Reviews (page 8 of 14)
Better than I thought
Enjoyable listen and impressive technically, but just not my taste right now
No es mi estilo fav, pero sé reconocer a unos grandes de la música
Une bonne surprise. Je n'avais jamais osé aborder par préjugé les croyants trop métaleux. Ce qui n'est visiblement pas le cas. Mes coups de cœur : Prowler, Remember tomorrow, Running free et Transylvania. Mention honorable pour l'intro de Strange World.
Shades of light and dark. I like the guitar riffs but they don't really stand out. Maybe it's due to the simplicity of the music. Does seem quite repetitive but does give a good headbang. 3/5
Pretty fun stuff, although based on what I’ve heard of them, I get the impression that I’d enjoy their later albums more.
Favorite song: Prowler
These guys are some of metal royalty. Not a huge Iron Maiden fan and never really got attached to them, but always nice to hear some debut albums by some big name bands
Not my thing but it was fine.
It's pretty good for early heavy metal. You can tell how young the singer is, compared to later offerings. It had a surprising mix of songs, all of which were well done for the genre. Overall no major complaints, just not something I want to put on regularly.
I simply don't care for Iron Maiden. The music might be technically well executed, but it's just not my cup of tea.
Being mostly metal-illiterate, was surprised how much I found this more enjoyable than not. Guess all this time I’d been judging Iron Maiden by its album art.
great guitar work i like it but it’s not playlist worthy
The first Maiden song I ever heard was surely Phantom of the Opera, which soundrackrd an advert for Lucozade energy drink featuring Olympian Daley Thompson bursting out of the starting blocks. I liked the tunes which had similar energy, when they moved away from that galloping style such as on the power ballad Strange World it didn't really work for me.
Buen album, mala producción
It was good but not super good, I liked it for the most part but the day after listening to it, I cannot for the life of me remember any of the songs on the album except for Phantom of the Opera, so...
Good
Never been a big fan of Heavy Metal, though i can't lie i did enjoy this album a bit.
Full rock cool
Sólido, classic iron Maiden. No es el metal que mas me gusta, pero suena muy clásico y si pasa eso, es por algo. Un tema, strange world, se fue añadido a la playlist porque muy bueno. Baladita metalera. El resto, bastante musica de hechiceros y sorcerers, como me gusta llamarlo. Pero bien. 7/10
Not the biggest Iron Maiden fan but their galloping riffs do always sound incredible
J’ai été très positivement surprise par l’album Iron Maiden, qui mélange les rythmes et les sonorités du hardrock classique avec des sonorités presque pop (début de Remember Tomorrow notamment et voix dans Running Free et Strange World pour un mélange des deux), qui rend cet album accessible à des amateurs d’autres genres de musique que le rock. Je trouve d’ailleurs ce mélange de voix et d’instruments très intéressant dans l’album.
Favorite songs: Remember Tomorrow, Running Free, Transylvania, Strange World
This one surprised me. At times it doesn't sound like a metal album at all, instead it sounds more like prog or psychedelic rock. I guess that makes sense since metal was still developing as a genre in 1980, but still strange to me since this is not what I'm used to hearing from Iron Maiden. While it isn't my favorite album by IM it was definitely worth listening to and exploring more metal during its developing years. Favorite track: Charlotte the Harlot 3.5/5
I do not enjoy a lot of heavy metal music but I have to say there were a few quite good songs here.
Solid workout album
Good
Why do all the songs sound the same to me? Guitar, guitar solo, change beat, add more guitar. Would rather listen to this than Dwight Yoakam though.
Far more familiar with Maiden after Bruce took over vocals, but this was solid, all the pieces are there, the dual guitars, Harris's thundering bass lines. I still think I prefer the later stuff, but really glad I had to listen to this today.
I liked running free, phantom of the opera, and strange world
intro song so tuffffffff
Ohne Bruce ohne mich. Klingt mir fast zu verwechslebar auch wenn schon klar ist dass es einfach auch Wegbereiter für vieles folgende (die Entwicklung von Judas Priest u.a.) ist (wenn ich da richtig Wikipedia gelesen habe) - aber ob ich das brauche? Nochmal. Hören möchte? Neee, eher nicht. Aber versteh die Begeisterung der Kutten.
Prowler - 3 Remember tomorrow - 4 Running free - 3 Phantom of the opera - 4 Transylvania - 3 Strange world - 3 Charlotte the harlot - 3 Iron maiden - 3
better than slayer look i'm the last person around you should trust to know about heavy metal, but this ain't it. this is classic rock. like van halen levels of "heavy metal". i'm not writing a long review. it's better than slayer, so it warrants 3/5. it's classic rock. there's some variety between songs, but not a *lot*. it's brief, it moves along. ya know, the usual.
their cover art is pretty sick lol Would I listen again: if i'm in the mood Deserves to be on this list: yes 3.2
Less cheesy than other songs I've heard of theirs.
Já não ouvia este há anos, achei bom mas existem escolhas muito melhores de discos de iron maiden para por nesta lista (powerslave, piece of mind, seventh son). Achei a phantom of the opera a melhor canção e de resto era fixe mas não ao mesmo nível que o number of the beast por exemplo. 3 grande
Cool
Goste mais do anterior
Album #176 Iron Maiden: Iron Maiden Wow, I didn’t think it was possible, but I actually found an enjoyable heavy metal album. I feel like in theory this shouldn’t be that hard for me to find, considering I enjoy my fair share of hard rock and hardcore punk, yet for whatever reason I have just yet to really click with a heavy/thrash metal album. But Iron Maiden’s debut does a lot of things right that other metal albums don’t. For one, the length is under 40 minutes, which is all too rare amongst genres that I disdain. The guitar playing, though heavy, is still technical and rhythmic to the point that I can actually make out what chords are being played. The album honestly seemed more in line with the punk movement at the time, which also added to my enjoyment of it. I feel like early metal is a lot more up my alley, due to it being more of an extension of other genres, and not its own solidified thing yet. Once ‘metal’ had its own sonic identity, bands just started feeding into the cliches and stereotypes that aligned with it; and in return got caricatures of the genre like Metallica. Though this is still very much a metal album in spirit, as can be seen by the corny album cover, which is seemingly a pre-requisite for the genre. Best Songs: Strange World, Iron Maiden, Prowler Worst Song: Remember Tomorrow Score out of 10: 7.5
It was pretty good, I can understand the fan base to a certain extent, could be better and the cove ris abysmal
Sólido álbum debut pero el género no me parece llamativo.
this album wasn’t bad. my favorite song was definitely “transylvania” i do like me some british metal!
Not as good as number of the beast but still a good album
Cool
Det er rimeligt fedt - dejlig hurtig guitar. Den svinger mellem en 3'er og en 4'er jeg er simpelthen splittet.
Der er noget fed nok tråd på albummet, og coveret er jo et levn fra en fantastisk men svunden tid. Der var mange edgy t-shirts i folkeskolen, der så sådan her ud, og de var røvfede Bliver altid overrasket over hvor lidt heavy, datidens heavy metal var Rigtig fint album i virkeligheden. Positiv overraskelse. Det er en stor 3'er, men desværre ikke helt en 4'er. 3.6
When I think of 80s Metal I kind of physically recoil. It's not my thing. It's never been my thing. But I guess that's half the point of working through this list. This album is pretty good. Still not my thing, so I don't think I’ll be back, but maybe I wont puke a little the next time a big name metal band shows up in my list. Baby steps.
Liked some tracks a lot more than others, but their guitar playing really does it for me, especially on Phantom of the Opera. 3.5
I love that it ends on "Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden off their debut record Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is pretty solid 80s metal, especially for a debut album. It defined this kind of thrash metal sound that you hear in stuff like Metallica and Megadeth, but it actually has a good bit of depth to it that's not just loud and fast. Overall, though, after a full listen there's nothing that really gripped me here. It was fine, sure, but not super memorable. Standout tracks were probably "Prowler" and "Remember Tomorrow" and then everything else starts to blend together. It's a 3/5 for me. There's better Iron Maiden on this list.
Confession time: I was a Metallica fan around the early to mid 90s. So there's that. Anyway, this is a pretty good rock album, but you can also tell it's from the 80s and a debut one - it's not exactly the most complicated composition, more of the wailing guitars-thing being quite prevalent at the time. I do like wailing guitars though, so 3,5 rounded down due to lack of variety and complexity.
Fine enough example of early metal, not as good as most of Iron Maiden's other albums let alone the rest of the genre, still good to give a listen just to see what was taking place back in the 80's but not worth much more than to look at it historically in my opinion.
Purposeful dynamic. Gets in, makes its point, gets out. Everyone's standing around asking wtf just happened. I don't know, but something certainly did.
Surprised about this one. I was expecting a lot of heavy metal and came away with some interesting rock. It felt like the tail end of the 70's and a change of sound coming into the 80s.
Not a huge fan of this genre but this was not bad.
A little bit of a mixed bag, but there were some great tracks on here. “Running Free” is an anthem, and I adore any time a band releases both a song and an album with their own name. In spite of a pretty iconic album cover, the band doesn’t seem to have a fully baked identity at this point. At times they sounded a bit like other groups, in particular reminding me of The Moody Blues on “Strange World.”
never expected this to be something I could even tolerate, but this is fine
Like okay. Way better than i expected from them
Last song was very satanic
Enjoyable but not their best work.
Iron Maiden is awesome, but I do think this is a bizarre pick. If the list absolutely wanted to include a Paul Di'Anno Maiden album, I don't see why it wouldn't be Killers, which I think is a better collection of songs. Although, on another hand, listening to the debut in 2026 is kind of an interesting exercise. *And* if the idea here was to capture a unique moment for Maiden, I suppose this kind of makes sense, because they got quite a bit closer to the classic Maiden sound on Killers. Although, it's also a case of a debut that feels unique less because of a series of intentional decisions, and more due to the band not quite getting the formula right. But I must admit that in the grand scheme of things, the Iron Maiden sound was closer to full realization than you'd think. But there are some glaring differences across this album, many of which admittedly arise from the differences between the lineup here and on Maiden's most iconic run. Most notably, Di'Anno's vocals aren't bad, but they *certainly* don't feel like Iron Maiden. He's a little more gravelly than Dickinson, and I think that Dickinson *is* a much better fit for the band with his incredibly distinct operatics. Every once in a while there is also a guitar line that feels really weird when compared to the more familiar Maiden, and I kind of chalk that up to the presence of Dennis Stratton, who didn't even make it to Killers. But, this album *does* still feel as representative of The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal as Maiden's best. The sound here is still very much a combination of speed metal and some distinct influence from prog. And Steve Harris is still the primary songwriter here, which is pretty clearly identifiable. There is even the seed of Maiden's more ambitious moments here on Phantom Of The Opera, which is the longest, most intricate song here. But the song does end up over-extending itself a little. Although, a lot of the simpler songs here really define the sound on *this* album, and make it worth the occasional visit. Prowler, Running Free, Iron Maiden, and even the instrumental Transylvania are a blast. Maiden still conjures up some exciting precision and energy here, and the result is a great heavy metal album, even if it doesn't translate into one of the better Iron Maiden albums. But, I would still advise fans of the band to spin this. There is a lot to love, and it kind of captures a unique moment in the band's history.
I enjoyed this one. I hear Metallica’s beginning in some of the tracks here.
I definitely got something out of this record. Iron Maiden gets high praise from the metal acts of the 1980s onward, and this album showed their influence as well as what influenced the group. Like the major bands of the 1970s (Yes, Rush and Led Zeppelin come to mind), two-three styles appear in the same song. The first three showed the influence of Zeppelin’s soft-loud shifts with instrumentals that show prog rock style playing. To their credit, Iron Maiden rips through their guitar parts in double time, which gave them a kick lacking in most progressive rock of the decade. The latter quality showed up enough that I could hear why Metallica and Megadeth cite them as a favorite band. Great to hear speed metal phrasing to give these longer songs a dose of kinetic energy. Unfortunately, I also heard the future of hair metal. The last three songs featured clear signs of the power ballad that became a horrible trait of late 1980s hair metal. This element appeared frequently, surprising me with their pop song quality. There was less operatic singing than what I have experienced in my brief listenings to Maiden, but less bombast did not make “Strange World” and “Charlotte the Harlot” any more palatable. On a closing side note, I know Iron Maiden got caught up in the “don’t listen because these guys are preaching Satanism” frenzy of the 1980s. Maybe there is heavy devil worshiping in the lyrics, but I did not hear anything approaching the “evil” of Black Sabbath or even Judas Priest. In fact more evil and more speed would have boosted the record.
Out of my usual genre selection, but for first impressions it was solid. Its biggest win is that there is never a dull moment, even if something isn't up my alley it was entertaining. "Remember Tomorrow" and "Strange World" were high points, especially the latter as it differed from the rest of the album in a way that is usually my speed. I'd give Iron Maiden another try. Is this the start of me becoming a heavy metal fan? As long as it keeps the room cool.
Better than I was expecting. Not my style but still pretty good.
3.5
Oh putain le OG Iron Maiden, je suis presque impressionné d’écouter ça ! La première chanson sur un Album de ce groupe quoi ! Bah c’est très bien ! Les rifs sont cools, ça fait pas vieux, et ça fait du bien de pas connaître les sons Transylvania a de la bonne batterie Au global un bon album, 7/10
Great start to what would become a phenomenal band.
Ambitious and not the worst thing I've ever heard
(4/7) fine for my run but could do without the long instrumentals
Iron Maiden has never been my thing, but to be fair there are some good songs on this album.
Classic albums I didn't hear this for absolutely years, always strange to hear songs without brucey
yeah this sounds like iron maiden
Solid. I like the production on this more than some of its contemporaries.
Solid enough, but a little boring compared to my fav Iron Maiden albums. Not enough stands out to bring it to the next level.
In the summer of 1980, Iron Maiden were the hottest thing around. Their debut album had just come out and they were touring Germany with Kiss. I was 13 and too young to go to the concert at the Cologne Sporthalle. But we played the debut record over and over again. It really was a new form of hard rock... ‘Heavy metal’ was a new term back then, and indeed this music was faster, more aggressive, “harder” than what had previously been considered ‘hard rock’. Added to that was the eerie aesthetic of the artwork. Although I’m not really much of a fan of heavy metal, I do like the early Iron Maiden. I’m probably one of the few fans who lost interest in the band when singer Paul Di Anno left. Bruce Dickinson was certainly a stroke of luck for the band and fits better overall into the band’s musical concept, but I preferred Di Anno’s punk attitude – less cliché, more decadence. The contrast between his “un-metal” vocals and the band’s fast riffs and bass lines remains unique. Musically, the album isn’t quite on a par with their second album “Killers”, but that’s not down to the band’s performance, but rather the mediocre production. Nevertheless, you can’t help but be drawn in by the band’s raw energy. An album that set the tone in many respects for 1980s rock music.
An unfortunate case here where perhaps being too good and too prevalent hurts the score, because this album walked so Iron Maiden could run. This feels very spit-and-sawdust for the efforts of one of metal's most storied and beloved bands, and it's incredibly tough to fully appreciate what this album has to offer when you have tracks from Powerslave, Piece Of Mind, or basically any album where Bruce Dickinson is on vocals. Bless him, the vocalist here just cannot compete with that signature sound, and that's not to say this is a bad album or a bad effort, but it's certainly an unrefined one compared to the discography of the future Maiden they're competing against. In no way bad, but not a huge amount going on here, and anyone who recommends you the self-title as your first Iron Maiden album would be doing you a disservice. Influential in its era it may be, but today, when Iron Maiden are a household name (literally in my case, hazy family connections mean they're the outfit I have the most actual links to), this is not the signature sound or highest quality of their work. I really hope this list has more than just this album from them, because if the 1001 book authors just slapped this album down for being the first album by a big band I'll be sorely disappointed. Looking forwards to crossing paths with Maiden later on my list of albums, now that I have their weaker work out of the way. Good stuff, but a shadow of the Iron Maiden so many of us know.
Good but not my favorite.
🤘RAHHHHHHHHH
I think I liked this one slightly more than the other? But again, maybe because the bass is driving and interesting more so than anything else I'd actually remember
Songs were okay, but nothing that made me want to come back to this album
I’m never going to like this style of music, but I get why it appeals. It was a lot less histrionic and was more direct and raw than I’d expected, and there was a trace of punk influence which is unsurprising for the time.
3.5+
136. iron maiden
Fun to listen to these guys in their first album--I wasn't familiar with most of this stuff. You can kind of tell they are still a band finding their sound. Not having Dickinson yet kind changes the vibe as well. Paul Di'Anno sounds a little like Lemmy without being as good as Lemmy. Still, where would metal be if this album never came out. Transylvania is a cool song. 3/5
A good album that I would never choose to listen to on my own
Phantom of the Opera has a great intro that makes me want to drink Lucozade, but much of this album has too much widdly-diddly for me
Another album I've heard before. I don't know if I'd ever listen to it on my own though. Pleasant enough for a Sunday morning. 3/5
W Iron Maiden, not the greatest album they got though
I had friends who were into Iron Maiden but I never really listened to them much. This album is good, it’s just good fun heavy metal. 7/10
Heavy metal, little too heavy prefer Metallica
I love Iron Maiden, but they just aren’t Iron Maiden yet in this album. It’s still too Deep Purple and not enough over the top nerd metal.
i had high hopes but it didnt really stand out
Heavy but with melody. Not really my cup of tea, but passed faster than I expected
3,4/5 Mog i.
Their first LP. While I’m not a fan at all I do appreciate when music is played well. It’s ranked 8th overall in their catalog by their fans.
Звучит как пародия
Мой Топ 1 самых ужасных обложек в истории музыки. Плакать хочется от работ этого художника. Коллега, ну как так. Гитары прикольные, голос скучный. Что-то приколдесное есть в мире Iron Maiden. Но флер нормисности преследует такие группы. Наверное, из-за фанатов...
Любовь к хэви-металлу это музыкальный аналог ношения серьги в правом ухе у мужчин
в сравнении с последними альбомами даже неплохо, 3.5
I'm amazed at how tame this sounds in retrospect, kind of like Ozzy's albums from around the same time. It's very polite and well mannered and I sometimes wish it would get a little more gnarly and crazed. Still, great playing and songs like "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania" are fantastic. I don't really know their later stuff but this is fine hard rock of its era.
I'd give this 3.5 if it were an option, but I guess I'm closer to 3 than 4. Never heard Iron Maiden pre-Dickinson actually. Di'Anno has the chops and is less melodramatic but also less interesting. Musically it has moments where it's absolutely stunning - Phantom of the Opera into the instrumental Transylvania was the high point for me, mesmerising guitars and rhythms. The rest here though - I can respect it, but it just didn't click with me much. Pretty run of the mill early heavy metal, which isn't a genre I care much about (outside of maybe Ozzy)
Phantom of the opera was good, so was Transylvania
I typically enjoy the bands that Iron Maiden influenced more than Iron Maiden but I found this pretty decent and way ahead of its time.
2.75 - I expected to really hate this, but I was into it a bit. Their sound caught me off guard in a few tracks. I might need to listen to more.
Another dip into last century's metal, I had no idea Iron Maiden would be my top pick. Speed and pop and better singing, what a combo.
It was good! But I honestly don't think I liked it as much when comparing to Metallica, and I gave that a 4. I really liked it, but it all sorta blended together a bit into just one big metal album. I mean I guess that what this is... doi. But like thats all it is, doesn't have much more to it. I'd be curious to dive into their later stuff like the Run to the Hills shit to see where they get to later on.
EI tää niitä Maidenin ykköslevyjä oo ja Dickinson taisi tulla vasta myöhemmin ruoriin, mutta kyllähän täällä ihan hyvääkin menoa on
hyvää rokkia
Liked this way more than I thought I would
as someone who isn't really a fan of iron maiden this album really surprised me with a less hardcore setlist and was super refreshing
Kult dette - men treffer nok ikke helt.
Det funka å trene til dette 💪
Pretty decent, all are pretty good songs but feel kinda similar until the last few with more calmer sounding melodies breaking up the tone. I like strange world, remember tomorrow and transylvania the most out of the album. Gonna give it another listen soon
Morning in Riga
Pleasantly surprised. Particularly enjoyed Phantom of the Opera. More heavy rock than heavy metal.
Fine.
Strange choice of Maiden albums. OK, but no real hits.
Not really a fan but was alright
Guitar: great Bass and drums: great Vocals: irritating Lyrics: annoying This is the kind of thing that convinced me that I don't like metal, even though you'd think I'd like it considering some of the other stuff that I like. I would give this record a 4 if it were all-instrumental, because it is headbanging-worthy. But then he starts singing again.
Surprisingly I liked it
Tasty
I enjoyed this album where I didn't enjoy Metallica's first album and it comes down to the listening experience. Audible vocals and solos beat the metal drone wall of sound. The lineage to hard rock is also more evident in this album.
Honestly better than expected
Iron maiden es iron maiden. Esta muy bien, pero no es lo mejor
Not bad at all, especially for a debut... but it's not as good as Number of the Beast. (and let's be real, it was never going to be)
Ba chiar I fost super ok
Venjuleg rokkplata? Er það ekki bara?
Great debut. Iron Maiden got a lot better though
When I was a kid I used to be obsessed with Iron Maiden. But unfortunately, as a got older, I started having less time for those lyrics and the whole cheesiness of their act and grew out of it. It's interesting to go back to it in my fifties. The first one is quite expressive and raw when compared to the theatricality that came after. It's quite hard rock-based as well, I guess the lyrical and operatic voice of Bruce Dickinson helped paved the way for the band to become more heavy metal inspired.
I really appreciate an album with some genuine variety in their sound and a clear definition between songs. I respect the artistry and passively enjoyed the album…not enough to revisit but can see why it was included in this list.
I’m a Bruce purist when it comes to Iron Maiden, but this has some good tracks on. Hope we get more.
in german we say: „das fetzt gottlos krass“
better than i expected
surprisingly didn't hate this
I feel like I get more on board in the Bruce Dickinson era, but the guitar work and the DNA of the band is all still here. Remember Tomorrow was covered by Opeth and that makes it most memorable for me
3.5
First two tracks are my favourites. Probably only need to listen to half of it to get my Iron Maiden fill for a while.
A bit screamy. Would try again in a different setting.
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
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
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 thought it was a bit samey, but nice. 3/5
Not my cup of tea but refreshingly not what I expected. Cool album
fine.
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+
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
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
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.
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
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.
I had fun!
fun stuff
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.
Standouts Prowler Phantom of the Opera
Solid debut 👍 do miss Di’anno’s vocals in the later entries.
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.
Interesting
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
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.
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.
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.
The prowler got me going every time I tried - but at times this album seemed lethargic
Not my taste but obviously great for someone
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
3.3
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".
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.
I remember why I never listened to them... because the cover was too scary. It's actually just some standard metal music.
3.5⭐️/5 02.23.2026
pluspunkt, weil innerhalb der songs teilweise dieselbe spontanität, wie innerhalb des albumzusammenhangs herrscht
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
Not my cup of tea, but good for the overall genre
Background punk music?
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.?
i liked strange world!
Does listening to this today make me a late-middle-aged dirtbag, baby?
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
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: -
That was better than I expected.
Liked it more than i thought i would, very punky actually. Never really gave them a chance before.
Pretty solid album here but there's other metal I'd much prefer.
It's amazing how melodic this album is.
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.
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
Eh.
recht laut, halt einfach iron maiden ...
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
Samey halfway through
Average and a bit nothingy
It was ok
Coldplay left me well, cold
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,
it’s a classic, some songs are too heavy for me but i still like it
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.
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.
A total 180 from the last album released in 1980 (Kilimanjaro), evidencing a real dichotomy in early 80's music.
Mejor de lo que pensaba la verdad
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
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
Pretty good, not my jam
phantom of the opera and strange world are peak
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
Decent metal- but not great.
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!
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
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
Some solid, almost punk type thrash metal here. I like the instrumentals.
Shockingly good
Fantastical Iron Maiden, love the riffs and shouts
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
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
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.
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.
A good first album. But not great.
Expected to hate it, but I got several tracks in before I got bored and started skipping tracks. I'd listen to it again in the background.
Surprisingly enjoyable
I feel like I should like this more than I do, with the prog elements and clear musical talent on display here. I felt strangely neutral while listening to this.
fun, veers a bit too close to hair metal for me. 3.5
I got 2 tickets to Iron Maiden baby, come with me Friday don’t say maybe. As far as debut albums go 👏🏼
Just cool, Prowler is an awesome song
Pales in comparison to their later albums when they dialed in the sound.
It's Iron Maiden, which is cool. But it's weird that this is the album for the list. I don't see the importance of this Maiden record versus Number of the Beast or Powerslave.
Love Maiden, but I don't feel the utter relevance of their sound.
actually pretty goood
I didn’t listen to this but I accidentally tapped a star and can’t undo it, sorry.
sounds like dad music 6/10
Assez sympa
You know it's early cuz the skeleton guy looks kinda derpy on the cover.
3. Surprised how much I liked a few of the tunes, look forward to hearing more of the discography.
Interestingly enough, as (at times) a metalhead, I never dived deep into Maiden's back-catalog. I started listening to them with "Live After Death" and almost all their albums that came after. That said, I was never a big Maiden fan either, although I do appreciate their later albums, leaning more towards a heavy prog-metal style. Even so, it turned out that this was my first listen to their first album. And, albeit without the legendary Bruce Dickinson, this was not bad. I can truly hear why they were heralded as pioneers of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal). Sometimes a bit proggy, and mostly straightforward power metal - you can even hear how this inspired the later Bay Area thrash bands (Metallica, Megadeth, etc.). Still, it's not an album I would revisit often, unlike "Powerslave" or "Live After Death." 3/5
Meh
Review Score: 3.5/5 Good rock album, amazing instrumentals, lyrically it lost me the further the album went on, but i think it'll come to me the more I listen to rock albums.
Lizzie P this time. Loved stranger world song. Appetising. Not much range.
Solid
Second IM record of two, and this one is not as good as Number of the Beast. The OG lead singer was no Bruce Dickinson, who puts his pants on one leg at a time, then makes gold records He's kind of a weak lead esp in front of the great band behind him. This likely lands here as an influencer, esp on early Metallica. All in all, it's a solid record and definitely informed what followed, but Maiden surpassed this with all of the Dickinson records and I'd say it's non-essential unless you are a metal fanatic
5 Album cover is too scary!!
Yeah it was alright for 80s metal
I had never given Iron Maiden any listening time because I expected it to be hair metal but this wasn't actually bad or cheesy or anything. I think it aged pretty well. My son liked it when we were riding in the car and it might end up in a rockin' rotation at some point.
Iron Maiden - Len Houmous’ pet name for his 23rd wife. Margaret Thatcher. 2.9 5/8 Transylvania
It did grow on me a lot, still not quite my personal vibe but I’d listen again passively
Torture me back at your lair!
Pretty decent, never been a fan but I wasn't bored. I like that they have a song that's Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden on the album Iron Maiden
Favorite songs- prowler, running free, & Iron Maiden When I think of 80s metal- this is what I think of
3.4/5 Good generic metal to put in the background while caffeinated
necete verovati ovo je bio prvi put da sam ikad pustila mejdena svejedno ne znam sto al meni je ovo mid mozda je do toga sto nmg strani tekst (😭) ako me ne lozi bas uglavnom mislim ima dobrih pesama al uglavnom mi je smor
I didn’t hate it and I thought I would!
I went into this expecting to quite like this, given I've love a lot of the harder rock albums so far, but this didn't quite hit for me. It was good but I didn't like it as much as I expected to. A solid 3.5.
I’ve never really listened to much Iron Maiden. As you can tell from my ratings, hair metal and “hard rock” aren’t my favorite genres but this one was pretty good actually! Liked it more than I expected to. The bass was what really caught my attention, good stuff! 7/10 Favorite Tracks- “Prowler” “Transylvania” “Iron Maiden”
First time really listening to iron maiden and pleasently suprised. Love how there are also calm songs in the mix, like strange world. Could see myself listening to it again. toegevoegd aan bibliotheek
meh
Good to hear Running Free again
Decent but probably don’t need to listen to it again
Only 2 years before Number of the Beast but I was much less familiar with the debut and think I liked it significantly less. I don't think it's just not having Bruce Dickinson, although that is partially it - this just sounds a lot closer to 70s hard rock than 80s power metal. The guitar work is still excellent in places, but I don't like it as much when it's more boogie-ish (for lack of a better word?) and less driving/chugging. Being more like Thin Lizzy is not necessarily bad, but I came to like the more thoroughly metal later sound and this was just an adjustment. Phantom of the Opera is the standout track, but the first/last bookend tracks are also very good.
Wasn’t impressed then, less impressed now. Gimmicky more than artistic.
Not sure... It's okay
La primera canço bastant més chill del que m'esperava. En general aplica per tot s'album. Aixi i tot i ha bastanta guitarra, pero no em sembla tan heavy metal.
great guitar
not my cup of tea, but i liked it