THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: iron maiden

IRON MAIDEN – Killers

October 29, 2022 /

Think if you will, that if Paul Di’anno hadn’t been asked to leave Iron Maiden and he was still in the band today, what would they sound like? Interesting thought eh? Well, I think they would have probably killed him as he isn’t the easiest of guys to be around apparently, but musically I often wonder if they would be different.

I actually love the first two albums, and I don’t care too much for modern Maiden.  I know probably not many people agree with this, but for me this is the last great Maiden album. I love the energy, attitude, and the raw sound of this album. Not a bad moment on the album, and this is a bonafide classic in every sense.

The Ides Of March intro that bursts into the awesome Wrathchild. I remember buying the single as well. We are lulled into a false sense of security with the delicate intro to Murders In The Rue Morgue, before that superb riff and groove kick in. I love how the guitar and bass follow the vocal in the chorus. A killer busy intro to Another Life, and it’s hard to believe it, but no one else was playing like this at the time. I love the time and groove change in the middle – it’s very punky. The superb instrumental, Genghis Khan, is up next and what metal band was doing that at the time? The side closes out with Innocent Exile which is my favourite Maiden track ever! I love the riff, key changes, Paul’s vocals, and the epic middle section. They have forgotten how to write grooves like this.

The epic title track opens up Side 2, and we are off to the trademark Maiden gallop. Twilight Zone is up next and was another single – it was quite a straight forward riff and groove for Maiden compared to everything else they were writing at the time. Prodigal Son follows, and I’m guessing this was a big influence on Dream Theater, and also Steve Harris’ is a big Prog fan.  The super busy riff of Prodigal Son is classic old school Maiden, and I love the middle section. The awesomeness that is Drifter closes out the album, and with the end of old Maiden.

A sure fire 10/10 from The Grooveman.

IRON MAIDEN – Live After Death

December 8, 2021 /

Confession time! This is the only Iron Maiden album I own with Bruce Dickinson on vocals. I loved the first two Maiden albums with Dianno on vocals as they were new and had that hard punky edge to them. Funnily enough, I don’t mind Bruce’s solo material though.

This was recorded on the Powerslave tour and Bruce was three albums in to his Maiden career, so there were still quite a lot of Dianno era tunes aired at this point. For someone like me, this a perfect album to buy as it’s an almost best of. Recorded part in London and part in LA, the band were really a tight unit and certainly on fire. My favourite tracks here are the older tracks Obvious and Phantom Of The Opera. I think the two guitar set up works better than the three they have now.

If you’re a Maiden fan you will all ready have this, if not and you want an introduction to the band, then it’s not a bad place to start.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

IRON MAIDEN – s/t

February 10, 2021 /

If anybody asks me to describe the NWOBHM, I will always tell them listen to this album. It has the rawness and energy that I associate with that period. Just to put this out there, I prefer Maiden with Dianno and not Brucie. When Dickinson joined, they lost that edge and rawness and became polished and a money making machine – which is where Smallwood was aiming them.

Maiden were a combination of classic rock of the time, and the punk movement, which Dianno was a big fan of. Other than a couple of EPs, and the legendary Soundhouse Tapes, this is Maiden’s debut. Every band and his dog would have this as their template of their idea of metal for the next 10 years. It’s hard to describe to people that this type of music didn’t exist before this. Sure Priest were doing their brand of metal, but it wasn’t as raw and hard hitting as this.

Running Free was the first track I heard, and it blew me away with the energy. Other than Motörhead, they were the first to add speed elements to the music like in Phantom Of The Opera. It was off at a gallop and had differing sections to add the tempo changes, which also was a first, the style of which Steve Harris had borrowed from Prog rock bands. We also got the introduction of metal instrumental pieces like Transylvania, which bands like Dream Theater would expand to the max years later. This song alone encapsulates the Maiden sound musically more than any other, as they would revisit the gallop format numerous times throughout their career.

No breakdown of songs here as it speaks for itself. You can keep your Powerslaves and Number Of The Beasts, the first two albums were as good as it got for me and all metal fans should own them both. Another ground zero album.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BRUCE DICKINSON – Skunkworks

January 9, 2021 /

Looking back, it was a really brave decision leaving Iron Maiden to go solo when he did. Grunge was in full flow and Metal was not flavour of the month.

Trivia time folks!!! Bruce was actually going to have this as the debut album by the band Skunkworks, but the label refused to release it under anything else other than his own name.

Skunkworks actually reflects the time it was recorded very well as it is very alternative sounding in a rocky way if that makes sense. This version is a 2017 remaster on double 180g vinyl and it sounds great, clear, and loud. The band that played on this release are mainly unknowns apart from ex Gun guitarist Alex Dickson.

Things start off nicely with the Space Race and into the single Back From the Edge, which sees Dickinson showing great variation in his vocal. Faith is a more straight ahead rocker. Solar Confinement is a really cool song with a cool chorus guitar, and then into the Nirvana-esque Dreamstate which is a very weak song. Then I Will Not Accept The Truth, also Nirvana-ish but with more balls. Inside The Machine which starts Side 3, is also giving a nod in Seattle’s direction but with more melody. Next track is Headswitch which is one of album’s best tracks with more than a hint of Soundgarden about it. Meltdown follows and then into Side 4 with slow paced Octavia. Then we have the rockier Innerspace, and finally Strange Death in Paradise which builds quite well and is a strong album closer.

Unfortunately Bruce has such a strong presence as a metal vocalist it’s very difficult for that voice to be used in anything else without sounding out of place. Not a bad album but…6/10 from The Grooveman.

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