Disco de Iron Maiden: “Iron Maiden”

This is the album that started it all. Iron Maiden's fantastic debut. It's not exactly the Maiden we all know and love today, but it's still a solid debut, one of the best ever. Paul DiAnno has a much different vocal delivery than Bruce, more rough and aggressive, but it still works. And, he's also an excellent singer, as you will see on such tracks as "Remember Tomorrow" and the surprisingly soft "Strange World" (one of the few Maiden songs that never gets heavy).

The musicianship is excellent here. The music itself sounds like a cross between 80's punk and Deep Purple. However, the technicality is taken up a notch. Even without Adrian Smith, the guitars still blaze like a wildfire. Steve Harris puts on what may be his best performance to date. He is truly one of the best bassists in rock. He even gets a couple of brief solo spots. Nice drumming from Clive Burr. He's not as techinically proficient as Nicko, but he may be a bit faster.

The music is generally not as epic (most of the songs are under 4 minutes), but they're still great. Standouts would have to be "Prowler", "Phantom of the Opera", the aforementioned ballads, the awesome instrumental "Transylvania" (check out Iced Earth's album "Horror Show" for their incredible cover of the song), and of course "Iron Maiden". But I don't think there's a bad song here.

I don't think this album can stand up to the later work with Bruce, but it's still great stuff, one of the best albums of 1980. I personally think it destroys "British Steel" and "Back in Black", even if those two (great) albums were much more commercially successful. While it would have been alright (or as Paul would say, "olroight") if they had kept Paul and made a bunch of albums like this, I for one am glad they got Bruce. But, it's a shame that Paul never really did much after this. He's very talented. Anyway, this is a great album, and every Maiden fan needs to hear where it all began.

UP THE IRONS!!!

Iron Maiden's 1980 debut album has certainly stood the test of time well. Still earthy and gritty, Iron Maiden is a great offering of NWOBHM class, a touch of streetwise punk and moody side tangents. The variety and skill the band showed at such an early age is quite impressive and as a result, their first album is a classic that still deserves praise and attention.

The band's later inclination towards epic arrangements is still in early bloom here, as "Phantom of the Opera" shows. The seven minute song is the band's first epic track and shows a good sense of ambitious arrangement as well as the twin lead guitar attack the band would ultimately be infamous for. But the album also offers a lot of dirtier and harder rocking songs like the opening "Prowler" and "Running Free". And as a very interesting counterpart to the epics and rocking tracks, "Strange World" and "Remember Tomorrow" are both hypnotic and geniunely introspective mellow pieces that prove the band could quiet things down to create a very strong pensive mood. Original lead vocalist Paul Di'anno offers a fabulous gritty voice to the material. His voice is what originally lent Iron Maiden a street level credibility that other, higher octave bands might not have gotten in 1980.

Even when compared to their awesome later releases, the debut from Maiden still holds a place as a remarkable album in my collection.

Iron Maiden's debut disc was released in 1980. That year was a huge year- Judas Priest, ACDC, Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne released classic albums. However, Iron Maiden arguably is the best of the bunch. All of the songs are classic, and have a very rock n' roll feel to them. Paul Di'anno is a rough vocalist, and makes songs like Prowler, Sanctuary and Running Free very fun to listen to. Phantom Of The Opera is the best song; it is a 7 minute epic that hints at the band's larger than life albums later in their career. The recording is rough around the edges, but like Metallica's Kill 'Em All, it makes it more fun to listen to.

I recommend this album to all Iron Maiden fans. However, if you are new to this band, you should start with Number Of The Beast or Powerslave.

Though this was their first release and had a more raw, punkish feel to it, it can still hold its own against their later masterpieces. The high point on this album was Paul Dianno's voice. His vocal range on this album was tremendous, going from low growls in Iron Maiden to his soulful singing in Strange World. I liked him more on this album than in their follow-up Killers. Now I will review the actual songs.

Prowler- A great opener! Very hard and very fast, with some pretty funny lyrics as well. The guitar part in the beginning is pretty cool. 5/5

This is probably not Maiden's best offering, but it is one of the best debut albums of all-time and will be playing in my CD player for a long,long time. Highly Recommended.

Iron Maiden released their first, full-length, self-titled album in 1980. Little did they know that they would eventually be part of one of the most known heavy metal bands of all-time (well Steve and Dave would be). Although it isn't the "classic line-up", the line-up of Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Denis Stratton, Clive Burr and of coarse Paul Dianno is definatly an impressive one. Paul definatly rocks. He is just a no-BS rocker and that shows in this album. His rough voice helps make this Maiden's most raw album.

One of the other reasons I like this so much is the punk-metal style. This can't really be compared to later releases such as Number of the Beast or Powerslave. The opening riff to "Prowler" is a great way to kick off the album. The song itself is an album highlight and one of my favourite Maiden tunes. It features a nice solo which I'm pretty sure was done by Denis. Maybe not a "masterpiece" in terms of lyrics compared to some of their stuff that would follow but this one always makes for a very enjoyable listen.

After "Prowler" is finished wowing you, you're hit with one of the coolest riffs this side of cool. This turns out to be one of the more "punk" songs lyrically and might not be for the casual Maiden fan but I can never see myself skipping over it. "Sanctuary" is one hell of a song!

"Remember Tomorrow" sort of reminds me of some of the later Maiden stuff with Bruce. Much like "Children of the Damned" this one starts off very soft and mellow (demonstrating that Paul can take on the ballad as well) but in the middle gets louder and a bit faster. I think this is a nice preview of things to come.

Clive gives us a cool drum beat to start off this song. Steve quickly comes in with a nice, smooth bassline and "Running Free" begins. This song kind of goes back to the punk energy of "Sanctuary" with similar lyrics. I dare you to listen to this song and NOT get up, jump around and/or start to sing or hum along. This is a quick classic and Paul excels again on this track.

"Phantom of the Opera" is a masterpiece all on its own. This may well be Maiden's first epic. If this were an album...I would buy it. This song is fast and then slow and then fast again. I find it funny how they can go from the very punkness of "Running Free" to the epic metal song that is "Phantom of the Opera". This is how a lot of people get into Maiden and even more of a sign of things to come.

A quick riff starts this one off. "Transylvania" is a great piece of work and pinpoints each member's talent at one point in the song. While not as good as any of the instrumentals that Metallica would do in later years but still is a fast song that always makes for a fun listen.

"Strange World" is sort of a mystical track. I think this kind of influenced some of the power metal bands that would come out in later years although no one else I talk to seems to get that. I guess I get that mainly from the lyrics and the overall vibe of this one. It's a pretty cool song.

The Charlotte saga starts here with arguably the best out of the four songs (defiantly better then "Hooks in You" and "From here to Eternity"). Much like "Prowler" the lyrics aren't amazing but they are fun and this turns out to make a very serious series of songs.

A very strange riff launches the next song and it soon turns into a harmony riff. The theme of this one is pretty much terror and death. It makes for a fast-paced yet still spooky listen. This is many a Maiden fan's favourite Paul-era song. Also Bruce does this one quite nicely live.

Anyway as much as I love this album, I don't recommend you start here. If you start with this or Killers you won't get the feel of what Iron Maiden really became. I'd start with Number of the Beast or Powerslave but don't count the Paul-era stuff out because it really does rock and it will kick you ass.