Customer Reviews

Iron Maiden

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I grew up listening to Iron Maiden in my early teens, sort of grew out of it after that, but I get a bit nostalgic when I hear the songs now.

Listening to this album now it is interesting to hear just how much of the fast punk sound is in it! Anyone who has had the opportunity to hear the Soundhouse tapes will notice that the punk influence is even more pronounced there! Iron Maiden was a way different band before they got signed, and their debut album points a little to where they came from.

Iron Maiden's other influences are evident on this recording; I hear glimpses of early Rush (particularly Steve Harris' bass lines), Wishbone Ash and Black Sabbath.

Curiously, Paul DiAnno's vocals are much better on this album than on the next release, 'Killers'. Vocally, the best performance is on the ballad 'Strange World' where he gets to sing more melodically.

This album is full of catchy head banger classics like 'Prowler', 'Running Free' and 'Charlotte the Harlot' as well as some longer pseudo-epics like Phantom of the Opera (memorable opening riff) and Transylvania.

Melodically and harmonically the material is fairly simple and predictable. Lots of straight diatonic harmony over mostly Aeolian modal material--this is a heavy metal staple. Iron Maiden also really exploit the 'twin guitar' harmonised melody line sound--the melody usually harmonised a diatonic third above. In fact they did it so much, it became a signature sound of theirs.

The solos on this album are mostly of the messy noodling variety. On the upshot, Dave Murray does play with a lot of passion. As with all Maiden albums the bass is fairly high in the mix. Steve Harris has always had a fairly unique sound although his influences are obvious on this recording: Geddy Lee and Chris Squire in particular. Clive Burr's drumming is solid and suits the direction of the music on this recording. The overall sound production of this album is similar to the late 70s Judas Priest sound.

Iron Maiden were always going to be successful, they had the right sound and the right time for hard rock and heavy metal audiences of the early 80s. It would be another couple of years before they really hit the big time but this was certainly an auspicious beginning.

This album a good document of the evolution of hard rock/heavy metal during the late 70s and early 80s.

This album rocks! It's much more punk than the Dickinson albums, and D'ianno's raspy voice is perfect for this sound. It's amazing that this album gets little play on radio stations. Songs like Iron Maiden, Sanctuary, Prowler, and especially Running Free are catchy, fast paced songs which stick in your head for days, and Phantom of the Opera is a classic, definitely the best song on the album and one of the best ever from Iron Maiden. It wasn't what I expected from Iron Maiden...it's even better.

First of all what gives with the opening review?? Who decided that particular critic should have his piece of mindlessness on here??? Most "critics" I have read say Piece of Mind was their best. Personally I love Number of the Beast. I also had to laugh at the Poison fan..huh!? -Probably owns every Spice Girl CD. Anyway for those who don't know good music and great metal and real talent need to be forced to bow in humble admittance that Maiden is the best this world has or will ever see. They beat out Sabbath, Zep, and Alternica. The first album is a classic from a classic band that only got better and is back (thank God) to show all those Poison girlies and Manson psychos what Metal really is!

The Dickinson version had the "hits" and made the money, but like Def Leppard and Judas Priest, the best stuff (influentially) was the earliest. An essential collection of early second-wave metal would include: Priest's Sad Wings and Sin After Sin as well as British Steel, Def Leppard's first two albums, Maiden's first two albums, something by Diamond Head, Motorhead's Ace of Spades, and a few others. Having an almost demo quality and demonstrating an early formula sound which would evolve into one of the most unique and popular metal signatures three and five years later, IRON MAIDEN stands the test of time...just 16, pickup truck, out of money, out of luck...but not out of musical energy by a long shot. KILLERS refined the approach and the twin-guitar sound, but the story starts here. Still one of my favorite Eddie images on the cover, too.

This album would be one of those I would take with me on a lonley desert Island! It was the second CD I bought ( the first was Fear of the Dark ) and it stayed on of my favorites even now, nearly 10 years Later. I don't think you can compare this Album with any others of Maiden ( exept for Killers) because it's Style is so very different from the Music People associate with Maiden normaly. Paul Di Anno wasn't as perfect in yelling , singing and screaming with is Voice as Bruce Dickinson is, and this is what makes this Album so incredible good. Just listen to Songs like "Remember Tommorow", "Charlot the Harlot" or "Strange World". I don't think they were as emotional and touching if Bruce would have been signing them. There are also a lot of harder and complex tunes on this Album ( Phatom of the Opera, Transylvania) that demostrate for what Maiden would be known for later. It's useless to descripe music, just check it out!

This is the type of debut any band should be proud to have. It has slower songs like Remember Tomorrow and Strange World, catchy upbeat songs like Running Free and Sanctuary, fast galloping songs like Transylvania(great instrumental, makes me wonder why they don't do more of them)and Phantom of the Opera(my favorite song from the D'ianno period) that would become their trademark, and a song with the same title of the band.

Good Music, Great Solos and Amazing Songs like Prowler, Phantom Of The Opera and Iron Maiden. Are you still there?? Buy it NOW!!!!

This is were it all started (unless you count the 'Sound House Tapes). Iron Maiden, the cream of the NWOBHM hit Britain with this albam that would jump strait to N# 04. Make no doubt this is an excellent albam, strait from the first track, Prowler, you know this is something special. The pace continues in sanctuary, and the EXCELLENT Phantom of the opera and the strange but beautyful Charlotte the Harlot and the fan fav Iron Maiden.

As a band, Maiden show how good they were at a younger age, Di'anno vocals perfect for the job, and its difficult to imagine Bruce singing instead, although he would do later on. Murray and Stratton are killer together, whilst Harris plays the bass superb. Clive Burr is very steady on drums and keeps the band on course.

This albam is full of classics that are a found memory in any Maiden fan whoes heard this albam. Buy it, buy it now.

So it began, stewing in the streets of london, comes one of the 1st NWOBHM albums, and arguabley the best. I think that Paul Di'anno' voice and stage presence blows brusey away, the songs are better and grittier " running free", " drifter" are all classics. My fave here is " phantom of the opera" talk about epic metal, you really cant go wrong with this one

This debut album marked the spawning of a band that wouldbecome one of heavy metal's greatest bands, right up there with Judas Priest! This CD gave to a song that would eventually evolve into the band's #1, best-selling, back-seat rocking song,"Iron Maiden"...LIVE! Also Recommended: Killers