'NWOBHM' motif that many of the band's peers were exploring, a very 70s vibe which comes as no surprise since some of the songs were written in that timeframe. It's not entirely heavy (none of their albums are), and several tracks maintain a somewhat psychedelic vibe, but that's actually one of the things I enjoy most about the album.

"Prowler" is the first at bat, a steady rocker that belongs at the heart of any Western 80s metropolis, as the ladies of the night and their admirers stalk the seedy city streets and the hard bite of the chords shuffles on, erupted by the forceful melodies that pick up the pace. Perhaps the best part of the song is the wild bridge at 1:47, where the guitars burn off like a brand against the mind and the solo explodes like a supernova. "Remember Tomorrow" feels like the Iron Maiden answer to "White Rabbit", with a psychedelic slur to the bass and a gently bouncing rhythm that bristles at the edges with its slight guitar shudders, only to transform at the 2:00 mark into a powerful stretch of chords that mirror other NWOBHM bands like Angel Witch. When all and said is done, this is one of my favorite tracks on the album, memorable and covering a wide spread of emotional impact. But "Running Free" is one of the most recognizable, due to the steady splash of the drums and the wonderfully delivered chorus line. There's a reason this song has been a live standard ever since...it's the type of sentiment that can seek out relation far wider than the band's core metalhead, hard rocker fanbase.

"Phantom of the Opera" is the 'epic' of this debut album, at about 7 minutes long, so not quite as involved as some of their sprawling, later tracks. It's tightly controlled, with mesmerizing, spry, memorable acrobatics on the guitars and a fantastic bridge laden in even further melodic musings, before returning to its savage final verse. The instrumental "Transilvania" features some killer speed metal before the drum beat enters to marry the slower, thundering pace of the pre-verse, which feels half like a pirate shanty. Another of the timeless classics of this album, it features the most intense guitar exchanges and Steve Harris losing his mind on tape. "Strange World" is by far the most psychedelically charged song in the Iron Maiden discography, like the band were jamming to some lost Pink Floyd cycle but incorporating the shimmering melodies of the metal guitars.

I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of "Charlotte the Harlot", it's not that the ballsy blues metal atmosphere bothers me, simply that the riffs do very little for me. But regardless, it's got some intensive drumming and a shuffle to it that feels similar to several of the tracks the band would later release on Killers. The band's namesake "Iron Maiden" stands alongside "Running Free" as one of the tracks here that the band will simply not forsake, having played it in their regular live set for 30 years. It's not my personal favorite, but certainly infectious, with fun little melodies that launch out of the chorus and delightful bridge melodies. I should also mention "Sanctuary", which may not have been included on the original release of the album, but has been a part of so many subsequent re-issues that it deserves a spot here, a fun and firm fusion of Maiden heresy and Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" with some wailing solos and busy bass.

Clearly the start of something beautiful, much of Iron Maiden holds up well to this day, though not so much as the crushing followup Killers. There are fans out there who still rank this as the band's finest hour. But, the rose-tinted goggles of nostalgia aside, it does not fully represent to me the characteristics of the band's best work, which would arrive in spades over the next 5 full-length efforts. I don't often find myself going out for a "Charlotte the Harlot" or "Sanctuary", and though "Strange World" is peachy, it feels to me like some other band. Still, the performance of the original members Stratton and Burr is strong here, and Di'anno's tones sound natural with the more 70s hard rock and psychedelic foundation that permeates about half the album. It's an important album, and a very good album, critical in helping to usher on the onslaught of 80s metal evolution and its many hydra-headed revolutions and sub-genres, but I honestly feel the band has surpassed this many times over.

Highlights: Remember Tomorrow, Running Free, Phantom of the Opera, Transilvania

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

The one thing that always sticks out for me about this album is the way it is generally regarded by most Maiden fans and also metal fans in general: It's a decent start for one of the world's greatest and most influential heavy metal bands, but lacking something in comparison to their later 80's works.

Um, what?

It's a ridiculous attitude that unfortunately has been passed down by generation upon generation of Maiden fans, which is mostly related to one thing: Bruce Dickinson doesn't sing on the debut or Killers. And according to these people, due to the lack of Dickinson both albums are inferior to Number Of The Beast and everything after that up until Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. Which is a disgraceful, insulting, and idiotic manner of thinking that shows very little respect for what Iron Maiden really are. People who think this way are forgetting that while The Number Of The Beast was indeed Maiden's breakthrough album, without the first two albums the band would never have achieved the popularity they needed in order to truly "push ahead", as it were, with NOTB. They complain about Paul Di'Anno's singing, saying it pales in comparison to Bruce's operatic vocals, and often label it "too punky". Newsflash: Maiden's early stuff WAS actually influenced by punk, even though was hardly just punk rock - it was something special, different, unique; something that changed the heavy metal scene as we knew it forever, and led to thrash and thus by extension death and black metal too, and of course speed and power metal(it is true that Maiden's later 80's records admittedly did have more of an influence on those scenes). So when people criticise those records for their sound they should keep in mind just how influential the debut and Killers were, and that Paul's voice and style of singing, no matter how much less "operatic" and "soaring" than Bruce's, was also perfectly suited to the way Iron Maiden and Killers sound. Which is also something very interesting and at the time unique: the amalgamation of heavy metal with punk, plus some rock influences, and a very gritty, harsh, dirty, and raw sound that is very unlike Maiden would ever sound again. Even Killers, despite being perhaps more punk influenced than the debut, was definitely lacking something in the rawness department.

Long rant aside, it's that same rawness, grittiness, and realistic, urban kind of lyrical darkness and seediness that draws me back to this album time and time again. It's what makes it special and one of its greatest strengths. That's not to say that it has no weaknesses at all, though; while I am frequently disgusted by the lack of respect for Maiden's first two records in comparison to the five that followed(I'm looking especially hard at you, Powerslave, and at you, Number Of The Beast), I won't deny that Maiden were indeed less experienced songwriters at this point, and that a few moments of astounding compositional genius aside, are also far less progressive than they would become. Again, however, that's another part of the album's appeal: it's not only raw, dirty, and gritty - just like its subject matter, which deals mostly with the kind of shit that goes on in the decrepit alleys and deserted, rundown, slummy areas of London and other major cities(reflected brilliantly in the simple but awesome cover, which creates an incredible atmosphere all by itself), but also filled with youthful energy and vitality, a desire to go out there and do something special, and a completely unpretentious nature that only makes me respect it even more. One thing I absolutely despise is pretension, and in the case of musicians, it's people who are usually inferior to others trying to prove they are better than they really are, and showing themselves up as arrogant, self-righteous and utterly fake and pathetic assholes in the process. And one of the most amazing things about Iron Maiden's debut is that even its most progressive songs(Phantom Of The Opera and Remember Tomorrow)never seem remotely pretentious, even for a second. They are utterly genuine, not to mention extremely well written and fantastic anyway.

That elusive, often dark and frequently seedy and decrepit atmosphere created by the music which is completely fitting to both the artwork and the lyrics is one of my favourite aspects to this album, and again, it only completely rings true here. Killers still had it but was a little too cleanly produced to give that truly gritty feel(which is also characteristic of a lot of early NWOBHM, I admit, although I still think Maiden did it best). Number Of The Beast had it in places but that album was more of a stepping stone between this one and Killers and everything that came afterwards. I love albums that evoke not only a lot of feeling but also a great sense of time, location, and mood, and this is one of the best pre-thrash records I've heard that gives off a truly harsh urban feel. Sure it's upbeat a lot of the time, but it also has plenty of slower moments. The band shines equally in both, the best examples of the former being Prowler, Running Free and the title track, the best examples of the latter being Remember Tomorrow and Strange World(and to some degree Transylvania), and Phantom Of The Opera and Charlotte The Harlot showing the band's ability to combine speed and aggression with mood and feeling equally brilliantly.

Whoa...I just mentioned every song on the album there! Well, that just goes to show how great this album truly is: it has only one real weak point, that being the bonus song "Sanctuary" which, not coincidentally, is the only song on the debut I didn't mention in the previous paragraph, for a good reason. While not a bad song in and out of itself it's extremely forgettable in comparison to all of the other songs, which is not a good thing for any Iron Maiden song. One of Maiden's greatest strengths(and another reason why they are so popular, in a good way)is their ability to write songs that are not only catchy but also very memorable. "Sanctuary" isn't either, unfortunately.

Another thing worth mentioning here, which I also touched upon earlier, is Paul Di'Anno's vocals, and how this ties in with the album's completely down to earth and unpretentious nature. He really adds to the already intense and amazing atmosphere created by the instruments, lyrics, and cover art, because his voice is so fitting to what he is singing about that it's almost uncanny. As good as Bruce is, I cannot imagine these songs ever having such a powerful atmosphere without Di'Anno. The grittiness of his voice prevents any descents into the over the top and corny territory that some of Maiden's later 80's stuff would sadly be plagued with, which unfortunately also led to power metal often sounding really corny, dumb, and yet again fucking pretentious because they took what Bruce did literally and expanded it to even more cartoonish extremes. Sorry, but for my money there is only one man in the world who absolutely never sounds pretentious no matter what he sings about or how over the top he goes. That man is the metal god, Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Iron Maiden never had a singer who quite reached his calibre and nor did any power metal band. Bruce, for all of his own excellence in that more operatic style of singing(which was also a big influence on power metal), wasn't capable of always sounding unpretentious and completely genuine. Di'Anno was, and the Maiden records he sung on also didn't really possess any of those "qualities"(yes, I do mean that in a mostly negative sense)to begin with, and thus none of that crap was ever an issue prior to Number Of The Beast.

But I digress. This is a fucking masterpiece of an album, the beginning of one of the best heavy metal bands ever, and incredibly influential in ways that are still being felt even today. Judas Priest's late 70's records(and a lot of their 80's stuff, too, but especially their 70's stuff)are often said to have hugely influenced speed metal, particularly Stained Class, and equally, I would say Iron Maiden's debut influenced thrash due to its tempos and punk influence. Thrash, as anyone with a decent understanding and knowledge of music knows, was created by combining the heaviness of metal with the speed and aggression of the hardcore punk scene. But I would say that the genre's pioneers(Exodus, Slayer, Metallica, etc)were also influenced by what Iron Maiden did, which was combining heavy metal with some elements of punk rock. Judas Priest's British Steel is often considered to be one of the defining albums of heavy metal as a whole, and part of its legacy is that it stripped down the blues influences of metal and focused more on pure heaviness. Iron Maiden's debut, while perhaps not so obviously sounding as much like one would imagine pure heavy metal to sound like as either the aforementioned Priest record or their own monumental third album two years later, was undoubtedly just as influential as British Steel in its own way; it also stripped down the blues element of metal to almost nothing, but by adding the tempos and some of the sound of punk rock to heavy guitar riffing and finishing it all off beautifully with fantastic songwriting and exuberant energy, it has rightfully earned its place as one of the most important albums in the entire history of the genre. And yet it is still underrated in comparison to Number Of The Beast, even though it was first and thus probably more, not less influential, simply because the majority of fans consider its songs to be of lower quality, the guitar tone doesn't sound quite as heavy, and Paul sings on it instead of Bruce.

And things like this are the reason why I rarely pay that much attention to how well an album is regarded by the metal mainstream. Iron Maiden's debut album is one of the cornerstones of heavy fucking metal, and nothing less than that. For any and every metalhead, owning this album is absolutely mandatory, both as a piece of metal history and as a fucking awesome masterwork of heavy music. Nothing less than essential.

Now of the early Maiden albums this is by far the worst. It’s sloppy, has a very amateurish sound, and has this unappealing attitude to my ears. I’ll give them the praise of highly melodic solos that sometimes sound improvised (in a good way) and the riffs themselves are catchy, but the rest needs work. The members at the time no doubt knew what kind of music they wanted to play. Di’Anno has a terrible range when compared to Dickinson; his singing is clear, raucous, and more personal than Dickinson’s. You don’t get the same kind of arena vocals that will soar over thousands upon thousands of fans crammed in a stadium. Upon first listen his voice sounded like crap when compared to Killers, but only as I kept coming back to this did I find that he just sounds unfocused and thus off key. His performance is in no way standout like it would be on the next album, which is a damn shame because the songs could use a leader to follow.

The first few tracks on this album really paint a grim picture. Maybe I’m not in the right “mindset” or “mood,” but I felt no connection with these songs. I could feel the dark tendencies brooding in the air when hearing “Remember Tomorrow,” and when “Running Free” galloped on through the mist I felt the jazzy vibe kick in. The chill factor went up and Di’Anno’s started to grasp his routine better than before. However, the moment was short-lived and the song pretty much ran it’s course. It ended up going nowhere fast and left me with little to take back. Drumming is highly forgettable since all the attention is focused on the leads. They’re aggressive and sound great since production surprisingly didn’t hamper their vibration pitch, but as you can see they’re the last things I noticed when it came to these songs.

Again I must compare this album to Killers, which is superior in every way. That album had a theme, personality, charm, focused vocals, and really just better riffs. The songs here, although inspiring, have no defining traits or class. The only songs I can say that go above these claims are the three that follow. With “Phantom Of The Opera” the songwriting is spot on with contagiously melodic leads, a captivating bridge, and that distinct Maiden progressiveness that wipes the floor in the blues, psychedelic, and doom departments. Thankfully it wasn’t alone in this endeavor, for the succeeding instrumental “Transylvania” resurrected this persona and played around with it jovially. It definitely has a sloppy, albeit charismatic, sound.

Guitars are pretty mixed here, with everything before “Phantom Of The Opera” sounding like insistent drivel with no standout style. I guess the first few songs just didn’t utilize their potential all too well, which explains why they really suck hard. Murray and Stratton play lively with thrills and frills when required, dipping into an emotional side here and there. “Strange World” puts me in this spell when listening to it – I’m entranced by the fat bass, which plays a huge role in Maiden songs as it always is heard alongside the guitars. It grumbles along in the grumpiest of moods ala Geezer Butler's grooves in Black Sabbath.

This is not an impressive start. “Phantom Of The Opera,” “Transylvania,” and “Strange World” are the only great songs off this. Iron Maiden is a pretty mediocre album with some hope attached. Killers will always be the superior of the Di’Anno albums, but I can’t really blame Maiden. They just came out of their gig days of the late 1970s and this is the kind of wild shit they were used to playing. Killers would aid in refining the best of it.

It is pretty safe to say that the Iron Maiden that released their debut in 1980 is quite different than the more famous version that would come in just a few short years. Fronted by the infamous Paul Di’Anno, this Iron Maiden is more raw, angry, and hungry than the one that most listeners are familiar with. This album is particularly notable for being the only album to feature guitarist Dennis Stratton and producer Will Malone.

Musically, this album’s songs can all be grouped as being almost punky rockers, more progressive borderline epics, and even a few atmospheric ballad tracks. "Prowler" opens the album with some sleazy guitar playing and sleazier lyrics. "Remember Tomorrow" is a somber ballad that features a melodic vocal performance and some cool heavy/soft constrasts. "Running Free" is a bluesy mid-tempo tune with a bouncy rhythm section performance and fun vocals. "The Phantom of the Opera" finishes the first side off with some fast paced vocal/guitar trade-offs that soon go into a more melodic bridge that then leads into some excellently played twin guitar solos.

The instrumental "Transylvania" proceeds to open the album’s second side with plenty of great guitar riffs. "Strange World" is another ballad in the vein of "Remember Tomorrow" with its somber vocals and spacy Pink Floydesque guitar pings. "Charlotte the Harlot" is another straightforward rocker with a gritty chorus and a melodic bridge. The title track closes the album out with catchy twin guitar wails and a strong (though somewhat repetitive) chorus. In short, every song is nicely done and there isn’t a filler track to be heard. The 1998 remaster also includes "Sanctuary," a catchy single with a bouncy main riff, a great sing-along chorus, and mock sirens during the solo section.

The band’s performance is also pretty strong. Stratton and longtime member Dave Murray put out plenty of great riffs and solos, Steve Harris’s bass is always audible and up to the IM standard, Clive Burr provides a solid foundation, and Di’Anno makes up for his limited range with charisma and a gritty attitude. In fact, the latter member may be the only flaw in the line-up. He’s a great singer but he may be an acquired taste for fans more used to the cleaner ways of Bruce Dickinson. . .

Iron Maiden would go on to do even greater things, but this is a most ambitious start.

Pros:
1) Excellent guitars, great rhythm section, and charismatic vocals
2) Great songwriting and variety
3) Not a filler to be found

Cons:
1) May be a little too punky for some fans
2) Di’Anno is an acquired taste

My Current Favorites:
"Prowler," "Remember Tomorrow," "Running Free," "Phantom of the Opera," and "Charlotte the Harlot"

Since I've only recently "discovered" Iron Maiden (shortly after discovering this site), I thought it would be an interesting experiment to listen to all of their albums in order. I've already reviewed their most recent album, A Matter of Life and Death, and so now I'm going back to the beginning: the eponymous Iron Maiden.

Listening to this album is kind of like listening to early Deep Purple: many of the renowned elements are in place, but they haven't yet added the elements that would make them great. Basically, seen on its own merits, this is a good album. The guitar work is great, the blistering riffs, the changes in tempo and meter, the dark atmosphere. The most noticeable thing, knowing what Iron Maiden would later become, is the vocals. The main element that made me take notice of Iron Maiden in the first place, Bruce Dickinson's amazing voice, was not yet a part of the Iron Maiden sound. Not that Paul Di'Anno's voice is bad. He's a capable lead singer, but he tends to be overshadowed by the excellent guitar work. Once again, the parallel to Purple is inescapable. I wonder what it would be like to have heard this album before all the other ones. Did the early Iron Maiden fans welcome Bruce Dickinson into the fold, or did they regret the loss of Di'Anno?

There are certainly some standout tracks here, "Phantom of the Opera" being one of the most notable, perhaps. "Charlotte the Harlot" must have struck a chord among Maiden fans, too, as it became so legendary. Listening to it today, I was struck by the almost prog rock sound of the track: lots of meter changes, with the drums playing the same rhythms as the vocal line. Sadly for Paul Di'Anno, I think "Charlotte the Harlot" most exposes the weakness of his voice. But you gotta LOVE the guitar work in that tune. And I personally really enjoy the different levels of "Remember Tomorrow." There is also some very fine guitar work on the track "Transylvania." The track entitled "Iron Maiden" reminds me quite a bit of "Speed King," by Deep Purple (without the organ). Fast and energetic, it also suffers from substandard vocals by Di'Anno.

I guess you have to appreciate the success of these early albums, which apparently worked well enough to lead to the later glory of the Iron Maiden, while being thankful that the band realized what they needed to adjust to reach their potential. I think we can safely say that, if Paul Di'Anno had remained in the group, it would have been difficult (if not impossible) for them to become the Iron Maiden we know and love. I probably won't listen to this album nearly as much as I will many of their others, but it's still an enlightening experience.

Iron Maiden is one of the few bands that can boast an entire decade’s worth of quality material – the only other bands that come to mind are Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. And all legacies have to start somewhere; for Maiden, it’s their 1980 debut. NWOBHM to the core, yet harboring subtle tendencies for something radically new and different (which the band would realize once they acquired the legendary Dickinson), this album takes what was an established genre and raises it to an entirely unprecedented level. From the raw, gritty production to Derek Riggs’s phenomenal cover art, Iron Maiden’s eponymous offering unrelentingly bores “metal” into your psyche like a drill.

There’s a ton to like here, whether it be the straightforward, headbang-worthy rockers, the progressive epics or (surprise, surprise!) the moody ballads. The band takes no prisoners with constant yet varied barrages of musical domination. The guitars drip with steely power, Harris defiantly flaunts his unique bass prowess, and the underrated Clive Burr does much more than simply keep the beat. At the forefront is Paul Di’Anno, proving himself a force to be reckoned with.

Songs like “Prowler” and “Running Free” abound with cool riffs and street-smart lyrics. Maiden are not content to stagnate into repetitiveness as so many other bands do, and so even these straightforward rockers vary quite a bit. The former includes tasteful wah-wah guitar (take that, Metallica!), a proto-Dickinson-era solo (which is inherently good) and subtle changes in tempo, while the latter contains a distinctive drum intro and the first example of Harris’s famous galloping bass – not to mention some of Di’Anno’s toughest vocals. That section in the middle where he shouts “break!” has to be one of the coolest things ever, something revisited in the later “Revelations” to great effect.

Again choosing to make their music more eclectic, Maiden balances the heavy rock with slower, more brooding numbers like “Remember Tomorrow.” It’s full of cryptic lyrics (apparently about Di’Anno’s father) delivered in a more sentimental way, proving Di’Anno is quite multitalented. The song plays with sections of heaviness up to its climax, where it explodes into something much more than your typical metal ballad, finally erupting into its famed bass-led outro. “Remember Tomorrow” ranks among the best songs Maiden ever did – no wonder Dickinson sang it at his audition!

Iron Maiden also shows progressive tendencies with the epic “Phantom of the Opera.” A precursor to later numbers such as “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” or “To Tame a Land,” it eschews the strictly heavy metal riffs for those of progressive rock (not a bad thing by any means.) The song is multi-layered with alternating heavy, soft, fast, and slow parts, yet again proving that Maiden will not cement themselves in one style. The long instrumental sections hint at those of “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and Maiden’s other seven-plus-minute opuses.

Following Maiden’s number-one track is their longest instrumental, “Transylvania.” It sounds less like an instrumental in the vein of “The Ides of March” or “Genghis Khan” in that it rather resembles a section in one of Maiden’s longer works, containing multiple parts and several guitar solos, in sections highlighting each instrument. The album is rounded out with a couple more rockish tunes, not quite up to the level of the aforementioned “Prowler” and “Running Free” but still drenched in quality.

It’s not quite the most famous or the best thing Maiden’s ever done (those honors go to The Number of the Beast and Killers, respectively), but it’s a highly respectable first step. Trailing behind only its follow-up in innovation and variation, it’s the important beginning of Maiden’s storied career – and Maiden would only get better as time went on.

Author's note: Yeah, this review turned out to be much longer and a little more pretentious than I had originally intended, so if you're looking for a review that succinctly describes the music and tells you whether or not you should go buy the album, well, there are plenty of others on the site. If you've already heard the album a million times and want some insight into why it's a classic (beyond "it's, uh...really good, George!"), I try to give some, so read on. Also, the penultimate paragraph contains generalizations for the sake of a point (and brevity), so all you types who like to find exceptions can keep them. Anyway, on with the review.


Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden! What hasn't been said about Iron Maiden? Easily the most well-known and important band of the NWOBHM movement, and consequently one of the most well-known and important bands in all of metal, their impact on the genre is so great that it's all but impossible to imagine it without them. The paltry few that came before, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath the best-known of those, could still be considered a part of rock & roll, and indeed today might still be if not for NWOBHM and Iron Maiden. To me, that particular movement with that particular band perched at its prow like a figurehead represent the birth of Heavy Fucking Metal; not just as an idea or tentative theory or passing trend, but as a full-fledged genre, an important subculture, a force to be reckoned with.

After reading that last paragraph some of you may be wondering how I could give an album I recognize as being so important anything but the highest of scores; it's undeniable that they influenced a shitload of people (fans and bands alike), and left their permanent print on the genre so that it would be impossible to imagine metal without Iron Fucking Maiden. Even if a band sounds nothing like them, you can bet that band was aware of Iron Maiden, and so even the decision to not be like Iron Maiden is still influenced by them in a way. I mean, how in the hell did Iron Maiden do all that? What was so special about them? Obviously something has to be, as it's clearly more than just a case of being at the right place at the right time, though they certainly were. However, despite all that historical significance and subsequent influence, in an album review the album must be judged on its own merits and no others. For much of the album, Iron Maiden's genius shines through like a beacon, lighting metal's way to the future; but occasionally they clearly fall short of that. After all, they're only human, and as with all genre pioneers they were stumbling around in the dark; no one had done this before, so they had only their own mistakes to learn from.

Iron Maiden's brand of NWOBHM is at its best deadly serious and aggressive, eschewing rock's penchant for fun in favor of a dark, violent tone; still, the band takes a more musically sophisticated approach to composition, which separates them from their peers. Steve Harris apparently composed the bass parts first and then worked the riffs up around them, which may contribute to the band's unorthodox, bouncy sound, even when compared to similar bands like Diamond Head or Angel Witch. Also, at times the bass and guitars play close three-part harmonies, as with the opening melody on the title track; I think it's fair to say Iron Maiden invented or at least popularized the oft-imitated NWOBHM dual-guitar lead (the idea of counterpoint in a metal context? Quite possibly). It's certainly true I've never heard anything quite like that bit of instrumental magic in "Phantom of the Opera", and I can only imagine how it must've dropped jaws back then. Really, though, what I get from Iron Maiden is a kind of violence that I haven't heard in the metal that came before them. Sure, Black Sabbath were morose, but to me it seems they sang more about violence and evil than actually epitomized it themselves; the immortal "Black Sabbath" is from the perspective of someone being chased by that ominous figure in black, rather than the other way around. Judas Priest on the other hand were violent, sure, but songs like "Genocide" or "The Ripper" are still slick and clean, as if you're watching a high-budget movie version of violence rather than experiencing it yourself. Iron Maiden, however, put you right there in the rough, gritty midst of things with songs like "Prowler". Thematically speaking it's practically identical to "The Ripper", but compare the lyrics: both are from the perspective of their respective murderous protagonists, but while "The Ripper" is narrated in a fairly straightforward, almost gentlemanly manner, "Prowler" is told using barely coherent stream-of-consciousness rambling, as if you're inside the prowler's head and hearing his repulsive thoughts as he's stalking his victim ("Got me feeling myself and reeling around"), with a much more chilling result. The lead guitars and bass build on the riffs in classic Iron Maiden fashion, practically never staying still; with so many parts going on at once, it lends the song the illusion of barely-controlled chaos which again serves to heighten that violent and gritty tone. Overall, "Prowler" is a quintessential Di'Anno-era song, one of my all-time favorites from the band. The title track is also in this vein, and it's fucking awesome too. The way the main melody builds up with the first guitar entering, then the second, and finally the bass completing it is just fantastic. The chorus is a little disconcertingly upbeat, but it's fun and doesn't ruin the atmosphere, so whatever. I'm going to group the tracks based on similarity rather than album order, so bear with me.

Unfortunately "Sanctuary" is nowhere near as good; it's an upbeat, forgettable rock song with a mediocre main riff made all the worse through extreme over-repetition. Some instrumental parts partially mitigate its sucking, but frankly it displays pretty much none of the elements that make the previous songs so good. It's listenable, but barely. Guess it figures it was a single. And I know it wasn't on the original album, but it has appeared as track 2 on Iron Maiden for over ten years now, so I think it might as well be considered an official part of it (if you're really anal about it not counting, pretend I scored the album higher). "Running Free" is rockish and banal too, though better than "Sanctuary". Yeah, it's the other single. It has some cool dual-guitar leads, and a nice middle section, but that main riff is pretty fucking annoying (not as bad as the one in "Sanctuary", though). These two tracks definitely drag the album down, not because they're incredibly awful, but because they're common, mundane, mortal. On an album like this, they simply don't belong.

"Remember Tomorrow" is amazing; a slow, haunting ballad that occasionally bursts into heaviness during the chorus, and eventually explodes into a fast, upbeat section which totally clashes with the previous mood. However, that dissidence is calculated, and the upbeat mood descends by degrees back towards a final collapse into the morose, resigned, almost doomy atmosphere of the initial sections. It's a little crude, but definitely effective. "The all-seeing eye flickers above us," that bit is fucking chilling. This song also illustrates one aspect in which the Di'Anno era is far superior to the Dickinson era; read the lyrics, you won't have much of a fucking idea about what's going on. Vague and dreamlike events are described and statements are made in an almost impressionistic manner, but it leaves their interpretation more or less up to the imagination; Dickinsonian lyrics however too often read like book reports, with as many factoids as possible crammed into the allotted time. If only they'd written more songs like "Children of the Damned" than "Alexander the Great" with Brucey Bruce! "Strange World" is also somewhat in this vein, except instead of a power ballad it's just a plain ol' ballad. Still, it crafts a strong atmosphere not unlike the soft parts in "Remember Tomorrow", except less dark and more languid and floating. Di'Anno here shows us a rare glimpse of his softer side, singing serenely of what seems to be a dreamworld or perhaps a calm drug trip. The undertones however are rather darker, with the implication in the lyrics being that the protagonist is escaping the shit of his real life within his mind, reminding me somewhat of "Beyond the Realms of Death", but from a different perspective.

"Transylvania" is the first of the signature Iron Maiden instrumentals, and it's quite good. Harris hops around on his bass quite a bit, and the dual-guitar parts are excellent, the solos too. The problem with this one, though, is that I really think it would've sounded better as a song. While I'm certainly no songwriter, I can easily imagine Di'Anno singing over top of certain parts, and why not? He's a great singer, seems a rather odd choice to not include him where he could easily fit. On "The Ides of March" from their next album it wouldn't make sense to include him as it's under two minutes long, just a quick sketch, but "Transylvania" is over four. Oh well, it's still good. "Charlotte the Harlot" is rather upbeat, but much more complex than "Sanctuary" or "Running Free". It's fun, though a little weak at first; still, the dark interlude and subsequent high-octane buildup back to the main theme are fantastic. I'd rate "Transylvania" and "Charlotte the Harlot" in the middle of the pack for this album; quite good, but not quite great.

"Phantom of the Opera" is a fucking classic and deserving of said status. No two ways about it, and anyone who tells you different is a liar or a fool. The aggressive, unsettling mood of the verses and chorus serves to build up to the sweeping, epic bridge which is, simply put, one of the finest moments in all of metal.


Heavy metal has never been about trying to express great truths through precise logic or methodical argumentation; rather, it attacks these truths head-on, on a visceral emotional level. Blunt force trauma, rather than surgical strikes. The genre doesn't seek through years of education or meditation to lay these truths bare for our inspection by translating them into a language everyone can understand; rather, the musicians just transmute their deep emotional responses directly into music, without often letting pesky left-brain interference seep in. This is why most of the great metal singers are far from talented in a classical sense; could you imagine Dio, Halford, Dickinson, or Di'Anno singing opera? Certainly not, as they go for a raw, emotional approach, as had been common in rock & roll for decades. Compare that to highly regimented, disciplined composers of the past, like JS Bach; his fugues are practically mathematical equations, where you plug in a melody or two and extrapolate them and their permutations to their logical conclusions. The beauty is in the symmetry, like a balanced checkbook or a perfect sphere; a left-brained, Apollonian ideal, with a result that can be analyzed and dissected without losing its essential character. My dad for example loved taking out the sheet music for The Well-Tempered Clavier and going through the fugues, following all the different voices with multicolored markers, cataloging the variations on the melodies, not to mention a whole host of other studies. If you tried something like that with metal, it would end laughably; compared on paper to Bach's counterpoint, the counterpoint of "Phantom of the Opera" or even some ultra-techwank metal band seems child's play. Of course it bears remembering that the harpsichord is an instrument almost wholly lacking dynamics and finesse which perhaps forced Bach to take counterpoint further than he would have otherwise (the organ suffers from similar problems, though not as pronounced), but that's not all there is to it. And just look at the sheer volume of Bach's compositions; it's staggering under any light, and when compared to how much quality material even the best of metal bands create over the course of their careers, the disparity becomes almost farcical. Clearly metal is of the Dionysian sort, and though the bands may assail Truth with hot passion, the light that burns bright burns fast. Such passion is unsustainable in the long run, for the vast majority.

Thus one of the great downfalls of metal is that many are unsatisfied with this, and seek to become something more Apollonian; to "intellectualize" metal, with the aim perhaps of being respected by their professors, admired in aristocratic society, becoming something logical and clean and objectively defensible and devoid of that nasty honest human sentiment that the irony-obsessed modern culture so loves to mock. In a sense, these misguided metalheads just want to have their cake and eat it too; metal cannot change so drastically without giving up its essential character. It is, at its core, modern folk music; music by metalheads for metalheads, most often composed by musicians without formal training and appreciated on a deep emotional level by those who are not completely at home in mainstream modern society. For some, metal is cathartic; for others, it is a call to action; and it's probably many more things to many more metalheads as well. Regardless, a unique subculture of sorts has sprung up around it. Can you imagine well-groomed ladies and gentlemen wearing evening gowns and tuxedos sitting politely in a concert hall listening to "Theme and Variations on Iron Maiden's 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'" as performed by the New York Philharmonic? Of course not; the mere thought is ludicrous. Jazz has already partially made that transition, but I cannot see metal going from hot to cool and surviving. That passion and violent energy are a part of its essential character; symbol-laden though the genre may be, it is basically a gut-level negative response to modern existence, and the morose realization that there are few alternatives, if any. That's where I believe Iron Maiden and their NWOBHM brethren were important; Black Sabbath perceived this darkness, this bleak but unalterable truth of reality, Judas Priest developed it a step further: what is "Beyond the Realms of Death", if not the epitome of what I've been talking about? If they are the mother and father, the first of the family to settle in a new country, then the NWOBHM bands are their children, the first raised with metal as their first language. These children possessed a youthful energy, something naive yet cynical, jaded yet hopeful, that I just don't detect in the bands that came before (at least not to the same degree); and this was a new component that is now essential to the overall character of metal. While certainly not the final step in the coalescing of the genre's defining traits, it was certainly a crucial step. Perhaps the most crucial of all.

That is one reason I am incredibly annoyed whenever I see people pointing out any kind of Iron Maiden influence in a later band as something significant and negative, as if every album that fails to reinvent the genre is somehow inferior. This is, of course, ridiculous; am I any less of a reviewer, because I write in English and not a language of my own invention? Though pioneering bands are obviously extremely important to the development of any genre, at the risk of over-generalization I will say that they rarely, if ever, exhibit the best their respective genres have to offer. After all, as pioneers they don't have the benefit of hindsight, and must explore by groping in the dark; Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Manowar, and many other such bands write great songs, but have far from perfect track records even on their best albums. Still, these bands are not mere historical curiosities on the path to progression either, as if they were steam trains or Model T Fords that have served their purposes and now belong in a museum; this attitude is just as odious as the reverse. Great art does not age poorly, and that is exactly what songs like "Phantom of the Opera" and "Remember Tomorrow" are. Of course the music of Iron Maiden is also more developed than that of their predecessors, but these advancements are incidental (as are all truly great advancements in technique). They simply sought to express themselves as best they could, and as they found the tools at their disposal lacking, they had to invent some new ones or new ways to use old ones. It is not the tools themselves or their invention that ultimately deserve the praise, but rather the creations that made the best use of them.

The self titled debut of 'Iron Maiden' marks the birth of a classic band and the first chapter in one of the most quality and consistent heavy metal discographies. The songwriting here is way more unique and varied than most of the NWOBHM bands of that time, it has these catchy and uncomplicated NWOBHM hymns among complex and long epics which gives this album a more interesting shade than everything else out there, this is a standout debut for real.

Something unusual in this album is the very simple constructed riffing, which sounds quite powerful, even for today. The last thing I'd say about the riffing is that it's ambitious, because it isn't, and that's makes wonder. The rhythm guitars mostly built of power chords without too much complexity and yet they sounds incredible. 'Prowler' for instance contains only three riffs or so, which has the same patterns and beats and contains only sole power chords, but the way it executed makes it sounds so intense and impressive. It has a second guitar which just repeats the vocals and make the song flow better, but the perfect timing of the dual guitar work it's what makes this song sounds one of a kind. If it's about the short and adventitious fills, the precise strumming, the catchy rhythm or the middle section which takes the song to another voyage and return it to the basic point, the structure of this song is amazing at the same level of it's simplicity. What I'm trying to say is that this album sounds outstanding without making any effort, it's just pure in it's cure and it doesn't need to strain itself to amaze you, it has something unexplained in it's simplicity which makes it sound unique.

'Sanctuary' is a very catchy song with very flowing rhythm and quite noticeable bass playing. The lead guitar is also great and varied, it's fast and harmonized and has a quite melodic vibe. 'Remember Tomorrow' is a semi ballad. It's verses are slow and melancholic and the chorus has the distorted guitars and heavier mood. The vocals are amazing, 'Paul Di'Anno' masters his voice easily and singing very emotional theme here. The middle section is awesome as well, pretty chaotic riffage and exploding solo which increases the atmosphere of this song way up. 'Phantom Of The Opera' is the epic of this album. Longer than the average length of the songs here and doesn't sounds boring for a moment. It has one of the catchiest riffs I've ever heard and it has a powerful, complex structure which progress excellently. The soloing however, is the jewel in the crown. Excellent orgasmic leading job and quite much dual guitar work here, this is a song that really impress you for the long range, one of the most memoreable classics of 'Maiden' and one of my favorites heavy metal songs ever.

The rest of the album is quality as well, not even one filler or dragging moment in this classic album. Iron Maiden's debut is absolutely one of a kind, their second album was impressive as well but it didn't had the same spirit, and of course that by 1982 this band sounded much different. Overall, 'Iron Maiden' is a classic album that really defines what classic heavy metal is with it's wide spectrum of colors and inventive mind. A must have for each metalhead!

Throughout my years of listening to metal, I have listened to many NWOBHM releases from both bands who released a single and split up and ones which would later become famous. The movement as a whole was one of the better ones which have happened in the Metal world, with a large percentage of the bands being worth listening to at least once, from the unknown basement bands to the bands at the forefront of it. Sure, a lot of it wasn't very original in a lot of cases and quite a few offered nothing new but the releases during that period were a great excuse to simply crank the stereo up and rock out.

Iron Maiden's debut, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest of the NWOBHM pack. There is something about this album which sets it apart from all other releases of the movement, and after listening to this album it is easy to see just how they became the metal staple they are today. There are few records from the NWOBHM movement which stand up to this, few that offer the same raw intensity, that contain soloing as impeccable as is seen on here, and have songwriting as effective and captivating.

If I were to sum up this album in one word, it would be 'energy'. The music on display here is chock full of it, coming from a young, energetic band which have finally, after existing for five years, established a solid lineup and recorded a debut. The music on here is very different to Dickinson -era Maiden. While the later records would be more polished with every note sounding like it was carefully put in place, this screams out from the underground with raw energy, not caring about the consequences. There is a much more prominent NWOBHM influence on here which they would later shed in favour of a more traditional Heavy Metal sound, and so it is unlike anything else they would later release with the exception of Killers.

The individual performances on here are great and each member of the band sound as if they are giving their all. Paul Di'Anno's voice is gruff and low, sounding quite similar to a punk rock vocalist. While he doesn't do any of the screams he would later employ on the follow up, his voice fits the songs perfectly and he performs them better than Dickinson ever has or will. The riffing on here is savage and unrestrained yet still containing a strong sense of melody and is mostly midpaced. The solos are excellent and put a large majority of ones seen on other Metal releases to shame. The bass mostly follows the guitar lines and while it is not as prominent as it would be on later releases it is still clearly audible, while the drums provide an effective rhythm.

As for the individual songs on here, there aren't really any bad ones. They range from straightforward metal tunes such as 'Prowler' and 'Running Free' to the ballads of the album, 'Remember Tomorrow' and 'Strange World', and an excellent instrumental is thrown in for good measure. But there is one song on here the puts nearly everything from the NWOBHM movement to shame, and that song is 'Phantom of the Opera'. Being the longest song on the album, it is an impeccable song and one of the best Maiden has ever written. Starting off with a short lived intro it then moves into a perfect fast paced galloping riff that the band is renowned for with catchy vocal lines over the top. Around the two minute mark it slows down into a simple yet effective bass line which leads into an amazing slow paced emotional solo. At 3:20, it speeds up a little with a twin guitar harmony which leads into a midpaced riff over which some more twin guitar soloing comes in. Finally, at 6:20 it returns to it's original pace and riff to finish off the song.

Steve Harris had to endure almost five years of constant lineup changes, playing in small clubs and generally not getting anywhere before a stable lineup was formed, and it is damn good that he did it. I can say with all honesty that this is one of the highlights not only of the whole NWOBHM movement, but also an album that stands up to the Heavy Metal genre as an early classic. As said before, one listen to this album confirms why Iron Maiden got where they are now, and this album is not only recommended, but highly essential to any respectable metal collection.

Of all the bands to emerge during the NWOBHM invasion, none have been more celebrated than the legendary Iron Maiden. Taking the frantic speed metal pace and dueling harmony leads even further than Judas Priest would, Maiden is consistently mentioned as a key influence by up and coming metal bands even to date. Though their debut is rawer and far less epic than the albums that would make them icons of the decade, it’s an essential chunk of NWOBHM history and a solid listen from start to finish.

Though the Di’anno led albums are essentially proto-incarnations of the band’s true sound, most of their signature elements were already established from the very beginning. Steve Harris’ mighty basswork already kept the band ahead of the pack, while his songwriting on here is pretty much flawless. The Dave Murray/Adrian Smith [edit: Dennis Straton actually filled the second guitar spot on this album. Adrian would not join on until after this album's release. Please excuse my ignorance] guitar duo was already ringing out brilliant solos and some of the finest harmony work seen at the turn of the decade. The epic bridge section in “Phantom of the Opera” is arguably the greatest display of their skill, not just on this album, but in comparison to even their most recent work. The band would become most notable for their faster songs (the speedy instrumental “Transylvania,” as well as the rock worthy “Running Free”), but their ability to perform well in a mellower situation is also established here. “Remember Tomorrow” is among their best ballads (with some of their most emotive playing and a dramatically energetic mid-section) and “Strange World” helps to showcase Paul Di’annos’s lighter side, a side rarely seen as he howls his way through most of the songs on here. Special mention goes to opener “Prowler” for a mighty fine utilization of the wah pedal.

There isn’t a bad song on here, but admittedly, I still can’t get into “Running Free.” Yeah, I know it’s one of the first songs they ever wrote and it’s historically important and so on but it feels out of place nonetheless. “Charlotte the Harlot” has grown on me, however, and I now consider that another one of this album’s classic tunes (of which there are many).

But those are just my afterthoughts of the album. Most fans will have no trouble elevating this to god-like status after a few mere listens. Inferior perhaps, when compared to some of the Dickinson-era classics, but undoubtedly one of the band’s finest releases.

Many bands tend to slip up on their debut and turn out a rather uninspired affair that stands inferior to the band’s live shows or even their early demos. Others put up a show of mediocrity which is hardly up to potential shown earlier. Iron Maiden fall under that narrow category of bands whose debuts totally stomped over the metal scene at the time of its release and amazingly, the debut still sounds vibrant and fresh today. A variety of reasons play to the underperformance of bands on their debuts – bad production (Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good), nauseating vocals (Black Sabbath – s/t), immature songwriting (Dark Angel – We Have Arrived), inconsistency (Judas Priest – Rocka Rolla) and many other comparatively sparse incidents of underperformance. Iron Maiden on the other hand, have rolled out a release here that features a simple but rather effective production with Di Annio providing rough, fitting and at times spectacularly emotive vocals. Maiden’s songwriting has already evolved and matured (for a fine example of this maturity, see ‘Phantom Of The Opera’). The entire album is very consistent, a rarity indeed for debut albums.

Maiden at this period differed quite a lot from the Maiden that would be seen later on ‘Piece Of Mind’ (I do not mention ‘The Number Of The Beast’ as I regard it as the bridge between the two styles). This Maiden has a rockish swagger to it and some influences of punk can also be traced here. Overall, the material on here with the exception of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (which blends well with later Maiden) is shorter, faster and overall much more energetic than the Maiden seen later. The loosely connected structure and heavy, reckless riffing here and on successor ‘Killers’ would act as a base for none other than thrash which would emerge a year and a half later. As such, Maiden can be seen as being the band that laid down the blueprint for thrash with their debut and sophomore releases.

Dennis Stratton acts as a competent predecessor to superior Adrian Smith who would arrive on sophomore release ‘Killers’. The absence of guitarist Adrian Smith here is not quite as instantly revealing as on releases after Adrian’s departure from Maiden after ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’. Dave Murray is as usual solid. Paul Di Annio as has been said earlier provides rougher vocals which give the band a somewhat biting nihilistic edge. Clive Burr is in my opinion the best drummer ever and he turns in a performance for the ages here – it deserves the reverence of drummers worldwide. Steve is excellent on bass; he probably is metal’s first bass guitar hero.

The tracks to be noted here, are opener ‘Prowler’ with its punkish riffing and reckless attitude. ‘Remember Tomorrow’ also deserves a mention (a half-ballad) for its ultra-emotive vocal performance by Paul. ‘Transylvania’ is ahead of its time in terms of speed and aggression. ‘Phantom of the Opera’ is a career highlight of Maiden; it merges the general style to be found on this album with the epic sound that was to follow later. It throws in tons of varied riffs and solos (Dave Murray and Stratton blaze through the track with supreme efficiency and all at breakneck speed while Clive backs them up superbly on drums) all through its length and still stays catchy-as-heck despite the odd-turns taken at many points. ‘Iron Maiden’ deserves a mention for its relentless ferocity (“Iron Maiden’s gonna get ya!”) and unbelievable catchiness, it truly deserves the title it bears.

The rest of the stuff isn’t quite as awesome as the first and is more streamlined with the rest of the NWOBHM movement but they still manage to be very good rockers. ‘Running Free’ was Maiden’s first single and met with a fair amount of success – undoubtedly due to its more commercial leanings. Still it is very catchy and also manages to throw a rather heavy (for its time) break mid-length. ‘Strange World’ is a complete ballad unlike ‘Remember Tomorrow’. It is a rather serene track although it tends to drag a bit as it maintains a constant tempo throughout the song length. ‘Charlotte The Harlot’ is a standard rockish NWOBHM number with a memorable chorus. The bonus track, ‘Sanctuary’ has one awesome ultra-catchy riff before it descends into mediocrity.

On the whole, the album is an evolutionary milestone for metal and undoubtedly one of the best all-time debuts. This is early heavy metal even a punk fan can enjoy and it definitely deserves more recognition than is being accorded to it at the moment.

Iron Maiden was at the forefront of the NOWBHM, pumping out some rather intriguing and unusually progressive music considering the subject matter of their album covers. Some thought them a punk rock band because of the image of their original vocalist Paul Di'Anno, despite the fact that he probably has 10 times the vocal range of Johnny Rotten or Joey Ramone. But what made maiden unique was their radically different approach to songwriting and lyrical subject matter that gave them their identity.

This album is extremely varied both stylistically and technically, which fits with the very fluid nature of the NWOBHM, where there was basically no rules for how to write a song. We have some rather complex songs such as the first chapter of "Charlotte the Harlot" and the grandeous epic "Phantom of the Opera", which Harris regards as one of his finest works. Where the former has some rather dramatic changes in feel from the main section to the interlude section, the latter sees enough contrast in melody and feel that it sort of qualifies as it's own seven minute opera. Dave Murray gives amazing lead guitar performances on both of these songs.

We also have some straight forward rockers that will never leave your memory. "Running Free" kicks off with an old big band style swing beat and goes off into a hard edged electric guitar riff. "Prowler" is extremely catchy, and has some excellent lead riffs that accompany the vocals through out the whole song. "Iron Maiden" is another catchy classic with an unforgettable intro riff, underscoring why it still enjoys frequent play at Maiden's live shows after more than 25 years.

More experimental tracks include the quasi-jazz ballad "Strange World", which showcases both Clive Burr's ability to use his set in an atmospheric fashion, as well as Di'Anno's ability to clean up the rough edges of his voice when it's demanded. "Remember Tomorrow" is an early example of varying sections of music and creating tension by getting louder during the chorus and quieter during the verse. Steve Harris' lyrics on this one delve into his personal life, and his bass work here is quite active.

Some additional treats on here include the instrumental "Transylvania", which lives up to it's name with it's spooky sounding atmosphere and it's catchy main theme. This song is heavily influencial amongst power metal bands who write instrumental works to complement their albums. The re-release of this album includes the bonus track "Sanctuary", which sheds some light on why Maiden was sometimes associated with the punk rock scene. This song is a straight forward rocker that is uncharacteristically simple for the band, and does at times sound quasi-punkish.

In conclusion, although the production of this album is a bit primitive by today's standards, this album is a must have for fans of traditional metal. Power and Progressive metal fans are also encouraged to take a look at this album as it contains elements of both and undoubtedly influenced both genres.

I will write my first review for the first album from Iron Maiden, that is the homonymous Iron Maiden (1980). I don't usually like very much the starting albums because in general they feature a very rough sound (both voice and instruments) and a poor production; however, this is not the case: what a great start! It kicks off with the astounding Prowler, which will make you headbang after a few moments even if it is your first listening: it is at the same time powerful and melodic and immediately put you on the right way for the remaining of the album; we have a great mix here, with good vocals, riffs and a nice production which let you distinguish every single instrument. By the way, the voice here is from Paul I don't like self-commemorative tracks for the latter.Di'Anno, like in the following Killers: I think that he fits perfectly the sound of these early releases, in particular in this one; I wouldn't say that he is better than Bruce Dickinson, nor that he's worse, he is simply different and both are really skilled in what they do.

Back to the album, we now have Sanctuary, which is a typical rock track: I think this is pretty interesting, because it shows you a band making its first steps and trying to emerge from the panorama of that time; this is audible, but not one of my favorites; the same can be said about the following Remember Tomorrow, a quite slow track with some good riff, and the short Running Free, in which the rock influence is remarkable too.

Then we come to what is, in my opinion, the most robust, innovating and headbanging section of the album, composed of the wonderful pair Phantom of the Opera and Transylvania: generally fast pace with some slowdown in the first and astonishing riffs in the second are something many metalheads will surely appreciate. Here we also start to see one of the main features of Iron Maiden, that is their unbelievable skill in the instrumental parts, which I think is one of the main reasons of their success; despite very long riffs and solos without voice you will almost never be bored and you will get right into the sound. Suffice to say that, though I like instrumental pieces, I don't usually rate them very high, except for Iron Maiden's ones: Transylvania is in my selection since a long time and I do not have any intent to remove it from there right now.

The last three tracks - Strange World, Charlotte the Harlot and Iron Maiden - are not among my favorites, even if the last two became all-time classics; too slow pace in the first, good lyrics but not very involving overall sound in the second and a self-commemorative lyric in the latter make them not memorable.

Conclusion: one of the best starting albums I ever heard and an essential classic, not only for the music itself, but for the sound of the period that it represents.

Highlights: Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, Transylvania.

In early April, 1980, a heavy metal gargantuan was launched from its humble beginnings in the East End of London. That band is, of course, the now eponymous Iron Maiden, and the album that started it all is this one, their self titled LP. It’s doubtful that bassist and main-man Steve Harris could have envisioned where his journey would lead him, and although this is the starting point of one of the most long-running and influential bands in metal, it is often overlooked by all but the most die-hard fans…which is a shame, because there are some true gems on this disc!

Enough of the history lesson, I hear you cry, is the music good, or what?! Well, while many will no doubt lose interest as soon as the words ‘no’ and ‘Bruce’ leave my lips, this is a must for all Maiden fans, or even anybody interested in the NWOBHM genre as a whole. Everything you would come to expect from a Maiden album is here; the galloping bass to the dual guitar harmonies so many love-hell, there’s even an early epic number, in the form of Phantom of the Opera! However, and I must stress this at this point in the review, this is early Maiden. The production has a rough quality to it, with punchy (almost punky) guitars to match Paul Di’Anno’s grating vocals. All the foundation is there, it just lacks the polish that would come on later albums such as ‘Seventh Son…’ or ‘Piece of Mind’.

The disc kicks off with Prowler, which is easily one of the best tracks on this disk. The main intro riff grabs you by forcefully, and when Dave Murray kicks in on lead guitar with his wah-wah pedal…it’s heaven. The whole song has a vibrant, jumpy feel to it, with plenty of nice fills by Dave and the short-lived Dennis Stratton (understandably, he didn’t last long when held up against the far superior Adrian Smith). This is one of those ‘play it until the neighbours complain’ songs, the kind which demand to be played loud and with accompaniment, whether by headbanging, dancing, or just beating the crap out of any object or surface you can find in your efforts to match the beat.

The rock feel continues onto the next track (if you have the 1998 remastered edition), Sanctuary, which, though short, has some ridiculous lyrics and catchy solos. But its still not ‘The Trooper’ or ‘Where Eagles Dare’. It lacks the padding that those songs have, which demonstrates again the age of this songwriting. Remember Tomorrow slows things right down for a pleasant, soft ballad that picks up at the choruses and halfway through the song, with some excellent trade-offs of screams between Di’anno and guitar. A mellow interlude before the single, Running Free. Really, this one song exemplifies the attitude of this young Maiden, with its simple (yet catchy) bass intro to the sing-a-long chorus.

But if at this point you feel that you’re not as impressed as you should be, the next track may catch your attention. Phantom of the Opera is the longest track on this album (at 7 minutes long), and it hints at the glories of the Harris-written epics to come. An obscenely melodic and catchy (I seem to be using that word a lot in this review!) intro leads into a rapid ascending scale before bursting into one of the fastest riffs Maiden have ever written. This is head-banging material right here, and for roughly 3 minutes the song continues at this pace, before abruptly slowing right down for a loooooong instrumental section, which is frankly just brilliant. From a loud, galloping bass part to some excellent solos, this song just takes you to another world, until the main riff comes in again near the end. Every time I listen to this song I remember that Steve Harris cannot have been much older than I am now when he wrote this-this is powerful stuff, my friends. Okay, so it may not be ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ in your book, but you can take your overplayed epics and cram them right up your ass for all I care :p

So where can this album go from this dizzying height? Not much higher, it seems. The rest of the album is really much of the same, and what you’ve come to expect from Maiden. Transylvania is an extended instrumental that sounds like Phantom Pt. II, and Strange World is yet another ballad, although softer than Remember Tomorrow. Charlotte the Harlot is, simply put, comic relief of the highest order, with yet another catchy Prowler-esque lead and a brilliant breakdown section in the middle. To end, we have the title track of this album, and the band’s namesake. Played at every concert since the band’s beginning, this is their anthem and their dedication to the crowd. Unfortunately, it’s lost its appeal over the years, as it is simply a verse/chorus construction repeated twice with a short drum/bass section in the middle. That this song is still a mainstay alongside ‘The Trooper’ and ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ is strange, especially since there are far better tracks on this disk-Prowler for one.

Overall, Iron Maiden is one of the best examples of the early NWOBHM movement from one of its key bands, and is an enjoyable listen, despite its shortcomings. Approached with an open mind (hopefully ignorant of the band’s other releases!), it can quickly become your favourite album. The only let downs are the short length, the somewhat shallow lyrics and musical depth which pop up from time to time, and if you don’t like raw, the production can be a problem as well.

Best tracks: Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, Transylvania, Charlotte the Harlot

The 1980 self-titled debut of the great Iron Maiden was the start of a very long and successful career and it’s one of their stronger releases in my opinion. Sure, this release doesn’t have Bruce Dickinson but that’s ok! We all know Paul Di’anno isn’t as skilled or as gifted as Dickinson but his voice is still strong and a lot rawer. It fitted with the bands sound at the time, too, because, in fact, the bands sound was not as polished or as clean and definitely had some raw qualities to it in both the song writing and production style. In this sense it makes for an interesting listen to hear how Iron Maiden started out having known what they’ve become.

There are some definite classic tracks on here, my favorite being Phantom Of The Opera, which is Iron Maiden’s first stab at their commonplace epic track. It’s very multi-faceted with excellent guitar melodies interwoven with Steven Harris’s trademark bass style. Phantom Of The Opera also demonstrates something that shows up throughout the CD and that’s interesting drum rhythms. Only the title track features standard snare/bass runs, as every other song has some kind of unique rhythm which works very well with the guitars and bass, and that’s a large part of the appeal on this release because it makes every song sound different. Some other key points of this release include "Remember Tomorrow", mostly because the first riff played after the quiet verse sounds very Sabbath and "Strange World", which sounds like something Rainbow would have done in the 70’s. So in a sense this release features some styles of Iron Maiden that wouldn’t appear again.

All Iron Maiden fans should own this release because some of Maiden’s best early work is found on here and even though the guitar playing and bass work, and even the vocals aren’t as refined as they would be later on, flashes of brilliance show up often. It also has a classic early NWOBHM sound that was somewhat lost with most releases in the style during the mid-80’s and thus has a strong historical importance as well and deserves a place in all Heavy Metal fan collections.

Song Highlights: Prowler, Remember Tomorrow, Phantom Of The Opera, Transylvania, Charlot The Harlot, Iron Maiden