In 1984 Iron Maiden trece intr-o alta dimensiune, si anume Era Imnurilor. Aici remarcam tematica istorica in versuri, in special in piesa Aces High. Albumul, aparut pe 3 septembrie 1984 are cateva caracteristici ce il fac deosebit:

1. este primul album care mentine aceeasi componenta ca la un album precedent

2. este ultimul disc de studio pe care trupa include o piesa instrumentala, “Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)”

3. este un album controversat, unii considerandu-l cel i bun, altii unul dintre cele mai slabe din discografia Maiden.

4. cuprinde cel mai lung cantec inregistrat vreodata de trupa, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”.

Topul personal pentru acest album:

1. “Aces High” (Steve Harris) – 4:29

2. “Flash of the Blade” (Dickinson) – 4:02

3. “2 Minutes to Midnight” (Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith) – 6:02

4. “Back in the Village” (Dickinson, Smith) – 5:02 (5:20 on the 1998 re-release)

5. “Back in the Village” (Dickinson, Smith) – 5:02 (5:20 on the 1998 re-release)

De pe acest album va propun spre ascultare o piesa mai putin mediatizata, Flash of the Blade.

Versuri:
As a young boy chasing dragons with your wooden sword so mighty,
You’re St. George or you’re David and you always killed the beast.
Times change very quickly,
and you had to grow up early,
A house in smoking ruins and the bodies at your feet.

CHORUS

You’ll die as you lived
In a flash of the blade,
In a corner, forgotten by no one.
You lived for the touch
For the feel of the steel
One man, and his honour.

The smell of resined leather
The steely iron mask
As you cut and thrust and parried at the fencing master’s call.
He taught you all he ever knew
To fear no mortal man
and now you’ll wreak your vengeance in the
Screams of evil men.

CHORUS

Albumul a fost urmat de un grandios turneu ce a adunat 193 de concerte in 13 luni, fiind unul dintre cele mai impresionate din istoria heavy-metal-ului. Acesta s-a numit World Slavery Tour, iar in timpul acestuia trupa a inregistrat un disc live numit  Live After Death.

Anul 1986 aduce o nouă schimbare de concepţie în optica muzicală Iron Maiden, albumul “Somewhere In Time” nemaifiind o creaţie aparţinând aproape exclusiv lui Steve Harris, de data aceasta aducandu-şi o importantă contribuţie la compunerea pieselor şi Adrian Smith, iar rezultatul poate fi lesne constatat în tenta progresivă imprimată întregului album. Fiind albumul aparut in anul in care m-am nascut voi aprecia continuarea tematicii istorice in piesa “Alexander The Great” piesa pe care Iron Maiden nu a cantat-o niciodata in concert. Consider ca acest album este un moment de ratacire al band-ului britanic, de trannzitie spre perioada anilor 90.

Topul personal la acest disc:

1. “Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.)” (Harris) – 8:37

2. “Wasted Years” (Smith) – 5:07

3. “Heaven Can Wait” (Harris) – 7:21

4. “Déjà Vu” (Harris, Murray) – 4:56

5. “Caught Somewhere in Time” (Harris) – 7:25

Va propun spre audiere piesa “Heaven can wait”

[youtube=http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=7_3_BnoBfGI]

Versuri:

Can’t understand what is happening to me,
This isn’t real, this is only a dream,
But I never have felt, no I never have felt this way before,
I’m looking down on my body below,
I lie asleep in the midst of a dream,
Is it now could it be that the angel of death has come for me?
I can’t believe that really my time has come,
I don’t feel ready, there’s so much left undone,
And it’s my soul and I’m not gonna let it get away.

Chorus:
Heaven can wait,
Heaven can wait,
Heaven can wait,
Heaven can wait til another day.

[Reapeat chorus]

I have a lust for the Earth below
And Hell itself is my only foe,
‘Cause I’ve no fear of dying,
I’ll go when I’m good and ready,
I snatch a glimpse of the light’s eternal rays,
I see a tunnel, I stand amazed,
At all of the people standing there in front of me,
Into the paths of rightness I’ll be led,
Is this the place where the living join the dead?
I wish I knew this was only just a nightmare.

[Chorus *2]

Take my hand, I’ll lead you to the promised land,
Take my hand, I’ll give you immortality,
Eternal youth, I’ll take you to the other side,
To see the truth, the path for you is decided.

Oh Oh * lots.

My body tingles, I feel so strange,
I feel so tired, I feel so drained,
And I’m wondering if I’ll ever be the same again,
Is this in limbo or in Heaven or Hell?
Maybe I’m going down there as well,
I can’t accept my soul will drift forever.
I feel myself floating back down to Earth,
So could this be the hour of my rebirth?
Or have I died or will I wake from dreaming?

[Chorus]

Experimentul continuă în acelaşi sens şi pe “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son” (1988), de această dată fiind folosite chiar şi sintetizatoare, lucru ce părea de neconceput cu numai câţiva ani înainte. E clar unul din cele mai bune albume, pentru reuseste sa invinga perioada de tranzitie de la precedentul album, si criticile care blamau sintetizatoarele. Trupa pune din nou pe picioare o piesa epica, care da si titlul albumului, dar si piese cu versuri memorabile precum “Infinite dreams”( de ce nu o cantati bre la Bucuresti?).

Top personal:

1. “Infinite Dreams” (Steve Harris) – 6:09

2. “The Evil That Men Do” (Smith, Dickinson, Harris) – 4:34

3. “Can I Play with Madness” (Smith, Dickinson, Harris) – 3:31

4. “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” (Harris) – 9:53

5.  “Only the Good Die Young” (Harris, Dickinson) – 4:42

Propun spre ascultare Infinite dreams

Versuri:

Infinite dreams I can’t deny them
Infinity is hard to comprehend
I couldn’t hear those screams
Even in my wildest dreams

Suffocation waking in a sweat
Scared to fall asleep again
Incase the dream begins again
Someone chasing and cannot move
Standing rigid a nightmare’s statue
What a dream when will it end
And will I transcend?

Restless sleep the minds in turmoil
One nightmare ends another fertile
Getting to me so scared to sleep
But scared to wake now, in too deep

Even though its reached new heights
I rather like the restless nights
It makes me wonder it makes me think
There’s more to this I’m on the brink
It’s not the fear of what’s beyond
It’s just that I might not respond
I have an interest almost craving
But would I like to get too far in?

It can’t be all coincidence
Too many things are evident
You tell me you’re an unbeliever
Spiritualist? Well me I’m neither
But wouldn’t you like to know
The truth
Of what’s out there to have the proof
And find out just which side
You’re on
Where would you end in Heaven or
In Hell?

Help me. Help me to find my true
Self without seeing the future
Save me, save me from torturing
Myself even within my dreams

There’s got to be just more to it
Than this
Or tell me why do we exist
I’d like to think that when I die
I’d get a chance another time
And to return and live again
Reincarnate, play the game
Again and again and again

Va urma

Anul 1982 aduce o modificare importanta in destinul trupei. In locul lui Paul DiAnno soseste Bruce Dickinson, unul dintre cei mai reprezentativi solisti de heavy metal ai tuturor timpurilor. Numele sau adevarat este Paul Dickinson, insa solistul a adoptat prenumele Bruce inca de tanar din motive necunoscute. S-a nascut pe 7 august 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Dupa mutarea in Sheffield, Bruce devine captivat de trupele de rock ale anilor ‘70, ca de exemplu, Deep Purple. Prima tentativa muzicala a lui Bruce se petrece ca tobosar, dar se incheie rapid fara prea mult succes. Dupa acest episod, Bruce incepe sa cante alaturi de trupe locale, dintre care amintim trei nume: Styx, Speed si Shots. Niciuna dintre aceste trupe nu a depasit statutul de trupa locala, fapt ce se va petrece atunci cand Dickinson se va alatura trupei, Samson. Numele trupei provine de la chitaristul Paul Samson, specializat pe heavy metal, cu toate ca in acea perioada Marea Britanie era cuprinsa de febra punk. Viitorul solist Iron Maiden a adoptat in aceasta perioada a carierei numele de scena Bruce Bruce. Trupa a realizat o serie de materiale discografice, printre care se remarca “Head On”(1980) si “Shock Tactics”(1981), dar nu a reusit sa se bucure de o popularitate ca trupele din NWOBHM, precum: Def Leppard. Judas Priest sau Iron Maiden. Invocand “diferente de abordare muzicala”, Bruce paraseste trupa in vara anului 1981, la putin timp dupa ce Samson apare la festivalul Reading.

Tot in acelasi an Dickinson se alatura trupei Iron Maiden, realizand in anul 1982 un album de referinta in istoria heavy metalului anilor 80. Unii spun ca ar fi cel mai bun album metal din istorie, eu consider ca nu e bine sa mergem atat de departe in categorisire. Topul meu personal pentru acest disc este urmatorul:

1. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” (Harris) – 7:10

2. ” The Number of the Beast” (Harris) – 4:50

3. “Children of the Damned” (Harris) – 4:34

4. “The Prisoner” (Adrian Smith, Harris) – 6:02

5. “Run to the Hills” (Harris) – 3:52

Albumul a starnit multe controverse din partea Bisericii, datorita numelui, dar si a copertii in special in Statele Unite. Discul a ocupat prima pozitie in Anglia, iar single-lul “Run to the Hills” a ajuns pe locul 7, in timp ce piesa de titlu a albumului s-a clasat pe 18.

In continuare va las sa va bucurati de piesa de titlu a albumului.

Versuri:

Woe to You Oh Earth and Sea
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath
because he knows the time is short
Let him who hath understanding
reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number
its number is six hundred and sixty six.

I lived alone my mind was blank
I needed time to think to get the memories from my mind

What did I see? Could I believe? That what I saw
that night was real and not just fantasy

Just what I saw in my old dreams were they
reflections of my warped mind staring back at me?

‘Cause in my dreams it’s always there the evil face that twists my mind
and brings me to despair

Night was black was no use holding back
‘Cause I just had to see was someone watching me
In the mist dark figures move and twist
was all this for real or just some kind of hell
666 the Number of the Beast
Hell and fire was spawned to be released

Torches blazed and sacred chants were phrased
as they start to cry hands held to the sky
In the night the fires are burning bright
the ritual has begun Satan’s work is done
666 the Number of the Beast
Sacrifice is going on tonight

This can’t go on I must inform the law
Can this still be real or just some crazy dream?
but I feel drawn towards the chanting hordes
seem to mesmerise…can’t avoid their eyes
666 the Number of the Beast
666 the one for you and me

I’m coming back I will return
And I’ll possess your body and I’ll make you burn
I’ll have the fire I’ll have the force
I’ll have the power to make my evil take its course

Anul 1983 aduce albumul meu preferat, Piece of mind, un album pe care il cataloghez drept cel mai sensibil, cel mai vast din punct de vedere al temelor adoptate si cel mai potrivit pentru a fi ascultat intr-o dimineata ploioasa, cand te afli departe de aglomeratiile urbane.

Premergator acestei lansari,Clive Burr paraseste trupa datorita unor probleme personale, fiind inlocuit de Nicko McBrain, anterior la trupa franceza Trust.

Top 5 Piece of Mind:

1. “Revelations” (Bruce Dickinson) – 6:48

2.  “The Trooper” (Harris) – 4:10

3.  “To Tame a Land” (Harris) – 7:27

4. “Flight of Icarus” (Dickinson, Adrian Smith) – 3:51

5. Die With Your Boots On” (Dickinson, Smith, Harris) – 5:28

Acest album are cea mai mare inspiratie in literatura. Piesa “To Tame a Land“are inspiratia in romanul Dune al lui Frank Herbert, “Flight of Icarus” are radacini in mitologia greaca, iar “Where eagleas dare” are originea in romanul si filmul lui Alistair MacLean.

In continuare va las cu piesa “To tame a land”:

Versuri:

He is the king of all the land
In the Kingdom of the sands
Of a time tomorrow.

He rules the sandworms and the Fremen
In a land amongst the stars
Of an age tomorrow.

He is destined to be a King
He rules over everything
On the land called planet Dune.

Bodywater is your life
And without it you would die
On the desert the planet Dune.

Without a stillsuit you would fry
On the sands so hot and dry
In a world called Arrakis.

It is a land that’s rich in spice
The sandriders and the “mice”
That they call the “Muad’Dib”.

He is the Kwizatz Haderach.
He is born of Caladan
And will take the Gom Jabbar.

He has the power to foresee
Or to look into the past
He is the ruler of the stars

The time will come for him
to lay claim his crown,
And then the foe yes
they’ll be cut down,
You’ll see he’ll be the
best that there’s been,
Messiah supreme
true leader of men,
And when the time
for judgement’s at hand
Don’t fret he’s strong
and he’ll make a stand,
Against evil and fire
That spreads through the land,
He has the power
to make it all end.

Va urma….

Aceasta prezentare se doreste sa fie un preview la concertul Iron Maiden, de pe 4 august. Trupa ia fiinta in 1975, la initiativa lui Steve Harris, bassistul trupei. Prima componenta a trupei nu mai regaseste in membrii actuali decat pe Harris. Ceilalti erau:  Paul Day (voce), Terry Rance (chitară), Dave Sullivan (chitară) şi Ron Matthews (baterie). Trupa activeaza in underground-ul britanic, neacceptand ideea de a trece la punk in schimbul unui contract avantajos cu o casa de discuri.

Prima inregistrare este realizată la graniţa dintre 1978 şi 1979, pentru ca prima apariţie discografică, EP-ul “The Soundhouse Tapes” ce conţine piesele “Iron Maiden”, “Invasion” şi “Prowler”, să fie editată (în numai 5.000 de exemplare) în toamna anului 1979. Înregistrare pe care îi gasim, alaturi de Steve Harris, pe chitariştii Dave Murray şi Tony Parsons, vocalul Paul Di Anno (unul din punctele forte ale concertelor grupului) şi pe bateristul Doug Sampson. Între timp, beneficiind şi de ajutorul managerului Rod Smallwood, devenit persoană cheie în domeniul administrativ legat de Iron Maiden, dar bazându-se în primul rand pe muzica sa originală şi lipsită de compromisuri, grupul intră în vizorul importantei case de discuri EMI, cu care va semna un contract în decembrie 1979.

Pentru înregistrarea primului LP sunt recrutaţi bateristul Clive Burr şi chitaristul Dennis Stratton, în timp ce coperta cade în sarcina graficianului Derek Riggs. Astfel că, o data cu prima realizare discografică importantă semnata Iron Maiden, albumul autointitulat apărut în 1980, se naşte Eddie The Head, cel care va deveni mascota oficială a grupului, nelipsită de pe coperţile următoarelor albume, de pe scenele pe care a concertat Iron Maiden, figurând de asemenea pe toate materialele lor promoţionale.

In  anul 1980, trupa lanseaza primul album, purtand numele “Iron Maiden”, disc extrem de valoros pentru tot ce va insemna fenomenul New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Pe acest album regasim piese precum: Iron maiden, Phantom of the opera, Remember Tomorrow sau Sanctuary. daca ar fi sa realizez un top al acestui album ordinea ar fi urmatoarea:

1. “Phantom of the Opera” (Harris) – 7:05

2. “Strange World” (Harris) – 5:32

3. “Sanctuary” (Paul Di’Anno, Harris, Dave Murray) – 3:16

4. “Iron Maiden” (Harris) – 3:38

5. “Transylvania” (Harris) – 4:19

De altfel piesa “Phantom of the Opera” e cea care va pastra mereu aproape de fani prezenta lui Paul DiAnno, desi acesta nu a participat decat la realizarea a doua materiale discografice.

Anul 1981 aduce o schimbare importantă în grup, prin venirea lui Adrian Smith, acesta şi Dave Murray formând de aici înainte un duo chitaristic de calibru. În acelaşi timp, producatorul Martin Birch, cunoscut mai ales datorită colaborarii sale cu Deep Purple, devine al şaselea component al echipei Iron Maiden, iar succesul albumului “Killers” permite grupului să efectueze un turneu european în postura de headliner, continuat cu un turneu sold-out în Japonia şi cu deschiderea turneului american al celor de la Judas Priest. Pe acest album regasim piese precum: Wrathchild, Purgatory sau KIllers.

Topul personal pentru acest disc:

1.  “Wrathchild” (Harris) – 2:54

2. “Killers” (Di’Anno, Harris) – 5:01

3. “The Ides of March” (Harris) – 1:45

4. “Murders in the Rue Morgue” (Harris) – 4:19

5. “Purgatory” (Harris) – 3:20

O data cu succesul trupei, au venit si problemele. Paul Di’Anno avea probleme cu dependenta de cocaina, iar prestatia scenica a avut de suferit datorita acestui aspect. La sfarsitul anului, trupa a decis sa il concedieze si asa Bruce Dickinson a devenit noul solist al trupei.

To be continued

Va las sa savurati Phantom of the Opera…

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=t5jaRipA5_M]

Versuri:

I’ve been looking so long for you now you won’t get away from my grasp.
You’ve been living so long in hiding,hiding behind that false mask.
And you know and I know that you ain’t got that long to last.
Your looks and your feelings are just the remains of your past.

Standing in the wings, there you wait for the curtain to fall.
Knowing the terror and holding you have on us all.
I know that you’re going to scratch me and maim me and maul.
You know I’m helpless from your mesmerising cat call.

Keep your distance, walk away, don’t take his bait.
Don’t you stray, don’t fade away.
Watch your step, he’s out to get you, come what may.
Don’t you stray, from the narrow way.

I’m running and hiding in my dreams you’re always there.
You’re the Phantom of the Opera, you’re the devil, you’re just out to scare.
You damaged my mind and my soul it just floats through the air.
you haunt me, you taunt me, you torture me back at your lair.