Even my five years old son knows who is Eddie and even further, he have several favorite Iron Maiden songs already. No better proof that Iron Maiden are living classics and definitively one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all times. And probably the only heavy metal band engaging three lead guitarist!! But this is a different story!
In September 2007, Iron Maiden announced the “Somewhere Back in Time World Tour”, which was tied to the DVD release of their “Live After Death” album – originally released in 1985. This tour led to the release of a new compilation album, entitled “Somewhere Back in Time”, which included a selection of tracks from their 1980 eponymous debut to 1988’s “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”, as well as several live versions from “Live After Death”. The final leg of the tour included the band’s first ever appearances in Peru and Ecuador, as well as their return to Venezuela and New Zealand after 17 years. At their concert in São Paulo on 15 March, Dickinson announced on stage that it was the largest non-festival show of their career, with an overall attendance of 63,000 people.
At the 2009 BRIT Awards, the 34 years old Iron Maiden won the award for best British live act. Voted for by the public, the band won by a landslide.
In January 2009, the band announced that they were to release a full-length documentary film in select cinemas on 21 April 2009. Entitled “Iron Maiden: Flight 666”, it was filmed during the first part of the “Somewhere Back In Time World Tour”.
The band’s fifteenth studio album, “The Final Frontier” was released on 16 August, garnering critical acclaim and the band’s greatest commercial success in their history, reaching No. 1 in twenty-eight countries worldwide. The album’s supporting tour would see the band play 98 shows across the globe to an estimated audience of over 2 million, including their first visits to Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and Transylvania (Romania – although they have already played at Bucharest in the Blaze Bayley era).
“Maiden England” was recorded at the Birmingham, England NEC on 27 and 28 November 1988, released on VHS in November 1989, followed by a limited VHS/CD edition in 1994. The CD in this package was missing two songs that were on the video (“Can I Play with Madness” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name”), due to space limitations.
In 2012, Iron Maiden undertook their Maiden England World Tour, which is largely based around the original video in setlist and stage design.
It will be re-released on DVD, CD and picture disc on 25 March 2013 under the title “Maiden England ’88”.
Except the 1984’s “Powerslave”, we’ve got songs from all the first 7 (classic) Iron Maiden albums, one hour and forty minutes of genuine heavy metal documentary from the live performance of a heavy metal legend.
Honestly, I was kind of skeptical regarding another trip back in time, but (re-)listening the material, well, Maiden it’s Maiden and sounds more then convincing, they not only bring back memories, but still sounds much more alive then most of the nowadays pretenders. On the other hand, both, fans and critics praise Bruce Dickinson’s late performances and I’m sure, Maiden fans will enjoy this new tour and those (immortal) old songs.
While the bands nowadays seems unable to write and deliver real songs, and eventually only generate or copy fancy sounds, bands like Iron Maiden reminded me that music it’s about songs, and well, Maiden have a lot of great, genuine metal anthems. Even if this release miss some all time favorites like “The Trooper”, “2 Minutes to Midnight” or “Aces High”.
Personally, I was more then delighted to hear live versions of “Still Life” and “The Prisoner” instead.
Tracklist:
CD 1 (53:36)
01. Moonchild [6:23] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
02. The Evil That Men Do 0 [4:18] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
03. The Prisoner [06:00] – from The Number of the Beast (1982)
04. Still Life [04:32] – from Piece of Mind (1983)
05. Die With Your Boots On [05:19] – from Piece of Mind (1983)
06. Infinite Dreams [05:53] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
07. Killers [04:57] – from Killers (1981)
08. Can I Play With Madness [03:25] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
09. Heaven Can Wait [07:43] – from Somewhere in Time (1986)
10. Wasted Years [05:06] – from Somewhere in Time (1986)
CD 2 (47:01)
01. The Clairvoyant [04:30] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
02. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son [10:09] – from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
03. The Number Of The Beast [04:47] – from The Number of the Beast (1982)
04. Hallowed Be Thy Name [07:22] – from The Number of the Beast (1982)
05. Iron Maiden [05:12] – from Iron Maiden (1980)
06. Run To The Hills [04:02] – from The Number of the Beast (1982)
07. Running Free [05:34] – from Iron Maiden (1980)
08. Sanctuary [05:25] – the single was released on 16 May 1980
Meanwhile, Iron Maiden have teamed up with Cheshire family brewers Robinsons to create a new beer, “Trooper”.
Fans of both Iron Maiden and real ale can sign up to get news and updates on Trooper Premium British Beer from ironmaidenbeer.com, where bottles will be available to purchase by both UK and overseas customers from May 2013.
Iron Maiden – Official Site
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Iron Maiden @ Twitter
