Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden

There's still a good number of this original pressing around and getting your hands on a good, clean copy isn't too difficult and is well worth the little bit extra that you'll pay over and above any of the FAME copies. It's quite simply a classic of its genre (although for me, Maiden are in a genre all their own) Steve Harris is already in a different league in both his writing and his wonderfully melodic bass playing!! It's a brilliantly constructed album too with everything from the blistering urgency of "Prowler" and "Iron Maiden" to the ethereal beauty of "Strange World". The inclusion of not one, but two instrumentals on the debut album just further demonstrates the excellence of musicianship and the complete confidence that the band already has in their performance. As anyone who cares knows, both Steve and Paul (RIP) have been on record more than once in expressing dissatisfaction with this album's production and I am absolutely no one to argue with their assessment, all I can say is that for me, the record sounds absolutely immense, whether that's because of or despite Will Malone's work, I have no idea. A great, great album! Up The Irons!!

Fue el primer disco de Iron Maiden que escuché siendo un niño, y sigue siendo mi favorito.

Excellent mesh of Black Sabbath-esque doom and standard Heavy Metal, Paul Di'Anno's rough voice is very befitting of the debut album. Some of the most underrated Iron Maiden songs!

One of my favourite Maiden albums and what a treat to finally hear it on vinyl in it's original form! This is a stunning pressing; Harris' bass lines are deep and rich and the toms thunder. Gorgeous separation between the instruments too so you can hear every bass/guitar melody. Recommend this over any of the Fame represses!

The first press had the hype price sticker yes, but it NEVER included the poster. Even the test press never says it's included, it mentions the posters that will be avilable in the future but it's never mentioned as included. Wich indicates that the picture with the included poster is indeed fake, probably from some sort or scam.
The first press has the hype price sticker, black innersleeve and the credits on 2 lines instead of 3.
And ofcourse the matrix/runout AND mother plate numbers matches the test press.

It would be very difficult for me to list my top 10 favorite albums of all time but Iron Maiden’s debut would certainly be considered. Released in April 1980, Maiden were poised to take on the world after being one of the leading lights of an underground movement known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal or NWOBHM for short. With the backing of a major label (EMI) and the astute management team of Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor, the five young East End Londoners produced one of metal’s most stunning achievements and easily one of the greatest debuts ever. The songs on ‘Iron Maiden’ dated back to the early club days of the band and honed to perfection over the years between 1976- 1979 despite the numerous line-up changes that often plague baby bands. However the one constant was founder and guiding light Steve Harris who carefully shaped his vision of heavy metal through a strong ‘70s progressive rock influence. Longtime Maiden guitarist Dave Murray ed in 1977 and frontman Paul Di’anno the next year to form the nexus of Maiden’s early years.
By the time the first album was recorded, drummer Clive Burr and guitarist Dennis Stratton completed the line-up though Stratton would only appear on this record due to musical differences that cropped up during the tour. The songs are what make ‘Iron Maiden’ so special as first single “Running Free” became an instant classic as the boys played the song live on the Top of the Pops TV show (where traditionally bands lip synched their latest hits). Maiden would have none of that and played the song in all its ferocious glory. “Prowler”, “ Tomorrow” and “Phantom of the Opera” all fill the first side of the original vinyl and all of them are stunners, especially “Phantom” which would be Steve Harris’ first epic (Harris wrote or co-wrote all of the songs). The time changes, pacing and immensely power riffing came to define Maiden as a force to be reckoned with as Harris progressive influences were brought to the fore. Side two features “Transylvania” (an instrumental) “Strange World” (a weird ballad type song, never played live - ever!), “Charlotte the Harlot '' (who would be a continuing character in the Maidenverse) and the song that says it all - “Iron Maiden”, as fierce and album closer as one could find.
Harris would often bristle when critics would remark on the punk influence on many of the tracks but there was no denying that Paul Di’anno could easily have been a punk rock singer. However the musicianship of Iron Maiden outclassed anything punk could deliver or even some of their NWOBHM contemporaries. It’s funny how the band has over the years downplayed the production of the relatively unknown Will Malone as amateurish and disappointing but I don’t think fans of this album really care (supposedly the band produced most of the debut themselves). If ‘Iron Maiden’ isn’t the greatest NWOBHM album of all time (some prefer the follow-up ‘Killers’ which of course of is an awesome record in its own right) or ‘The Number of the Beast’ which I see as a step beyond the movement as Maiden was now leaving NWOBHM in the dust, but hey that’s fine. I often juggle between ‘Piece of Mind’ and the first LP as which assumes ascendency as Maiden’s greatest record but I would say more often than not, it's the album with a crazed looking ghoul with shocked punked out hair staring right at you from the neon lights of London’s East End. With the introduction of Eddie and ‘Iron Maiden’, the world of metal would never be the same. Iron Maiden’s gonna get you, wherever you are…

je ne suis pas grand fan de Di Anno mais ce premier effort est remarquable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝟗/𝟏𝟎

Wasn't there also a song "Sanctuary" or was that only sold in later versions in North America?

Iron Maiden
Produced by Will Malone
Released April 1980, reached #4 in the UK (mostly ignored in the US)
1980
Good Shit *****

Along with punk (which most everyone in America had unfortunately ignored--much more than history would lead us to believe), this Maiden album proved that rock wasn't ready to die (as the disco crowd had been suggesting throughout the late 70s). The excess elements of this debut, with the electric-guitar based instrumental "Transylvania" and such, might have been cliche at another time, but this was when punk had just declared war on excess and had caused most rockers to reexamine their delivery. Meanwhile, Maiden didn't seem to give a rat's ass.


Unlike much of their output, this also understands that all great rock has a raw delivery and at least a bit of the sloppy. The pounding rhythms and imperfect vocals of Di'Anno helped give this set some grit and a connection with the roots of rock. These elements also helped ground the set, both resonating with and contrasting the excesses of the axe-grinding.


Obviously inspired by the cream of the UK hard rock outfits of the 70s (Rainbow, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Hawkwind, Motorhead, UFO, a bit of Sweet's Desolation Boulevard on "Running Free" and perhaps Curved Air's Air Conditioning on "Phantom of the Opera"), as well perhaps some American influences (Montrose, Nugent, and even Chuck Berry) and showing early heavy metal influences on some cuts, this band might have been dismissed as derivative, but with Harris's booming bass and song-writing, they not only matched the power of their 70s forefathers but delivered their own blistering hard-rock sound.

The opening cut "Prowler" grabs you by the throat, sounding like a nod to all of Priest's -er suffix songs; the set then slows down for " Tomorrow," which shows a Uriah Heep and Deep Purple influence. If it sounds like it's going to be a bit overblown and derivative, they get into the basic and give everyone a run for the money with "Running Free." That song alone should get their name in the books.

If the beginning of the flip side sounds like a bit much too much with the instrumental "Transylvania," and another moody number called "Strange World," they bring it back to earth and return to the juvenile outlaw theme, launching into "Sanctuary" before offering the hip-shaking classic "Charlotte the Harlot."


To conclude the set, they return to the horror rock established with the sleeve art/mascot and at the beginning of the set with "Prowler." This horror rock hints back to Alice Cooper (who also had a mascot and focused on horror rock). The delivery, outlaw and violent crime themes, and the fact that the bass player is obviously the leader of this group, perhaps reveals a Thin Lizzy influence. In fact, how could a hard rock UK outfit that formed in the late 70s not be influenced by Thin Lizzy, UFO, and Alice Cooper.

While they sport their influences on their tattered sleeves, they deliver the goods. They made some noteworthy music in the years that followed, but they never matched this debut.

-- winch (Winch Records: only the good ones...the good, the odd, and the wonderful)

I have the same pressing with the £3.99 Limited Edition Label. I’m thinking that if you have this along with the black inner plus the credits on two lines of text instead of three then you have the first issue of this album. Would like to know for sure though! A1, B1 on the runout is misleading as many subsequent pressings have the same.