Why I Like Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden has been around a very long time.  They are not trendy, they do what they want at their own pace.  They know what their fans want and expect, and they deliver.  They get no support from radio yet they still sell out live shows.  Aside from those clichés, what are the things that make me like Iron Maiden?

Literate songwriting.  If you are looking for songs about sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, Iron Maiden is not the band for you.  Both Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris draw lyrical inspiration from history, television, movies, folklore, religion, science fiction, mythology, the occult, current events, etc.  Their sources for inspiration are endless. 

The Epics.  Before Maiden the only band that I could think of that regularly had songs that lasted more than ten minutes was The Doors. Maiden regularly create songs that last more than eight minutes, and sometimes they break the ten-minute barrier.  Their most epic is Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which is almost fourteen minutes.  One might think this is just a band that doesn’t get to the point, but with all those guitarists, why not let them play?  Steve Harris has often talked of his love of progressive bands like old Genesis, old Yes and Jethro Tull [Maiden once covered Cross-Eyed Mary].  These bands liked to play long songs to give their musicians the chance to stretch out and play.  Maiden usually has one or more “epic” on each of their albums, and the guitarists get to play…a lot!  There is no downside to this.

The live shows.  I have never seen them in person, but I have the live DVDs Rock in Rio, Death on the Road, Flight 666, and Live After Death.  These guys put on a great show.  They are fun to watch.

Bruce Dickinson.  This man is nicknamed the Air Raid Siren for a reason.  The dude is in his fifties and he can still out-sing most people half his age.  But in the early Eighties I was drawn to this guy for a different reason.  Back in 1983, one of the biggest albums out at the time was The Police’s Synchronicity.  In many an interview at the time Sting used to drone on and on about what book he’s currently reading.  I think he was just trying to show he isn’t a prototypical idiot rocker.  Or maybe he was just a pretentious shithead, who knows…  But one day I saw Bruce give an interview where he said “I read just as many books as Sting does…I just don’t make a big deal about it.”  You sold me, Bruce.  Is there a more energetic frontman in rock?  If there is, I haven’t seen him.  And wherever he goes, he has the audience in the palms of his hands, especially when he demands “Scream for me!”  And like me he is a history nut. J  In the early Nineties he had the balls to walk away from the Iron Maiden gig so that he could prove himself as a solo performer.  Having done so with Accident of Birth and The Chemical Wedding, he made better albums than Maiden did with Blaze Bayley [although The X Factor is better than Fear of the Dark and No Prayer for the Dying].  He’s back in Iron Maiden because he wants to be there, not because of any failed solo career [Note: it was a pretty successful one…]. 

The Three Amigos.  Iron Maiden is the only heavy metal band that I know of that has three guitarists –Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers.  Each has his own style.  Dave Murray is the guy who can play whatever comes to his mind.  His inspiration is Hendrix.  He doesn’t look it, but he’s the “assassin” of the three guitarists.   Adrian Smith takes a more deliberate approach to his playing.  He likes to work out his solos ahead of time, and of the three guitarists he is the one most likely to assume the rhythm guitarist role [which he likes].  Both Dave and Adrian are precise in their playing.  Janick Gers is the wild card of the bunch.  He’s more loose in his playing like Jimmy Page.  They like playing together and don’t step on each other.

Steve Harris.  Make no mistake – Iron Maiden is Steve Harris’ band.  He is the “first among equals,” and he is the visionary one in the band.  His songs established Iron Maiden as a band to be taken seriously.  He has written the lion’s share of Maiden’s songs, though lately he has relaxed his creative stranglehold because he has five other capable songwriters to work with.   He has a unique bass playing style – he sounds like a galloping horse.  It’s a very distinctive, almost percussive sound and if you hear it, you know exactly who it is.  In all the videos and DVDs in which I’ve seen him play, his fingers are a blur.  I don’t know how he does it.

Nicko McBrain.  Yes, that really is his name.  He doesn’t use double-bass drums like some drummers do [Alex Van Halen, Neil Peart], but he sounds like he does.  The man is tireless.  Tommy Lee once described him as an octopus [a description I’ve also heard applied to Ginger Baker].  He has a huge drum kit, and he uses every drum on his kit.  He and Steve Harris make a fantastic rhythm section.  He has been in the band since Piece of Mind.  Only Steve Harris and Dave Murray have been in the band longer.

Eddie.  Not many bands have their own mascot, but Maiden has Eddie.  He started out as just a skull called Eddie the Head.  Is he a mummy or a zombie?  I’m not really sure, but he’s been on almost every Iron Maiden album cover [I think the original Live at Donnington is the lone exception].  Iron Maiden probably have the coolest album covers and Eddie is a big reason why.  Eddie is iconic – he’s synonymous with Iron Maiden.  A creation of artist Derek Riggs, Eddie has appeared in many guises, to include [but not limited to]:

a Pharaoh/God on Powerslave

a tank-riding soldier on A Matter of Life and Death

a straight-jacketed mental patient [complete with lobotomy] on Piece of Mind

a puppeteer of Satan on The Number of the Beast

the Grim Reaper on Dance of Death

a tree monster on Fear of the Dark

a futuristic Terminator on Somewhere in Time

half of his body removed on Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

an axe murderer on Killers

Iron Maiden has put out many compilation albums.  I don’t know why they felt the need to put out so many compilations, but they did.  They include:

Best of the Beast [1996]

Ed Hunter [1999]

Edward the Great [2002]

The Essential Iron Maiden [2005]

Somewhere Back in Time: The Best of 1980-1989 [2008]

From Fear to Eternity: The Best of 1990-2010 [2011]

If I was going to put together a 2-CD compilation of what I think is Maiden’s best work, it would look like this:

Paschendale [Dance of Death, 2003] – The setting of this is the World War I battle of the same name fought in Belgium.  Maiden incorporated strings into their music in a big way on the Dance of Death album, especially this epic about the horrors of war in the trenches on the Western Front.

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son [Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. 1988] – The title track from the “concept album” is the lynchpin of the entire album that is core to the story.  One of many Maiden epics that is both loud and quiet, fast and faster, brilliant in its execution.

Stranger in a Strange Land [Somewhere in Time, 1986] – This has absolutely nothing to do with the Robert Heinlein book of the same name.  It has a rock-steady beat that one doesn’t often hear in a Maiden song.  It’s actually about a doomed Arctic expedition, one of the survivors of which Adrian Smith actually met.

The Clairvoyant [Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. 1988] – This one starts with a memorable Steve Harris bass riff.  The Seventh Son can’t tell the difference between his normal vision and what he dreams. He wonders why he seems to be growing stronger, and he’s scared he can’t control his growing power anymore. Then in mid-song, the narration goes from first person to third person. The narrator is somewhat befuddled that the Seventh Son, despite all his powers of clairvoyance, couldn’t foresee his own death.  But what really killed him? Did his supernatural powers consume him, or did the people from the village do the deed?

Tailgunner [No Prayer for the Dying, 1990] – This is the leadoff track from the first album with Janick Gers.  Iron Maiden did a lot of songs with a “war” theme.  This is one of them.  This is written from the point of view of a bomber tailgunner.

Aces High [Powerslave, 1984] – This is the leadoff track from Powerslave, written from the point of view of RAF fighter pilots who fought the Battle of Britain.

2 Minutes to Midnight [Powerslave, 1984] – This reference to the Doomsday Clock is a Smith/Dickinson masterpiece.  It is proof that Steve Harris couldn’t write all the great Maiden tracks himself.

The Wicker Man [Brave New World, 2000] – After a long absence Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith returned to Iron Maiden in 1999.  This is the first song from their first album back in the fold.   Welcome back gents!

Wildest Dreams [Dance of Death, 2003] – This one is a very catchy, short burst of high energy to kick off Dance of Death.  Steve Harris’ lyrics paint a picture of a guy snapping out of a funk and taking charge of his own life.  Great solo from Adrian Smith.

Moonchild [Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. 1988] – This is the opening track from Maiden’s lone “concept album,” Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.  Lucifer [“the bornless one,” “the fallen angel watching you”] comments on the birth of “the chosen one” and also warns his mother that no matter what she does “this child was born to die.” 

Ghost of the Navigator [Brave New World, 2000] – If you’ve been navigating on the seas of life you might run into this character… Janick Gers came into his own as a songwriter when he wrote this – it’s a damn good one.

The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg [A Matter of Life and Death, 2006] – Who is Benjamin Breeg?  Only Steve Harris knows, but he did something terrible for which he feels a lot of guilt.  It is one of Maiden’s slower songs.  Adrian Smith is the more rhythm-oriented player of the three Maiden guitarists, and he locks in tightly with Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain and beats the listener into submission.  Great solo from Dave Murray.

Journeyman [Dance of Death, 2003] – Maiden unplugs for this one that closes Dance of Death.  Like Paschendale before it, Journeyman features a string arrangement that works very well.  By far this is the most unique song of the entire Maiden canon.  Like Wildest Dreams that opened Dance of Death, this is another song of empowerment – I know what I want/I’ll say what I want/ and no one can take it away… Bruce’s singing is simply magnificent.  There’s an electric version of this song – I haven’t heard it, I don’t need to hear it.  This one is perfect.

Rime of the Ancient Mariner [Flight 666, 2009 – original version on Powerslave, 1984] – This is what NOT to do if your bird shits on you… This is inspired by the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem of the same name, and the most epic of all Maiden epics [13:41!!!].

Wrathchild [Rock in Rio, 2001 – original version from Killers, 1981] – Something old, something new, something from our Jurassic period…

Powerslave [Powerslave, 1984] – I don’t wanna die, I’m a god, why can’t I live on?  Even pharaohs can’t escape the power of death.

The Trooper [Piece of Mind, 1983] – A song inspired by the Charge of the Light Brigade, this song probably has the most memorable riff of any song in the Maiden canon.

The Number of the Beast [The Number of the Beast. 1982] – Christians everywhere were convinced this song was proof that the guys in Iron Maiden were devil worshipers.  Steve Harris claims the song was a result of a dream he had after watching Damien: Omen II.  He also claims to have been influenced by Robert Burns’ Tam o’ Shanter when writing the song. Bruce’s scream at the end of the first verse was a result of pent-up frustration because Martin Birch made him sing the first verse over and over again.  That scream must have been very cathartic.  For the record, Vincent Price did NOT read the verse from Revelations.  He wanted too much money – Maiden couldn’t afford him.

Run to the Hills [The Number of the Beast. 1982] – This one documents the clash between American Indians and European settlers who pushed westward to settle in America’s heartland.

Flight of Icarus [Piece of Mind, 1983] – He flew too close to the Sun you know…  I think this is the first song Bruce Dickinson wrote for Iron Maiden [or was it Revelations?  I’m not sure…].  Like Stranger in a Strange Land that came three years later, this one is at a slower pace with a rock steady beat.

Hallowed Be Thy Name [The Number of the Beast. 1982] – The singer is waiting in a cold jail cell, reflecting on his life while waiting for his date with the Hangman.  A song that starts out quietly and slowly gets loud and fast in a hurry.  By my count there are three tempo changes throughout, but the guys in Maiden handle it with no problem.  Is it Maiden’s best song?  Probably.

El Dorado [The Final Frontier, 2010] – Bruce the “snake oil salesman” recruits others to help him on a fool’s errand to look for the lost City of Gold.

The Longest Day [A Matter of Life and Death, 2006] – A turning point in the history of Western Civilization is June 6, 1944 – the invasion of Normandy.  It was the beginning of the end for Hitler’s Germany.  A movie with the same name about that momentous day came out fifty years ago.

Mother of Mercy [The Final Frontier, 2010] – Here’s another “war” song, told from the point of view of a soldier fighting in one.

Sign of the Cross [Rock in Rio, 2001 – original version on The X Factor, 1995] – This was the first song from the first album with Blaze Bayley.  It’s inspired by Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose.  I picked this version because Bruce sings it better.

Desvendando a música "Paschendale" Do Iron Maiden

Esta música descreve as ações de um soldado que lutou na batalha de Paschendale, também conhecida como “A Terceira Batalha de Ypres”, uma das maiores da Primeira Guerra Mundial. Neste conflito, contra o exército alemão lutaram os exércitos canadense e britânico, além do ANZAC, grupo de tropas da Austrália a Nova Zelândia. O conflito se deu pelo controle da vila de Paschendale (conhecida como Passchendaele naquele tempo), perto da cidade de Ypres, na província de Flandres, Bélgica. O controle da região romperia a linha de defesa alemã, abrindo caminho à costa belga, onde estavam instaladas bases de submarinos alemães.

O solo nos arredores de Paschendale era composto por pântanos, encharcados durante todo o ano, independentemente do clima. O ataque aéreo lançado pelos bombardeiros ingleses com a finalidade de destruir as barricadas e metralhadoras alemãs danificou ainda mais o terreno, e em conjunto com as chuvas de agosto formaram grandes “lagos” de lama líquida, onde muitos tanques afundaram e muitos soldados se afogaram.

Em seis de novembro de 1917, após três meses de luta, o exército canadense finalmente tomou Paschendale, encerrando o conflito. E é neste ponto que se encontra o soldado ao início da música, ferido mortalmente no campo de batalha.

A melodia divide-se em três momentos principais:

- a “calmaria” dentro da batalha, quando o soldado está entrincheirado ou escondido, esperando para entrar em ação (correr para uma outra trincheira ou atacar um ponto estratégico, por exemplo), caracterizado por uma seqüência de riffs pesados, embora lentos (primeiro momento);

- a ação em si, onde a velocidade da música aumenta e o tom vocal torna-se mais agressivo (segundo momento);

- o momento em que o soldado se lembra de sua casa, seu lar, quando a música assume um ritmo mais cadenciado (a característica “cavalgada”) durante o refrão (terceiro momento).

Observação: durante a tour “Death On The Road”, antes desta música ser executada, era apresentada uma introdução em que Bruce Dickinson recitava o seguinte trecho do poema “Anthem For Doomed Youth”, de Wilfred Owen (1893-1918):

“What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

Only the monstrous anger of the guns

Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells”

Caído no campo de batalha, em seu leito de morte, o soldado começa a lembrar o que se passou:

In a foreign field he lays,

Lonely soldier, unknown grave

On his dying words he prays

Tell the world of Paschendale

Fortes acordes são tocados, como se flashes da batalha passassem pela mente do soldado. As primeiras e calmas notas são tocadas novamente em seguida:

Relive all that he’s been through

Last communion of his soul

Rust your bullets with his tears

Let me tell you ’bout his years

Após a repetição dos fortes acordes a música engrena, e riffs pesados, porém lentos, são tocados (primeiro momento) enquanto o soldado passa a descrever em flashback a situação em que se encontrava:

Laying low in a blood filled trench

Killing time ’til my very own death

On my face I can feel the falling rain

Never see my friends again

In the smoke in the mud and lead

Smell the fear and the feeling of dread

Soon be time to go over the wall

Rapid fire and the end of us all

Agachado em uma trincheira, com sangue e lama por todos os lados. A chuva cai, e o cheiro de chumbo e de morte está por toda parte. Ele aguarda o momento certo para a ofensiva, e sabe que em breve irá se expor, arriscar a vida, em busca do objetivo. Nada mais lhe resta além de aceitar o fato de que já está morto. A música parte para o segundo momento, descrito anteriormente:

Whistles, shouts and more gun fire

Lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire

Battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb

Be reunited with my dead friends soon

Many soldiers eighteen years

Drown in mud no more tears

Surely a war no one can win

Killing time about to begin

A letra fala de “apitos, gritos e mais tiros”, o que caracteriza o comando para que os soldados entrem em ação, ou seja, a indicação de um superior, aos gritos e sopros de apitos, e o chamado covering fire, ou seja, os tiros de “cobertura” disparados pelos que ficaram na trincheira.

O soldado se depara com os companheiros que não conseguiram passar com vida por este trecho do campo de batalha (a chamada “No Man’s Land”, ou “Terra de Ninguém”). Há corpos pendurados nas cercas de arame farpado, além de soldados afogados na lama. Sua esperança se vai, e ele entende que em uma guerra não há vencedores. Pensa em sua casa, e em como queria ter outra chance de viver. Vem o refrão (terceiro momento):

Home, far away

From the war, a chance to live again

Home, far away

But the war, no chance to live again

Uma ponte para a estrofe seguinte, constatando o grande número de mortes da batalha:

The bodies of ours and our foes

The sea of death it overflows

In no man’s land god only knows

Into jaws of death we go

O segundo momento é executado novamente, demonstrando o desespero do soldado ao desejar que ninguém mais morra:

Crucified as if on a cross

Allied troops they mourn their loss

German war propaganda machine

Such before has never been seen

Swear I heard the angels cry

Pray to god no more may die

So that people know the truth

Tell the tale of Paschendale

É mostrado o lado religioso do ser humano, uma vez que o soldado pensa ter ouvido anjos chorarem e reza para que não haja mais mortes. A história existe para que os erros do passado não sejam repetidos pelas futuras gerações, e é isto que ele pensa agora, desejando também que todos conheçam e contem a história de Paschendale.

Após um interlúdio, a melodia retorna ao primeiro momento. A letra fala da crueldade humana, não satisfeita com o sofrimento e o terror dos combatentes inimigos. Cada homem cumpre seu papel na cruel realidade da guerra:

Cruelty has a human heart

Every man does play his part

Terror of the men we kill

The human heart is hungry still

I stand my ground for the very last time

Gun is ready as I stand in line

Nervous wait for the whistle to blow

Rush of blood and over we go

Entra o solo de Dave Murray, e em seguida o de Adrian Smith. O soldado se posiciona, mantém seu posto pela última vez. Descreve a sensação de estar alinhado com os companheiros, com a arma na mão, nervoso, à espera de um comando de seu superior para atacar. O sangue jorra como a chuva, e nem o som dos disparos das armas é alto o suficiente para encobrir a vergonha que os combatentes sentem.

Blood is falling like the rain

It’s crimson cloak unveils again

The sound of guns can’t hide their shame

And so we die on Paschendale

Entra o solo de Janick Gers. O comando é dado, e eles partem para seu último ataque (segundo momento da melodia):

Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire

Running straight at the cannon fire

Running blind as I hold my breath

Say a prayer symphony of death

As we charge the enemy lines

A burst of fire and we go down

I choke a cry but no one hears

Fell the blood go down my throat

O soldado descreve um ataque praticamente suicida: eles avançam contra as linhas inimigas, correndo e segurando a respiração, desviando de cercas de arame farpado de encontro ao fogo adversário. Um disparo do canhão, e todos caem. O lamento sufocado do soldado não pode ser ouvido por ninguém, enquanto este sente o sangue descendo pela garganta. Ele pensa em sua casa, distante, enquanto percebe sua vida se esvair:

Home, far away

From the war, a chance to live again

Home, far away

But the war, no chance to live again

De volta ao cenário inicial, o soldado caído no campo de batalha finalmente dá seu último suspiro. Seu espírito e o de seus companheiros se vão com o vento, sem importar-se com as linhas inimigas. Inimigos e aliados se encontrarão novamente na outra vida.

See my spirit on the wind

Across the lines beyond the hill

Friend and foe will meet again

Those who died at Paschendale

Cerca de 250 mil homens dos exércitos aliados morreram na Batalha de Paschendale, e houve praticamente o mesmo número de baixas do lado alemão.

Iron Maiden na capa da Metal Hammer polonesa

Iron Maiden é capa da nova edição da Metal Hammer polonesa.

CORE's top 10 Best Metal Album Covers

Yesterday we posted a sneak peek of Mastadon's badass cover art for their upcoming album which inspired us to make a list of some of our favourite album cover art from the underworld.

10.

Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake, From their 2004 album this album cover fits thematically with the highly politicized antiwar sentiments expressed throughout the album. Fairly explicit symbolism make this an emotionally charged visual.


9.

Children of Bodom - Relentless Reckless Forever (2011) CoB's most recent album takes our #9 position as it presents the architypal death metal cover art. Everyone loves a reaper.

8.

Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills, Our next sleeve comes from a single off of the LP Number of the Beast, the cover is in the same style as other Maiden albums featuring the iconic work of artist Derek Riggs (creator of Eddie the Head). This is the second of three Maiden covers by Riggs to feature satan and the theme somewhat consistent with the subject matter of the title track, namely the violence between 19th century Native Americans and settlers.
7.

Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?, Another heavy metal mainstay, this Megadeth cover features another skeleton mascot "Vic Rattlehead' the visual embodiment of the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" mantra. The visuals connote cold war and apocalyptic imagery and have Vic leaning agains a for sale sign in front of the United Nations. Just a long shot but it may be a comment on the commodification of peace. or something.

6.

Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutliated, if the album cover didn't tip you off this album deals with necrophelia. Not for everyone, this album has been censored in many regions and has been banned in entirety in Germany. Check out the censored cover art below.

5.

Slayer - South of Heaven, Released in 1988 and produced by Def Jam's Rick Rubin South of Heaven marked a musical departure for Slayer with slower tempo and less distortion, which was an aesthetic designer Larry Carroll aimed to match with the cover art. The back cover (below) featured a shot of the band from 1986 (Reign in Blood sessions) by photographer Glen E. Friedman which has gone on to become arguably the most famous photo of the band.

4.

Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind, Though we already have another Maiden album on our list, we had to include this one on our list because it's art is prominently displayed in the CoRE building. Rigg's work has become synonymous with Maiden Metal Rock. The aptly titled album deals largely with the members of the band's growing interests in literature.

3.

Guns 'N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction, This album has grown to become a near household name recognized by many both inside and outside the world of rock. The cover is minimal featuring a cross with skulls meant to represent each member of the band. This cover however was not the originally intended art chosen to accompany this record. The original cover was of a robot raping a woman (surprised? really? see below.). It was only after pressure from retailers that the cover we are all familiar with was chosen.

2.

Metallica - Ride the Lightning, released in 1984. Largely considered the greatest Thrash metal album of all time and a seminal metal recording in general Metallica's Ride the Lightning cover stands out without feeling out of place. The cover was designed by AD Artists and thought up by the band. French label Bernett Records accidentally misprinted the album cover and 400 copies appeared green, now considered to be a rare collectors item.  

1.

Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell, One of the most famous album covers of all time Meatloaf and Jim Steinman's rock epic concept album has the drama of Classical theatre merged with biker/rock tropes. The concept for the cover has been credited to Steinman and was illustrated by artist Richard Corben (of Heavy Metal Magazine fame). This 1977 album cover has definitely influenced the artistic direction of metal/rock albums to follow.

Honourable Mention:

We had to add in the next album cover just because it so captures everything tough and badass that metal truly came to represent. But really it is like looking at a car wreck. Enjoy.



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Made In Chile

Ever wondered what it would be like to open up for the mighty Iron Maiden? Well thanks to the thrash titans Exodus, who have been ripping up the metal world since 1985’s Bonded By Blood, we got an inside behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to support one of the most influential bands of all time. Filmed in Santiago, Chile as part of Maiden’s Final Frontier Tour, the video features discussions about the early days with Kirk Hammet, guest appearance by drumming beast Nick Barker, and a beyond-belief look at Maiden’s helicopter cam. A must-see for all metal maniacs!

-Posted by CORE Member Ian Rose 

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