Metal Music For Beginners Series - Volume IV
(There is a dry and unsettling stillness in the auditorium air. The lights begin to dim as they usually do as the final few audience members find and take their seats. Everyone sits in total silence, awaiting the usual hooded figure to stride onto the stage as he had the previous nights. A figure does enter from stage right, but it is not the hooded figure.... it is someone [or someTHING] else. As the creature walks into view and is cascaded over by the center stage lights, the audience gasps at what they see before them. The creature is tall, old-looking and lanky. The hair upon its head appears to be thinning and scraggly, very unkempt and resembles that of straw. The creature's eyes seem very sunken-in, perhaps even hollow, the nose is almost nonexistent and its mouth is filled with sharp, broken teeth, as if used multiple times for what could only be construed as a homicide involving bite wounds. The creature carries a small hatchet in its right hand, and blood covers the left hand, as if he just put his hatchet to a criminal activity-based use. He opens his mouth to speak....)
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the continuation of furthering your education in metal music. Your usual hooded friend could not be present tonight, due to some minor complications beyond his control. For these next two segments, I will be your host. You may call me Eddie...."
In 1981, metal music was still in its protozoan stage. Black Sabbath paved the way all throughout the '70's, but still the transformation was not quite complete. Very few bands at that time could match that of Sabbath's classic haunting tone that separated metal from typical rock. Hell, even The Doors and Blue Oyster Cult had haunting tones, but something about their music just wasn't quite as "heavy" or "intense" as Black Sabbath. And by 1981, Jim Morrison was unfortunately dead anyway, for 9 long years at that point, to be exact. And while BOC's music contained very metal-esque undertones to it, Sabbath was still leading the parade of madness and morbidity.
And then Iron Maiden came on the scene, breaking through with their self-titled debut album in 1980. A year had passed, they were still with their original singer Paul Di'Anno (since 1978 to be exact, their third vocalist in their whole career by that point), and people seemed to be reacting very favorably to their unique sound. Compared to Black Sabbath, they were the only ones pulling off the "metal" sound as good, if not better. Metal music as we knew it was finally shaping into what we would perceive it as in the modern age of music.
Steve Harris (founding member and main songwriter) has, for the past near-four decades, been viewed as one of metal's most innovative songwriters AND bassists. Unlike most rock as we know it, Harris' bass can be clearly distinguished among Iron Maiden's music, giving them their classic, notable and memorable sound we as metal heads have come to know and love. And their live performance is revered as not only one of the best live musical performances, but also one of the best live stage performances. Even in their age, an age range that would cripple almost any other men of the same age at the mere THOUGHT of doing what they do, they still pack a punch when it comes to live performance. With this larger-than-life charisma and amazing instrumental intricacy, there were none who could even equal, let alone better, the mighty Iron Maiden.
Paul Di'Anno's vocals were something of a rarity in that time, at least in metal. He managed to sustain melodic dexterity and somehow reach vocal highs that very few male vocalists of that time could match. In fact, none could match, though it is safe to say that many tried. History will always recollect that before Bruce Dickinson, a metal god in and of himself, there was Paul Di'Anno, and his vocal prowess brought Iron Maiden into the limelight of heavy music. And "Killers" will always deservedly sustain its place among metal music's most essential and influential albums through the course of metal history, largely in part thanks to Di'Anno, along with Harris' songwriting.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Iron Maiden and their epic sound, may I present to you two tracks from their "Killers" album. Enjoy.
"Wrathchild"
"Purgatory"
(The lights come back up, and we see this creature, "Eddie", leering upon the audience with a fiery look in his eyes, his long and lanky face seeming to creep up into an eerie and menacing smile.)
"I sincerely hope you enjoyed tonight's education. Next time we will be examining Iron Maiden's 'Piece of Mind' album, featuring Di'Anno's replacement and vocalist for Iron Maiden since 1982, Bruce Dickinson. Until next time.... Stay Metal."
(His eerie smile returns, and he fades into nothingness as the curtains close once again.)
P.S.: Behind on the series? Have no fear! Here are the links to all the previous volumes!
Introduction
https://steemit.com/music/@damiancraymond/metal-music-for-beginners-m
Volume I
https://steemit.com/music/@damiancraymond/metal-music-for-beginners-series-volume-i
Volume II
https://steemit.com/music/@damiancraymond/metal-music-for-beginners-series-volume-ii
Volume III
https://steemit.com/music/@damiancraymond/metal-music-for-beginners-series-volume-iii
Introduction to Folk Metal
Great review of a beautiful album! The 1980 album is probably still my favorite Maiden though.
Thank you! :) I did my best to both bring in some educational value as well as throw in some reasons as to why it has impacted me so much in my discovery of metal. "Killers" was just one of those albums I remember my mother having on tape, among others like Exodus, Danzig, Metallica, King Diamond, etc., so I was pretty much, more or less, raised on them, so I think that has partially to do with why it's my favorite from the Paul Di'Anno era Maiden.
Great post, Brought me back a bit. I believe I still have a few Iron Maiden, Ratt, Cinderella and G& R T shirts packed away in the garage somewhere :)
I appreciate your kind words, thank you. :) Yeah, "Killers" was my favorite Di'Anno-era Maiden album, just so far ahead of its instrumental time in my opinion. I still remember when I used to rock to my mom's cassette copy of it when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old haha.