Iron Maiden-Killers, 1981

Iron Maiden's sophomore effort features the first appearance of guitarist Adrian Smith and it is immediately obvious that Smith and Murray were going to be great working together. Nothing against Dennis Stratton, but the band really opens up on this album. I like Paul Dianno, I really do and today I think his contributions to Maiden get overlooked. Yes, the band would be at their peak with Bruce Dickinson and maybe they wouldn't have hit that kind of a peak had Dianno stayed in the band, but he was very much a contributor and he sounds really good on this album. There are a few songs that are more like the raw style from the first album, but on Killers there are far more songs that have that layered feel that would become a Maiden trademark. Steve Harris certainly becomes more of a presence on this album as you can hear the bass lines far more than you did on the debut. Clive Burr works like a madman at times just laying down some driving beats. The debut was very good, but this is the first of a string of great albums. I loved this album the first time I heard which was I believe in 1985. It still holds up well today as I gave it a listen last week and it's still just amazing. No weak links or clunkers here just solid metal and being as it was 1981, Maiden were well ahead of other bands. This of course was trend that would continue throughout the decade.

This is definitely a Metal Mark must have. Hell, buy two just in case the first one messes up because you don't want to be without a copy.

***Tomorrow I hope to have out my top twenty favorite Maiden songs. Be forewarned I like Paul Dianno more than most people and I think that the material on their first seven albums is far better than their last six efforts.