IRON MAIDEN

This is one of the first important NWOBHM albums, and possibly one of the best of the early days. Together with Iron Maiden there was Saxon, Motorhead, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard, and all of them gave a huge contribute in changing completely Heavy Metal's style. Iron Maiden was probably the most popular band, and the most important. Still today we think of IM as one of the best Heavy Metal bands ever, and some even consider them THE best.

When this album came out, in 1980, everything changed. Obviously the sound was different, more heavy, a mixture between punk and all those Hard Rock bands that are usually defined as Proto Metal. The album in it's entirety was at the time a sort of bible for this new genre: songs like "Phantom Of The Opera" and the title track are still today considered huge classics of metal.

Being this the first Maiden record, it is at times a little naive and immature, but in other moments it's a monster, a true Heavy Metal record, or at least how a Heavy Metal record should sound like. Paul Di Anno's voice is always appreciable, too bad he left after Killers. Even though, when the bands' zenit came out, "The Number Of The Beast", and Bruce Dickinson replaced him, Di Anno was easily forgotten, as the new singer's brilliant and innovative voice ruled and fascinated the audience.

The structure of the album is very eclectic: the first two songs are powerful tracks that every Maiden fan knows and appreciates, "Remember Tomorrow" is a semi ballad, with some haunting moments mixed with strong and violent ones. "Running Free" is a true hymn to freedom and Heavy Metal, and "Phantom Of The Opera" is the biggest classic off this album. Follows the great instrumental "Transilvania", and then another ballad, "Strange World", much more mysterious than "Remember Tomorrow", but a little less effective. The two final songs are really good songs, "Charlot The Harlot", which started an impressive variety of related songs lyrically speaking, that are focused on a fictional character created by guitarist Dave Murray. The final track is the title track, a pretty heavy song with some really crunchy bass and interesting and innovating for the time rhythms, very fast and violent, maybe a sort f proto trash metal.

In conclusion, I must say that I truly enjoyed this album, since the first time I listened to it, and I never get tired of it. An Excellent addiction for any Metal or Rock fan.