THE ULTIMATE IRON MAIDEN ENCYCLOPEDIa
HISTORY / DISCOGRAPHY / mEMBERS / tOURS / gALLERY
THE STORY OF IRON MAIDEN
Formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris, Iron Maiden became the spearhead of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. With over 100 million album sales, a mascot as legendary as Eddie, and a legacy spanning five decades, they defined the speed, sound, and theatricality of heavy metal. From their gritty early club days to filling stadiums worldwide, this is the definitive chronicle of the ultimate metal band. Up the Irons!
★ FEATURED ALBUM
powerslave
(1984)
Released in 1984 as the 5th studio album by Iron Maiden, Powerslave remains a masterpiece of modern heavy metal and one of the band’s most celebrated records, blending epic songwriting, complex themes, and unforgettable classics. Driven by the twin-guitar assault of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith alongside Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals, the record delivered monumental tracks like “Aces High” and “2 Minutes to Midnight,” culminating in the 13-minute progressive storytelling masterpiece, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
“I mean, it was massive for us. I think it felt sort of like we had got to the top of the mountain with that one, really.” — Steve Harris, The Rock Pit (2024), on the 40th anniversary of “Powerslave“.
| Release Date | Studio | Producer | Record Labels | Chart Positions | Professional Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3rd, 1984, in Europe September 14th, 1984, in the U.S. | Compass Point (Nassau, Bahamas) | Martin Birch | EMI Records in Europe and Capitol Records in U.S., re-released through Sanctuary and Columbia Records in the U.S. in 2002 | No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and peaked No. 21 on the US Billboard 200 | AllMusic ★★★★⯪ Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal 9/10 The Daily Vault A MusicHound Rock ★★★  The Rolling Stone Album Guide ★★⯪ Sputnikmusic ★★★★★ Metal.de 10/10 Ultimate Guitar 9.3/10 |
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