Iron Maiden

Love how melodic Maiden is.

Oh hell yeah. Could be a 5 honestly. Best song: Phantom of the Opera

Classic

Not bad, but I feel like I've heard better Iron Maiden. I do like the driving force kind of feeling in Transylvania. Iron Maiden as a whole I feel is really good at making songs feel like you're in the passenger car of a speeding car.

Pretty good. Some songs are nuts in a good way and some in a bad way. All of the songs that mention women are kind of stinky. “Prowler” is not good. “Phantom of the Opera” is awesome, love the speed. but I admittedly have not seen Phantom of the Opera. “Transylvania” and “Strange World” go hard! but then followed by whatever the fuck “Charlotte the Harlot” is… that gave me whiplash. “Iron Maiden” is classic. Overall I like the album and I will definitely listen to it again and just skip a couple songs…

I enjoyed this album a lot more than the other Maiden album on this list. Once I discovered they had a different vocalist for this album, I think that was the key difference for me. No disrespect to Bruce, but it’s just too operatic for me. Although, I’m sure that’s what people enjoy about him. But Paul Di’Anno has a good balance of not going too over the top. Also, this album had way more melodic moments than I expected. Good balance of beauty and rocking out. I’d actually give this album a 3.5 or 3.75

musical theatre for dumb guys. production's great, appreciably silly, overall good hang

Of all the iron maiden albums that you could choose from you pick this?

I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. I got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby. Come with me Friday don't say maybe.

not for me but I liked this better than the metallica one

I can't believe that I am about to write this, but I didn't hate this album and rather enjoyed it. The songs are surprisingly good and even the annoying guitar showing off was not too bad. It just made me wantbto listen to it again, and maybe now I am a metalhead... This jouney of the 1001 albuns have some surprises... 4/5

In this album, the songs were high energy, and you can tell that a lot of care and attention was paid to the instrumentals. I prefer this style of rock music to the 70s psychedelic and bluesy rock style that came before. It was a decent listen overall.

I find it fun and interesting, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. The melodies are great it is consistent, and the ambition is there. I just think by the end of it it does get a bit repetitive and I would have liked a bit more variety in sound

I thought it was a bit samey, but nice. 3/5

Not my cup of tea but refreshingly not what I expected. Cool album

kinda only half listened to this tbh i know at this age im not gonna like metal

I am on a heavy rock kick right now, keep it coming I guess. I really thought this would be heavier, I think I've only listened to a handful of Iron Maiden before this. This is pretty darn good though, with a heavy dose of guitar of course.

I won't ever listen to this again, and it is most certainly not for me. But I don't hate it.

When to listen: in a moment of needing to kick ass. This experience is teaching me that I like 70s/80s metal?! Who knew. This was enjoyable to listen to and had a nice variety to the sound of the overall album

fine.

Not bad

Probably better than I remembered. IM has it's place and should be respected for longevity and some influence if not musicianship. I was expecting not to want to ever listen to another, but that's not the case. I'd see what the rest of their stuff was about before saying never. 2+

Very good

🤘🏼

Great album. Heard it many times before and still enjoy it

Another good metal album, though short and not as standout as the other iron maiden album. Still good stuff.

Classic tunes that set the stage for some future legendary albums. Remember Tomorrow is an underrated song that features the band's exceptional ability to slow down with thoughtful and technical guitar riffs that quickly ramp into thrashing solos and driving bass. While the tracks from this album don't rise to the level of many future Iron Maiden classics, the fundamental elements of those songs are clearly established in this album and its influence on artists of similar music from the era is clear.

Kind of ineffectual for me, it’s interesting to compare to later Iron Maiden albums. A bit more bluesy, proggy perhaps with hints of what was to come. A band finding their feet. Prefer these vocals to Bruce Dickinson - I think? Or maybe it’s just different. Some pure shredding behaviour on this, love to see it. 3.0/5.0 Best Song: Remember Tomorrow

Is this the best iron maiden album? Is Bruce Dickinson the problem? I enjoyed this a lot more than i thought i would, it still wasn't great i think iron maiden are a bit crap generally, but this was the most enjoyable album ive heard from them, I definitely prefer this singer to BD. Best song: Running Free

Fav: Iron Maiden 2/5

I will base this review on the original UK release, rather than the North American edition, which added the single "Sanctuary". In some regard, I understand that there was a need to include another Iron Maiden album when Bruce Dickinson wasn't the lead vocalist. After all, this band had gone through several singers over 50 years, thus it made sense to at least mention another. Plus, there is sentimental value in looking back on a band's humble beginnings. This is why we get to check out the self-titled debut, when the lead vocalist was Paul Di'Anno. First, let me be clear, I do not consider Paul to be as good a singer as Bruce Dickinson. But really, that's an apples-to-oranges comparison if you think about it. Bruce has a more operatic singing style that complements the band's more progressive-leaning compositional work of later releases. Paul, on the other hand, had a more punk-ish attitude to his performance, with a grittier, down-to-earth delivery that gave the band's early output a more aggressive flair. Sure, he could hold a long note on tracks like "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World", but there was something truly gripping about the more in-your-face vocal performance he had. I was certainly entertained enough to have fun and sing along throughout the album's runtime. I enjoyed every track on their debut. There's the obvious live staples of "Iron Maiden" and "Running Free", the harbinger of the band's more progressive songwriting in "Remember Tomorrow" and "Phantom of the Opera", the instrumental onslaught of "Transylvania" into the ethereal ballad of "Strange World", and the no-frills rockers of "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot". Even with lineup changes to come, the core identity of the band's style was largely cemented with this record, especially with Steve Harris's bass gallops and some electrifying guitar work from Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton. Overall, I had a fun time revisiting Iron Maiden's debut. It is such an immaculate showcase for what's to come. Rest in power, Paul.

Bastante aburrido. Puro griterío insoportable por momentos. Una guitarra magnífica, pero mal acompañada

I was surprised by how much I liked this album. This was a lot of fun and also extremely technical. I’m very impressed. I guess it goes to that saying that this was my first time sitting down to listen to iron maiden on purpose

I had to grow into Maiden... but I did! I love the maximalism. I love the operatic highs and the growling lows. I love the grit and the glamour. Listening to it is like smelling salts for my mind.

Yuck

No thank you.

Pretty groundbreaking stuff, though I think the Bruce Dickinson era is better and far more influential. That said, one can't deny this album came out in what ended up having a defining role in the genre later. This is an album that is unlikely to be much in my playlist, though allowing a few tracks, which would give it a 3. However, influence-wise, it gets a half star, which would rounds it up to 4.

It's a great record. I want to see the 5s from the people who gave this one a 1. Pathetic.

Running Free

Strong debut offering from the heavy metal pioneers. Sans Bruce Dickinson and with some longer experimental tunes, the album betrays some 70s prog rock influences and is all the more enjoyable for it

Minted as a favorite, epic, proggy, dumb in a good way, loved the instrumental on this one

peak debut

Those attentive to my reviews may think I love this album. And I do dig it in a cozy way. It’s just too soft for the genre.

Sounded like an album from a band still finding their feet. The production suited the more thrash/punky tracks, but not so much the prog/safe metal numbers

Did you know these guys can play guitar? They certainly seem on a mission to show that as much as possible on this album. Songs really drag on with self-indulgent solos- the overall sound is ok, but just didn’t do anything interesting for me.

The NWOBHM is one of those things that I occasionally enjoy, but usually in smaller doses than a full album. Having not heard any pre-Bruce Dickinson Iron Maiden before, this album made me realise how key he is to their classic sound. But anyway… These guys can clearly play, but a lot of the tracks seem really structurally messy and incohesive to me; loads of disparate sections with little tying them together. ‘Phantom of the Opera’ is a prime example of this. Also, some tracks are lyrically cringeworthy, especially ‘Charlotte the Harlot’ which is frankly embarrassing. Overall not bad though.

Wow, a heavy metal album I didn't hate! I am making my mom proud over here. I liked the vocals on this album, the guitar was radical, and it didn't just sound like noise. Good for what it is

Too much

Listening to this first album feels uninspired from the perspective of 2026; like every other 80’s heavy metal album. But Iron Maiden were trend setters, and it was the other bands who followed behind mimicking their sound.

i think i understand why this album is on the list, but it's not my fave. "phantom of the opera" is rightly heralded as a classic, but it's really the only one here that is. i'm not in the paul di'anno camp, and his vocals are partly why I don't like their debut that much.

This is #day579 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the other day I was having a beer with a friend at a local pub when one of Maiden's songs came on TV, and I told him how fun it is that they always have that character on the record cover, kind of like a storyline you don't deviate from. Somehow, this band never clicked with me, though. Maybe I just never gave them a proper try? Because, in reality, this is my first time listening to their album front to back, and it's cool that it happens to be the debut. Now, what can I say? I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did! Everything you want from heavy metal. "Prowler" is my biggest standout here. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day580.

I had fun!

This album is great. Pretty damn good debut album!

The original Iron Maiden Eddie looks soooo dope. Love this album too. This was a treat

5 for Prowler alone, such an awesome song. While this album doesn't quite rise to the greatness of Number of the Beast, it's still excellent. Their pre-Dickinson vocalist was solid.

fun stuff

Early heavy metal built on twin guitars, steady basslines, loose drums, and half-spoken, gritty vocals unfolds with a surprisingly soft and wandering character. Listening feels like walking through dim industrial corridors where long instrumental passages echo without a clear destination. The result carries atmosphere and attitude but often drifts, feeling unfocused rather than forceful.

love rock

Some of the songs I added to my personal playlist but most of the songs are kind of similar.

It was fine, it didn't really do much for me but it didn't upset me either. I'm not sure if I was in the right frame of mind for it, but it seemed to go by rather quickly but without any malice or interest.

Oh yeah baby.

Not … the best.

Never really listened to IM before - quite enjoyed it!

Classic.

Standouts Prowler Phantom of the Opera

Phantom of the Opera

Solid debut 👍 do miss Di’anno’s vocals in the later entries.

Brilliant debut album and an eye opener to Iron Maiden for me. The album is packed with absolute headbangers and if you were to sum the whole thing up, it's all about the amazing guitar. It lacks a bit of variety but as a short & sweet metal package, it's great.

Zawsze mnie zaskakuje, jak spokojne i nieinwazyjne są te wszystkie metalowe albumy z groźnymi okładkami. Spodziewam się czegoś ciężkiego, a dostaję psa, który sporo szczeka, ale nigdy nie gryzie. 6/10.

Didn't do much for me. Not a fan of the singing. I listened an hour ago and honestly can't remember what it sounded like. Maybe exciting at the time and influential, but now is just generic 80's metal. Pretty cool bass playing saves it from the bottom. Some fun and unexpected tempo changes. Just 2 stars, not interested.

I've never really been an Iron Maiden fan, I like the singles as much as the next guy, but their albums have never really done anything for me. I did surprisingly enjoy this one enough, it does have a couple of stinkers, but overall it is pretty solid. Remember Tomorrow is the best song and it reminds me of Candlemass. Mid 4.

This is my first time listening to this album, but I'm fully expecting to be giving it at least 4 stars when it's finished. I love the Iron Maiden songs that I do know, the vast majority of which is with Bruce Dickinson, though Killers (the song) is also really good, and I've always appreciated Paul Di'Anno's vocals. • Prowler starts off as a typical, pretty good opening track, but once it reaches the guitar solo it just takes off and is bursting with energy. • Remember Tomorrow is very good. I wasn't really expecting a slower track like this from this album, for some reason I thought it would be the sort of song they'd start writing more once Bruce Dickinson joined. Paul's vocals are really good, I've not heard him singing melodically like this before • It's funny how easily I can be won over by guitar harmonies. Running Free isn't really clicking with me like the first two songs, but the instant the guitar harmony started I had a big smile on my face • I really like the bass/guitar unison line throughout Phantom of the Opera • The feel change when the drums come in during Transylvania was really cool. I also wasn't expecting this song to be an instrumental, that was a nice break in the album. • Paul's vocals in Strange World have so much reverb oh my god. • Charlotte the Harlot is a fun song, the verses are really good. The chorus isn't as strong in my opinion but it's short and the song gets back into the groove quickly enough. • The title track honestly wasn't quite as good as I was hoping it would be, but I can definitely see it growing on me. This was a great listen. It very much sounds like a prototype for what the band's sound would evolve into over the next few years. It's not nearly as refined as it would be by the time Number of the Beast rolled around, but the DNA is all there. The guitar harmonies, galloping, Steve Harris's blistering bass. Everything except the vocals (which Paul Di'Anno did an excellent job with) is like a sneak peak for how great the band would become. Unfortunately, they weren't that great yet, and the second half of this album did feel a bit lacking. I don't feel that I can quite justify giving this album five stars, but it is a very strong four at minimum. Favourite song: Phantom of the Opera

This album has the two things that makes all 80s metal good: excessive guitar solos and excessive amounts of guitar solos. I'd give this album 5 stars if it were purely instrumental, the vocals are just a bonus. Phantom of the Opera alone has like three guitar solos back-to-back-to-back and it goes directly into an instrumental, which then transitions directly into another guitar solo. They certainly know what they're good at. The amount of guitar soloing would probably be an issue if this weren't an Iron Maiden album, but it's an Iron Maiden album, so I have nothing to worry about. Best part is it has a self-titled song on a self-titled album.

Not offensively bad, but not particularly good either

Interesting

Maravilloso disco!!! Riffs geniales

F@ck yes!! That is all.

Enjoyable early metal. Probably pretty groundbreaking at the time, but this sound would become a staple of 80s hair metal as the years go on. It's aight. I liked it fine, but nothing I would come back to. I liked that they had a song on this album called iron maiden. Artist: Iron Maiden Album: Iron Maiden Track: Iron Maiden

Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did - always had this idea of iron maiden being super metal and I do like metal but sometimes it's too much for me. this was a lot chiller than expected and really easy to listen to. Will defos listen again.

10/10 album covers

I love Iron Maiden and the first 5 albums are all 5 stars in my book.

im so bored bro

Good stuff.

Don’t get me wrong, this album has some cracking tracks (Phantom of the Opera is fantastic) but overall it is the weakest of Maiden’s early albums. As a debut it certainly set the agenda, but is miles away from Number of the Beast or Piece of Mind. Was enjoyable to listen to again - and ended up propelling me into re-listening of a few of their classic 80’s albums - but doesn’t get beyond a 3 for me when I put my nostalgia aside.

I can hear later bands in this and can understand why it's popular

I have never listened to a Paul Di'anno Maiden album before, and it was quite surprising. An album of 2 halves for me. The first half was just standard heavy rock, whereas the second had the beginnings of the Iron Maiden sound. Which begs the question, how much input did Mr Harris have into the first half? Do I think they would have reached the heights they have without Bruce's vocals? To be honest, no I don't think they would. But as a debut album, with the seeds of future glories evident, it was good enough but not spectacular. A solid 3.

Yet another pleasant surprise from this list. And another case of having the wrong preconceptions about an artist. If I’d have heard ‘Strange World’ without knowing who performed it, I might have taken 1,001 guesses and still got it wrong. This album has so much more musicianship than I expected, and this vocalist dude can really sing. I didn’t think that could be Bruce Dickinson! There was some subtlety and nuance to the songs and the vocal delivery that was the biggest surprise. Shame they hired that Bruce bloke.

I approached this with trepidation, like I do with all Metal albums with shitty skull faces on the front. Its just so tacky. Do they think its scary or something? I worked witha chap who had a skull smoking a fag tattooed on his arm (in the 21st century the meaning has changed I believe) and was a massive Iron Maiden fan, I did ask if he like his tattoo, to which he replied 'yes'. He's now long dead after troubles with hard drugs, but I cannot connect that to his love with Iron Maiden,and nor should I. Who am I to judge? Ah back to the album. It was actually better than I thought it would be, no running to the hills for me with this offering. Plenty of was wah pedal, a pleasant surprise! No overly over the top operatic singing either. Reasonable tunes too. Difficult decision.

I'm not too averse to a bit of maiden. But couldn't really get into this today. One or two tracks on here felt almost close to hardcore in style, as much as metal. And given the era this was released in, maybe those genres aren't so different after all.

hard album artwork, harder riffs

sympa en vrai

This kinda slaps. Emotional highs and lows, pacy slamming. No particular standouts at this point

Not my jam

2/3. Surprisingly good, not sure why I had a prejudice against them but whatever it was they beat it down pretty quick. Great riffs, a touch of prog, good vocals, and a real focus on music overall. A genuinely cool album.

hadnt listened to this in YEARS, so nice to revisit it // raw thunderclap debut, NWOBHM manifesto // paul di’anne’s raspy, punky vocals are everything // galloping basslines + dual guitars = relentless momentum // opener snarls; title track gallops; phantom of the opera ambitious and epic // riffs are jagged, energy is unpolished, production is thin but very much alive // slower tracks (remember tomorrow, strange world) offer a fleeting breath, but occasionally plodding // chaotic, unrefined, and brimming with menace // this is THE blueprint

Enjoyed this

We like Iron Maiden

Хорошее, приятно было послушать

Good. we will rock you or something

Los Maiden!!! Para mi no es el top de sus álbumes!!!

Good thing they found a new lead singer …

keeping the seat warm for Dickinson

Need Bruce!!! Glad they got heavier and faster in their later albums.

Classic

The prowler got me going every time I tried - but at times this album seemed lethargic

Not my taste but obviously great for someone

Wasn’t crazy about this one

Maidens första. Intressant att få höra deras ursprung. Några bra låtar men inte lika bra som senare skivor. Kul att lyssna in mig mer på dom senare. Helhetsbetyg: OK

Hyvä, vaikkei läheskään paras Iron Maidenin levyistä. 3,5/5.

3.3

Not one I'll be listening to again

The drumming is very good.

A thoroughly grotty album, very much of its time.

This is beyond unlistenable, unfathomably worse than even “Bat Out of Hell” and the Zep…FFS!!!!! Tom.

Dreadful from start to finish

Without this album the more influential wouldn't have existed, but it's not top of the line for Maiden.

pretty good but not as distinctive as other heavy metal on this list

3.5 stars. Short (37 min) debut album showcasing their heavy metal style. Not bad but not their best work. Standout is "Transylvania".

4/5. Great debut album, the bass playing on here is especially top notch. basically sets the blueprint that future Iron Maiden albums would run with and do better/crazier things with. favorite song is probably the multi-phased center piece of the album “phantom of the opera”.

Iron Maiden’s take on metal is gloriously cartoony, and I love it... But this album shouldn't be on the list.

Me pasa que solo por ser Iron Maiden me encantaria ponerle 5 estrellas, pero este álbum no es tan bueno como otros de ellos. Aun así es interesante y es una muy buena introducción a la banda desde sus inicios.

No

Uno de los mejores debut de la historia. Gran disco para ser el primero.

ruim

nah

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I figured I was in for hard rock but really its a solid all-around album. The spaciness of Strange World was reminiscent of Pink Floyd for sure. Title track was the showcase. I'll probably check more of this band out this summer.

Once was into these in my brief heavy metal phase , they do the genre proud and have stood the test of time . A. Few head banging tunes took me back to my early teens .always produced great album covers as well

I remember why I never listened to them... because the cover was too scary. It's actually just some standard metal music.

I remember a friend of mine playing me this back in the day. I though Metal had to be hard, fast, and loud. This made me stop and think. YEARS later someone used the term prog metal to describe tool and I thought of Iron Maiden. Now I don't say that Maiden is prog, they aren't, but they HAVE to be cousins. So I enjoyed this album. It's great. I prefer later Maiden, but you can tell where they are going with their sound and lyrics from this album. I enjoyed most of the songs Phantom of the Opera opened up the album for me personally. I'm off to their Piece of Mind album now.

3.5⭐️/5 02.23.2026

Nomás me gustó Prowler, como que se va poniendo aburrido mientras avanza y está muy rock en tú idioma. Obvio que esto fue antes vea, pero tiene la misma onda jajsjaja Muy family friendly pero creo que es porque está genérico

no esperaba que me guste tanto la verdad. primera vez escuchando iron maiden

know this one from youtupe :))) a very easy and fun listen with lots of fun little treats for knowing ears.

pluspunkt, weil innerhalb der songs teilweise dieselbe spontanität, wie innerhalb des albumzusammenhangs herrscht

7.5/10 - I have always felt odd about IM because I hate their branding, but I thought this was a very good album. I thought they showed good ability to thrash and also to slow it down with more melodic songs. This is an album I would listen to multiple times a year.

Decent mix of metal and rock. Good but I don't know how often I will come back to it. Some of the slower stuff didn't land for me. 7/10

No. 116 Iron Maiden’s debut is a classic. It’s just raw energy captured in 8 tracks of brilliance.

Not my cup of tea, but good for the overall genre

I just don’t understand the enjoyment of listening to an album like this. Too intense. I also think the sound just gets old after a while.

Disliked this less than the other Iron Maiden album we've had so far. There were points where I could hear prog rock influences which I think makes sense given how dramatic and overblown it gets to in the later record. Probably still not for me because it lacks any real edge to my ear but still interesting.

Метол всегда офигенный

Me sentí la más rockerita del mundo mientras la escuchaba.

Background punk music?

Prowler - 5/5 Remember Tomorrow - 4/5 Running Free - 3/5 Phantom of the Opera - 5/5 Transylvania - 5/5 Strange World - 3/5 Charlotte the Harlot - 4/5 Iron Maiden - 4/5 Average score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it's a great debut album for them. looking forward to The Number of the Beast tho, i feel like that's the point where they're at their best

Not for me

I would describe myself as a casual Iron Maiden fan, and that would probably come as a big surprise to my family, particularly my parents considering how many Eddie posters festooned the walls of my teenage bedrooms. Even today my wife and kid probably think I am a much bigger fan than I am because of my adoration of what would probably be described as their "greatest hits." And the reason for that is back in those years when I was listening to a lot of heavy metal I couldn't afford a lot of cassettes so I bought Live After Death, which contained all the Maiden songs I thought I needed and I wore that thing out. Much later on, I actually got some of the albums those songs were on, but I wasn't as into heavy metal as I had been before, so I didn't really listen to them a lot other than the songs I already loved. Anyway, I am sure it is blasphemy to certain elements of the fanbase, but I never really cared for the Paul Di'Anno version of the band. The roots of the instrumental genius are obviously here, but it just doesn't sound like Iron Maiden to me if Bruce Dickinson isn't wailing over the top of it. And songs like "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World" don't sound like Iron Maiden at all. So listening to this is kind of like listening to Pete Best-era Beatles for me. (Some of) the ingredients are there, but the recipe isn't quite done yet.

Iron Maiden is a popular British heavy metal band, and this is their debut album. I suppose if you’re into heavy metal this is a good album, however that is not my favorite kind of music. None of the tracks here are memorable (or enjoyable) in my opinion.

Noooo. One Iron Maiden album was enough. Honestly, it's fine, I don't even hate it, but completely uninteresting to me.

One the classic early metal albums 🎸

I've never listened to this band on purpose before. I liked it.

Really enjoyed this metal relic! So influential!

I was so scared of their album covers when I was little. Do not like heavy metal guitar solos.

Good

I like when they play fast.

This was ... good? Did not expect that - do I now have to change my lifestyle, drink different beer, get new friends, etc.?

Actually, I kinda liked it. Stand-outs - Transylvania - Strange World

Classic Maiden. That said, it might be a little too classic for my taste. I love Maiden but I feel like (most great bandss) they honed their craft and the albums/songs got better. This feels like a rough draft comparatively. Damn good for a rough draft but still. Phantom of the Opera, Running Free and Iron Maiden all bangers aqnd so important to the Maiden catalog.

In my collection (ok so I taped it off my step-brother) Probably the absolute best album (and band) to come out of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and easily the most successful. Hard and melodic. I think the production is good too even though tha band have since slagged it off. Paul Di'Anno was a great singer and it's a shame he went off the rails on drugs and got fired. I lost interest in Iron Maiden when they replaced Di'Anno with Bruce Dickinson after Killers. I never rated Samson, his previous band, and thought he was far too operatic. What the hell do I know!

Great guitar work.

Given the context of this album being recorded in 1980 it holds up fairly well. The end of disco gives way to a rebellious rock. The marketing and imagery for Iron Maiden is second only to the Grateful Dead.

i liked strange world!

Does listening to this today make me a late-middle-aged dirtbag, baby?

A lot of scales, but good guitar play, if you like it. Can hear the influence of Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper, which is an interesting blend.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. The instruments were very crisp and technically proficient. Knowing this was metal before starting gave me a certain idea but this was more artistic than the screamo I assumed. 7/10

Meddl leude

My youngest brother has always been a big Iron Maiden fan. I thought it was more of an attitude towards the band's mascot. Later, I listened to the band's music myself and really liked some of it. Well, maybe it was my mood that day, but somehow I couldn't get excited about it. To judge it better, I'll have to listen to it again. 3/5

Dede olunca dinlerim

almost a 4–seemed objectively great but wasn’t crazy abt it

already listened

This had me folding my laundry so hard.

the album covers are both iconic and so awful omg. fiest time hearing a full iron maiden album i liked it :)

Full of energy and super lively, I quite enjoyed this album. Some tracks, like Remember Tomorrow and Strange World, were more up my alley, but I didn't feel the urge to skip the others because of how fun they all were. I probably should listen to this again when I don't have a headache, though.

They have done it better, they‘ve done it worse. It‘s okay, I guess. Fav: -

mera chimba, iron maiden me recuerda mucho a fede, me parece bacano eso, la guitarra está pero increíble, lo único es que ya ora las últimas canciones me parece que se pone muy guitarradependente y ya es como que falta algo, pero duro el álbum

That was better than I expected.

хороший оч трэш мэтал

Liked it more than i thought i would, very punky actually. Never really gave them a chance before.

A solid starting album, it was nice hearing this for the first time. Not nearly as strong as the later efforts, but still enjoyable all the way through. 4 stars

Haven’t listened to this in years but it still bangs

Iron Maiden has done a lot of cool shit. While this album is also cool it could be ever so slightly more cool.

10

I absolutely love this album!

Softer than the cover would suggest.

It wasnt bad as I was expecting, but not as good as I would hope. Some incredible musicianship, but just not my genre of heavy metal.

I remember a conversation I had with some colleagues a few years ago, we were discussing our favourite Iron Maiden songs. My choice was Phantom of the Opera. I'll briefly explain why: I don't think there's many legacy bands who have as a defined, figured out sound on their debut as Maiden. Taking the idea of dual harmonising guitars (a la Thin Lizzy) and cranking it up to 11. The middle section of Phantom is breathtaking, both guitars trading against each other while Harris' bass drives the song in ways few other players ever have. This album has stunning highs and no lows, but theres a few average (maiden-quality) songs. A quintessential NWOBHM album, it's incredible that the band made even better albums than this.

Pretty solid album here but there's other metal I'd much prefer.

i only like the hits, sue me

Absolute smasher album. I sometimes wonder if Paul DiAnno's Maiden was better than Bruce's. I grew up listening to Bruce so its tough but this line up of Maiden was more punk and raw they were concern about loud sound and power chords over clean technical playing. It feels more angry to me and I really love it. This album I had adversion as a kod because of Paul now I think its one pf their best because of Paul. A mist listen must buy for any metalhead

It's amazing how melodic this album is.

I was not familiar with the pre-Bruce Iron Maiden. Paul’s singing isn’t quite the same, but it’s good; this still sounds like Iron Maiden. Not normally into metal but I like these guys. Smart, tight, energetic music.

A solid album, fun to listen to. I can see why people like it.

I understand Iron Maiden was a big deal in the rock/metal world back in the early '80's, but it's frankly just doesn't hold up. Later groups did it a lot better.

Good, not great. This is definitely a better album than most on this list, but honestly that’s a low bar.

Expected to be like so fast loud and wall of sound, it's like boring and I don't know how to feel about it. The "rock singer voice" doing like so.much lifting. This is all so.much slower than I expected 2 right now. Just kinda amazingly un remarkable... This a 1 if not for the vibe

It's weird hearing Iron Maiden without Bruce Dickinson. This is a really solid prototype for their later work.

illustrative of just how much of a difference the right frontman can make. some of this is bad to mediocre (Charlotte the Harlot, Running Free) and some of it is fantastic (Phantom of the Opera) but there’s just something missing. Feels like Dio without Dio, Priest without Halford, AC/DC without the inexplicable two different guys who sound weird in the exact right way to make their band work still pretty good but man nothing on here makes me feel like Run to the Hills or Flight of Icarus

This is kind of bad

Its just really nothing special, i'l partially blame my low rating on being ill but like its just alright really, wouldnt go out of my way to listen to it

I'll grant Iron Maiden this: at the very least, their debut is more 'rock' than 'metal' - if you peer closely, you may even be able to locate some traces of the burgeoning indie scene (real closely). The issue is I don't like 'rock.' I don't care to be the guy who distinguishes 'rock 'n' roll' from 'rock,' or 'hip hop' from 'rap,' but there's a truth to the pedantic differences. It's as if the genre that Zeppelin invented and Sabbath dissected would struggle to go pop and to go avant-garde almost immediately. Besides a few exceptions, my taste for this music stops with those two. 'I'm running free, yeah / I'm running free.' It tries desperately to be pump-up music that's technical & operatic, but it's just uneventfully dumb and only powerlessly impressive.

Eh.

Tidig maiden riktigt bra

Like steel wool to my divine femininity 💕 like gasoline to my misandry 💕 also at the end i was like “maybe im a hypocrite bc i love Misfits tho” but it was bc Misfits started autoplaying 💕

recht laut, halt einfach iron maiden ...

Not really my bag

Pretty good, classic dad rock

Firstly, let's talk that production. Alot of the album, especially the first half, this sounds MIDI programmed, which I guess is also a testament to the rhythm section but still not nice to listen to. Secondly, these are genuinely very cool songs and some great song-writing and performance - but this album, & I guess this genre, is just constant electric guitar. And between those guitars, not a massive range of timbres/effects. It was a relief when "Strange World" came on and offered something different. If guitar's are your thing then this is an essential, but for me it feels quite sonically limited. These guys are terrified of anything that isn't a guitar. 6 / 10 Best track/s: Strange World

Bruce is still the better vocalist

Unpopular opinion I dislike guitar solos

Samey halfway through

Average and a bit nothingy

Very good album, not immediately obvious but helped define a genre

It was ok

Iron Maiden's self titled is one of the quintessential metal albums of the 80s, also being one of the first to release that decade, it features a balance of the classic heavy metal sound with occasional gentler/calmer tones that can be heard in songs like Charlotte the Harlot and Strange World.

Coldplay left me well, cold

I prefer some other Maiden but this still goes hard. Phantom of the Opera is fantastic

Early Iron Maiden sounds very different than what I'm used to. I liked it, but it definitely feels like something is missing when Bruce Dickinson isn't singing

I'm not really into Iron Maiden and this isn't even good Iron Maiden

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would as someone who generally can't stand metal. There were a lot more prog elements to this record than I expected, but then again, it's apparent to me now that I never really knew much about Iron Maiden and their music in the first place. I'm pretty sure I've conflated them with other metal bands for my whole life. That said, this still isn't really my kind of music, but I didn't hate it like I thought I would. Favourite tracks: Phantom of the Opera, Remember Tomorrow,

Hell yeah. Still catches me up when I hear a vocalist who isn't Bruce Dickinson.

it’s a classic, some songs are too heavy for me but i still like it

I don’t think I’ll ever love Iron Maiden, but I think this is the closest I’ll get.

I don't think I've ever actually listened to Iron Maiden intentionally before! Their instrumentals are probably the best part of the album. The singing is fine, especially for the style. But I did find myself really enjoying the guitar solos and instrumental breaks. I don't think this album is *special*, but it is really good. Favorite Song(s): Phantom of the Opera

Not sure I've ever heard pre Bruce Dickinson iron maiden... It's definitely not as good, I think his singing is one of my favourite things about them (because I'm not a huge fan). But this is the debut so stands to reason it will sound a bit rougher. I think you can tell there is more about them than similar bands, music is a bit more interesting and it still has a fun vein to it, think you can tell it's not taking itself too seriously. Not as good as number of the beast but still alright, 2.5.

The Number of the Beast is better. Preferred the more aggressive stuff, Charlotte the Harlot, and the latter part of the album. Quite enjoyed the 7+ minute song, whichever one that was.

Identifiable as iron maiden, but not as distinctive sounding as what I'm familiar with. All sounds pretty rough around the edges and the sound quality isn't great. Was thinking that Bruce definitely hadn't found his style at this point, but it isn't him so that checks out! It's all pretty decent, but later maiden is better 3

It’s okay! Obviously very good guitar playing, GREAT riffs, and some fantastic drumming but the vocals don’t quite do it for me here. Phantom of the Opera and Transylvania are pretty dope though.

One of the best in their genres.

Metal is really growing on me. If you have a specific genre that you hate listening to, please trust me. You can learn to like it! I have hated the Metal genre for soooo long but this was finally something for me. I slowly had to build up a tolerance but it was totally worth it. I found out quite fast that I liked the crazy instrumental part of it, but that singing wasn’t for me. But with Iron Maiden I really like the singing when it’s present. And I’ve certainly “been through hell” to find the right Metal for me. Like with Five Finger Death Punch. Damn me if their music isn’t what welcomes you when you enter hell. I’m happy that Iron Maiden helped me like Metal music and I recommend this to every Metalhead on this website. Certainly this is not my new favorite genre, but it’s great to have a wide taste for different occasions. I hope you will try to experiment with your taste like I have done, it’s really worth it.

I’ve never heard to any other song that was not storm trooper, so it was a new album for me. There was a few interesting songs that I liked and some other that didn’t quite really catch my attention.

Honestly some solid jams. 5 stars

A total 180 from the last album released in 1980 (Kilimanjaro), evidencing a real dichotomy in early 80's music.

I've never really been a metal guy, and while that's slowly started to change, Iron Maiden's debut didn't really do it for me. I can see the appeal, but only if I turn my head and squint.

Similarly to reggae, every year I think "this will be the year I finally start to enjoy metal" and every year, it doesn't happen. And every year, I try out a different Iron Maiden album. It just has not clicked yet. There are sections of this self-titled that I like but it falls off me like water on a duck's back. 28 Years Laterer: The Bone Temple made it seem really awesome though so I'll be back with hope in my heart. Favorite Tracks: Prowler, Running Free, Strange World

Gross - what a waste of my time

Mejor de lo que pensaba la verdad

A forever classic.

Didn't listen to the whole thing, but overall it was nice?

Very enjoyable if you like this sort of music. They would eventually get much better over the next few years, but this is a solid start. 3.5/5

Nothing is present here that wasn't done better by contemporaries. Filled with dull mastrubatory riffs which dound fun to play, but are terribly grating on the ears. While it's true this album was influential, I wouldn't call that a positive.

This is ok. Not a fan of the band or of heavy metal generally but its easier to listen to than I expected. 3 stars

I like the heavy metal, but I've never liked IM, especially with this first singer. I remember the first time I heard them when Killers came out. My 2 buddies loved it. I was "Meh" Sorry Metalers, I give it a 2, only 'cause it is in my genre and i have heard worse.

Lots of fun, cool riffs, doesn't overstay its welcome

heavy Metal, 1980 > 2

Not my thing at all but not as bad as i expected

Pretty good but not as metal as later stuff I feel like

The guitar sounds epic, depth beyond just shredding

Pretty good, not my jam

phantom of the opera and strange world are peak

Iron Maiden's debut drips of raw energy, dual guitar work and Harris' phenomenal bass playing. A metal classic.

Groundbreaking metal album with dueling lightening speed guitars, driving rhythms and thundering bass all pulled together with soaring operatic vocals that will tear out your ears as you pump your fist to stories depicting human's inhumanity. This one for sure put Iron Maiden on the pedestal as one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time.

Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut is a confident and gritty introduction that presents the band in its most raw and street-level incarnation. The album doesn’t aim for grand ambition or stylistic diversity; instead, it focuses on establishing a clear identity built around sharp, no-nonsense riffs, a punk-inflected sense of urgency, and an aggressive attitude that sets it apart from many of its contemporaries. From the very beginning, there’s a feeling of momentum and hunger, as if the band is more concerned with making an impact than refining every idea to perfection. In terms of songwriting, the record is a mixed but consistently solid package. There are several genuinely strong tracks that immediately stand out and hint at the melodic instincts and power that Iron Maiden would later develop in greater depth. Alongside these, some songs feel more “workmanlike” or transitional, serving the album’s flow rather than demanding attention on their own. That said, none of the material feels weak or poorly executed. The main limitation is a certain uniformity in tone: while the songs are clearly distinguishable, they often operate within the same sonic and emotional space, which can make the album feel less varied than later releases. Where the album truly excels is in its sound. The original master and vinyl pressing (EMC 3330) are outstanding, delivering a warm, punchy and dynamic listening experience that perfectly suits the raw nature of the performances. The production enhances the album’s rough edge without muddying the instruments, allowing the energy of the band to come through naturally. While Iron Maiden may not be as ambitious, epic, or diverse as the band’s future classics, it remains a strong and enjoyable debut, one that has aged surprisingly well and stands as a compelling first chapter in their discography. 7.5/10

Maiden's debut with Eddie on the cover from Day One.

Best - Transylvania Worst - Charlotte the Harlot

Very cool! Although this is their first album their sound is pretty much fully formed here and they will go on to further refine and develop their style from here. There are a few more albums that should be on this list other than just this one and Number Of The Beast. I believe their best albums are actually after those two so it is too bad that they are not on here in place of some of the dubious choices. It’s been a while since I’ve heard this and what a great listen this was! Now I want to keep going through their discography, at least through the next 7 or 8 albums because they are all great!

My favourite Iron Maiden album remains Powerslave. Their self titled debut showcases what was to come for Maiden. Solid riffs. Thrash metal incarnate. 4/5

I was only familiar with a few of their hits after this point so I wasn’t sure what to expect from their first album. I was pleasantly surprised!

Decent metal- but not great.

Banger, Phantom of the opéra je l'ai écoutée en boucle à une période, un de leurs meilleurs albums je pense

C’est sympa mais la DA de ce groupe ne me touche pas du tout. Dans le même style, je préfère Black Sabbath

Normalement j'aurais dit pas trop ma came, mais j'ai bien aimé quelques pistes!

There's a lot of really cool stuff here and if I just heard this if probably think I liked Iron Maiden more than I like the band into which they eventually crystallised.

I enjoyed it for sure, classic metal album that I know was super influential.

Strong album. Was expecting to like it a lot less. Fairly easy listen considering the genre.

Great listen. Lovely to hear a more raw production of early iron maiden

Not really my thing. So why am I rocking out so much!? Definitely something I'd pop in my earplugs for and embrace fully at.summerfest or such.

Oi oi, this is a real "Up the Irons" moment, innit? Listening to this album. you can tell that Iron Maiden had been through a lot before the making of their debut. The band is really in sync with each other, and it shows in the tight musicianship and how each band member will sync up with each other's parts to great effect. There are plenty of prog-like moments on this record where I'm able to see where the band will go from here, but they all just seem to be missing that final wow factor to make it a standout record for me. Not helping matters is the fact that Bruce Dickinson wouldn't arrive for a couple more albums; instead, the vocals are done by Paul Di'Anno, who does a fine enough job here, but lacks the power and charisma to push these tracks over the edge. Overall, a solid debut from Iron Maiden, even if I have a few reservations for it. If you consider it to be a must-hear classic, I won't argue with you. Standout Tracks: Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, Iron Maiden Score: C+

was never a fan, but it was ok

3/5

i like

Great debut album from NWBHM stalwarts

Liked this one more than I was expecting to. Not sure I have that much to say about it though. Good energy and a nice variation but I’m not sure I’m drawn to listen to it again. Fav song: Phantom of the Opera Least fav: Charlotte the Harlot

Again albums that I know as really heavy metal aren’t quite what I imagined. Not hugely enjoyable but alright. Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song - prowler Least fav - charlotte the Harlot

Not as hard to listen to as I feared it would be but still not really my thing. Favourite song: Prowler Least: Transylvania

This is iron maiden

i was throwing some horns to this to be fair, really good album. feel like this is getting me into iron maiden

Some solid, almost punk type thrash metal here. I like the instrumentals.

Shockingly good

Fantastical Iron Maiden, love the riffs and shouts

gutes

Я дуже сильно хейтив в дитинстві Мейденів, і цей альбом зокрема. Весь цей хеві з соляками мені здавався максимально не крутим і музикою для пенсів. Поступово думка кардинально змінилась. Гурт має кращі альбоми (і один з ниж вже був в рулетці), але тут теж все на топ рівні. Не бачу причин не ставити 5)

Мейден з Полом Діано має таку майже панківську енергетику, але я більше люблю їхній "прог" період або класичні альбоми з Дікінсоном. І навіть з ери Пола я б обрав Кіллерс. Тому тут 3.5

Not my thing

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was very much in full swing by the turn of the 1980s. Judas Priest and Motörhead had already started to take the foundations laid by Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin and make it heavier and faster, and it wouldn't be long until Iron Maiden, fellow speed demons from London's East End, would join them with their electrifying self-titled debut. Listening to 'Iron Maiden' is quite a different experience given the classic lineup of the band isn't there yet. No Bruce Dickinson on vocals, Adrian Smith on guitar or Nicko McBrain on drums. In their place is Paul Di'Anno, Dennis Stratton and Clive Burr respectively. But even though three of Maiden's critical ingredients aren't in place yet, it doesn't make this record any less enjoyable. Comparing Di'Anno to Dickinson is chalk and cheese. Dickinson is obviously the more exceptional vocalist and showman, but the raw energy of songs like 'Prowler', 'Running Free', 'Charlotte the Harlot' and the title track are tailor-made for Di'Anno's raspy howl. For what this album was trying to achieve (establish Iron Maiden's sound and style and showcase their raw energy), Di'Anno was the perfect vocalist for the time, and although Maiden's arrangements would become more complex over time, Di'Anno's edgier vocals and persona were important in establishing Maiden's foundations. The same can be said for Clive Burr. As far as I'm concerned, him and McBrain were both perfect drummers for Iron Maiden, and this record highlights his ability to shift tempos at breakneck speed. Like Di'Anno, Burr too would not stick with the band very long into their tenure, but was still an important player in Maiden's early years. The same can't be said for Stratton, however. He admirably works together with Dave Murray to provide that iconic twin-guitar assault that would become synonymous with NWOBHM, but the guitars sound noticeably thinner. It might be more so a result of the production (which does have its faults and the band themselves have expressed issues with it since), but unfortunately for Strattion, his work would easily be eclipsed by Adrian Smith when he joined on the next record. The Murray/Smith twin guitar combo is one of the most famous in heavy metal for good reason! But it would be amiss to leave out the fact that Iron Maiden has been, and always will be Steve Harris' baby. He formed the band, has written a vast majority of the songs and made bass playing his own with his iconic "gallop-style" riffs. It was clear from the get-go that Harris had big ideas for Maiden, not only with the sound, but the image as well. The debut record saw the introduction of Maiden's iconic mascot, Eddie (designed by Derek Riggs), who has appeared on the front cover of every single Maiden album to date, accompanied by the band's aggressive logo (originally used on the poster for David Bowie's debut feature film, 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'). Thr excitement behind the new iteration of Eddie each album has almost become as important as the new music itself! 'Iron Maiden' is raw and unpolished, which is honestly where its charm lies. The band would go on to make much better records, but as a debut, Maiden proved everything was there to take the world by storm: they just needed a bit more work to accomplish it. Best songs: Prowler, Running Free, Phantom of the Opera, Charlotte the Harlot, Iron Maiden

Hell yeah. Face melted. This absolutely rules. Must-listen #285.

Finally some metal! I love Iron Maiden.

I remember sitting with a friend a while back who walked me through the whole taxonomy of metal and I could barely keep up. But I feel certain that iron maiden is the kind that I like. Musically soaring but not pretentious. Theatrical but also funny about it. Killer riffs that don’t take over the whole song. Hard as hell, but I can still understand the lyrics. That is how I have felt about these guys whenever I have encountered them, but I had not listened to this album before. I gathered between a four and a five but I think I’m going with a four in the end because aspects of their sound still seem unfinished. It’s tough though because those elements that feel less totally metal than their later albums are also a part of the charm. It is definitely an album I will put on again.

Is Transylvania just 4 minutes of instrumental??? wow that’s sick.

Up the Irons!

i almost wanna give this four stars purely because of phantom of the opera, but the rest of their 80’s output really blows this out of the water for the most part

Lots of tasty 'Guitar Hero' riffs. This is a breezy and enjoyable quintessential Heavy Metal album. Top tracks: "Prowler," "Charlotte the Harlot," "Transylvania"

--Prowler...\m/. The guitar solo in the middle is fun. not much else to it --Remember Tomorrow...another sick solo bookended by tame melodic metal --Running Free...drums have a different feel here. straight forward bro rock but in a good way --Phantom of the Opera...eat your heart out, Andrew Lloyd Webber. this is the prog shit I came for --Transylvania...instrumental. hits real hard --Strange World...I like the bass here but, to me, this track kind of encapsulates a lot of the negative aspects of metal. this is moldy cheese where "Phantom of the Opera" is the top shelf Parisian shit --Charlotte the Harlot...an appreciated speed punk diversion. things eventually slow down. Di'Anno's voice shines here --Iron Maiden...nice, fat bass drives the track forward. dueling guitars always get the people (me) going

Solid debut album. 8/10 Will listen again

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I struggle to split Di'Anno and Dickinson and I think this album is really fantastic. Prowler, Phantom of the Opera and Charlotte the Harlot are my highlights.

Hmmmm i really didn’t think i was enjoying this at the start there’s a genre that just sounds like school of rock music that i have not been able to take seriously but i’ll admit i was grooving by the end (does one groove to iron maiden?). Some of the guitar solos were pretty mental as well.

i have never listened to Iron Maiden all the way through and only realised TODAY that it’s their debut album?!? what do you mean your first ever album comes out sounding this confident and fully formed - scrappy and chaotic and melodic. realising I prefer UK metal over US. more charming? easier listening! idk what it is. also, 80s Steve Harris is hair goals for real real. xoxo, closeted metal head

Listening to Iron Maiden, on Iron Maiden, by Iron Maiden, Ironception!! Iron Maiden is a name I have always known without actually knowing anything about, and I’m glad to have now heard! I quite enjoyed this, and challenged my assumption that heavy metal has a lack of light and shade moments, as feel like there were lots of nicely balanced moments, particularly in Remember Tomorrow and Phantom of the Opera.

This album made me want to bust out the Guitar Hero. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to Iron Maiden but I was pleasantly surprised. I probably won’t reach for it but will be happy to listen again

Add metal to the list of genres that I’m not hugely knowledgeable about, but I was expecting this to be a lot heavier and harder to listen to. So enjoyed it more than I thought I would and can see why people might love it. I didn’t really know any of the songs but great tie in since I watched the new 28 Years Later film today and there was a great Iron Maiden moment

They’re no Wyld Stallyns

A pioneer that couldn’t be captured in a studio recording. I mean it is a lot of the same flavors but those flavors are delicious. The rawness in the voice is amazing.