Where to Start with Iron Maiden
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It’s now nearly thirty years since a young aspiring bass player named Steve Harris started what would become one of the biggest and most iconic metal bands of all time. In a career that long, with Harris at the helm, the band has never strayed from it’s mission to deliver real and honest music. Everything about Iron Maiden is iconic. With the music at the core, one of the best live performances anyone will ever witness, the ever famous mascot 'Eddie' and some amazing artwork for every album, single, video, tour and event, the band have all bases covered. With fifteen studio albums, twelve live albums, four EPs and seven compilations this is a hard band for new fans to know where to start. The band are still producing some of the best albums of their career with the last album ‘The Final Frontier’ achieving no.1 status in twenty eight countries. This is all from a band that rarely receives air time on the radio and relies on word of mouth and live shows to draw in fans. Even in 2012 the band are still out to prove that there is no better live music act around. With another live album / Blu Ray out in March 2012 named ‘EN VIVO’ and taken from ‘The Final Frontier’ tour there is no better time to get into this amazing band!
It’s now nearly thirty years since a young aspiring bass player named Steve Harris started what would become one of the biggest and most iconic metal bands of all time. In a career that long, with Harris at the helm, the band has never strayed from it’s mission to deliver real and honest music. Everything about Iron Maiden is iconic. With the music at the core, one of the best live performances anyone will ever witness, the ever famous mascot 'Eddie' and some amazing artwork for every album, single, video, tour and event, the band have all bases covered. With fifteen studio albums, twelve live albums, four EPs and seven compilations this is a hard band for new fans to know where to start. The band are still producing some of the best albums of their career with the last album ‘The Final Frontier’ achieving no.1 status in twenty eight countries. This is all from a band that rarely receives air time on the radio and relies on word of mouth and live shows to draw in fans. Even in 2012 the band are still out to prove that there is no better live music act around. With another live album / Blu Ray out in March 2012 named ‘EN VIVO’ and taken from ‘The Final Frontier’ tour there is no better time to get into this amazing band!
The Pinnacle: Powerslave (1984)
_ One of the best metal albums ever recorded and led to one of the most
iconic stage shows the band ever put on (replicated on the Somewhere Back in
Time tour feature on Flight 666). The album also contains the bands longest
track 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. Clocking in at nearly 14 minutes and based
on a poem of the same name written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Many of the band
members claimed Rime was their favourite track to play live on the Somewhere
Back in Time tour. The song 'Powerslave' also has one of the best solo sections
the band has written. '2 Minutes to Midnight' and 'Aces High' are fast paced
and all tracks mentioned here are fan favourites live.
Fan Favourite: The Number of the Beast (1982)
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Containing three tracks that have been live staples since their inception.
'Hallowed be Thy Name', 'Run to the Hills' and 'The Number of the Beast' are
all firm favourites. 'Hallowed be Thy Name' has been the long term set closer.
The song builds up to an incredible instrumental part and then comes crashing
down to an amazing finish. Hearing this song live make the hairs on the back of
your neck stand on end. 'The Prisoner' based on the program of the same name is
another excellent song. Regarded by many as the best Iron Maiden album it is
not without its flaws. 'Invader' and 'Gangland' are forgettable but the rest of
the album makes up for it.
THE Live Album: Live After Death (1985)
_ Iron Maiden is a band best heard live. For this reason Iron Maiden have
released a total of twelve live albums so far and now release a new live album almost every tour.
This was the first recorded and is regarded as the best. All are good examples of the band at that period in time but this
album was recorded on the fourth consecutive sold out night at Long Beach Arena
when the band first hit the big time. For this reason that's why a
live album is included in an essential listen list for Iron Maiden.
The Return to Form: Brave New World (2000)
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After many years struggling to re-capture their early popularity the return
of vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith gave the band a kick in
the right direction and they went on to release the album of their career that
sparked more than a decade (and counting) of popularity across the globe. Armed with three guitarists, the band started to develop a more progressive element which they had visited on the 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' album. The
album also lead to a headlining performance at Rock in Rio III and has meant a
huge increase in fans in South America. 'The Wicker Man', 'Blood Brothers' and
'Brave New World' are amongst the best songs on the album.
Modern Masterpiece: A Matter of Life and Death
_ In 2006 the band seemed to be on top of the world and almost unstoppable for the second time in their career.
This was the time that the band hit a new high perhaps even higher than their popularity in the mid-80s. Iron Maiden had done the unimaginable and managed to be relevent to three or more generations.
On the release of 'A Matter of Life and Death' the band was so confident that they played the album in its entirety on
tour. Arguably the band would go on to have even more success but this album
really cemented their position at the top of modern and classic metal music.
'Different World', 'For the Greater Good of God' and 'The Legacy' are amongst the standout
tracks from this album.
The Essential Iron Maiden Playlist
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Hallowed be Thy Name (1982)
Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1984)
2 Minutes to Midnight (1984)
The Trooper (1983)
Wasted Years (1986)
Number of the Beast (1982)
Run to the Hills (1982)
The Prisoner (1982)
The Wicker Man (2000)
The Evil That Men Do (1988)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
When the Wild Wind Blows (2010)
Phantom of the Opera (1980)
Blood Brother (2000)
For the Greater Good of God (2006)
The Talisman (2010)
Dance of Death (2003)
Alexander the Great (1986)
Different World (2006)
Rainmaker (2003)
Iron Maiden (1980)
Deja Vu (1986)
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Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1984)
2 Minutes to Midnight (1984)
The Trooper (1983)
Wasted Years (1986)
Number of the Beast (1982)
Run to the Hills (1982)
The Prisoner (1982)
The Wicker Man (2000)
The Evil That Men Do (1988)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
When the Wild Wind Blows (2010)
Phantom of the Opera (1980)
Blood Brother (2000)
For the Greater Good of God (2006)
The Talisman (2010)
Dance of Death (2003)
Alexander the Great (1986)
Different World (2006)
Rainmaker (2003)
Iron Maiden (1980)
Deja Vu (1986)
By RazorRich for mlm