Part 1 of 6
In a couple of weeks Iron Maiden will release their 15th studio album, and after a four year wait – the longest between studio albums during their 35 year career – all I can say is that it’s about time. I don’t know if it’s that extra time or what, but not since 2000’s Brave New World have I anticipated a new Maiden album like I am this time around. And from everything I’ve read thus far, I expect it to blow me away. I really do.
In the meantime, I’m listening to those first fourteen albums again, and decided to share my thoughts on those albums and a bit about my journey as a Maiden fan as well.
While Bruce Dickinson is generally considered to be the true voice of Iron Maiden, he didn’t join the band until after their first two albums were released. Paul Di’Anno was the “original” (on record, at least) lead singer of the band, and their sound leaned a little towards punk-metal during those years. Most of their early songs were written prior to that first album, and written with Di’Anno’s voice and style in mind.
I got to the Iron Maiden party late, having not been introduced to them until the Dickinson era was in full swing, with their fourth album having been in stores for several months. It was my first Maiden album, but I became a huge fan almost instantly, and therefore I soon collected all of their previous work. It was then that I was introduced to their earliest work and Paul Di’Anno.
Iron Maiden (1980)
I’m not really sure that the raw, aggressive sound of Iron Maiden’s debut album was ever duplicated on future albums. It is as good of a debut as you will find from any band in any era. There are simply no bad songs on this album. While classics like “Running Free”, “Sanctuary” and the title track are all considered classics that are still played live today, songs like “Prowler”, “Remember Tomorrow” and the instrumental “Transylvania” are just as strong, in my opinion. While my favorite Maiden album came later, some consider this their best. I’m willing to consider it for second best. Thirty years later, this is still an excellent piece of work.
track list: 1. Prowler 2. Remember Tomorrow 3. Running Free 4. Phantom of the Opera 5. Transylvania 6. Strange World 7. Sanctuary 8. Charlotte the Harlot 9. Iron Maiden |
Killers (1981)
I must admit that, for years, I underrated this album. I bought their first five albums in a short time frame, and I think that because of that, Killers ended up getting a bit lost among newer albums as well as their excellent debut. But this is a really strong album as well. No “sophomore slump” here, despite many of these songs being written prior to Iron Maiden. And I’ve come to appreciate it much more over the years. “Wrathchild” is, of course, a classic, but “Purgatory”, “Twilight Zone” and the title track are also fantastic tracks. And “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is definitely my favorite song from the Di’Anno years, and have always been a bit disappointed that it never appeared on the live albums over the years.
track list: 1. The Ides of March (instrumental) 2. Wrathchild 3. Murders in the Rue Morgue 4. Another Life 5. Genghis Khan (instrumental) 6. Innocent Exile 7. Killers 8. Prodigal Son 9. Purgatory 10. Twilight Zone 11. Drifter |
I should also mention that one of my favorite songs from the Di’Anno era is “Women In Uniform“, which was only released as a single and not on either of the albums. Great song as well.
I think Di’Anno’s work on these first two albums was great and I still prefer hearing him sing these songs over Bruce. But in the end, Maiden probably would not have become what they did just a short time later had Di’Anno’s problems with alcohol and drugs not driven him from the band. Di’Anno had to go, but the best was yet to come…
Next up: Maiden moves to the next level.
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