Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Not my vibe. Not my tribe. That cover is well too scary as well. Gonna give me nightmares, man.
I have maintained a negative opinion of iron maiden since childhood. Fans of their were always super fans and a put off. However, the original singers voice in the first album is far more palatable for me. So I didn’t hate this album as much as expected.
Never really got into Heavy Metal & at the age I am now never will. When a teen I had a fight with a lad after school - he had a huge Iron Maiden patch on the back of his denim jacket with the sleeves cut off, he caught me in the face with his studded leather wristband - so Iron Maiden since then have been a bit of a nemesis to me. I saw the lad this year- fat, old & bald, karma.
The start of a cult Burley men with long hair as a result They do all genres with flair Hints of punk even rock in their trunk I never fell for the 'Maiden Maybe I should have waded'in
Mt Rushmore album that begain the NWOBHM
I’m not super familiar with Iron Maiden, but compared to the albums I’ve heard, this one feels more raw and unpolished. It’s not as heavy as some of their other work, but that’s not a bad thing. There’s a nice punk edge to it, and the galloping basslines throughout the album are my favorite part. I really enjoyed those!
I can be on board with this
Pleasantly surprised. Particularly enjoyed Phantom of the Opera. More heavy rock than heavy metal.
At least it's short.
I don’t want to be disrespectful to Paul Di’Anno—he’s clearly giving his all to the material (and he died just two months ago). But as good as the rest of the band is…it’s clear that Bruce Dickinson was the missing ingredient they needed to be truly great.
A huge surprise. Really enjoyable - both short and epic. Heavy and proggy.
It was just ok. Nothing much.
This was alright, but I prefer their later stuff
It was fine. Simpsons: Yes
A band that I've always thought I should listen to more, but have never got really into. Only knew one song on this album. The rest were nice but not very memorable.
Dumb and fun I guess.
Thin and raw. They say they hated punk but the sound is there. The big difference is the talent of the musicians, there is some great guitar playing on here and I personally love the contrast between the great playing and the cut and dry recording style. The imagery, music, and stage presence is the complete package with these guys, at least during the 80s, I wont vouch for the albums after Seventh Son. This first one is so cool to listen to and see how they evolved and how they influenced so many great metal bands.
I honestly found the repetitiveness of it dull
Honestly pretty basic hard rock. I understand they canned this vocalist and I agree with that decision. Can't wait to hear a later album. Great riffs and a couple good ballads actually
I appreciate this band now that I'm an old lady pining for 80s metal. 3.5 stars.
not my favourite Iron Maiden album, but hey, it's IronMaiden.
I've only heard the name Iron Maiden before but this is...well...expected. Metal. Riffs are cool, rhythms too. Still, I don't like that vocal and I don't like the timbre of the drums much. Songs are good themselves. I think its a roughly 3, I'm just...not that into metal. Solo in Phantom of the Opera is cool. Transylvania is very impressive too.
Crash, Bang, Wallop! Heavy Rock at its uncomplicated best.
Me gustó. No me volvió loco, pero está bueno
Iron Maiden's reputation is of their life of metal. I've heard it. But this album from the early 80's might have been called metal then, but now it would be a version of classic rock. I like classic rock. I like this album. It's more like early Black Sabbath than the early albums of Metallica. And that suits me fine.
Slay
7/10. Started slow for me but I enjoyed a lot of it once it got more instrumental. 2 songs made the playlist.
I’d never listened to Iron Maiden’s debut before this, but I hear a masterpiece. Front to back, it’s an absolutely killer metal album. Elements of prog, almost catchy sections on a few songs, killer guitar solos, and Steve Harris’s romping bass make this a metal album of supreme quality.
Silly but a lot of fun. And I understand Tenacious D a bit better now.
Too soft to be hard. Too bad to be good.
Fun fact: the monster on the cover is named Eddie
I wish back in the 90’s when I was big into prog rock someone would’ve hipped me to this album. Not that my life would’ve been much different overall but I would’ve had 30 more years of this album in my life.
Not their best but still great It’s a great example of that there are some bands with endless creativity and talent and often their records get better as their career moves forward. There are others that have the talent, the fire and come out of the gate but can never quite muster the quality of their debut. Their drummer Nicko just played his last live show two nights ago. We only have so much time to do what we love. So, for Nicko- and Steve, Dave, Bruce and all the boys I repeat- Up The Irons! Iron Maiden can’t be stopped.
Dueling guitars, a killer baseline, and vocals a didn’t hate. This was SO much better than what I was expecting.
The music was what you'd expect, but the vocals were lacking the flair I've come to expect from Iron Maiden. Having only been exposed to Bruce Dickinson's vocals this left me wanting something different. Overall still a decent album.
Not my usual cup of tea but i enjoyed it more then i thought would listen to again
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Sounds better today to me than it did back in the day.
Never heard the album before. Interesting. Much more variety than I expected. Some of the songs go on too long. Some of the vocals are solid, some not as great (Strange World) Interesting that one of the highlights of the album for me, the guitars on Phantom of the Opera, resulted in the guitarist getting fired for sounding too much like Queen.
its alrighty
Not my cup of tea
This is just a bit too much testosterone-overdosed fist-pumping. 1970s/80s heavy metal, basically. I can't see myself ever going back to this for any reason whatsoever.
E i metallica muti
Solid album.
I mean great playing, especially on the guitar and drums. They work fast, but in rhythm. Not my type of music, but one I sure damn respect.
Not my thing. At all.
Good for the rock
Always love the band but Di'Anno's voice never gets me connected.
Otimo album. Ironico ouvir isso hoje e nao achar heavy metal. Assim como Meat Loaf, esse album é facil de ouvir e nada muito fadonho ou paia. 3 estrelas para OS DO ROCK EU SEI QUEM SAO
I really enjoyed this. It wasn't as heavy as I was anticipating. Good melodies.
the vanilla flavour of metal, everybody loves it.
Iron Maiden is a classic to come back to, most of their music is still solid, not too much fuss just straight rock. 3.3
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS ALBUM. Never heard of these guys before but I am officially a fan now. Going to have to listen to the rest of their discography because I was enjoying every song on this album. I'm new to music in general since I grew up in very religious household and now that I'm 17 I'm listening to real rock music and my life has never been better. This album is fucking awesome.
why are you so mean to her
NWOBHM excellence, twin guitars blazing, Di'Anno belting out the vocals.
Iron maiden just isn't my preferred cup of metal but god damn, strange world slaps hard and Charlotte the harlot ain't no slouch either
Listened to this a few times. Really enjoyed it. Phantom of the Opera, Iron Maiden and Transylvania are great tunes. Charlotte the Harlot keeps this from being 5 stars.
This is probably the most I've liked an 80's metal album (depending on your definition of metal, I'm not going to dip even a toe into the argument about hair, I dealt with enough of those arguments in college about things that mattered way more than this). It's not thrash! I thought this was more varied and interesting than most metal albums, but I still don't think I'd play this on a whim, nor could I pick out a song that I may add to my rotation. It may be weird to rate this higher than Slipknot, because I have come back to Snuff a couple of times, but I never hated listening to this. Maybe I've just gotten used to metal at this point.
I admittedly was prepared to judge an album by its cover and was fully expecting to hate this because I've never really listened to heavy metal. I'm actually surprised by how much I liked this - it's energetic and fun. Transylvania is such a great track.
Not much of a metal person at all, however, was pleasantly surprised by this album. It wasn't "heavy" which made me appreciate it. You'll find some phenomenal beats and rhythms throughout this piece of art. I would say "Running Free" is the best track on the album followed by "Phantom of the Opera". I struggle to imagine a scenario where I would find myself listening to this style of music.
This was fine-to-good. 3.4
Fantastic. Not their best album, but damn good. This has gotten a lot of plays from me over the years and I'll definitely be coming back to it. 5/5
Debut album by Iron Maiden is an interesting piece. I always dismissed this band as boring and repetitive, and honestly that's quite close to truth. This record, other than terrible vocalist, includes few nice to grrat songs, which probably make it worth listetning to this album. Phantom of the Opera and Transylvania are really good, mostly because they don't really include too much of Paul Di'Anno. Cool record, bad band.
Well, a few songs in and I’m surprised. I really thought my ear drums would be ripped out of my ears, turned inside out and stabbed with knives of noise but I was wrong. This is not as heavy as I thought it would be. It compares to Black Sabbath in sound, though the band are less sludgy and bluesy. I can see why they are a popular band but I also don’t see what makes them different than a band like Anvil or why they became oneof the “big 4”. For the sound they are producing, it’s good. It was only 1980 when this came out, I don’t doubt that this was considered “too loud and heavy” by uptight parents. This is good for the genre and the time it was released. Rolling guitars, hard hitting drums, good solos, good vocals. Not evil sounding. I’d listen to more Choice cut: Running Free
Day322 - prowler got me and i held on for the whole loud album
This was another album that was common through out. The music is great and the lyrics are decipherable.
Never really listened to Iron Maiden and I think this was pretty epic. The instrumentation is awesome, it has a psychedelic quality and these guys clearly take inspiration from acts like Zappa and Hendrix. The vocals are quality and the songs are catchy and accessible. I think the band's imagery is a little unserious and the cartoon corpses feel more over the top. Maybe if this band had branded themselves differently they could have built more of cult status. Overall great listening experience and I will probably spend sometime this weekend exploring more of the catalog.
I’m glad Iron Maiden stopped making songs about showing your dick to women on the street? Is that what prowler is about? Fucks sake. The rest of it is very “early thrash”. I liked “phantom of the opera” because it was weirder than the rest but I enjoyed the whole thing for the most part. Bruce Dickinson is a better singer than this guy; glad he ultimately joined. “Transylvania” skips over the singing and it sounds a lot more like than the Maiden I’m familiar with. Everyone else sounds great, the bass lines in particular are relatively simple for this kind of music but they work really well.
Not my thing
#412. Honestly Iron Maiden without Bruce Dickenson is a pass for me. The music is good, but it's just not enough to do it for me. 3/5: fine Song added to playlist: Phantom of the Opera I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
O álbum de estreia do Iron Maiden é um marco importante no heavy metal, mas nem todos se conectam com sua sonoridade, sendo um divisor de águas. A voz do vocalista, que em alguns momentos não se harmoniza perfeitamente com a melodia, e o uso intenso de samples de guitarra podem parecer um tanto caóticas. No entanto, a importância histórica desse álbum para o gênero é inegável, e sua influência pode ser sentida em diversas bandas posteriores, reconheço a influência desse trabalho na história do rock embora não tenha me agradado.
surprisingly good
6.5/10
Iron Maiden's first album, where you can still hear some of their punk influences from earlier, but it's clear what's about to come. Iron Maiden is already forging its path but is searching for a style. The production isn't ideal, Paul Di'Anno is still a bit shaky, songs like "Prowler," "Running Free" and "Iron Maiden" really pale in comparison to what's yet to come, BUT... There's also a lot of positives here. And I think those positives win on this album. Bandleader Steve Harris colours every moment beautifully with his bass guitar and ensures he almost occupies a third solo guitarist position. From rousing rocking to melodious pinging to intense soloing on the masterpiece Phantom Of The Opera. "Strange World" is secretly one of the other favourite songs on this album. Strange, because the band itself doesn't seem to be very charmed by it. It's dreamy, psychedelic and bluesy with a beautiful solo by Stratton (who preferred to play this kind of stuff than the metal songs themselves) and hits the right note. Even Di'Anno sounds vulnerable and pure here. This psychedelic metal is unfortunately a sub-movement that has lost out to increasingly harder metal on the one hand and commercial hair bands on the other. "Remember Tomorrow" and "Transylvania" are the other stand-out tracks. Iron Maiden will get so much better. The songs will get smarter, the lyrics will get better and the vocals will all grow a lot, especially when they switch to Bruce as front-man. But the youthful energy and the joy of playing is still shining through here enough to enjoy this a lot. 3,5*
Cool stuff.
Love!!!
I may like the original singer better than Dickenson. I definitely like the crunchier sound of the band better.
82/100. Strong guitar play and polished production makes an enjoyable listen.
Pretty good stuff. Plenty entertaining.
Oh I have been dreading this album. I have never enjoyed Iron Maiden. TBF I never really listened to it but it was always in the periphery. My cousins, brother, step brother, guy friends at school. Just not my thing
Kannte ich bisher nur den Namen. Aber ein paar coole Riffs und Stimmungsmusik.
Bosh
Awesome debut from Iron Maiden. Everything on this album rocks, the god-tier guitar work, the ripping energetic drums that play in sync with the guitar, the bass, and the vocals from Paul Di'Anno (rip the goat). Even the few songs where they get melodic and kinda chill out for a bit before it goes back to Rock City. A must listen for anyone who loves heavy metal and rock if they haven't already listened. Top 3 Favorites: Phantom of the Opera, Strange World, and Prowler No bad songs. 4.50/5
Iron Maiden’s brutal debut is a classic.
I've already had Number of the Beast on this journey and besides that and Run to the Hills I am not much of a Maiden fan. However on hearing this, pre-Bruce, pre-camp I guess, it's much more punky and melodic and I like it. Bands lead by the bassist generally have great rhythm and oh fuck me Phantom of the Opera just came on. That was great. I think the run from Transylvania to Iron Maiden felt a bit too samey though and I got a little numb to it on first listening. Still, decent.
Surprised I like this quite a bit
RIP DiAnno. Great debut album from the band that shaped the NWOBHM
Never actually listened to the debut album, it's interesting to hear Maiden with a different singer. They seem overall less polished than they do later on too, it's a pretty cool sound though. They definitely still rip on guitar. There are a surprising number of ballads on this album. Also after a full album... switching singers was definitely the right move, this dude is just an okay singer.
In the past, I’ve spent many a year resisting Iron Maiden whatever phase I’ve moved in, from 70’s prog-purist to indie scene kid to 21st century poptimist. “The Number of the Beast” changed all that when I heard it a few months back. It forced me to confront the dazzling instrumental performances of the band, those sugary harmonised guitars, and the all-timers like “The Prisoner”, “Run To The Hills” and “Number of the Beast”. Arriving two years earlier, this self-titled debut isn’t quite as refined or effortless, but it still boasts plenty of the same. The band were unhappy with its production for being too raw and muddy, which is interesting given that there’s much more clarity here than many of the other metal albums I’ve heard. “Prowler” is a strong opener, “Running Free” is a classic, driving, “me against the world” kind of hard-rock song, and I appreciate “Strange World” for bringing a more subdued, reflective energy. “Phantom of the Opera” also deserves a shout-out for its delusions of grandeur and ridiculous-yet-sublime triplet break. But to my ears, the record’s greatest strengths are most apparent on the breathless instrumental “Transylvania” and of course the mission statement of “Iron Maiden”: they’re both frenzied workouts for all involved, boasting top-notch musicianship and memorable hooks to boot. The instrumentalists are undeniably strong, so many of the best moments on this record are when they’re left to do their thing. As much as I like Paul Di’Anno’s vocals, it feels as though the magic Maiden formula truly clicked into place with Bruce Dickinson’s voice slicing above the instrumentals like razor wire. Also, while the vocals are perfectly fine here, many of the lyrics (“I’m sixteen and I’m running free,” “see the ladies flashing all their legs and lashes”, just about all of “Charlotte the Harlot”) stray into cornier territory, leaving a lot to be desired. In short, this is a solid debut album with some excellent performances and standout moments, but it just doesn’t quite hit as hard for me as their other effort on this list.
100% agree with the assessment of Iron Maiden in in the top review for Number of the Beast but this album is slightly different. Replacing Paul Di’anno with Bruce Dickinson was the right thing to do commercially and artistically too but Iron Maiden never had the same edge after the first two albums. Bruce Dickinson is a talented fencer whereas Di’anno was arrested for carrying an offensive weapon in public. Di’anno gives the band real menace with the punk aesthetic his voice has. It makes Maiden far more listenable and interesting than their later works (even if the song writing gets better post-Di’anno).
I’ve consciously avoided iron maiden, but the raw punkiness of this album was a pleasant surprise. Not sure what to think lyrically…looking at you..Charlotte the Harlot
This album is kinda hilarious, not what I was expecting at all until it reached the end. Can appreciate why it was popular, but some of the guitar solos are very iffy and it cements my backing away from the fence take on Maiden.
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I was expecting. Quite diverse styles across the record. Particularly enjoyed the closing track.
Iron Maiden’s debut album is an energetic and enjoyable listen that showcases the band’s raw talent and sets the foundation for their future work. The guitar work and musicianship are solid, delivering aggressive riffs and dynamic drumming. However, it lacks that special factor or standout qualities that would elevate it to a higher rating for me. It’s a fun album but doesn’t leave a lasting impression compared to other classics in the genre.
Acc good
It's obvious why "Ted" Theodore Logan and Bill S. Preston, Esq., loved Iron Maiden.
11/6/2024. Fuck.
Absolutely NOT!
It´s just real solid classic metal but I like it. 🤘 I listened to the original 8 tracks edition and for me the later on the remastered edition added "Sanctuary" is not missing. favourite: "Prowler", " Remember Tomorrow", "Running Free"
A good example of 80s metal and a pretty decent debut album as well. I didn't enjoy this as much as their other entry in this challenge, 'The Number of the Beast', but it's still an ok album. It sounds like Iron Maiden were still trying to find their sound here, which is fair enough for a debut. According to Wikipedia, they were constantly fighting producers who wanted them to sound more like punk bands or Queen. That stubbornness probably paid off with early examples of what would become their signature sound, such as 'Running Free' and the title track.
Wissenslücke geschlossen
iconic 7/10
Easy 4.5 metal as f**k.
surprised that i didn’t dislike it as much as i thought i would 👍
\m/
Pretty good album from start to finish.
Meh
Good stuff.
You know, early metal is not really my thing. I found the slower songs to be quite good and I never thought I would enjoy this album but it surprised me.
A lot better than I expected!
An incredible achievement for a debut album.
Not familiar with this album, although there are a few Maiden songs I like generally. This starts out way rawer than I was expecting (good thing) but maybe too much guitar noodling for my taste. The boys was figurin' it out, but it's really split between the 70s and what Iron Maiden turned into. The production isn't there for the operatic stuff and when it gets arena rock-y it's at its worst. The glimmer of the future was probably pretty exciting back in 1980 but I don't think it's great.
The weird dividing line between the hair metal and metal metal.
Классно, рок, туда сюда, но все же ужас как состарились, некоторые моменты качают но с другим все довольно скучно
While they have never been among my favorites of the metal genre, there is no denying that this album has the hooks from beginning to end, and that they certainly influenced so many of the bands and sounds that would spawn in the metal genre right up to the present.
I appreciate this era of metal because it gave rise to the extreme metal I enjoy today. Nevertheless, it's just too over the top for me to really come back to this more frequently. Other than that, it's a decent album.
Meh
This was fun!
paul isn't quite bruce dickinson, but he really does acquit himself quite well singing these songs. his lower range is the thing he has over dickinson; the falsetto is no match, however. and these songs all kick ass too! it's definitely not quite fully formed maiden; you can hear the connection to a lot more of the traditional heavy metal and even the punk rock that had emerged a couple years later. it's those slightly scuzzier guitars and the recording that isn't super hi-fi. and when the hooks are still here to a decent extent, it's really hard not to like this!
Enjoyed this more than I assumed I would. Less corny than I thought.
This was awesome. Fav was phantom of the opera
Better than Eminem's Slim Shady LP, which was the last album I reviewed. I suppose I have a soft spot for heavy metal, even if I don't play much. Some cracking riffs. Appalling schoolboy lyrics (Like Slim Shady, then really...)
A classic
Maidens debut. Funny I should get this on the day Paul DiAnno died or was it on purpose
Sometimes I forget how musical Iron Maiden is. They have sophisticated, rockin' riffs that genuinely set them apart from the other cheesy proto-metal acts of the era. The lyrics, on the other hand, are inescapably bad.
Not my favorite. But still pretty good.
First off, RIP Paul Di’Anno. I believe there is no such thing as a coincidence since this album was generated for this project just days after his passing. Sometimes a band is firing on all cylinders and puts out some of their best material on their first record. This isn’t that necessarily. This record lays the groundwork with the ebbs and flows of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Funny enough this record kind of sounds like Iron Maiden trying to be Judas Priest but I’m pretty sure the influence actually worked the other way around. Di’Anno has his moments, but is definitely no Bruce Dickinson. “Prowler” is a pretty weak opener. Musically and vocally it sounds like something your local bar band would open their set with. Overall there are some very solid tunes throughout including “Remember Tomorrow,” “Running Free,” and “Strange World.”
Definitely a high 4, especially as it came up on the day Paul Di'Anno passed away. RIP.
Hell Yeah! There's a reason why metal is probably my favorite genre. It's just so cool, and bands like Iron Maiden are proof of that. I've always wanted to get into Iron Maiden, but I haven't really had the time. Now I have an excuse to listen to one of their albums, and their first one at that! So, do I like Iron Maiden's self-titled debut? Yeah! I like it a lot! The most notable thing about the first two Iron Maiden albums is the difference in lineup. The sound is a bit different on here from what I normally think of when Iron Maiden comes to mind, largely because Bruce Dickinson wasn't the vocalist until their third album. For the first two albums, we get Paul Di'Anno on vocals instead. While I love Bruce Dickinson's vocals, Paul Di'Anno absolutely deserves praise as well. He's a strong vocalist that makes these songs work. Other than that, the core of Iron Maiden is still here in full. The guitar style, fantastical writing, and sheer energy are present right from the very beginning. There are slower parts that also work pretty well in songs like "Strange World." Overall, while I'm sure Iron Maiden has made better albums since this one, their first album is still a strong debut. Unfortunately, it was announced earlier today that Paul Di'Anno passed away at only 66 years old. Damn. At least he will always have an important place in metal history. This album is a High 4/5. RIP Paul Di'Anno.
This was really fun and still on the good side of Metal. I have to say I think I enjoyed Black Sabbath more. Less obnoxious guitar solos and more memorable riffs, but still this is solid
This was better than I expected. I'm not into metal, but these guys can play. Steve Harris is a "beast" on bass, even on this early album.
First off - zombie guy can get tossed for popping up and scaring me when I clicked to finish rating the Dave Brubeck Quartet. I know the name Iron Maiden but couldn't name any songs. I generally enjoy metal so based on the name recognition I expected to like this album. It beat my expectations - really good metal album. Vocals are in line with what I like for the genre. I think the album cover image kind of clashes with the actual content. I didn't recognize any of the songs.
doobedoobady doodoodoo doodoodoo doodoodoo dooooooo that's me singing along to the guitar in phantom of the opera
It's a solid debut album, with hints of punk, progressive rock an even forebearers to grunge. Although most fans (me included) will prefer Iron Maiden's later albums with Bruce Dickinson as a vocalist, this album, still with Paul Di'Anno's raspy voice, is filled with true bangers. The changes in tempo and dynamics are amazing; they evoke the contrasts that will characterize grunge bands later on (as in "Remember Tomorrow"). The riff's energy and lyrics provide a classic template for the next stages of the band. Favorite tracks: "Prowler", "Remember Tomorrow", "Phantom of the Opera" (epic changes, brilliant song only tainted by the vocal limitations of Di'Anno), "Transylvania" (epic instrumental, leads to a beautiful melodic intro for the next song). A solid 9/10
Fast, fun and extremely over the top. Relentless galloping rhythms, nonstop riffing, harmonized dual guitar attack, shredding solos, wailing vocals, songs that veer wildly between proto-thrash/hardcore and pop- prog. Time has taken the edge off and made this seem somewhat kitschy, but it's still a good headbanging time 🤘
More metal….not my favorite genre but it was good.
Respect Iron Maiden but this album as a whole is pretty meh.
Yes
British Heavy Metal. 80s metal, much tamer than expected. Very melodic. No one uses guitars and drums better than a good metal band. Absolutely fantastic, even if not my genre.
Great album, even if the band hasn't found their signature sound yet. There are some absolute classics songs on here. I can only imagine how greater it would be if Bruce Dickinson was already the lead singer. Key tracks: Running Free Phantom of the Opera Iron Maiden
Solid
Woke up ready to thrash. Hell yeah
Listened twice!
completely silly but loads of fun
This ripped. Absolutely loved it. They nailed their own unique sound and were just plain awesome. Favorites were Prowler, Transylvania, and Charlotte the Harlot
I think this is a really solid debut album from Iron Maiden. The riffs rock and the changes in intensity really work. Earlier this year I also made my way through all of the Iron Maiden studio albums and this one was within the top 5 for me. I think the weakest aspect here would be the vocals. The addition of Bruce Dickinson would improve upon that on later releases. They were clearly still developing their style as the more progressive elements from later albums weren’t quite in full swing yet. Favorite songs were Prowler, Phantom Of The Opera, and Iron Maiden.
Liked it more than I thought I would. Still not my style but I enjoyed the energy.
Pretty good I have to say! After the Number of the Beast came up on here, I went back and listened to a good chunk of their albums, and I enjoyed pretty much all of them, some more than others -- and sometimes depending on my mood -- but I was fairly underwhelmed by this one. I liked it more this time around, but they have far better works than this. Still prob like a 3.5
Still gotta listen to more IM. Great stuff.
i mean come on you guys know how i feel about this
Awesome metal - thoroughly enjoyed
This is the first Iron Maiden album I've listened to, and it's the first Iron Maiden album. Is it good? I'm asking you. Yeah, you. I have no frame of reference. Did they get better? I'm genuinely surprised this was released in 1980. I would have assumed they were early to mid 70s with the aesthetic of this album. It's growing on me, though. In a Black Sabbath kind of way. I just got to Phantom of the Opera. Groovy.
This is above a three for me but not quite a four. Liked it more than I thought I would. The album art is trash.
3.5
There are only two Iron Maiden albums on this list, which makes this one a baffling choice. It’s not BAD, but it’s also not at all indicative of what the band would become. If you really wanted to represent the pre-Bruce Dickinson era, Killers is a legitimately good album. This is perfectly fine but I can’t imagine it’s anyone’s favorite.
I like it very much! Perfect music, cool guitar riffs, pleasant vocal! It is a masterpiece!
I already had a ton of respect for Iron Maiden because they are some of the first to make music like this. It's not everyday you have bands like this birth an entire new genre that becomes as popular as metal. They're legends and I haven't given them a proper listen. Running Free Phantom of the Opera (BANGER!!!!!!) Like another review said, I appreciate the musicality of this. Its not just "loud" music that metal sometimes devolves into.
asdf
Charlotte notes: Charlotte the harlot! It’s me! Remember Tomorrow 10/10 song Charlotte didn't listen to it all, only 4 or so. Charlotte star rating = **** (4/5) Kathryn notes: I like Strange World the most. Its impressive just not really my vibe?? Liked how it was shorter tbh. I don't think i could've listed to a longer album. Some parts were groovy throughout but very intense. I don't think the lyrics rlly spoke to me but some of the guitar solos sooo impressive! Kathryn star rating = * (1/5) Katherine notes: did not listen :( work/shagging !! Average star rating between us = 3/5
Really good
I liked this more than i thought i would. That being said, I think Black Sabbath eats Iron Maiden's lunch. There are some cool and memorable riffs on this but other spots just aren't for me. Also not huge on the vocals. If I could go 2.5 I would, but I'm willing to bump up to a three
Pretty solid way to start a Saturday. I’m not a metal fan, but I think this straddles the rock/metal line nicely.
It was alright. I wasn’t bilen away like the Doors but you cant argue that the Music was good. It just wasn’t that much for me
Blows most hard rock out of the water with tight melodic playing. The only flaw is the production is a bit rougher than it should be. The later albums sound perfect. A.
Great guitars and vocals though there was a few weak tracks the strong tracks carried. 8.7/10
The great universe, monotheistic gods, pagan gods, spirits of the forest, people, children, women, EXPLAIN how you can enjoy listening to a classic heavy metal album in the truest sense?! It's just like a track can be the same type in a minute, and you're like, "Buzz, you can have another 37 minutes and 48 seconds, and please repeat for 34 years." THIRTY-FOUR!! They've been doing this for 34 years, and people go in droves to boring solics, to 7-minute repeating reefs, to reefs that don't differ from track to track, just how can this be a phenomenon that has influenced the world?!
Fav: Prowler Least Fav: Running Free I was ready to hate this due to my indifference to metal and the terrible album cover, but it managed to pull through with 8 masterfully crafted songs
Very very surprising! The whole album is very melodic, very old school hard rock, the singing is great and the songwriting is satisfying.
I get why it’s legendary, but I mostly couldn’t get into it. Not for me.
didnt act
full on fun from beginning to end, no fillers. Favorite track: transylvania other picks: prowler, phantom of the opera
This is better than a vast majority of metal music at the time. D'Anno has a good voice, but it's very generic. The playing is tight and this is a solid groundwork for what Maiden would become. Up the Irons!
Apart from the occasional baseline and interesting riff, there is just nothing I like about this band.
I’m more of a Naked Delivery guy. I guess they’re good at guitars?
2.75 / 5 - fun but somewhat repetitive
Those guys shred that guitar. Vocals weren’t the best though
Standard hair metal
Is this Iron Maiden's best work? Certainly not. Is this album still good? Apart from the hideous album cover, you bet. Sorry Eddie. This album is never going to be perfect, and I don't think this would ever appear at the top of anyone's 'best Iron Maiden' list. I think some of the bass sections are way too heavy on certain parts of the album, and it's really noticeable on Phantom of the Opera, it just doesn't sound good. The mix could have been better. Specifically on songs like Phantom of the Opera and Iron Maiden. It's criminal that this album appears in here over Powerslave though. Unfortunately the writers had to can the appearance of Powerslave from 1001 Albums due to the fact they needed to cram another Britpop album in there. Oh well. Fuck the guitar solos on this album were good though.
While this album is pretty rad for a majority of its runtime. I don't see it as the high octane speedball of an album that some reviews are claiming it to be. I'd say it has an interesting mix of much more chill or even psychedelic moments in between the energy. Especially on tracks like Remember Tomorrow and Strange World. That's not to say this is trying to be high in concept or artsy, it's pretty classic Metal and doesn't try to be anything it's not. Really awesome guitars throughout, for this album I like Paul Di'Anno's vocals especially in the previously mentioned 'chill weed vibe' parts. Though I do think I overall prefer Bruce Dickinsons singing, especially for the direction the band would take in the future. Highlights: Prowler, Remember Tomorrow, Phantom of the Opera, Transylvania, Strange World
Lacking a bit of the production polish of what Maiden would turn out later which isn't unexpected for a nobody English metal band in 1980 that probably recorded this on the budget of a pie and chips. I vastly prefer Bruce Dickinson's vocals to Paul Di'annos but that's not to say that the vocals still don't go hard as fuck. Lot more gravelly but still with that operatic quality that big brucey brought in later. The main thing that sticks out to me is just how strong Steve Harris' influence as basically writer and head honcho of this outfit is and how signature that galloping bassline and general rhythm just drives all their music along. Definitely not my favourite Iron Maiden album but fuck me is it good.
Not the earliest Heavy Metal nor remotely the best, only deserves a spot on the list as it serves as the debut for one of the greats of the genre. Every song was alright 6/10 Fav tracks - All -2 Least Fav - Running Free
Love me a bit of metal and Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden is a great switch up from past few albums. Don't have much to say other than the guitar riffs are sick, vocals are very metal and this is the kinda album I would put on for someone that has never listen to any metal. Dishonourable mention to the Song Charlotte the Harlot, can't be calling out my family like that you DOG. 4/5
Before Steve Harris wrote songs about movies he liked, warriors and other cool shit he mainly wrote songs about murdering women. Iron Maiden's debut LP has no skips at all. While I prefer Dickinson's vocals, Di'Anno's style here suits the tone better. This album wastes absolutely no time, every song is as long as it needs to be. There are definitely bands that have pushed the boundaries of heavy metal further than Iron Maiden, but this album stills fucks today and it is truly timeless. While I enjoy the Dickinson era more and I wouldn't even put this in the top 5 Maiden albums I can't give this anything but a 5 in terms of not only importance to the genre but also musical quality. I'm very glad that Steve Harris gave up on playing for West Ham to become possibly the best heavy metal songwriter going.
I typically don’t like this type of music. On my first listen, I appreciated this record, but I didn’t expect to revisit it. After a long day with kids, I had a few beers and found myself turning it back on. It rocks.
It is short. It is listenable. As a huge Ryan Holiday fangirl, I wanted it to be a hidden gem for me. The songwriting is good, intro, to bridge, to chorus with melody and metal. Lyrics are that 70's mystical, reality questioning storytelling. It's fine.
je comprends que ça ai été une grosse influence pas vraiment mon style mais quand ça part en power metal j'aime bien quand meme avec les guitares qui chantent (phantom of the opera)
Iconic Album! Really loved it. Ich fand cool das es erst sehr gesangstechnisch gestartet hat, dann chillige zwischensongs hatte und dann ein sportliches Ending hatte. Zwei Lieder kannte ich bereits.
Heavy metal sounds all the same :-).
too heavy
I have a nostalgic attachment to this album, and listened to most of the Iron Maiden catalogue on repeat during my teenage years. Listening to it as an adult who is not really in to metal can still see why I enjoyed it so much back then. This is good old fashioned heavy metal, and was unlike anything I had listened to up until that point. The riffs are slick, the rhythms are thundering, and although I prefer Bruce Dickinson, Paul Di'Anno's vocals are splendid. Highlights: Prowler Transylvania Charlotte the Harlot
Only album with Dennis Stratton on guitar and this album art is abysmal butttt Transylvania and Strange World were incredibly fun to listen to. Hot take but Sanctuary and Phantom of the Opera aren't that good. Wouldn't revisit much but for being self titled and their first studio album it's cool to see what they were trying to do
Padre disco, muy diferente a lo que uno conoce sobre lo que es Maiden y su historia, hasta diría que no se siente tan metal, pero está padre ver cómo la banda evolucionó y fue endureciendo el estilo. Buen álbum.
Iron Maiden has never been my thing, but I can appreciate what they were doing.
All triplets and shuffles all the time. A classic head bangers ball. Lighter and more bluesy than the later Maiden I seem to recall.
Surprised, have not liked maiden in the past but enjoyed this, Transylvania was especially good Album did sound dated though
Totally caught off guard by how good this was. Now I'm questioning my very identity. Am I an Iron Maiden fan?! Hard to get over how bad the cover art is; the music is so much better.
3.5 if I could give it. Liked this better than the other one. Far more enjoyable than I expected.
Another Iron Maiden?
some bananas awesome guitar on this
I liked it more than I thought I would, it was less metal and more rock than I was expecting. But there were a lot of very long instrumental segments which I was not very into. It’d be good to add a song or two to the Halloween playlist
Listened Before? N Well, it's something pretty good. It's not Iron Maiden good, but that's a high standard. Switching from the singer on this album to Dickinson on the next may be the single greatest upgrade an established band has ever made. This one isn't terrible, and the music ROCKS, but the themes and vocal work are sub-standard for Maiden. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Prowler
Not quite as polished as their later work, but still tremendous! You can hear the next 20 years of what metal would become contained within it.
Super rad :) music from an era my fam didn’t share with me. I’m happy to find it and love it.
Pretty good. Not as heavy as I thought it would be but lots of fun. Nothing really stood out but I'll give it another listen for sure.
Strong 3 to a light 4. Really enjoyed the riffage. Could see the influence in lots of bands who came after. Not great production some songs better than others. Singer had highs and lows. Liked the slower songs but also the solos. Raised from a 3 to a strong 3 by March of the crabs. Would listen again. Extra half point for eddy the cute skelington!
I don't really get it. Is it very serious? I liked Megadeath, that was fun. Metal is weird.
Great album and they have so much influence over the bands I know and love today.
El encuentro del rock progresivo con el punk dio lugar al renacimiento del heavy metal protagonizado por Iron Maiden en los inicios de la década de los 80. Para ello entregaron en su primer disco los ingredientes que alumbraron la nueva ola del metal inspirados por el punk rock: producción cruda, velocidad acelerada y voces roncas alejadas del clasicismo tenor hacia el que se había deslizado el heavy. Pero sus melodías estaban mucho más trabajadas que las del punk y claramente influidas por el virtuosismo del rock progresivo. Me gusta mucho la apertura del disco, el cuento de suspense titulado "Prowler", así como la rockera "Running Free". También "Iron Maiden", un clásico de todos sus conciertos. Pero la gran canción del disco es en mi opinión "Phantom of the Opera", una gran epopeya progresiva de más de siete minutos en la que se concentra todo el espíritu de Iron Maiden.
4.4 - Think I was really just in the mood for this. The guitar, the drums, the great vocals. Not as heavy as I thought at all. Will deffo be listening to more
Noisy and boring. Fave track: Running Free 2.3/5
At this point in the list I have to say it...another UK rock band lol. Iron Maiden's beginnings is a welcome inclusion especially after the great albums we have gotten from them on here. I made a point to try to listen to all their albums to find any nuggets but unfortunately what I found was a lot of it blended together so I think the better path is to listen to one at a time. Certainly made this listen enjoyable. Also can't forget to mention the awesome art work. This one kicked off what would turn into better and better depictions of these skeleton demons. I'm saving Prowler, Transylvania, and Iron Maiden.
Iron Maiden's debut. Certainly not as strong as Number of the Beast, and honestly I'd imagine they have better albums in their catalog that could take this spot. Not bad by any measure, but I'd need a little more to love this. Favorite tracks: Prowler, Transylvania, Strange World. Album art: Is this the first Eddie, or is this pre-Eddie? No idea, but seems to be the same art style. Say whatever you will about their music, if you're into metal or not, but the commitment to this art style and the sort of covers they have is super cool. 3/5
Loved it. Never listened to a full maiden album before. Short album that woke me up after a sleepless night.
i... really like this? i dunno, maybe its because i have recently been getting over my "rock the fuck out" aversion, but i really enjoy it when a band that is good at rocking the fuck out does precisely that for 37 minutes. the solos are fun and colorful and holy shit is Steve Harris good at playing the bass. for years i wondered why the hell this silly band with a weird zombie guy for a mascot has this "bigger than the beatles" status and it literally only took me one album for me to understand. if Di'Anno's the second best singer in Iron Maiden, what the hell is Bruce Dickinson gonna sound like?
Classic heavy metal. The guitar work is unbelievable. Absolutely beautiful tone; the guitars really seem to sing. Bass is excellent as well. I expected this album to be weaker than their later work, but I would put it only below Powerslave. The absence of Bruce Dickinson was not nearly as significant as I had expected because the other singer is excellent anyway. As for highlights, I would have to choose Phantom of the Opera because it is simply one of the most creative metal songs I've ever heard. I also really loved Strange World. It's difficult to pick a worst song because they were all at least solid.
4/5
I’ve listened a few times and I don’t hate it but I don’t really like it either. Just seems like background noise for some reason. My mind just won’t focus in on it. I will say I thought they’d be “Heavier” and this almost was more 1970s Prog Rock with some “Heavy” influences. Stand Out Tracks Phantom Of The Opera Strange World 2.5/5 it has merit but not my style of music. Even though I gave it a 2.5 could still see myself coming back to this to GET IT. Some albums need more time
Good album. A couple of their best songs.
Really nice, I haven't listened to this genre in a long time and this album is a good re-dip in the toes
Iron Maiden apparently have good music as well as good album covers. I wasn't expecting them to be my thing but this actually rocked! Guitar noises. Favourite track: Phantom of the Opera.
5/10 - Somewhat punkier energy than there following albums, although slightly less memorable.
- chloe 3/5 - Ross 6/10 - Good riffs - lacking vocalists - it feels overshadowed by their later work - it was enjoyable passive album. Good for listening to whilst you do something else. - done toe tapping riffs
Great stuff. Easily by far the best of the NWOBHM bands. Strange hearing a pre-Bruce Maiden but it's instinctively their sounds. The slower bits sound phenomenal, the fidelity and clarity of the instruments in songs such as Phantom and Strange World are incredible for a debut album in 1980. Fantastic debut album, the two weaker tracks in Running Free and Charlotte the Harlot are the only things stopping this from being a 5* album. 4.5*
I had previously assumed that Iron Maiden would be 'too metal' for me, and hadn't explored beyond their music beyond the hits. I was pleasantly surprised that this album had not only a heavy sound but also some lyrical and expressive guitar work- and a fair share of face-melting metal licks too. I found this to be a great 'housework' album.
Another banger! How many albums do I need to have heard before I can call myself a metal head? This was fun and the guitars are so awesome! Phantom of the Opera was a standout.
Production: 16/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Innovation: 14/20 Bangers: 17/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =79/100 -> 4/5
it was kinda cool
Building on the shoulders of the great British metal bands that proceeded them. This absolute classic bridges the gap in time between Sabbath and deep purple years and the Judas priest era to come. Despite it being an early work there are key pieces of the Maiden sound that stick out and type you in, I had to follow this up with a tour of my favourite tracks.
Oh this is fantastic. I remember the album artwork terrifying me as a kid and it certainly wasn’t in my parents’ record collection. And my appreciation of anything resembling metal was provably a decade behind this (think Metallica & Guns’n’Roses). Crazy cool guitars and shifting rhythms. Unexpectedly melodic. Strange World, Phantom Of The Opera & Prowler are standouts for me but all very listenable. Feel like I could listen to this with Wayne & Garth. Party on.
Sounds like the intro to an anime
Disappointing so soon after the previous Iron Maiden album on here which was good. Bit too self-indulgent on the guitar solos for me.
Enjoyed the instrumental guitar tracks
It's ok. I think they improve on this formula in their later efforts.
Not a fan
Surprisingly decent. I couldn't listen to it regularly, but I did enjoy it.
Incredible musicianship all around, and with Iron Maiden's original vocalist. Outside of "Running Free" (which is an interesting call back to metals blues roots, but straight up sucks at the same time), I thought this album was great. Those 40 minutes just flew by. "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania" are the biggest highlights for me
This isn't even the best Maiden Album.... This doesn't even have Bruce Dickenson on Vocals yet... But I get why it is on this list. This album came out and showed the way for what I like to call "Literary Metal". It came in with an overarching Metal sensibility, but worked in some Prog timing and changes all the while pulling from literature and history to build the stories in their songs. Steve Harris has probably been more influential on my Bass Playing and Songwriting than any other figure. Such excellent structure, wild staccato and percussive elements, sky burning highs and earth trembling lows. Running Free is such an excellent anthem and the way they perform it live really shows the strength. Phantom of the Opera is so absolutely melodic and full of complexities rarely heard at the time especially in this genre. I got so much grief for loving this band while I was growing up, but to now see people finding them and loving them and seeing so many bands cite them as an influence gives me the satisfaction of knowing I was right all this time. I would put on their albums and stare at the covers of the LP to find all the little Easter Eggs Derek Riggs would hide. Their first 7 albums were such a soundtrack to the 80s for me. Not having Bruce on this album probably makes it the weakest of the albums for me, but it still is so far above what their contemporaries were doing and much better than a great deal of other things that have made this list. UP THE IRONS!!!!
This is not what I expected, but pleasant surprises are ever and always the hope in undertaking this project. I had it in my mind that Iron Maiden was proto-thrash; I expected this to be angry, aggressive, exhausting. This was very complex and cerebral, with operatic references, no less. Also- not the vocalist I knew from the small handful of songs. I had a grand ol’ time, and I look forward to digging more into this bands discography.
Didn't realise it was a different singer. I think Bruce is a better fit. The production was a bit poor too.
I've never listened to Iron Maiden before, but I see a lot of their t-shirts around. Not sure what to make of that exactly. It's pretty much what I thought it'd be. Hard early '80s rock, lots of guitar riffs, raspy vocals. I liked it a bit more than I expected to honestly, but my expectations were super low to begin with. It's just not really my thing, but I can see the appeal. I did think about the Alice Cooper album that I gave a 5 to when listening to this because it's more or less in the same realm (and then "No More Mister Nice Guy" came on right after this ended). That album was better for sure, but still a weird day that I liked that as much as I did. Oh well, it is what it is. Favorite song: Remember Tomorrow Other: Phantom of the Opera, Strange World, Iron Maiden 9/10/24
Only listened to a few songs. Was ok but wanted to move on
This isn't a genre I enjoy, but it wasn't as horrible as I thought it may be.
The vibe I always got from this band is so different from what their music sounds like, which is good for me because I like the music a lot more than I expected too.
True confessions. I am a Gen Xer and never listened to Iron Maiden. Just not my scene. Around the time I would have, I was into industrial college alternative radio stuff. And so it went, my whole life and just not a real solid listen. Yup, not my go to genre, metal, hard rock... But I gotta' say, holy moly this band is frickin' great! I mean it IS very specific. It is not skating between genres or playing any tricks. This is hardcore classic metal mania full stop. Wow... consider myself schooled. And glad for the lesson!
Good band but not my favorite.
Iron Maiden's self-titled album is the debut release from one of the most successful, enduring bands in history. The band's use of dual-lead guitars lent a prog-rock sound to their version of metal. This is a collection of great songs, with richly textured guitar and bass parts. The band includes some ballads, like "Strange World," in their work, showing the impressive range of this influential band.
i still consider myself a newbie when it comes to metal, classic or otherwise, but i enjoyed this one. it's not my favorite metal album i've ever listened to in my limited time exploring the genre, but it's solid enough. for my taste, it's not as rough around the edges as i would like but the musicianship here is good and the production sounds pretty great. overall, i just sort of wish it had a little bit more oomph to the sound, which is what i tend to like in metal. but overall, solid!
killer stuff, iron maiden is very underrated all time
Loved it the album, there was not a bad song on it, all brilliant, heavy but not too heavy, loved the riffs and vocals, not normally keen on heavy bands vocals these were top.
I didn't know I was a fan.
highs are pillars of early metal but as a whole this feels half-baked and too steeped in 70s hard rock to really fly 6/10
Maiden kenne ich, aber das komplette erste Album hatte ich noch nicht gehört. Zeigt aber schon wohin die Reise geht, melodiöse Riffs und 2-stimmige Gitarrensoli. Solides Debut.
Kinda fucking rocks
Not as annoying as later Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson, his operatic singing style sure doesn't help. I did actually get through this one. It's a bit like if Thin Lizzy had no groove, and sucked. music: hated. (⌐💀_💀)
Man this rocks. Running Free could be the archetype of Rock Songs. It’s hard to imagine a world where Iron Maiden is a new band, with one album. But definitely if I lived in that world and heard this I would say “Whoa what is this! This rocks!”
Maiden at their punkiest. Paul Di'Anno was still on vocals, providing a grittier, less dramatic sound than his successor. The star of the album is Steve Harris' melodic and driving baselines. The songs are catchy and well-written (even if they bear a heavy resemblance to late seventies New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like Judas Priest, Saxon, or Diamond Head).
one of the biggest bands of the NWOBHM era. lead singer paul di’anno does an admirable job, however, the band doesn’t come fully into their own until they bring along bruce dickinson for their third album. having said that, there is something kind of cool about this album in that it’s much less polished and raw sounding. highlights: “remember tomorrow” “phantom of the opera” “iron maiden”
I half like Iton Maiden and then they do that guitar sound I don’t like in metal music.
It's nuts how different this album is from their later albums—even Number of the Best 2 years later. It's good for what it is—an early metal album heavily influenced by the hard rock of the 70s (I could've even mistaken some of these songs for Deep Purple tracks), but as an Iron Maiden album, it's not their best outing.
\m/ \m/
Maybe a 4.5, idk, but they rock hard and with confidence
Love the punkiness they still had with Paul D on vocals
Interesting that the authors of the 1001 Albums To Listen To Before You Die would pick this one over, say 'Piece of Mind' or 'Powerslave.' Nothing wrong with the first album, mind you. It's a sturdy collection of songs and is a foundational text of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Original vocalist Paul Di'Anno has nowhere near the range of Bruce Dickinson, but his scratchy, guttural sound matches the musical chops of the band at the time, though bassist and founder Steve Harris was already casting his gaze very far into the horizon. Not that they couldn't shred and up the irons; they were already experimenting with progressive rock-inspired song structures and movements with the required virtuosity on songs like "Phantom of the Opera." Maybe the first album wouldn't serve as anyone's entry point to Iron Maiden (at least in 2024) or NWOBHM as a whole, but it's still satisfying to hear the start of the steady progression the band would take on their musical trajectory. The visual language, however? Formed on day one. A sign of something special. B+
Incredible album. They play that classic heavy metal style and actually match Black Sabbath in terms of energy and talent! Epic, fun music. I love the midsong groove changes too.
Awesome debut. "Prowler" in particular is a song where I can hear so many of the guitar parts in my head before the song even starts. These first two albums had Paul Di'Anno as the lead vocalist, and while they are great records, I feel like Iron Maiden didn't truly take off until Bruce Dickinson joined them for "Number of the Beast" and on. When I hear the guitar tone of the solo on "Prowler" right around 2 minutes, I'm teleported to being a 15 year old in my bedroom, staring at my computer speakers and thinking "how do they make those sounds?". It's a great feeling. "Strange World" is one of my favorite metal songs ever. It's so mysteriously beautiful. The dynamics in the band are incredible. It's funny to me how I'm looking at Iron Maiden albums now and realizing that so many of them could be on this list. Self-titled, The Number Of The Beast, Powerslave, Piece of Mind, Fear of the Dark... these all have amazing metal songs on them.
Omg this is GREAT. I just loved it. Perfect.
Less heavy than I expected, which wasn't a bad thing. I love the sound of an electric guitar. Softer singing than I expected too. Some of the longer instrumentals didn't have a lot going on but overall decent. Highlights: Prowler Running Free
I was less familiar with this album than their later releases with Bruce Dickinson. Their sound and production is much improved on their later offerings, but this was a decent listen. 3.5/5
I was not familiar with much of the band’s material in the pre-Dickinson era. This was an overall enjoyable listen and I really liked the simpler basic production on it. The guitar work is pretty bad ass, and when coupled with melodic bass it really elevated this for me. A bit cheesy here and there, but it was of the time. And there are moments here that also hint at what the known powerhouse these guys would soon become.
I can’t help be see Spinal Tap when listening to parts of this with vocals. While that’s a funny thing, it’s not a great thing. But the guitar work here is worthy of a 4 on its own. Just absolute smoke.
You may not know this about me…but I like to rock. And this rocks. Apparently Charlotte from the song Charlotte the Harlot is a recurring character. This is the first song introducing her as, get this, a prostitute living on 22 Acacia Avenue. Two years later on the album The Number of the Beast gives further insight on her life in the song 22 Acacia Avenue. Although not explicitly stated to be about Charlotte, the song Hooks in You from 1990 No Prayer for the Dying is believed to further depict the character caught in a destructive lifestyle with metaphorical hooks in her skin.
Shocked I’ve never given a single Iron Maiden album a listen until now. Thoroughly enjoyed and def planning to dive into their discography a bit more. 4.25/5
I didn’t hate it. That’s not a good way to start a review .. but it’s true. It was a bit more folk psychy British concept album that I expected. I liked a lot of the elements, but as a whole I found the whole experience a bit … irritating.
While I prefer Iron Maiden's later albums to their debut, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall vibe of this album. It's slightly prog in a way I wasn't expecting from them. Great vocals, too, but that's to be expected.
Better than some of their other offerings on this list (if memory serves, may be wrong)
Early maiden rules (other maiden rules too)
Somehow I liked this a lot more than the later Iron Maiden with the high-pitched vocals.
So there's 3 good songs on here but fuck Paul Dianno. This is like like telling everyone to check out the Chicago Bulls before Michael Jordan... okay.
Not my favorite Iron Maiden record, but that being said, it's still miles ahead of most of the music that gets put in front of me. incredible band with an incredible discography. This is an early representation of the band and shows a little more of their influences than later material. It's a great representation of their beginnings and where they will be heading musically in the future. I have a hard time trusting anyone who doesn't like Iron Maiden.
literally sooo fun LOL. hello metalheads it’s me sj im joining you
Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Won't remember it tomorrow probably. 3/5
It's fun. As far as debuts go it's pretty good. It's not quintessential Maiden because Bruce isn't singing but still it doesn't necessarily matter. It's better than it's given credit for to tell the truth.
Iron Maiden are one of the most important Metal bands ever, and their self-titled debut album was a good indication for even better things to come. By The Number of the Beast, their third album, they would have the definitive singer, both of their guitar players locked in and some truly great songs. On this album, the songs are still a bit raw and unrefined. Phantom of the Opera remains a fan favourite to this day, even if it might be a bit overhyped. The rest of the songs are fine, but don't reach the quality of later albums. The same goes for singer Paul Di'Anno. He's doing a good job, but he is not Bruce Dickinson, who would take over two albums later. So while this is not the album I would recommend to someone just getting into Iron Maiden, it is a worthwhile listen nonetheless, especially for those who are already fans. 3.5/5
Awesome classic album.
I have a confession to make : despite growing up in a hick town in the 1980s, I have NEVER listened to Iron Maiden! I was too busy with Phil Collins and Bryan Adams and Friday Night videos and didn’t turn my attention to them, as I thought they were heavy metal and I didn’t do heavy metal (that was those guys in the 3/4 sleeve rock T-shirts with that creepy Eddie splashed on the front). Object lesson in staying in your lane and ‘finding’ only those cultural bits that look familiar. Too bad for me - they’re pretty okay, with lots of Van Halen and even Chili Peppers guitar riffs and lyrics and stage antics tame by subsequent standards. I probably won’t seek them out too often, but I won’t turn away from them so quickly next time either.
This was quite a week.....I'm behind on these reviews. So I will be uncharacteristically succinct. I first heard maiden in grade 5 when the senior kids brought their albums into our boot room at school. The music shattered my little mind and the album artwork forever recalibrated my aesthetic preferences. My parents had the "Piece of mind" album and I've been a maiden fan ever since. But this first album I really didn't listen to or care about, 'cause I prefer Bruce Dickinson as a vocalist. So hearing this, now, is wild. A mix of Kiss and punk influences, with seeds and premonitions of their signature literariness and epic guitar arcs to come. Not my fave, but that's not the point. The branches make more sense now that I've returned to the roots.
Literally the first time I’ve ever heard Maiden(I know) and I was pleasantly surprised. I can see how they influenced so many, and were spoofed in countless ways ( spinal tap, school Of rock, the darkness). This album is Actually more punk than I thought they’d be (probably because it’s their first and only one with that singer). I listened to the number of the beast after this and that seems to be their more classic sound but I did find myself enjoying this more than I thought I would.
fav tracks: all of them until the song with "opera" in the name. Thoughts: I only managed to listen up to that track, but I will say that the songs are amazing. They sound very cheesy, in a good way. "Remember Tomorrow" deviates a bit from the other tracks in terms of vibe, but I consider it as my favorite track out of the album.
I may be slightly tired of old metal and what was viewed as heavy back then, but I cannot deny that Iron Maiden do bring out some of the most memorable hooks and riffs all around here.
Played this while training and it was okay.
love it!
Awful music, awful sleeve.
Favourite Song: Remember Tomorrow
Nice album, very consistent (a bit too much). Hard rock essential vibe
Consistent album but not my style
I get it. People love Iron Maiden. Maiden has never been my type of metal. And even then the Iron Maiden I DO like has Bruce singing. For who they are and what they did (do) this album gets 3 stars, but more so because Maiden walked so future metal bands could run
I feel like I’ve said this for every metal album. I’ve had so far, but metal really just has not been my thing. I’ve always kind of felt this way about metal, but my hope is that this project would show me the best of the best and help me understand why it’s so beloved by people who love it. That hasn’t really happened, which is a bummer because I see how passionate metalheads are about the genre. This album may have moved the needle a little bit. It still would not say that I’m a fan of metal, but this kind of metal album from such an iconic band does check a few boxes for me. For one, it’s still moving into metal from hard rock, so there’s a lot of elements here that are more hard rock than metal. Van Halen-type solos, high energy, but not always high stakes in these songs, and just an overall attitude that is less “I’m gonna kick your ass, beware of the evil that lurks in the darkness” kind of energy and …more literally anything else. One of my main issues with metal to this point has been that it is so high stakes all the time, and it’s exhausting. But this one is not so in your face all the time. And that’s something. I really appreciate about it. Overall, I liked this. I appreciated that it was shorter than other metal albums I’ve had so far as well. If the other Iron Maiden album I’ve had was a 3, this is 3.5. But I still round that down to 3 because I didn’t like it THAT much to give it 4. Also “Charlotte the Harlot” is a great song name and you can’t convince me otherwise. Standout Tracks: Prowler, Transylvania, Charlotte the Harlot, Iron Maiden
Yes I fucking love Iron Maiden, I listened to mainly top 40 pop until me day at 9 years old I discovered Iron Maiden and it opened up a new world for me and my friends. This is the band's debut with original singer Paul Di'Anno and it has a slightly punkier sound than later stuff with Bruce Dickinson would sound it's still great as was follow up Killers also with Di'Anno. Highlights are Prowler, Remember Tomorrow, Phantom Of The Opera (my personal highlight) and the Title Track which still gets played live to this day. What a great album.
Good version of the genre.
not really a bad track on this
It’s always interesting to hear a band’s first album, especially one that has changed rock music and been prominent for so long. It’s clear that they were starting to break away from the 60’s and 70’s hard rock lumbering with quick licks and some intense guitar, but they also weren’t quite ‘pedal to the metal’ quite yet. A good start for a journey into Iron Maiden, but ultimately it left me wanting more.