After I got a considerable response for my selection of - Best of Iron Maiden - album wise!, I decided to review every album of iron maiden individually
First album - No bruce, No adrian, No nicko.. that doesnt sound like maiden?
Well we forget a genius who created this great heavy metal band - Steve Harris
Isnt he enough to produce classics? Also supported by his right hand and the able Dave murray!
The drummer - clive burr was technically excellent who was replaced by nicko later during the piece of mind era.
Paul dianno did a fair job but didnt impress me that much in this album
1) Prowler - Well.. After the first piece of guitar, I hear something like a mike feedback. Yes, I am talking about the production.. sounds lousy. But cant take credits away from the track.
Paul Dianno doesnt sound as though he is singing for a heavy metal band!
Song gains momentum but lacks power from the vocalist
Rating - 8.5/10
2)Sanctuary - First single released. Not maiden's finest hour in my opinion. Just same some very ''plain'' riffs and leads. Didnt like the song and the song never grows on you. Just an ''ok'' track
Rating - 5/10
3)Remember tomorrow - Wait a min.. Have I decreased my volume.??????
Hell no.. A sudden intrusion into my ear drums by deadly riffs.. and the end part is ''filled'' with faced paced riffs
Paul dianno's voice suits this track and does a good work on this song
Rating - 8.5/10
4)Running free - Ok! Get ready for a difference in opinion.
I dont like this track as much as my friends do! The live version is much much better. Song starts with a drum into, followed by bass. I thought a ''wrathchild'' with a similar concept worked much better.
Again production is pretty horrible which makes the riffs sound like ''the way children mimic a train''
Rating 8/10
5)Phantom of the Opera - Wow! This is what I call MUSIC! A flawless song, which keeps hitting u harder, the more and more u listen to it
Excellent excellent time changes, especially the mid section when a bass pattern is followed by twin leads is - ABSOLUTE GENIUS.
End solos by murray and stratton are mind blowing
A MASTERPIECE - which remains as one of Maiden's greatest songs even after 25 years.
Rating - 10/10
6)Transylvania - Maiden's first instrumental track. 20 seconds into the song, a classic riff pattern.. which again changes pattern in 1:36 into the song. The song progressively gains momentum.
Clive burr is rock solid in this song - seems like he has some 4 hands or something
Amazing song!
Rating - 9.8/10
7)Strange world - Maiden goes quiet again. Well if u happen to listen to the song for the first time, u would wonder - ''damn man.. doesnt sound anything like heavy metal''.
Not that heavy metal demands monster riffs - this song is not in the realm of metal by any means
Rating - 6/10
8)Charlotte the harlot - Again the drive of the song never fancies me to listen to it over and over again. When u listen to the middle section alone it sounds as though u r listening to some ''slow rock''.
But wait.. the end section has some killer riffs...
Thank God.. didnt seem as bad as it was in the beginning
Rating - 7/10
9)Iron maiden - Maiden sure knows how to end an album. In fact with this song they end almost every show with antics like throwing the guitar high in the air and catching them.
First dave starts with his guitar.. then the next guitar.. boy! its too good
Also the mid section has just the bass and drums playing - then its back to the riff they play in the beginning. Amazing
Rating 9.8/10
To rate the album overall - I have to take these issues under consideration
1) production - really horrible
2) vocals - sounds daft
3) phantom of the opera - makes up for the two above
Overall rating - 8.5/10
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