Reviews (page 9 of 14)
I like this more than I expected to, but I didn't really enjoy it. I am unlikely to recognize any of this songs if I heard them again but I feel no need to ever listen to Iron Maiden ever again
I was entertained. For being the first from iron maiden, not bad
I like this album. It's their first, so the sound of this album is more raw, and one of the rare albums that doesn't have Bruce Dickinson singing. It reminds me a lot of Metallica's first album "Kill 'Em All". Just a killer studio sound. I'll rate this 3 of 5. Favorite tracks are: Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, and Transylvania.
Rv
classic earlier metal, with vocals that are almost half punk in style. great musicianship, though I'm not a huge Iron Maiden fan due to the clash between the guitar style and the vocals.
First time I’ve ever listened to Iron Maiden, and it was surprisingly good! Solid “classic” heavy metal
high 3 - not their best project but still really solid
Surprisingly diverse with obviously skilled musicians and strong production. Definitely heavy metal.
Good album ruined by its production. I casually enjoy Iron Maiden but prefer the Bruce fronted stuff.
Iron Maiden before Iron Maiden
Only heard two songs from it before and honestly, it's such a fun album. A slightly less "heavy" version of metal 3/5
I had a hunch & listened to two other Iron Maiden albums. This debut should not have been on this list. Look, it still shred, but their signature style & polish was missing.
I’d never heard most of these songs. Definitely not as good as other Iron Maiden stuff but after the last few days, it was a good listen. Bruce Dickinson sang the national anthem at the Kings opening game this year - neat
Лет 15 назад он меня очень впечатлял, но сейчас совершенно нет) кроме пары песен, слушать особо нечего. Но, тем не менее, класика хэви-метала, нужно иметь уважение
I mean it’s fine! Some tracks are pretty good, even. Real Billy Hargrove shit. Put me in a fast car and play these tunes. But I don’t know how much staying power it has for me. Musically there’s some cool stuff happening; I love the guitar work. But the rest kinda falls flat, I guess. Thematically, our last metal album was much stronger and, context taken into account, much more relevant.
I've never listened to a full Iron Maiden album before, and this is not the Iron Maiden I'm familiar with, so this was an interesting listen. It wasn't a life-changing experience for me, but like the Elvis album, it was cool seeing where so many artists have pulled influence from. "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania" was a great 1-2 punch. I doubt I'll ever revisit this one.
As the knight adjust his helm and steadies his lance, the driving riff of "Transylvania" bursts in. This album is joust-core, duel-gaze, meant to be played loud over the clash of a friggin' medieval battle.
Great
What it says in the tin…
Everything was in place from the get-go. Obviously things change when Bruce comes in but belongs on the list. For me three stars is a pretty good album for a classic five is indispensable. This is a three.
Beaucoup de bon riffs mais je trouve que ce style là vieillit pas très bien.
I dont care for this version of metal. It's Iron Maiden do 1/2 star for cultural significance. 4.0 plus .5
Sounds like a mix of metal and rock. Good but I don't know how often I will come back to it. 7/10
This was definitely a case of don’t judge by the cover. Pleasantly surprised to find this less heavy than I’d expected.
it was fine, it was good. not the metal I reach for but important to history.
Mostly I’m thinking yeah
Better than I thought it was going to be.
Not for me
Actually better than I expected. While I have always liked metal, I never quite got Iron Maiden. Never seemed to have any emotion in it and while I have heard a lot of folks worship their technical prowess, I couldn't really hear it. When "Prowler" started I thought 2 things: 1. I was right. This sucks. 2. This singer is worse than Bruce Dickenson. Then we get to "Remember Tomorrow" and he actually sings good. Are there multiple singers? Nope. It's just that when he leans in to be a rock star, his voice fails. The good one shows up again in "Strange World". "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania" have what will come to be known as the Iron Maiden signature sound. Good songs. Would love to hear them redone with better production. (The Ghost version of "Phantom of the Opera" is really good.) While I like it more than I expected, I don't think it will make the rotation. Will put "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania" on a playlist or two though. Let's call it a 3.
Not that it was bad, just nothing caught my attention. It definitely sounds of an era
Enjoyed first listen and might return
I-ron Maiden-fly.
Metal with some godd bits. Not all of it is screamy scary angry noise. Dude on the album cover looks like a lot of Americans right now (January 12, 2026) Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Remember Tomorrow, Running Free, Phantom of the Opera, Transylvania, Strange World (guitar bits are fantastic). ⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Saved some tracks.
somewhat hell yeah, somewhat repetitive
recording feels....empty? hollow? the music is fine, but something about the mix is off. other than that, it's a decent debut!
Great classics, thx
6/10
Not as fun or crazy as expected to be honest.
ok
Good noodling. Even some singing instead of screeching. One even sounded like Pink Floyd. Ok!
Another impressive debut for what later became an iconic heavy metal group. I know these early heavy metal albums tend to be a bit abrasive, but this sounds pretty damn good for only having been recorded in 13 days. More emphasis on the instrumentals here as opposed to later releases, as we have a few long stretches that showcase Murray, Stratton, Harris, and Burr's contributions. I didn't think there were any super notable standout tracks after listening, but then again, I don't think Iron Maiden was much of a "singles" group in the first place, rather more of a "sum of its parts".
Cover 6.5 Although they sound completely different, whenever I hear the name "Iron Maiden," I think of either Judas Priest or Megadeth. Probably because of the imagery. Megadeth I know. And really enjoy. I haven't really given Iron Maiden or Judas Priest enough time. Like my To Be Read list, my To Be Listened list keeps stacking higher and higher. However, I've now gotten at least one Iron Maiden album out of the way. And I do like it. It's funny how much more tame this style of "heavy metal" is, like Kiss, which was once considered loud noise. I was also never a hige Kiss fan either, although I've tried and there are songs here and there that I do like. That's basically why I haven't bothers with Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. They're too old sounding, I guess. Yet, it do like oldies and 70s music. I don't know. I guess it's just not for me.
I see why the bad is heralded so highly in metal circles. It was chill.
Not really for me... 2.5
That opening track is such a mission statement. It's hard for me to really appreciate Iron Maiden without Bruce Dickinson though - especially as a lot of other elements aren't fully formed yet either.
I like the music well enough, but even the original vocalist doesn't move this into a regular listening rotation.
More technical musically than I thought they’d be
I expected to hate this because metal is so not my genre, but wow, it rocks. Some great guitar parts, and not terribly screamy. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Prowler, Running Free, Phantom of the Opera ⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Saved some tracks.
Few good songs great band tho
Raw, scrappy, and fun
Good record! I had an unfair aversion to Iron Maiden before listening to this. A tightly performed and very fun album. Self-titled tracks are a flex.
not really something I typically listen to, but it's a solid record and I legitimately enjoyed it. The mix has it's issues, like the vocals just seem too dry and don't feel like they belong in the mix. The songs hit hard and the riffs scream throughout the whole record. Maybe it's time I listen to some more Maiden and get hang with Eddie for a little bit.
Not too irritating for metal
First half was dynamic
Listening to albums like this is part of the reason I'm doing this project. I wouldn't have thought to listen to this record and I certainly didn't expect to like it. Thought I knew what Iron Maiden was all about, but I was wrong... at least with respect to this album. It's pretty damn good! Much more melodic than I would've expected and less screaming than I anticipated. In fact, the guy can actually sing. That said, I'm generally not a fan of the heavy metal genre, lyrically it's not exactly poetry, and it's just not really music that moves me personally, so I'm not going to rank it that highly for ME. But that said, objectively, it's definitely a good album. 3 stars.
I made it through 5 songs, which is a success for me and metal.
Running Free is still my all time (perhaps only real fav) Maiden track. This was a great listen, while reminding me via Charlotte the Harlot of how I don't actually like them all that much. So a three.
My parents’ music
It was fine.
Turns out it's not Iron Maiden I hate. It's Bruce Dickinson.
I’m not usually a heavy metal listener, but this was a great first spin. The guitar work was nice, the album was short and easy to get through, and while many of the songs blended together, I wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again.
I like this much more than I thought I would
Surprisingly good for me (not a metal fan)
I rather liked this but I feel I’d need more listens to appreciate it more. Some good tracks, particularly Phantom of the Opera.
When I see or hear Iron Maiden, I think of Bill and Ted's excellent adventure. This is as 3 as it gets. Don't love it, don't hate it, wouldn't turn it off, wouldn't seek it out.
There are better Maiden Albums than the self titled.
Perfect album for when you lack the proper tools for carpet removal so you use a hatchet.
I really really liked Prowler. The rest was okay
It's whatever, rocky.
I like it enough I guess.
Still not my cup of tea
Bruce Dickinson really opened up the playbook after whoever’s singing on this one left.
das war schonmal ein schöner Anfang, die besseren kommen noch und live sind die fantastisch
This band always had a great visual style. Not only entertaining but its consistency and cartoonishness told you a lot about them and their music before you ever listened to it. So even though I never dug metal I always had a soft spot for these guys because their album art told me that they didn't take themselves too seriously and were never going to be too demanding in terms of getting overly ambitious. Anyway, so I never heard this before today but was prepared to like it ok even though I am pretty far from the pimply headbanger I imagine to be their core audience. And I did!
Although this project would have been just fine without this early Iron Maiden album, it's still fun to listen to it again after many many decades. I'll admit that until the opening vocals on the not-aged-well "Prowler", I'd completely forgotten about the Paul Di'Anno era of Iron Maiden, which was much more raw than their later style; this is particularly noticeable in the classic "Running Free" as well as the somewhat painful "Charlotte the Harlot". I also enjoyed their quirky prog/punk "Phantom of the Opera" (I remember trying (and failing) to perfect the opening salvos on my guitar way back then), the quintessential IM dualing-guitar-attack of "Transylvania", and the title track, although none of the tracks really qualify as great songs. Much like the album, but there's a lot of heart in this too (all except apparently poor square-peg guitarist Dennis Stratton, who just wanted to play Queen-style ballads and smell the flowers).
Did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. That said, I didn't really like it as much as appreciate a few of the rhythms and some nice guitar.
Some of the songs are great, others are okay. Sounds more like a group of young men having fun and playing around with their instruments, which is great. I expected this to be really hardcore and difficult to listen to, especially considering the age. But I was pleasantly surprised, it’s fun and has a lot of musicality.
Awesome debut album from a legendary heavy metal band. I can hear how they evolved into long, melodic songs with amazing guitar solos in their later work based on the songs off this album. I'm glad they ditched Paul Di'Anno for Bruce Dickinson, I've never liked Paul's voice. This album I can tolerate him mostly. 3.44/5 stars
Prefer Black Sabbath or LED Zeppelin
Decent. More heavy than I expected for a "dad-metal" band. Fairly melodic. Great for a bands early album.
I love the drums and guitar but the vocals are weak and the lyrics silly. Does not belong in the top tier of metal albums.
Another metal album - fine, but just not my sort of thing - not a bad album - just all feel very similar
2.5 stars. I like that little guy on the front, but ehh to the rest.
“It’s nice for people who like that kind of music” - Nora My music history is all messed up. I thought this kind of metal didn’t come around until later in the 80s. There were parts I liked, mostly it was just too much.
Iron maidenista ei kai voi muuta sanoa kuin huh huh! Isoveljen kautta näihinkin biiseihin joskus tutustunut
I’m not particularly a fan of Iron Maiden, but I suppose this sounds exactly how you think a Maiden album would sound - soaring vocals, interesting lyrical imagery, and unnecessarily long guitar solos. Ticks all the boxes if it’s your thing, I guess - it just isn’t really mine.
First off, and entirely immaterial to the music, I feel like I must point out, Iron Maiden album covers are ridiculous. Just absolute nonsense. And, I would argue, completely misleading as they're a far more melodic band than that cover art suggests. After listening to this twice, I am now categorising Iron Maiden in the same list as U2: wouldn't turn it off if it came on shuffle, never going to choose to listen to it. 3/5
Not what I expected. I thought they would be more heavy metal. Just sounds like high-powered, guitar driven rock’n’roll to me. I’m impressed. Well done.
This was fine, but no bangers like a few other iron maiden albums
7,5/10
Really good guitar and the sound is overall nice. But generic lyrics and one very misogynist song. 6/10
I enjoyed this more than I expected.
A band I pretended to like as a kid circa 1987—for the posters—but found Bruce Dickinson’s vocals a bit shrill. This is probably heresy but I think I like Paul Di’Anno better?
It’s a solid Album but not as great as the number of the Beast!
Like it 3/5
You can hear flashes of what would make them great on Phantom of the Opera and Iron Maiden, but the rest is pretty pedestrian.
Not bad, but not my style
Perfectly cromulent metal.
Hey guys horns up from Australia. #MetalMonday. Errrm this looks like me before my morning coffee. Who’s ready to rock?! Alright. I can’t do it anymore. I have unleashed as much cringeworthy “pick me” content as I can muster and now it’s time to give Iron Maiden a fair shake. As a kid who gravitated towards the more gruff metal music, this band eluded me with the soaring vocals and melodic choruses. I am excited to see how this hits me now as the *ahem* open-minded music enjoyer I’ve become. Prowler - Great riff, especially with that bass line underneath. The vocals were always the part of Iron Maiden I couldn’t get behind, whether it’s this guy or Bruce Dickinson. There is just a bit of bite missing for me here. Not bad though. Remember Tomorrow - Remember? Tomorrow??? How can I ? Wait a second. You’re friggin with my mind, Iron. Is this the name of that Tom Cruise movie that I believe was on while I slept off a cold? Oh that was “Edge of Tomorrow.” This riff is a lot better than that was. Running Free - A decent song. There are riffs scattered in amongst this entire album that rule, but there is also a weakness in the vocals that I can’t shake. Phantom of the Opera - Fantastic intro. This leans on the instruments more and more and they go pretty hard. This is a solid track. Transylvania - Oh now we’re getting more metallic. The song title and the opening gallop. This feels like the Iron Maiden that I hoped existed beneath the layer of songs I didn’t quite get anything from. Sure, there are no vocals, and I’ve harped on that since the preview paragraph, but if the shoe fits… Strange World - Why does this album need a ballad? I’ll tell you, it doesn’t and this should be removed from the canon. Iron Maiden’s and music in general. Not for me. Charlotte the Harlot - uhh is this a late 90’s skate punk song? Oh god it kicks on from there. This is the dumbest song lyrically by far, but it rips pretty hard. Who am I to deny this drive? Ugh, at least until the emotional appeal to the woman you have been calling a “harlot” for the past two minutes. Not a bad track, but taken down by the lame lyrical content. Iron Maiden - There is something so satisfying about the triple name. The self-titled song on the self-titled record. Bliss. The song itself ain’t half bad either. This album is a lesson in Heavy Metal bass playing. In sayjng that that, There was some catching up to do from the rest of the band. This vocalist parting was best for everybody, and the beefing up of guitars will have to come around, or else future projects would suffer from the same hollow fate this album did. I’m not sure if it was the production, but this all felt so thin to me. There was an almost operatic feel to the entire album and I want that aesthetic far away from most of my music, especially metal. Iron Maiden’s maiden voyage didn’t provide much in the way of surprise, and didn’t quite break my perception of the giants of British Heavy Metal. Good, but not great, as I believe they have the potential to be. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Remember Tomorrow, Phantom of the Opera, Transylvania
I am not sure if I've listened to this album before bc they're all kinda the same to me. It didn't change my impression from Iron Maiden: the music is technically well composed and played and everything's cool but it's just boring and predictable and cheesy as hell. Works ok as a background music.
Not bad. New to heavy metal some songs were pretty good. Even recognized certain sounds in modern culture references
Iron Maiden, I apricate them, but never got hooked in.
I can't say this was really to my taste, but I found it more enjoyable than other 80s metal I've listened to. The guitar is a bit more raw and melodic, and it has opportunities to breathe. The vocals are cheesy, but in some places remind me of the rawness of Rory Gallagher, weirdly enough, and it kind of works. "Phantom of the Opera" is an especially interesting track, kind of a classical feel with a bit of Brian May in the solo. I thought "Running Free" was the standout track, and I also liked some of the Pink Floyd feel of "Strange World". I think ultimately I get really worn out after about 15 mins of metal, so this album just started to drag and feel repetitive for me after a while. Much of it feels like "standard" metal of the period, with some shining moments. This is something I probably wouldn't listen to again, but it's not bad.
I love metal. Love iron maiden. But it doesn't age super well, does it?
Decent debut album. It was more melodic than I expected.
Enjoyed it more than I expected.
A+ branding, great pinball machine. Not for me but I can appreciate why it's cool.
What’s constantly running through rock and roll dude guy from Gilmore girls head
A great foundation for their later albums.
i love strange world. it feels like a song you’d play for a first love i can imagine dancing while this song is playing in the background. this is very rock n rolly i’ve been trying to get more into rock and this is perfect i love prowler too i love the guitar and drums in this album oh that guitar in strange world this is my favorite song on the album most definitely. the album can be loud too i like that charlotte the harlot is very dancey to me i love it
Not the biggest fan of (heavy) metal, but this was okay.
The classic Maiden riffs are here, but they are not as full in the mix. The bass is, of course, excellent. Di’Anno’s vocal delivery is very different than Bruce Dickinson’s, and unfortunately I think I prefer the latter. Feels like what it is, the debut from a band who would change vocalists and find their sound later on. I could see being intrigued by this debut and eagerly awaiting the follow up in 1980.
Solid album. Not a huge fan of metal in general but older metal has my heart.
This is one album that has not aged well. I can see where some of the later bands (Metallica, for one) got their inspiration, but hindsight is not kind to this one. That being said, it was surprisingly musical. If you listen to this with nostalgia, it is probably great. But the genre left these baby steps (and my tastes) behind long ago. It needs a remix. Still a good album, just not my thing.
Lyssnade inte så aktivt, hade på den i bakgrunden. Helt ok...
Steam iron
Very tame for Iron Maiden and none of the future bangers they’re known for. I likes it but kept waiting for the songs to kick in
Never known why these guys were so popular. Cabaret metal.
I am not into metal but this album was above expectation. The melodies where nice and the instrumentation enjoyable. Cool.
Once cool music that has become dad music. Time comes for us all
Förväntade mig att det skulle vara tråkigare faktiskt, bra sångare och stabila låtar men jag saknar lite av en edge för ett högre betyg!
Didn't get as many listens in as I wanted to, but appreciated it.
Brilliant. I can’t say I ever listened to much Iron Maiden but I enjoyed it
Solid and raw. I liked it.
Ech hät ehrlechgseid dänkt dass Iron Maidon no vel meh Hard Rock d. h. omeschreie ond herti E-Gitarre wär. Sie send also erstuundlech gmässigt. Vorallem I strange World hends au e rächt Geili and ruhigi Atmosphäre änebroocht. Au öbergäng send teilwiis huere clean, au wenn t Lieder völlig anderi send. Trotzdem esches halt emmer no Metal was ech weder gemerkt ha dass es ned min Musigstil esch. Sie händ halt emmer no ehri Stemm ins Gitarre, woer eifach z extrem send.
Like their sound. No familiar songs on this album.
I don't know what metaphor to use here: death's-head moth pushing out of its chrysalis? Swamp monster rising from the mud(dy production)? Rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouching towards Bethlehem to be born? All of the above? You can hear they're not quite there yet (Bruce Dickinson won't arrive for a couple more albums) but you can tell where they're going and that the trip will be exciting.
I’d give this 3.5/5
Not fan of heavy metal, but this is one of the better ones.
not my favorite but still good
Some rock and metal albums feel relentless - and while I understand the appeal, and why people like these types of albums, they've just never resonated with me. This is one of them. I can recognize why it's good, and even actively enjoy some bits of the tracks, but it left me exhausted a bit more than it left me thrilled. Those of you who love Maiden, shred enough for the two of us.
Strong songwriting, especially for a debut, but the vocals were mixed a little low for my liking, and the songs did blend together a bit throughout the album, which prevents me from giving this a full 4.
Well, boy, if that ain't some classic metal. I can never tell if a song like "Charlotte the Harlot" is meant to be ironic or not tho
I'm familiar with a few of these songs but have never listened to the whole album. It's pretty good, with a very good raw energy. What I keep thinking is that if this is on the 1001 Album list then all of their next 6 albums should be as well because they are all better than this. Was this included because of a moment-in-time impact?
classic iron maiden, like the dueling guitars but very long guitar riffs and 7 minute songs
Den här debuten behöver de inte skämmas för.
Cool to hear early maiden in an active listening, full album context. Production is a bit dated, which l always have beef with in early metal. Paul is such a different vibe from Bruce.
Kuin Iron maiden löytäisi tässä äänensä. Hyvin pysyy yllä 40 minuuttia, ei liikaa mitään eikä todellakaan mitään liian vähän. Tilutusta on, mutta siitä pidetään sopivasti taukoa progehkosti.
Stage Two heavy metal- in that transition from bands like Sabbath and Zeppelin and Deep Purple to bands like Metallica et al. More thrashy/punky. Judas Priest. Kinda sounds like a more metal Thin Lizzy? Not the primary vocalist. Also the only album with this particular guitarist.
ok
Crassic
I like this one. But Piece of Mind (1983) a couple years later is stronger and more fully realized. Listen to The Trooper for the quintessential Iron Maiden song.
Undeniable, even though it's not really for me.
enjoyable
First time ever listening to Iron Maiden, weirdly. This wasn't half bad - a bit too 'classic rock' for me, but it was 1980 after all. Favourite tracks: Prowler, Remember Tomorrow, Phantom of the Opera.
Prowler 3.4 Remember Tomorrow 3.5 Running Free 3.4 Phantom of the Opera 3.6 Transylvania (instrumental) 3.5 Strange World 3.5 Charlotte the Harlot 3.4 Iron Maiden 3.2 Score: 3.4375
Never been a massive fan of denim rock so forgive me for saying first time listener to iron maiden. Honestly I thought it was ok. May listen again.
I do actually rather enjoy this as background music.
mmh, hard rock but listenable. Quite good but won't end up in my playlist
this is practically the first thing i think of when someone says metal, so in that sense its good i think best track: iron maiden worst track: remember tomorrow
An excellent album, but I simply will not return to much from it. Nothing stands out to me beside being the origin of Iron Maiden. Never dragged though.
Not their best but decent.
Actually pretty decent
Heavy metal clásico. No es un estilo que me guste demasiado, pero me gustó este álbum. Me hizo recordar a una forma un tanto adolescente de crear música (riffs duplicados en guitarra y bajo, solos de guitarra, efectos clásicos como distorsión y chorus, beats de batería simples y accesibles). Se nota que la producción del álbum no es la mejor, pero siento que te mete mucho más en la crudeza del estilo. El arte de tapa por supuesto es icónica, y suma a la experiencia del álbum. "Phantom Of The Opera" es un tema para resaltar.
Usually don't like metal, but this one is pretty good. Favorite song: Phantom of the Opera
Mid
Obviously a classic, but in the lookback nothing special, really dusty old fashioned hardrock, would not even call it metal except for some ball busted screams.
Старая классика
I know Iron Maiden are metal royalty, but I've never found my way into their music. They're not bad, but also not my taste. This album was fine for what it is. None of the songs annoyed me, but they also didn't impress me or resonate with me either.
It's the start of something amazing. Not the same catchiness of some later songs. And I prefer Bruce Dickinson. But you hear the dueling guitars and the morbid storytelling. Charlotte the Harlot is a head banger. The production is good for an early album.
Not my favorite by them but pretty good
Rockin
Prowler - Definite punk DNA. TSOL jumps to mind. Great wankity solo. Remember Tomorrow - Starts very metal ham n cheese, then a monster riff leads into some RUSH-esque proto-prog ornate badassery. Metal ballads have a silliness requirement for vocals/lyrics, but sometimes it works. Running Free - Big Crue vibes at the outset. But the riff is slightly Anthrax-y. More complex/interesting than the songwriting. The breakdown with the triplet riffs is fire. Phantom of the Opera- Hell yes. Operatic (duh). I love the bridge. The muted chunka chunka is straight Fugazi-esque. And the one-line choral is beautiful. This song has like 7 sections. It evolves beautifully. Structurally recalls ‘…And Justice…’. Transylvania- I generally think metal is better without vocals. This instrumental argues strong in my favor. Strange World - La Villa Strangeworldo. Milky keys are a nice add. Pink Floyd reporting. Charlotte The Harlot - Creepy slut-shamer. “I wanna see blood”? Iron Maiden - The main riffs are so loose. This is like a brawl between a stadium rock bro and a metal nerd where the bro wins but the nerd fights better. And, so, is Eddie the Iron Maiden? Is the serial killer a medieval torture device? Or a robot girl? Was this the inspiration for M3GAN? Overall a fun time and an education. I prefer the crisp, chunky metal to the bar rock elements, but I favorited a few tracks and will likely listen again.
There's some good musicianship, but my overwhelming feeling was one of indifference. This didn't move me, or motivate me to seek out more
As much as Paul was good, Bruce just took Maiden to another level, but the conglomeration of punk and prog to come up with the new wave of british heavy metal is here for all to see.
I think Spinal Tap ruined Iron Maiden for me. Some good tunes on here but it has dated and there’s no Bruce yet
Iron Maiden is my favorite early metal band but I hadn't actually listened to their debut album, very much enjoyed
The guitar work is definitely great, and the bass and drums not far behind, but I definitely prefer Bruce Dickenson over Paul Di'anno. No disrespect to Paul, he's a pretty decent vocalist, but Bruce really brought something to the party that this album was missing.
Honestly a pretty kick-ass debut album for Iron Maiden. Given the quality and production, almost sounds like an EP instead of a full album, and I don't necessarily mean that in any disrespect. I kinda like the "rawness" to it, listening to the guitars and bass just freaking "dual it out", so to speak. Yeah idk, the guitar work is just great.
Never woulda listened to this album and not really my style but had some gems
Ratings probably hurt because I just listened to Judas Priest, and I like that group more. I give this a soft 3.5 stars, rounded down. The guitar is faster, the vocals are more singing vs screeching, and it doesn't hit the same.
Liked it for what it was, but definitely have to be in the mood
J - 3/5 Best Track - "Running Free" F - DNL
Pretty good for its time, honestly. I can understand why they weren't too happy with this one later on. Ballads are honestly my favorite part outside of the harmonizing guitars.
Les musiciens jouent les riffs et il y a qqch. d'impressionnant là-dedans, mais on dirait qu'à part les riffs, il manque de vision pour le son, le projet global, l'ensemble. C'est honnête comme démarche, un peu trop peut-être. Ça manque de magie. Les gens de Québec aiment généralement cette musique et il y aurait une étude socio-musicologique à faire à ce sujet.
Des beaux petits riffs coquins.
Metal is always decent but some of the songs really feel a bit long. 3.5/5
Better than I thought it would be. In general, the musicianship is very high quality. The drumming, in particular, was impressive. Mostly it’s a steady diet of speed metal with overwrought and preening lyrics on top of guitars on top of guitars on top of guitars There’s a little variation in the pace of the songs, but not much. All in all — I’m glad I listened to it and it’s legit to claim that one should hear a great speed metal album before they die. Now that I have listened—I won’t need to hear a whole album like this again (except that there are probably more like this in the 1001 list). It’s a three.
Definitely puts the NW into NWOBHM, this has a punky prog sound that owes as much to The Stranglers as it does to Sabbath. A very assured debut.
Straight metal.
Entry level metal for beginners and humble beginnings of one my favorite band
First real metal album. Properly metal, can hear influence in thrash, melodic metal, metalcore to come later Best track - Phantom of the Opera/ Prowler Borderline 3/4 stars
Love me some Maiden but this debut album was as auspicious as I thought it would be. Still ok.
Not a fan of screeching metal but this one surprised me. I’m not saying I love it but I don’t hate it. Transylvania was excellent..with the driving guitars it reminded me of Rush, a band I do like. I’m not a fan of extensive noodling which this album has in abundance but I just might listen to this again.
Really interesting album, non of their popular songs but still good
don't totally vibe with the vocals, but apparently this is their old vocalist. also catch me fully riverdance to Transylvania
I’m not a metal person at all. Was expecting to dislike this and it was actually not bad. I’m not going to listen to this on the regular but as a one off was fine.
Intense
3/5
I didn't think it was horrible hard rock, just not my favorite.
Not my favorite Iron Maiden album but it is still pretty good. It's a really unique blend of sort of operatic vocals and high energy music. They never fail to get me pumped up. Their shirts were very popular when I was young with amazing art work.
Not as fun as some of the other metal albums we’ve gotten so far
An influential album, but spurred a load of soundalikes. And asa result, this album no longers sticks out as anything special. I won't be listening again, but it was OK.
ass
This album perfectly suits the image of a wild British gang behaving rudely and talking loudly in an otherwise quiet jazz club—so thanks, 1001 Albums, I turned the volume up. Not that I would have chosen to listen to this on my own; the so-called New Wave of British Heavy Metal has never really been my thing. Nevertheless, it’s far better than Metallica. Highlights: “Remember Tomorrow” and “Phantom of the Opera.” Overall, the album feels heavily inspired by Deep Purple and early ’70s hard rock. Since I’m not familiar with any other Iron Maiden albums yet (though I assume this list will include some from the Bruce Dickinson era), I can say Paul Di’Anno works just fine for me here.
Correcto
Not my cup of tea, but I think they’re a good band and can see why they are popular in their niche.
Remember Tomorrow bangs, love the riff.
A pretty conflicting one. On the one hand, there was simply nothing quite like back in 1980, and once this *was* there, every second metal/hard rock group wanted to be Iron Maiden. On the other hand, viewing this from a perspective of already knowing where the Maidens would be headed afterwards... this kind of is just a watered-down version of that. That results in a 3/5 stars for me, since I'm too weak-kneed to sway strongly in either direction.
pretty good but not my favorite
A decent start for the band but isn't as good in comparison to later albums.
6/10 As I have said previously. Not really my bag but I get why people like it.
Gutes Album, auch wenn das generelle Level im Hard Rock / Metal bereich sich seit 50 Jahren deutlich angehoben hat
Alright, yeah. I’ll admit it. I’ve judged this book by its ugly-ass cover. And its T-shirt fans. And I'm not much into the genre, but it is way more musical than expected. There’s real structure here. Fast, precise, even kind of elegant under the distortion. Can't really get over the triple Iron Maiden name-drop (band name, album title, AND song title)? Bold move, lads. Bold move. The artwork still sucks though. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Prowler - Remember Tomorrow
Really enjoyed being able to hear the influence of the late 70's mixed with what would become the sound of the 80's. Guitars did not sound good to me but enjoyed when everything was playing syncopations together. Vocals and harmonies were surprisingly clean too, again more 70's vibes.
It was a solid effort with some good songs.
Nice, unrefined version of iron maiden, I feel that every other album amps the quality on all fronts. The vocals are nowhere near Dickinsons power and charisma, but you can hear the raw early version of the band cooking. Rating: 3.5
Debut album. Rock / metal. Really good guitar licks and bass throughout. Excellent vocals at times. Prowler is a solid intro to the album. Remember Tomorrow, good lyrics and vocals with nice guitar licks. Phantom of the Opera an epic seven minute rock opera track. Transylvania a good rock instrumental. Final track- Iron Maiden a good fun rock, ending track. Fun album, punchy and a toe tapping head banger.
This album is one of the most influential albums to the genre of heavy metal, you hear its influence in many heavier albums today. I am not the biggest fan of this album however I enjoy the tracks phantom of the opera and Transylvania, I appreciate their ability to make their albums flow well although sometimes it gets repetitive.
its ok quick guitar and energy is always welcome but its a bit much at times Bruces voice is a little off and not many lyrics. It does what it says on the tin I suppose but Maiden have done far better albums.
Enjoyed the guitar work & album as a whole.
3.5
3.5
My least favorite aspect of classic-era Iron Maiden is Bruce Dickinson's Dungeons and Dragons on Broadway lyrical style, so this was a welcome change. 3 stars.
Someone Else: “I got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby! Come listen to Iron Maiden, baby, with me!” Me: “Is someone other than Bruce Dickinson singing?” Someone Else: “Yep” Me: “Pass” It riffs fine. Growler is fine. Phantom Of The Opera and Charlotte The Harlot fine. But the vocals are not fine and there are about 10 other Iron Maiden albums including Live After Death which are more essential than this one.
Pretty solid 7/10
Not bad
I understand the importance of the album then. I don't understand the importance of the album now. It's not bad at all, but it's been done a lot better later. Favorite song: Iron Maiden.
I liked this way more than I thought I would. I always thought there were going to be some crazy scream metal band or something, based on their name and album covers. But they turned out to be pretty fun. Prowler starts us of with a decent song, but some great guitar shredding. Remember Tomorrow is nice and smooth. Strange World also has some great guitar work. The rest of the songs are all right. All in all though, a good time. Best song: Remember Tomorrow
pretty fya
Another good 80s metal album from the OGs
Ya know, was sort of getting scarred by old rock albums on this list just being there, but this was solid. Unmistakable sound, super clean, and super on point throughout. No real standout besides maybe phantom of the opera, but very enjoyable. Probably a 3.5 honestly, maybe a 4, but lack of a standout will leave it a 3.
3 out of 5. For a debut I thought it would be tougher than it turned out to be.
Very fun and dumb
Solid early metal. Good licks. I actually think I might listen to more Iron Maiden
I don’t think this is their best album to be honest but it has a raw quality that gives it a good vibe. Up the maiden!
I've never listened to an Iron Maiden album before. My friends older brother was into them and I thought the album covers were the most satanic thing I'd ever seen. I actually liked the slowburn "Strange World" the best.
Overrated by decent overall
It's good, but i wouldn't listen to it that often. 3 best track - phantom of the opera.
a refreshing blast, which manages to be both bombastic and tinny - classic New Wave Of British Heavy Metal
The debut recording from IM? Okay, I'll check it out. It was weird not having Bruce on vocals, but it was pretty decent.
Much more into the Sabbath doom side of metal than I am the Maiden flourishes but there’s no denying the influential nature of this particular release - it has a little bit of everything. My favorite flavor on display here is “Phantom of the Opera,” but it all works really well as a cohesive and coherent rock album front to back.
had absolutely no idea what this was going to sound like! solid!
Not my kind of music! But: two stand outs from this short album are: Remember tomorrow Phantom of the opera (trust me)
6/10
Definitely 80s, but also an early view into metal and a pivotal point in music. Can't say I've listened through to an entire Iron Maiden record before, but this was what I expected it to be. Upbeat, decent harmonies and rhythms, and vocals aren't too harsh. I can now say I experienced this.
Fine. A few good moments here and there but overall the album did not grab me. As a kid I remember seeing shirts, posters, patches, jackets, etc, with Iron Maiden stuff on them and thinking it looked scary and that the music was probably wild and dangerous or something. Now this sounds kind of tame and quaint (complimentary).
Kinda surprised that I liked this one, a bit of a Sabbath ripoff, but not too bad. The other Maiden I’ve heard is better than this, though.
Fun
It’s good for metal.
I was surprised by the highly melodic music of this album. Previous to this I only knew Iron Maiden as a name, if I heard their songs it was not knowingly so I was expecting something with more screaming and crunching noise. Pleasantly surprised.
Rock/Glam/Punk Decent Vocal A good laugh
I read something not so long ago about the loss of the key change in recorded music, and how this relates to the paucity of storytelling in contemporary songwriting. I didn’t expect to find vivid proof of this in an Iron Maiden album, but there you are. This isn’t to my taste at all. But listening to it dispassionately, I’m struck by the rigidity of the composition, the clever juxtaposition of rhythmic variations - and, yeah, key changes to underscore pathos or passion. Also: I swear there are echoes of both Blondie and Metallica’s Black Album here. That was not at all expected.
It's cornball early-80s metal, but it's my cornball early-80s metal.
It was ok... Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it. I didn't find it partially memorable.
Solid album. Prowler sets the tone
The instrumental parts were my favorite. You can really hear how other metal bands (especially Metallica, with the instrumentals...) grew out from this. But wow, some of the vocals are pretty awful here. I'm not even a big fan of Bruce Dickinson, but man was he an improvement.
A lot better than number of the beast.
5/10
- Iron Maiden is one of the metal bands I am most likely to turn to, but I have no familiarity with their earliest output. I am not shocked that it is relatively shallow and unrefined, which is not helped by Paul Di'anno's vocals just not standing up to the later Bruce Dickinson. - Fun sound (the opening guitar work on "Prowler" to start the album is legit blood-pumping) and obvious skill, but this is just a fraction of what this band would grow to be.
Honestly tuned it out...oops
perdi a minha virgindade de iron maiden com esse aqui rs e gostei bem mais do que imaginava!! talvez pelas artes de capa dos CDs, sempre achei que a banda fosse um heavy metal pesado com guturais pouco entendíveis, mas não é o caso. vocais ótimos, riffs de guitarra e bateria com mt personalidade! tem até baladas/músicas mais lentas. top
First time Iron Maiden listener. It sounds exactly like I thought it would. Not worth revisiting.
3.5
3.5
I haven't heard this one in a long time but it was fun! I think I always enjoyed Maiden with Paul than I did with Bruce, but I think it comes down to more of the heavy metal sound being punkier than it was proggy with their stuff later. That being said, this one has many songs like that still, some leaning more towards psychedelia and prog in a way that it's cool but I guess I didn't care for every song in the album. I might try out Killlers later and see if I can recall why I liked it more than this one.
Revisited this a few months later and kicked it up a star. Actually is really fucking good and could climb some more. Turned off by the juvenile Eddie artwork.
Great start to Iron Maiden but not there best album, I think it really kicked on after they changed lead singers.
Some solid, almost punk type thrash metal here. I like the instrumentals.
Good example of the “Metal” genre. The stage personas of angry musicians playing angry music for angry young people. With the exception of a couple of the tracks—slower ballads—it just started to sound all the same. Shred, shred, and more shredding. Great—what else you got.
Iron maiden before they grew balls
Niki album
In my mind, metal maiden music never distinguished itself from the dozens of head banger bands of the era. Simple. Average.
From a simpler time. Straightforward classic metal. Production is minimalistic, showcasing the band as they are. Break out the Z-28 with the Pioneer Supertuner and your 6 x 9 Jensons.
Blind album, only know the artist by name. I was generally pleased by this, and more than I thought I would as well. Opening track was a banger, but then as the album went on, it faded a bit and was come and go. Happy to hear more from the band if this was their debut.
So close to awesome. Just needed some Bruce.
Rocking out great tunes!
The debut album by the British legends combines a lot of what I don't like about metal: most of all the tendency towards a thematic lack of imagination (seriously: Phantom of the Opera? Transylvania? That's cheap - as if someone for inspiration had read the synopsis of the films in the video store which were on display in the horror section for lack of ideas of their own). Then this craft-over-style mumble: playing in unison when you want to show how good you can play etc., while in the end this doesn't offer anything really impressive for anyone used to stuff like fusion jazz, Zappa or the better prog rock bands. The record has nice parts, the musicians can play and it's not the worst thing in the world but at the core is a little-boys-big-pants aesthetic for wannabe blokes. I understand this one is a bit of a pioneering release, so 1 extra star for that.
Listened to this completely keyed up on adrenaline after my car broke down in Apple Valley - wild combination.
3.5 Way better than I thought it would be
Lyrics were a bit misogynistic but had good swagger. Good guitar riffs. Would enjoy in the right context with beer and friends but wouldn't listen to on my own
Just not my cup of metal.
Great debut with some interesting influences (It turns out the Queen-esque influence was by a member who was only on for this album for that reason) and features. Some really solid bass parts especially. Though none of the songs are major standouts from the others, some were more recognizable. A big push for the new wave of heavy metal
I really don’t like Eddie. There, I’ve said it. That stupid 50s horror comic zombie mascot put me off listening to Iron Maiden for ages, which is a shame because they are really rather good. Their debut album is scrappy and full of punk energy (although they would hate being called punks!), and set the scene for the new wave of British heavy metal through the 80s. Charlotte the Harlot is still cringeworthy though.
Can’t say I listened to much Iron Maiden growing up, so checking out a whole album was interesting. I can understand why they were popular and the influence, but I wouldn’t say I loved the album. I thought the album was a solid listening experience, but didn’t come away as wanting to listen to them more than this.
01) Prowler - 6,5 02) Remember Tomorrow - 7,0 03) Running Free - 7,0 04) Phantom of the Opera - 6,5 05) Transylvania - 6,5 06) Strange World - 7,0 07) Charlotte the Harlot - 6,5 08) Iron Maiden - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,69 (67/100) Current ranking: 309/441 Not great, not terrible...
Pretty good. Favourite tracks: Remember Tomorrow Would listen again. 3/5
7/10
NWOBHM is a) a very odd name for a music genre and will b) just never really be my cup of tea. I can absolutely appreciate how these guys hit the ground running with this very energetic and confident debut album. I also like the DIY-aesthetic that they bring and that's often cited in reviews of this particular album. It's got a certain punk attitude that's very rare in heavy metal. However, now that I've listened to the whole thing once, I really don't feel the urge to ever go back to it again.
Good first album. The instruments were solid. Couple of songs were a bit long.
I’m not a big metal guy but some of the songs were tolerable
heavy metal not usually my thing so I was pleasantly surprised by this. still wouldn't seek it out again to listen to but understand why this is a classic
decent. Like Bruce D vocals better, personally
3/5
Bra album! Jag är inget jättefan av Paul Di'anno's sång men albumet har flera riktigt bra låtar (titelspåret och Phantom of the opera för mig). Men också några betydligt svagare spår. Jag ligger nog någonstans mellan en 2a och en 3a för denna.
Nothing special, but definitely kick ass metal.
This album was fine, albeit not particular memorable for me. I did not mind listening to it, so I would listen again, but not exactly in a rush to do so.
Iron Maiden has never really clicked with me, and it still doesn't really. The album did grow on me over time, but I don't understand why they are so popular asides from their visual aesthetic. The music doesn't even really seem in sync with the visuals. Still, I enjoyed a couple of the guitar solos and got into a bit of a flow from it, so I'll give it a 3.
I do see this similarly as last album I did enjoy this one a little more
Not a bad album but a little too repetetive at times. 3 stars or C.
Often find this genre a bit dull and samey and that happens a bit here but generally it is v good. Some of the instrumental sections/solos absolutely rip.
Not necessarily my cup of tea.
Great album
Surprised I've never listened to this. I could see myself getting into it. 3 stars
It’s a lot like musical theater. There’s even a song called Phantom of the Opera… Strong theatrics in instrumentation, lyrics, and singing. the people who are into it ARE INTO it. Their culture, lives, style revolve around this stuff. And the guys are clearly nerds. This is rock that didn’t care about style, played dungeons and dragons, and showed up in sweatpants. But there is a virtuosity to the orchestration. Not my bag, but I didn’t think it was terrible. I’d listen to some more, when they rocked they brought the heat.
Makes me think of Kays Cooking. Also not a genre I’m not super into but sounds good!
Day 79 - Jan 8th, 2025 Eh? 3/5
Most of the songs sounded pretty similar so it was difficult to pick favorites. Favorite track was Prowler, first track. Great sound and fun to listen to
Not my thing but you can hear so much of the framework for later metal bands. I especially enjoyed the harmonizing guitar riffs.
Bit relentless to listen to at 9am, but I enjoyed. Will probably give this a 3, but would actually rate a 7. On second listen, this slaps. Hard 7