IRON MAIDEN

Iron Maiden's debut album... a good effort with classic metal anthems such as "Running Free" and the title track "Iron Maiden". The music is 90% traditional heavy metal with a few progressive elements here and there.

The album opens with "Prowler", a straightforward fast paced heavy metal song. "Remember Tomorrow" is the song that shows the first elements of progressiveness - it's longer with mellow parts and a brutal fast paced guitar solo in the middle. "Running Free" is classic Maiden, an all time live favorite. "Phantom Of The Opera" is probably the best song on this album - a 7 minutes epic with few lyrics at the beginning and end of the song, the main part being a long instrumental with many rhythm changes and an outstanding bass work by Steve Harris. "Transylvania" could be a natural follow-up to the instrumental part of "Phantom Of The Opera", although this time the tempo is much faster - the guitar and bass work is incredible on this instrumental. Next song "Strange World" is a little special in Iron Maiden's career... it's the only "real" ballad they ever wrote (most of the other ballad-like songs they wrote contain heavier parts, and clearly Paul Di'Anno's voice fits much better than Bruce Dickinson for singing ballads) - very beautiful song with the crystal clear guitars and bass sound that makes this song special. The two following songs "Sanctuary" and "Charlotte The Harlot" are seeing the return of the traditional heavy metal sound and are clearly the two weakest songs on the album. The title track closing the album is again a fast paced metal song... but a headbanger's favorite.

Rating: 78/100 (3 1/2 stars)