Recommend an Iron Maiden album

I normally don't rep for live albums, but Live After Death would be a fantastic entry point/catch-up tool. It not only sounds great and captures some truly electric performances, but the set lists hit all the high marks.

So basically this is a Best Iron Maiden Album poll with a personal twist.

From the list you provided, though, I'd go with The Number of the Beast. It was Bruce's debut and the first time they sounded like a bigger, better band.

If you want D'ianno, then the 1st album (tho plenty will rep for killers) If you want bruce then Number Of The Beast.
If you want D'ianno era songs sung by bruce, Live After Death.

I go with Piece of Mind, for the simple reason of the hooks being so killer - "Where Eagles Dare," "The Trooper," "Flight of Icarus" (huge favorite of mine, what a great chorus melody), "Die With Your Boots On." But as I always say on the subject of Maiden, don't sleep on Killers, which is Paul Di'anno era (i.e. the singing is nowhere near as good - don't get me wrong I love Di'anno but technically speaking Dickinson is 1,000,000x better) - totally tight & great album with super-large hooks

1st 2 albums are a bit punkier (why i like them best)

lol i mispelled his name twice

both D'ianno albums are ace. for Dickinson era, my favorites are Powerslave and Seventh Son, though Piece of Mind packs a HUGE wallop too (there isn't a bad song on it).

anybody heard a leak of the new Maiden? I did not like the last album at all so I'm afraid to buy this one.

That's true. The first two albums aren't quite as metal-y as what would follow, not just for the music, but because Di'anno had a fuck-it-all quality to his vocals. Of that era, I'd go Killers over the debut, but both are worth hearing.

xp I thought the last album was the best Maiden record since 1990. The new one has too many slow songs, but it's still kinda on point.

"Prowler" is probably my favorite D'ianno era track for its simplicity and awesomeness.

thanks Johnny. I tend to prefer word of mouth from other Maiden fans since metal magazines tend to overrate the hell out of every metal album these days.

I totally fell in love with Dickinson-fronted Maiden so the D'ianno albums have always felt like afterthoughts, no matter how competent they are

seventh son is the one that has stood king on the hill for all these years for me but I'd recommend

somehow after all these years I haven't heard piece of mind in its entirety ;_; rectifying right quick

really though, any of them from the first dickinson era, can't go wrong...and gonna recommend 'fear of the dark' too

my fave is Killers; reason being that it rocks mightily (as you will find very well expressed in the Marooned ilx book). Beast and Mind would likely suit an "Aces High" fan better, tho. i'd say there's more trot than rock in those two really (run to the hills...run for your liiiiiives). i've only heard the first four, btw.

basically, buy the 1st 3, you wont regret it

Killers or Piece of Mind, but as Johnny pointed out, Live After Death is the best bet. You get to hear the best of the first few years, and then based on what you like you'll know where to go next.

All I have left in my collection is Live After Death and Killers.

Instead of Live After Death I opt for Rock in Rio. The band had just joyfully regrouped with Dickinson and Smith, released a killer comeback album after the aimless Bailey-years, and is simply on fire. Add to this a South-American audience that is going completely bonkers, prompting the band to really give everything they've got and you got a tremendous album in your hands. Rock in Rio also offers a nice selection of old and new Maiden, including some Bailey-years songs, that are now performed by Dickinson and heavily improved.

really though, any of them from the first dickinson era, can't go wrong...and gonna recommend 'fear of the dark' too

hah, fear of the dark was actually my first maiden album simply because it had just come out circa when I figured that I should check em out. have more affection than most for this reason but there are some serious clunkers on it!

Alright I've been listening to Iron Maiden tunes all morning, how have I missed this band before??

a lotta people never get into em cuz they think from the exterior that they're this cheesy cock-rock group or something. I got into em when I was about 17, and my life was never the same.

i mean my bank account balance was permanently reduced by the cost of those cds

Number of the Beast

Number is one I like a lot, but to me it doesn't hold up next to the albums that bookended it.

"Children of the Damned" though is one of their best ballads evah.

Alright I've been listening to Iron Maiden tunes all morning, how have I missed this band before??

this was exactly my reaction to Powerslave oh so many years ago

I was introduced to Maiden by the song "Wasted Years," but I didn't buy an album until Seventh Son, et al. I'll always hold them close, but the '82-'85 era is primetime.

By "them," I mean that song and that album in particular.

I only own Killers/NOTB/POM/Powerslave, I'd pick Piece Of Mind 'cos I think it's got the strongest hooks. I need to check out the others on this list someday too. The CDs are always cheap enough (by the way, does anyone here own the full set of reissues with the picture from the first album across the spines?).

Powerslave is my favorite, but I think its a no-brainer that the place to start is Number of the Beast.

number of the beast is a terrible place to start imo, album has 3 good songs, you can probably guess what they are

ps "run to the hills" is not one of them

been listening to a lot of maiden lately and I'm surprised to find piece of mind is the one I find most consistent

production is a little tinny on it tho

if piece of mind had the same production quality as powerslave it would be pure gravy

powerslave is good but I don't like "rime of the ancient mariner" or "losfer words" and that's 1/3 of the album right there

also it's a weird thing to be concerned about iron maiden's thematic concepts, but powerslave struck me as very samey. the first 5 songs with lyrics are all centered around war/battle imagery. and it opens with "aces high", a retread of "where eagles dare" from piece of mind. sonically it's a powerful album but content wise it seemed like they were starting to recycle instead of expand their themes.

killers untouchable imo

so I guess what I'm saying is killers, piece of mind

"quest for fire" is the only dud song on piece of mind

I'm a huge di'anno stan but never liked the debut album

production's thin and the songs just aren't there yet

WHUT????

omg THE SONGS ARE INCREDIBLE.

never really felt 'em

for a long time I thought the production got in the way but even listening to the full version of maiden japan, I just dig the killers material so much more

I think the only songs I really dig from the debut are "running free" and "sanctuary" and the latter wasn't even on the album originally

Killers

Not liking "Prowler" is ridiculous.

Prowler rules just for the opening alone -- catchy simple two chord riff, with simple "wah" drenched lead, but it just makes me wanna leap out of my seat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWr-HtpTOyI

vs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjGCSuBpeH8

ok I'm gonna revisit iron maiden but I always go in with high hopes, and they come back dashed. maybe the recent remaster is the answer.

I'm a huge di'anno stan but never liked the debut album

^that's almost like the guy who said he likes sushi but doesnt like raw fish and seaweed.

I know! it's weird

this is a picture of me btw

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/edwardiii/guysrocknrollcelebritylifestyle.jpg

And that guy hates Number of the Beast as well!

shit from killers is so relentless

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnGqVLw9P8

I third the suggestions for Piece Of Mind. Number of the Beast may be an obvious entrypoint to someone new to the band because of some of their most well-known songs, but Piece Of Mind sounds heavier thanks to better production and better playing, thanks also partly to new drummer Nicko. The hooks, the mesmerizing solos, I think it's totally their peak.

You can't go wrong with any of their 80s stuff. But go with Live After Death first. It's Maiden at their zenith.

Fuck it, man, get 'em all.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFZJY1JR0eI
brave new world

really, if you dig up on amazon you may be able to find a lot of em cheap. and I mean better to get em in one shot than to buy one, then spend the next few weeks at work going GOD I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I GET HOME SO I CAN GET "XX" ALBUM BY IRON MAIDEN.

i think this just might be my favorite Maiden release post Dickinson reunion. Brave New World was it for a while but it is let down by the end of teh album.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

oh come on

The Number of the Beast 5
Powerslave (rebuy since you can't play the cassette anymore) 0
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 0

fuck you srsly. I like Number but my god it pales in comparison to 4-5 other albums

ilx, can't get maiden right

i want explanations from the 5 NOTB voters

BEST IRON MAIDEN STUDIO ALBUM <------- correct results

Didn't vote NOTB, but with songs like Hallowed be Thy Name, Children of the Damned and 22 Acacia Avenue, it easily ranks amongst Maiden's best work. I'd deem Gangland to be the only filler song and even that track is really good. Also, NOTB still has that raw, dark and gloomy edge about it that only can be found on Maiden's debut and, especially, Killers. After that, Maiden got more transparent and lighter in tone. Also: Clive Burr at its finest. Yeah, I can definitely see the love for this one.

My objection isn't so much on the grounds that it isn't a kickass album, as it is -- "Children of the Damned" has a fantastic coda which pushes it from great to legendary, and 22 Acacia Avenue is fantastic. While I would say I like every song on the album, some of them don't hit as high ("Invaders" has a corny chorus, "Run to the Hills" is good but the chorus is a bit annoying).

I feel like Piece of Mind was more consistent, with higher highs, and Powerslave was overall a more aggressive album that hit higher highs as well. I also love the two D'ianno albums more than Number (in fact, I rank both very highly).

I wouldn't put NOTB higher than 4th or 5th.

Good thing you weren't the only one voting.

har har.

the only victim in all of this is Dan, who will get home and realize taht while NOTB is good, he could have had a better album. and that's something that may slightly bug him for five minutes or so.

Until he hears the other ones, how will he know? And who knows, like many people here he might like it more than you do.

FYI, if you wish for honest discussion or responses starting off with "fuck you srsly" is probably not the way to go.

Honestly, I won't ever listen to a record they did after Piece of Mind (excepting Live After Death, and even that one I don't really care for. As Sebastian put it so well, I'll just quote him

NOTB still has that raw, dark and gloomy edge about it that only can be found on Maiden's debut and, especially, Killers. After that, Maiden got more transparent and lighter in tone.

Powerslave and on just don't appeal to my ears as far as the production. They still can write some great songs, and it's why I'd still see them live, but I just don't like what they do in the studio.

Until he hears the other ones, how will he know? And who knows, like many people here he might like it more than you do.

really not getting that you missed that I was being tongue in cheek, what with the fact that I said he'd be annoyed "for five minutes". I actually felt like adding new discussion to this thread because I happened to be spinning the new Maiden which prompted it.

FYI, if you wish for honest discussion or responses starting off with "fuck you srsly" is probably not the way to go.

LOL dude, what board are you on again? its been a pretty common gag after polls end for someone to say a variant of "fuck off" after the results are posted, depending on how challopsy the results are (though I wouldn't say this is a challops, so much as it is RONG).

Anyway I have to disagree respectfully that NOTB has this 'dark and gloomy edge', the chorus guitar riff on Invaders is cheesy as hell, and Run to the Hills is fairly happy sounding. I mean no doubt it's a good album but I don't really consider that album to be in any way related sonically to the D'Ianno albums.

Powerslave isn't "dark" either, but it does rock...like ferociously.

i also realize that came from a review you didn't write so I don't mean to attribute that quote to you either

fuck you srsly.

oh snap.

But seriously, though the riffs were still great afterwards in general the tone of the records became cleaner and lighter. Their are small remnants of the nasty sounds of the Di'Anno years in NotB, though not enough for my personal taste.

Fell out of love w/ Maiden right after Powerslave, so haven't heard anything released since (I did buy Live After Death for my sister's b-day at the time...but wasn't curious enough to listen.)
Piece of Mind was the only album of the initial 5 studio that i never purchased because i hated (HATED!) Icarus. Never liked the patented Maiden "gallop", and until Icarus, I don't think the gallop had ever been slowed down to such a sludgy tempo (i might be wrong). I basically punished the whole record because of its inclusion.
Killers wins for me.

I really like both eras a lot, I mean I don't think Dickinson could have pulled off the D'ianno era sound, his voice was more suited for the material they wrote. whereas D'iannos was perfect for the raw, rock'n'rolly nature of the first two albums.

I hold the first two albums in high regard, maybe even the highEST regard (the s/t has alternated as my favorite on and off for years, and Killers isn't far off).

this new album is still holding up REALLY well.

Lol I forgot to buy a Maiden album

Will fix that today

get killers

do it do it

Don't forget Live After Death either. But Killers first.

just buy the 1st 3, keep everyone happy.

noone will be more happier than yourself mind you

cuz you will be listening to 3 great Maiden albums for the first time.

it's funny, I am guessing everybody who remembers the thrill of finding out maiden is great shares this "oh man you're gonna have fun now" feeling

Guys, you are forgetting I already think Powerslave is awesome

also I got Number of the Beast and "Childen of the Damned" is like exactly my type of shit

oh and so is "The Prisoner"

Children of the damned is a definitive Maiden ballad. Especially the end -- classic. Live versions rock even more

This poll was OTM, btw

still prefer the 1st album

I ran out of Maiden albums (sans a few live albums but how many versions of "Run to the Hills" do I NEEEED, man?), so I bought the first Dickinson Samson album. was that a dumb move?

also Dan which ones do you have now?

Now there's some true Maiden addiction, seeking out Bruce Bruce with Samson! Actually I like Shock Tactics (1981) and Head On (1980) just as much as any other NWOBHM b-lister in that era. Of course I believe Piece Of Mind is fucking perfect, so what do I know.

They've really been raking it in with their live shows, they haven't had much time for writing or the studio it seems. Maybe they'll have something new next year?