Author Topic: Just getting into Iron Maiden  (Read 1297 times)

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Online hockeydude25

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Just getting into Iron Maiden
« on: July 08, 2018, 05:14:11 PM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?

Offline sfam2112

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2018, 05:22:00 PM »
I started with The Number of The Beast years ago (because DT had recently covered it, so I was curious). Then I was turned onto Brave New World and Seventh Son. But, I would recommend either Number of The Beast or Powerslave next.
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Online El Barto

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2018, 05:41:47 PM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?
PoM is the second in the 5 album run of classic Maiden albums. All 5 of them will top plenty of favorites lists. I'd listen to the other four, and why not in order. Then you can branch out into the other eras.
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Online TAC

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2018, 05:43:26 PM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?

So with Iron Maiden, you basically have two major eras; The Classic Era and The Reunion Era:

But to break down the eras:


Dianno Era
Fist singer Paul Dianno sings on the band's first two albums.
1. Iron Maiden
2. Killers

Classic Era
Bruce Dickinson replaces Dianno as singer
3. The Number Of The Beast
4. Piece Of Mind
5. Powerslave
6. Somewhere In Time
7. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son



Guitarist Adrian Smith leaves and is replaced by Jannick Gers
Two albums are released by this lineup, both of with are generally considered sub par.
8. No Prayer For The Dying
9. Fear Of The Dark

Blaze Era
Bruce Dickinson leaves and is replaced by Blaze Bayley.
10. The X Factor
11. Virtual XI



Reunion Era
Both Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith return. Jannick Gers stays on. Maiden now has 3 guitarists.
12. Brave New World
13. Dance Of Death
14. A Matter Of Life And Death
15. The Final Frontier
16. The Book Of Souls




My advice would be to leave the Dianno and Blaze eras alone for now. Some great stuff in both, but this band's success is all about Bruce Dickinson albums.


I would either go through the 5 Classic Albums, and then move onto the 5 Reunion albums, or what may be more fun is to do one Classic/one Reunion/one Classic/one Reunion...and so on. I'm not sure that there's a definitive fan favorite Classic Era album. Personally, I go with The Number Of The Beast, but Piece Of Mind is excellent.

The general concensus is that A Matter Of Life And Death is the Reunion Era's best album, though some may have other personal faves. AMOLAD is generally cited as the top dog.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2018, 05:54:50 PM »
You should get the two best maiden albums, which are, of course, the debut and Killers.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2018, 05:57:43 PM »
Get the rest of those 80s albums STAT. Even No Prayer and Fear are great but everything from Number up to those is CLASSIC and mandatory listening.

After that try your hand wherever you wish. I suggest the first two albums. I do not ever listen to the Blaze albums. Brave New World is fantastic, Dance has a couple killer tracks, AMOLAD is great but super repetitive. Final Frontier is kinda okay and Book of Souls is dope. My 2 cents.
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Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2018, 06:04:51 PM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?

Somewhere in time
Seventh son of a seventh son

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2018, 06:06:24 PM »
Everybody already told you everything there is to know.

But, please, check Live After Death.

Online hockeydude25

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2018, 06:13:24 PM »
Thanks guys!  I'll check it all out.

Online DragonAttack

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2018, 06:19:25 PM »
With ANY band, you go chronologically.

Also.....read through the various album threads on this forum (use the search function).  I have absolutely zero interest in the band's music.  Zilch. Nada.  And yet, for months, I have been following the write-ups because it is so damn well written and constructed by the main reviewer.  Good comments from fanboys and honest followers as well.

Enjoy.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 09:10:31 PM by DragonAttack »
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Online TAC

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2018, 06:27:03 PM »
Yes, like Dragon Attack says, here is Mosh's EXCELLENT Iron Maiden Discography Thread.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=50220.0
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline cramx3

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2018, 06:29:36 PM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?
PoM is the second in the 5 album run of classic Maiden albums. All 5 of them will top plenty of favorites lists. I'd listen to the other four, and why not in order. Then you can branch out into the other eras.

Yup.  Since you started with this era and like it, might as well dig in there.  You won't be dissapointed.  Then I'd say either go for the first two albums or go right for the re-union era (which maybe IMO is better than the classic era).  Save No Prayer For the Dying, Fear of the Dark, the X Factor, and Virtual 11 for last.  Those four are going to be mostly agreed upon to be the least popular albums.

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2018, 08:49:08 PM »
To follow up on TAC's great synopsis, while they have different vocalist "eras," Maiden has always, since its inception, sounded like Maiden. The three vocalists sound pretty different, but musically, their sound has not significantly changed over the years.
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Offline PowerSlave

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2018, 01:49:11 AM »
My opinion is to go to Number of the Beast next. The lineup is the same with the exception of the drummer. Then PowerSlave etc. etc...

After 7th son, go to the reunion era and work your way through them. The Diano era (first two albums) should be next.
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Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2018, 03:11:40 AM »
Classic Era > Reunion Era > Blaze Era >>> Paul Era >>>>>>>>>>> Early 90s Era

Pretty much every album except the early 90s era is a classic though.
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Offline wolfking

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #15 on: July 09, 2018, 05:22:36 AM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?

I'd start from the top but if you want something a bit more precise,

Something like this;

The Number of the Beast
Powerslave
Seventh Son of A Seventh Son
Somwhere in Time
Brave New World
A Matter of Life and Death
Fear of the Dark
The Book of Souls
Dance of Death
The Final Frontier
The X Factor
No Prayer for the Dying
Iron Maiden
Killers
Virtual XI
Everyone else, except Wolfking is wrong.

Offline pg1067

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #16 on: July 09, 2018, 10:32:32 AM »
I just blind purchased Piece Of
of Mind on LP and I really like it.  What is the next album I should listen to?

PoM was probably my first Maiden album, then The Number of the Beast was next, followed by the self-titled debut and Killers.  After that, I heard them in the order they were released (at least through Fear of the Dark -- I've never heard the two Blaze Bailey albums).

In case you don't know, the debut and Killers have a different singer.  You may like him more or less than Bruce Dickinson.

The Number of the Beast through Seventh Son of a Seventh Son are essential Maiden, and lots of people would say the debut and Killers are also essential.  IMO, No Prayer for the Dying is a throw-away album.  Fear of the Dark was better, but then Bruce left.  The albums since Bruce returned have been spotty (IMO because Steve has run of of ways to make a I-vi-vii progression with a galloping rhythm sound new/fresh).
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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #17 on: July 09, 2018, 10:55:16 AM »
Honestly, I think it's up to you, not us.  If you kind of want to hear more of "PoM" then get "Number".   They are a nice pair.   If you want to really get into Maiden, start with the first one and move through like we who were there the first time did.   I know for me, every album was like "wow, this is great!  They can never top THIS!" and then anywhere from about 14 to 16 months later, they did exactly that.  At least up to No Prayer (which was the first that didn't beat the previous one, at least initially).   

Offline Architeuthis

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #18 on: July 09, 2018, 11:39:51 AM »
 The album Dance of Death got me hooked on Maiden.  :metal
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Offline cramx3

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #19 on: July 09, 2018, 12:01:02 PM »
For me, it was the Rock in Rio concert.

I had a greatest hits collection on CD, Edward the Great, but the last track on it was Fear of the Dark live from RiR.  That specific version of the song changed my life from a "IM are a good band" to "IM is the greatest band".

Offline Mladen

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #20 on: July 09, 2018, 12:07:55 PM »
I started enjoying their stuff with Powerslave and Piece of mind, but got really hooked once I got A Matter of life and death. However, I would recommend getting the classic five first and then safely move onto a random reunion album and a random Di'Anno era album. You might as well freestyle with the order from that point on.

Online DragonAttack

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #21 on: July 09, 2018, 03:32:54 PM »
Yes, like Dragon Attack says, here is Mosh's EXCELLENT Iron Maiden Discography Thread.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=50220.0

Thanks, Tim....I had done the search, but could not find the link for the band that I have never had an interest in, but so appreciate the smart writings of their discography that I have followed for months.

Goodness.....I have read Queen threads throughout the years, where an individual heard 'Hot Space', and then asked 'what is next?'  One does not follow that with 'A Night at the Opera'.  One starts with the first album, and then follows along from there.
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Offline Mark Levinson Jr.

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #22 on: July 09, 2018, 06:56:03 PM »
I don't know if this helps, but Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of A Seventh Son are like Iron Maiden's 2112, A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres.


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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #23 on: July 09, 2018, 07:23:46 PM »
My maiden collection consists mostly of the 80s stuff, and I've found most of my listening has concentrated on Piece of Mind, Powerslave, and Seventh Son.  At some point I got A Real Live One (live album, with some French practice by Dickinson) which prompted me to get Fear of the Dark, but I haven't found much there to be excited about.  Others will likely feel differently about FotD.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 08:03:41 PM by jasc15 »

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #24 on: July 09, 2018, 08:59:03 PM »
I think someone else mentioned this, but their live releases are generally high quality and much loved by fans. I only own Flight 666, so others might be able to give better insight and recommendations.
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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #25 on: July 10, 2018, 01:21:33 AM »
I'd say: do whatever you want. There's so much quality in all the albums. Look at the cover, read around on Wikipedia about the albums, see what intrigues you, be it a song title or theme or a cover. Learn about the band, get a hold of what they've done, and then fully dive in. With any classic album you can't go wrong. If I have to give a suggestion, after Piece of Mind I'd suggest Seventh Son but really, not in a condescending way, but for the sheer pleasure of musical discovery, I'd suggest you "walk with your own feet" and take whatever road the curiosity for Iron Maiden will lead you  :tup
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Offline cramx3

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #26 on: July 10, 2018, 07:29:25 AM »
I think someone else mentioned this, but their live releases are generally high quality and much loved by fans. I only own Flight 666, so others might be able to give better insight and recommendations.

Yea, all their live albums are great.  Rock In Rio and Flight 666 are great places to start.  I know the old school fans will say Live After Death, and that's awesome too, but I lean towards the re-union era personally.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #27 on: July 10, 2018, 08:44:27 AM »
This thread made me listen to If Eternity Should Fail for the first time in about a year... how many other metal bands write songs THIS good so far into their career? Man I envy anyone who has their Maiden voyage journey ahead of them. So many amazing songs to hear for the first time.
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Offline Ruba

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Re: Just getting into Iron Maiden
« Reply #28 on: July 30, 2018, 02:23:53 PM »
If you find yourself enjoying Iron Maiden and also have taste for slightly heavier stuff, I'd like to recommend Bruce Dickinson solo records Accident of Birth and The Chemical Wedding. To my mind they blow everything IM has ever done outta water.

But yeah. Their seven first albums. Can't go wrong with them.