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Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden took its name from a particularly nasty medieval torture device and started as a reaction to the U.K.'s rising late '70s Punk scene. Aimed at preserving the Metal ethos, Iron Maiden set down a blistering path with chain saw guitars and manic, rage filled vocals, extolling a dark side that welcomed annihilation. They came on like street thugs channeling Nordic warriors. How could they miss? They didn't, selling over 50 million albums before the dust settled.
Of Iron Maiden's lead singers, Dickinson was the best, and certainly the most theatrical, but even he was upstaged by Eddie, a decaying, wrinkled monster that graced several album covers. Eddie was perfect. That image, more than anything else, told the public what Iron Maiden was all about.
Iron Maiden formed around the Harris/Murray nucleus. But a falling out with the group's then-lead singer Dennis Wilcock caused Murray to pack it in. But in short order Wilcock was gone, Murray returned and DiAnno was aboard.
While their first two albums, the self-titled debut ('80) and "Killers" ('81) were exercises in sonic brutality it was their third album, and first with Dickinson, "The Number Of The Beast," that hurled the group before the masses. Subsequent albums "Piece Of Mind" ('83), "Powerslave" ('84) and "Live After Death" ('85) made Iron Maiden an integral part of every headbanger's life.
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By the late '80s, personnel changes and a misguided attempt to incorporate keyboards, zapped the band of much of its energy though they continued recording with some measure of success. Dickinson departed and was replaced by Blaze Bayley in '94 making the rest of '90s little more than a re-tread of earlier, better Maiden. "Brave New World" was released in '00 with a good representation of the group's '80s line-ups.
Early '03, word came out that Dickinson would front Iron Maiden once again for an album and tour. The announcement was greeted with some suspicion. Numerous groups have found themselves at the nether end of their career when someone suggests reforming the original, classic, best known or most popular line-up. Often, the ex-members are as down on their luck as the group. Unfortunately, these revivals usually fall far short of expectations. Not so with Iron Maiden. The group made a roaring return with "Dance Of Death." Their next trip to the studio resulted in '06's "A Matter Of Life And Death."
"The Number of the Beast" always gets attention. Though it is Iron Maiden's breakthrough album it is not their most accomplished. The earlier "Killers" with "Women In Uniform" and "Twilight Zone" and the later "Piece of Mind" featuring the classic "Flight Of Icarus" are the ones to get. "Live After Death" has enough raw power and Metal aggression for any savage beast.
"Number of the Beast" has the inescapable "Run For The Hills" and easily deserves its slot in the Iron Maiden hierarchy. By the late 80s, Iron Maiden is audibly a notch or two off their peak though "Fear Of The Dark," the group's last '90s studio effort with Dickinson, sold well. Beyond that it gets tough. Hell, nobody lasts forever - despite any deals with the devil. For the true fan, "Eddie's Archive," puts the best of the '80s and '90s in a concise box set.
"Dance Of Death," proves you can recapture past glories. Several tracks, "Wildest Dream," "Rainmaker," and "No More Lies" ("there's a dark sky before me") showcase Iron Maiden's ominous Rock. But there's more, including the guitar tour de force on "Gates Of Tomorrow." Dickinson's return illustrates the importance of having a talented high-energy vocalist to compliment and complete Murray, Smith and Jannick Gers' piercing fret work.
There are some things you should be able to count on: death, a tormented hereafter and an Iron Maiden album, with Dickinson and not some pretender, that Rocks the Gates of Hell. "A Matter Of Life And Death" sets out to do just that with the opening track, "Different World," which has a surprisingly melodic chorus. Violent, mystical and haunted, Iron Maiden roars through "These Colours Don't Run," "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns," "The Pilgrim" (a killer track) and "The Longest Day." The CD shifts gears for the dramatic ballad, "Out Of The Shadows," where Dickinson sings "gypsy child at daybreak, a king for a day." It's a good track. But rather than being a change of pace, it sets the tone for the remainder of the album. The energy dissipates and so does the sense of urgency. Not even the acoustic medieval sounding closer, "The Legacy," has much to offer.
When they Rock, Iron Maiden knows few, if any, equals. Why they abandoned their strength (and main appeal) mid-way through "A Matter Of Life And Death" is a mystery.
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