Iron Maiden (album)

Artist: Iron Maiden

Date Released: April 14, 1980

Label: EMI

Produced By: Will Malone

Tracklisting:
 * 1) Prowler (3:56)
 * 2) Sanctuary (3:16)
 * 3) Remember Tomorrow (5:27)
 * 4) Running Free (3:17)
 * 5) Phantom Of The Opera (7:07)
 * 6) Transylvania (4:19)
 * 7) Strange World (5:32)
 * 8) Charlotte The Harlot (4:12)
 * 9) Iron Maiden (3:38)

Reviews: Iron Maiden's self-titled album, as well as its follow up, Killers, are the only two albums that would feature Paul Di'Anno on lead vocals. His voice, as well as the music, feature a raw, punk-like feel, but is still metal overall. Iron Maiden would also mark the first and only appearance of Dennis Stratton on guitars; he would be replaced by Adrian Smith.

The album opener "Prowler" is a certified Maiden classic. The main riff to the song is great, and Di'Anno's vocals are perfect. "Sanctuary" is a pretty catchy tune, and the main riff to the song is good too. "Remember Tomorrow" has some variation to it, compared to the first two tracks. The song starts out with a slow and gloomy melody, but picks up after the verses. The song escalates into a frenzy in the middle of the song. "Running Free" has a catchy drum beat and a catchy chorus.

"Phantom of the Opera" is a fantastic track that is also the longest on the album; it's one of the best songs of the Di'Anno era. The solos featured in the song are amazing. As the band progressed, they made more songs like this one. "Transylvania" is a rocking instrumental that demonstrates that talent of Maiden's rhythm section. "Strange World" is much different than the rest of the album; it has a fairly slow tempo to it. Not a bad track at all though. "Charlotte the Harlot" is another catchy rocker; the lyrics revolve around a prostitute named Charlotte (obviously). Her story would be revisted a few more times. The album closer is also a classic Iron Maiden track. "Iron Maiden" is a fantastic closer, with the lyrics depicting death by the iron maiden torture device. The song is still played at Iron Maiden shows to this day.

Iron Maiden is a great debut from the band and features many great tracks. The production on the album is a bit weak, but it kind of fits in with the raw quality of the music. The remaster features the addition of "Sanctuary" to the album's canon, as well as a new, improved front cover. Also, the CD, when played on a computer, has videos for "Iron Maiden" and "Phantom of the Opera".

I would recommend checking out other albums in Iron Maiden's discography before checking out either of the Di'Anno era albums. Of the two albums, Iron Maiden is the superior one, as it is a lot more consistent than Killers.

Highlights: "Prowler", "Phantom of the Opera", "Iron Maiden"