Iron Maiden Album Reviews (Part 1: The 80s)
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WORDS: Ross Donald |
Once I’ve reviewed every album in the discography, I’ll give an overall ranking of worst to best and then move onto another band the next time round. First of all, I'll include some quick overall thoughts on the self titled album and Killers, as I’ve already reviewed these in full on this blog (check those out via the links if you want!).
So, why start with Maiden? Because they’re my all time favourite band and they have a wonderfully large and diverse discography that's worth talking about in its entirety. So, let’s get started.
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1) Iron Maiden (1980)
Iron Maiden is the album where it all started, and is a personal favourite of mine even with a lacklustre production job. As far as debut albums go, this is quite frankly one of the best out there, with the band showing off everything they do on the first go around.
From the opening wailing riffs of ‘Prowler’ to the iconic set closer ‘Iron Maiden’, the band takes you on an epic journey you’ll want to revisit again and again. Some people can’t get used to listening to Maiden with Paul Di’Anno as the lead singer but I do enjoy his more toned down and punk rock-like voice, especially during some of the more rebellious tracks like ‘Running Free’ and ‘Charlotte the Harlot’. The album highlight comes during the band’s first attempt at a longer song with ‘Phantom of the Opera’ though. That opening riff is to die for and the twin axe attack is out in full force. Iron Maiden are the masters of the instrumental section and with this song alone, they show that they’ve always had the skill for it.
Just a tremendous first album from a group that still had much more to show us throughout the rest of their career.
From the opening wailing riffs of ‘Prowler’ to the iconic set closer ‘Iron Maiden’, the band takes you on an epic journey you’ll want to revisit again and again. Some people can’t get used to listening to Maiden with Paul Di’Anno as the lead singer but I do enjoy his more toned down and punk rock-like voice, especially during some of the more rebellious tracks like ‘Running Free’ and ‘Charlotte the Harlot’. The album highlight comes during the band’s first attempt at a longer song with ‘Phantom of the Opera’ though. That opening riff is to die for and the twin axe attack is out in full force. Iron Maiden are the masters of the instrumental section and with this song alone, they show that they’ve always had the skill for it.
Just a tremendous first album from a group that still had much more to show us throughout the rest of their career.
Tracks to check out: 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Iron Maiden', 'Prowler', 'Charlotte the Harlot'
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2) Killers (1981)
After a bit of a lineup change with Adrian Smith now on guitar instead of Dennis Stratton, it was time to see if lightning could strike twice with the follow-up to such a brilliant debut. Turns out it could. While I may not enjoy this album quite as much as the debut, there’s still a lot to enjoy here with a ton of killer (pun totally intended) tracks and a fair few that belong on a top ten list of Maiden’s most underrated tracks.
The album kicks off with the classic ‘Wrathchild’, a song which still appears on the band’s setlists to this day, and it’s not hard to see why. From Steve Harris’ opening bassline to those shredding riffs weaving in and out of the track, it’s no wonder why this was the choice for an opener. This is followed up by circle pit-ready song ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’ which has a soft intro before it blows up right in your face with a burst of energy. Other highlights include ‘Another Life’, and the fast and furious title track with one of the coolest riffs I’ve ever heard.
There are a couple of filler tracks here with ‘Prodigal Son’ and ‘Purgatory’, but the album does fortunately end on a high note with ‘Drifter’ featuring some excellent instrumental sections and overall, just being a fun track to end things on.
The album kicks off with the classic ‘Wrathchild’, a song which still appears on the band’s setlists to this day, and it’s not hard to see why. From Steve Harris’ opening bassline to those shredding riffs weaving in and out of the track, it’s no wonder why this was the choice for an opener. This is followed up by circle pit-ready song ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’ which has a soft intro before it blows up right in your face with a burst of energy. Other highlights include ‘Another Life’, and the fast and furious title track with one of the coolest riffs I’ve ever heard.
There are a couple of filler tracks here with ‘Prodigal Son’ and ‘Purgatory’, but the album does fortunately end on a high note with ‘Drifter’ featuring some excellent instrumental sections and overall, just being a fun track to end things on.
Tracks to check out: 'Wrathchild', 'Murders in the Rue Morgue', 'Killers', 'Drifter'
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3) The Number of the Beast (1982)
Onto the band's third album, this is where things really start getting fun. We have yet another major lineup change and this is the biggest one yet. Paul Di’Anno was kicked out of the band (or left because he couldn’t handle the touring depending on who you ask), for abusing drugs, having the side effect of sometimes rendering him almost unable to perform.
Enter his replacement, with the Samson lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, and things were about to change majorly. While Paul was a fine singer, he had nothing on the operatic pipes of Dickinson who brought a whole new dimension to the band with his voice alone. This third album release was a test to see if the fans would accept Bruce as the new lead vocalist. I’m pretty sure they were fine with what was on offer here.
Enter his replacement, with the Samson lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, and things were about to change majorly. While Paul was a fine singer, he had nothing on the operatic pipes of Dickinson who brought a whole new dimension to the band with his voice alone. This third album release was a test to see if the fans would accept Bruce as the new lead vocalist. I’m pretty sure they were fine with what was on offer here.
In saying that, the album did get off to a bit of troublesome start with some social conservatives (particularly in the USA) who branded the band as Satanists due to the title of the album and would publicly destroy the band’s records. The tour for the album was marred with people protesting and handing out religious leaflets to try and sway people from seeing the band. If only they actually knew anything about the band or had actually looked up the lyrics... This outrage did end up working in Maiden’s favour though as it brought them some free publicity with more people checking them out than ever before. And what an album this is.
The record kicks off with ‘Invaders’. While it might not be one of the most memorable tracks on the album, it was the perfect choice for an opener as it really gets the adrenaline going with some fast riffs and killer solos. It also showcased the newer addition of Dickinson as he hits some impossibly high notes here. Add in the fact that this is all lyrically about a viking invasion and you have a damn good opening song.
It’s then time to slow things down a bit with the haunting ‘Children of the Damned’. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album as it really shows off the pipes of old Bruce. Then when the song picks up the pace, it’s clear that this is going to be a classic. I mean just look at some of these lyrics:
“Now it's burning his hands, he's turning to laugh
Smiles as the flame sears his flesh
Melting his face, screaming in pain
Peeling the skin from his eyes
Watch him die according to plan
He's dust on the ground, what did we learn?”
That’s some haunting imagery right there and the guitar solo that follows is quite suitably flesh searing.
Next song is ‘The Prisoner’, based on the British TV show of the same name. It details the escapades of "Number 6" as he attempts to escape his captives who are attempting to control his mind. This is definitely one of Maiden’s more underrated tracks, as it has a pre-chorus that sends chills down my spine everytime I hear it. It then follows into an even better chorus as well. This is a song that just brings so much energy to the album and the instrumental section has some of the best riffing on an album that's full of wicked guitarwork. Yet another album highlight.
Up next is the first of Maiden's many sequel songs with the track‘22 Acacia Avenue’. Following up to the debut album's ‘Charlotte the Harlot’, this instalment sees the protagonist attempting to get Charlotte away from her life as a sex worker as he can’t bear to see her abused by men any further. This is just another excellent track that builds on, and even improves, the original song. As the song reaches its softer moment with a gentle guitar solo, it quickly ramps up again with a killer riff that’ll have you headbanging along all the way to the end of the track. This may not be the last we hear of Charlotte….
Next up is actually what I consider to be my favourite song of all time, and this has been the case for about 10 years now.‘The Number of the Beast’ opens with the famous spoken word intro from the actor Barry Clayton (selected after first choice Vincent Price was deemed too expensive for the band). Launching into that opening riff, Bruce then enters with lyrics about having a dream about a demon coming after him. This song is just so energising and doesn’t slow down from this point onwards. With that killer chorus where Bruce screams ‘666’, you have the ultimate perfect crowd singalong. Throw in a shredder of guitar solo and you’ve got the formula for the pretty much perfect heavy metal track. Just wonderful.
Following this is easily the band’s most recognisable song: ‘Run to the Hills’. That opening drum beat and guitar riff are just unstoppable. The song describes the conflict that occurred between European settlers in the New World and Native American tribes during the days of colonisation and interestingly details the conflict from both parties' perspectives within the lyrics. This is one of the catchiest choruses the band has ever came up with. In addition and the scope for audience participation is just one reason why it is a constant set closer for the band. Yet another Maiden classic, no doubt about it.
This is followed by ‘Gangland’ which does feels more like a filler track when compared to the previous song. I actually do love its placement here though as it serves as a bit of a break after so many gargantuan tracks, and so we get a moment to breathe before the final track hits. It’s not a bad track, it's just nowhere near as memorable as everything else on offer throughout the rest of the album. There is yet another hair-raising solo at the end of the song, which is definitely worth listening though.
And now we come to, what is arguably the high-point of Maiden’s entire career, with the track ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’. There’s a reason why this is constantly at the top of greatest heavy metal songs of all time lists. It’s just an absolute masterpiece of songwriting, as it details the thoughts of a man just moments away from being taken away to the gallows to be hung for an unknown crime.
Even just through the lyrics you can feel the panic of the man as he comes moments from death and even questions his religious beliefs. The music continually ramps up the pace to the point where you can just picture this man being led to his death, and the end of the song feels like the lever finally being pulled to end it all.
Bruce’s vocals are exceptional here, and how he can pull off these impressively high notes in a live setting still astounds me. The instrumental section towards the end is the real highlight though as the band pulls off some of the best guitar work they've ever written. Those solos will really stick with you forever. Truly it’s just a masterpiece of metal.
Even just through the lyrics you can feel the panic of the man as he comes moments from death and even questions his religious beliefs. The music continually ramps up the pace to the point where you can just picture this man being led to his death, and the end of the song feels like the lever finally being pulled to end it all.
Bruce’s vocals are exceptional here, and how he can pull off these impressively high notes in a live setting still astounds me. The instrumental section towards the end is the real highlight though as the band pulls off some of the best guitar work they've ever written. Those solos will really stick with you forever. Truly it’s just a masterpiece of metal.
'The Number of the Beast' is just an astonishing album. So much so that I consider it to be the best heavy metal record of all time. The pacing is perfect, there are just so many highlights to choose from, and it's all capped off by one of the standout songs in metal’s history. If you haven’t listened to this album already in its entirety, you’re really missing out on something special.
Tracks to check out: 'The Number of the Beast', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', 'Children of the Damned', 'The Prisoner'
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4) Piece of Mind (1983)
So yeah, I may have went a bit too far with The Number of the Beast there. I guess that happens when you review your favourite album of all time. I promise the following reviews will be shorter, starting with 1985's Piece of Mind. Before this album’s release, we had yet another lineup change in the band, with Nicko McBrain taking over drumming duties from Clive Burr. Thankfully, this would be the last one of these for a few years, and Nicko would remain their drummer to this very day that I’m writing this.
So how do you continue as a band after creating a masterpiece like The Number of the Beast that made your band into a group of metal superstars? You write more cracking music, that's what you do. With Piece of Mind, I didn’t appreciate this album as much when I was younger but as I’ve grown older and listened to it more than a few times, I’ve grown to love it and I look forward to it on every Maiden binge I have.
There’s pretty much no bad songs on here aside from ‘Quest for Fire’ which is pretty awful but is thankfully kept pretty short at just under four minutes. Maiden do have some cheesy tracks in their back catalogue, but when one starts with “In a time when dinosaurs walked the Earth” you know they’ve jumped the shark a bit, or T-Rex in this case. Definitely one to skip.
Thankfully the rest of the album is better though, and this can be seen right at the beginning of the album as‘Where Eagles Dare’ really shows off Nicko’s skills on the drums whilst also providing us with some heavy riffs and Bruce’s voice at its peak. Up next is‘Revelations’, which (arguably) sounds better and faster on the live version of the track, so you should probably go for that instead of this studio version here.
Other than this, the album is just full of fun, catchy tracks like ‘Die With Your Boots On’, ‘Flight of Icarus’ and the underrated ‘Sun and Steel’. There’s even the song ‘Still Life’ which brings in a good bit of atmosphere and sounds like Maiden have condensed one of their 8 minute epics into a snappier 4 minute tune with a damn fine chorus.
In saying all of this, you couldn't talk about Piece of Mind without mentioning ‘The Trooper’ though, as it is the best song on the album and one of the best songs the band has ever written. It’s just such an adrenaline rush to experience and you just can’t sit still listening to it. Kicking off with one of the most recognisable guitar riffs ever, things really don't stop at all for a break for the next four minutes. This is an absolute gem of a song just like most of this album.
One bad song thankfully doesn’t affect things too much as every other track shines on its own. Make sure you check this one out. If you still need further convincing, then it may help that Tom Morello once called it his favourite guitar album of all time. He can’t be wrong, can he?
Thankfully the rest of the album is better though, and this can be seen right at the beginning of the album as‘Where Eagles Dare’ really shows off Nicko’s skills on the drums whilst also providing us with some heavy riffs and Bruce’s voice at its peak. Up next is‘Revelations’, which (arguably) sounds better and faster on the live version of the track, so you should probably go for that instead of this studio version here.
Other than this, the album is just full of fun, catchy tracks like ‘Die With Your Boots On’, ‘Flight of Icarus’ and the underrated ‘Sun and Steel’. There’s even the song ‘Still Life’ which brings in a good bit of atmosphere and sounds like Maiden have condensed one of their 8 minute epics into a snappier 4 minute tune with a damn fine chorus.
In saying all of this, you couldn't talk about Piece of Mind without mentioning ‘The Trooper’ though, as it is the best song on the album and one of the best songs the band has ever written. It’s just such an adrenaline rush to experience and you just can’t sit still listening to it. Kicking off with one of the most recognisable guitar riffs ever, things really don't stop at all for a break for the next four minutes. This is an absolute gem of a song just like most of this album.
One bad song thankfully doesn’t affect things too much as every other track shines on its own. Make sure you check this one out. If you still need further convincing, then it may help that Tom Morello once called it his favourite guitar album of all time. He can’t be wrong, can he?
Tracks to check out: 'The Trooper', 'Where Eagles Dare', 'Still Life', 'Die With Your Boots On'
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5) Powerslave (1984)
Now while I may put The Number of the Beast as my favourite Maiden album, I do think that their best album as a whole, is 1984's Powerslave. It’s pretty much unstoppable and maybe the best metal album that’s ever been written. Sounds like I’m hyping it up to hell and back but it really is that good.
The album starts off with the best opening track ever in ‘Aces High’. If you thought 'The Trooper' was fast you ain’t heard nothing yet. This is a regular show opener for the band and it makes sense considering it’s pretty much the ultimate adrenaline rush with ripping guitar solos and Bruce’s angelic voice being utterly on point. As if this isn’t enough, it’s followed up by the mega hit ‘2 Minutes to Midnight’, one of Maiden’s all time best songs with politically charged lyrics that are still relevant today. It’s got one hell of a catchy chorus and if it’s not stuck in your head after listening to this then there’s something seriously wrong with you.
After these two hard hitters, the instrumental track ‘Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)’ is here to give us a breather. This is actually probably my favourite Maiden instrumental. I know most people go with ‘Transylvania’ from the debut but this is the one I listen to the most. It manages to enthral for the entirety of its 4 minutes and the band prove that even in a jam session with writer’s block they can pull out a winner. This is followed by hidden gem ‘Flash of the Blade’ which deserves a mention all on it’s own because of its killer intro riff and a banger of a chorus.
After some more highlights with ‘The Duellist’ and ‘Back to the Village’ (which was a sequel track to The Number of the Beast's ‘The Prisoner’) we hit the title track. My god I love this song. It’s 'Master of Puppets' before it even existed. The song starts with an Egyptian style riff and as we hit the middle of the track we get an immense slowdown and the guitars just sound gorgeous. Before you know it, we’re speeding back up and we’re smacked with one of the greatest guitar solos ever put to tape. What a track and one of my all time faves.
After some more highlights with ‘The Duellist’ and ‘Back to the Village’ (which was a sequel track to The Number of the Beast's ‘The Prisoner’) we hit the title track. My god I love this song. It’s 'Master of Puppets' before it even existed. The song starts with an Egyptian style riff and as we hit the middle of the track we get an immense slowdown and the guitars just sound gorgeous. Before you know it, we’re speeding back up and we’re smacked with one of the greatest guitar solos ever put to tape. What a track and one of my all time faves.
As if all this wasn’t enough, the album ends with the epic 14 minute track ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ which is based on the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem of the same name. For most tracks this long, it could be hard to stay focused but the song keeps you interested in every second from the galloping opening riffs and bass to the slow, creepy middle section which features lines from the poem. It’s all great and as such, it's pretty much Maiden’s magnum opus. Or at least it would be until 31 years later, anyway... But we’ll get to that soon enough. I urge you to listen to the live version from Live After Death as it’s just stunning to hear.
Not much more than I can say about this one. One of the best metal releases of all time and nothing can change my mind on that.
Tracks to check out: 'Aces High', '2 Minutes to Midnight', 'Powerslave', 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'
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6) Somewhere in Time (1986)
You would think that coming after the highest of highs, the follow up to Powerslave would falter and the band would be downhill from here. Thankfully this wasn't case with 1986's Somewhere in Time. At the time, Maiden had just come off the massive 331 day World Slavery Tour where they performed a whopping 187 gigs. Jesus. Needless to say the band needed a bit of a break here, so for the first time yet, Maiden took more than a year to record an album. This one is a bit different as they had decided to use guitar synthesizers for the first time, something that was criticised at the time but has aged remarkably well over 30 years later.
Guitarist Adrian Smith had a more prominent role this time around in the writing process for this album, with two credits here. Both of these songs ended up being singles for the album in the form of the radio friendly but rifftastic ‘Wasted Years’ and the highly underrated ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’. Seriously give this one a listen and try not to get into it or feel goosebumps when the solo hits. It’s magical.
If there’s ever an album to point to for the most underrated Maiden tracks, then it’s easily this one. So many great songs that never get the attention they deserve like the karaoke-worthy ‘Sea of Madness’, the rush of adrenaline of ‘Deja Vu’ and the epic ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’. ‘Heaven Can Wait’ has always been a popular track for the band and it is a song which is constantly played live but I’ve never been the biggest fan of it. It’s definitely a good song but just goes on a bit too long for my liking and the chorus isn’t as catchy as it could be.
The final track ‘Alexander the Great’ is the most requested live track ever for the band as they’ve only ever played it once and the fans have clamoured for them to play it again. The song is a genuine history lesson about Alexander, and they somehow managed to make a history lesson fun and epic. It’s a great final track and one we all deserve to hear again before the band retires.
The final track ‘Alexander the Great’ is the most requested live track ever for the band as they’ve only ever played it once and the fans have clamoured for them to play it again. The song is a genuine history lesson about Alexander, and they somehow managed to make a history lesson fun and epic. It’s a great final track and one we all deserve to hear again before the band retires.
This is a fantastic and underrated album from the band that can easily hang with the rest of their 80s material with no issues at all. No bad songs and many that deserve more than one listen to really appreciate how great they are.
Tracks to check out: 'Wasted Years', 'Sea of Madness', 'Stranger in a Strange Land', 'Alexander the Great'
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7) Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
After the controversial decision to include guitar synthesizers on the last album, Maiden took things one step further by adding keyboards and making the whole record a concept album. This was basically their first step to becoming more of a prog band. The (appropriately numbered) seventh album from the band follows the story of the Seventh Son, who is given paranormal gifts as he is tempted into both the paths of good and evil. It’s all pretty fun.
The record starts with ‘Moonchild’ and just doesn’t look back from there. This is a great opener and really shows that the added keyboards could enhance these tracks without completely taking over, as they just stay subtle in the background. The following track ‘Infinite Dreams’ starts off sounding more like a ballad, but then we’re seemingly dragged into a nightmare. The classic galloping of Maiden kicks up and you know you have a kick ass track here.
Of course you have the big singles like the cheesy but very lovable ‘Can I Play With Madness’ and the fantastic ‘The Evil That Men Do’ that is just an absolute ripper of a track with some great riffs and a chorus that’s just praise-worthy. Do yourself a favour and listen to the 2001 Rock in Rio live version. It’s perfect.
Of course you have the big singles like the cheesy but very lovable ‘Can I Play With Madness’ and the fantastic ‘The Evil That Men Do’ that is just an absolute ripper of a track with some great riffs and a chorus that’s just praise-worthy. Do yourself a favour and listen to the 2001 Rock in Rio live version. It’s perfect.
Right after that onslaught we have the near ten minute long title track which is one of the most epic tracks the band has ever came up with. When talking about this band, that’s saying something. The slowed down section is just riveting, and as it just builds and builds you can feel the goosebumps hitting you like a train before the final instrumental shreds like the soundtrack to the end of the world. Thankfully this is followed by ‘The Prophecy’ for a bit of breather. However, this is easily my least favourite song as it’s pretty forgettable outside of the acoustic outro.
‘The Clairvoyant’ is yet another lovely single with a groovy bass intro and some more killer riffs that will stick in your head long after the initial listen. ‘Only the Good Die Young’ is a great final song and is usually considered Maiden’s most underrated track for good reason. The chorus is brilliant and those solos are just so good. I can never oversell how good this band’s instrumental sections are.
Overall, this is easily a top five album for Maiden as it’s easily up there with Beast and Powerslave. This would be the only 'true' concept album the band would do and I’m glad it was, as it makes it stand out even more so amongst their back catalogue because of this. Everything flows so well and it’s home to some of the best tracks the band has ever came up with to end this golden era for the band.
Speaking of which; when I return with more Maiden reviews it will include every album from the 90s, an... interesting period within the band's back catalogue. Oh boy...
Tracks to check out: 'Moonchild', 'The Evil That Men Do', 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son', 'The Clairvoyant'
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Thanks to Ross for writing this feature on Iron Maiden and the first decade of their career, and thanks to you for reading! The second part of this feature is over here if you fancy checking that out.
Feel free to leave a comment below to tell us what your favourite Iron Maiden songs or albums are from this period, or you can give us a like/follow on the socials to support RWEI further.
Cheers!
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