189-508: Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton , East London , in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris . Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most of the band's history has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson , drummer Nicko McBrain , and guitarists Dave Murray , Adrian Smith and Janick Gers . As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden released
378-558: A staccato attack created by using a palm-muted technique on the rhythm guitar. Brief, abrupt and detached rhythmic cells are joined into rhythmic phrases with a distinctive, often jerky texture. These phrases are used to create rhythmic accompaniment and melodic figures called riffs , which help to establish thematic hooks . Heavy metal songs also use longer rhythmic figures such as whole note - or dotted quarter note-length chords in slow-tempo power ballads . The tempos in early heavy metal music tended to be "slow, even ponderous". By
567-435: A 1988 article, The New York Times critic Jon Pareles wrote, "In the taxonomy of popular music, heavy metal is a major subspecies of hard-rock—the breed with less syncopation , less blues, more showmanship and more brute force." The typical band lineup includes a drummer, a bassist, a rhythm guitarist, a lead guitarist and a singer, who may or may not be an instrumentalist. Keyboard instruments are sometimes used to enhance
756-613: A Blu-ray, DVD, and CD release in May and June, topping the music DVD charts in 25 countries. In most of them the release went Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum. The band had begun composing new material and booked studio time in early 2010 with Kevin Shirley producing, and The Final Frontier was announced on 4 March and featured three singles "The Final Frontier", "El Dorado" and "Coming Home", as well as epic, progressive opuses "Isle of Avalon", "The Talisman" and "When The Wild Wind Blows". The album,
945-484: A Seventh Son , which was released in 1988. A concept album recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and based on the 1987 novel Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card , it was the band's first record to include keyboards, which were performed by Harris and Smith. Dickinson's enthusiasm was also renewed as his ideas were accepted for this album. Another popular release, it became Iron Maiden's second album to hit number 1 in
1134-579: A UK re-release, and this time it spent five weeks in the UK Singles Chart Top 40, peaking at No. 24. The song failed to chart throughout most of Europe, but it peaked at No. 8 in Canada. Despite an unflattering review by Rolling Stone magazine, Cutting Crew received a Grammy nomination as the Best New Artist of 1987. Disputes with management led to a long recording hiatus, which stalled
1323-584: A band meeting. The dismissal took place due to issues Bayley had experienced with his voice during the Virtual XI World Tour , although Janick Gers said this was partly the band's fault for forcing him to perform songs pitched outside the natural range of his voice. The band entered into talks with Dickinson, who agreed to rejoin during a meeting in Brighton in January 1999, along with guitarist Adrian Smith, who
1512-469: A combined use of high volumes and heavy fuzz . For classic heavy metal guitar tone, guitarists maintain gain at moderate levels, without excessive preamp or pedal distortion, to retain open spaces and air in the music; the guitar amplifier is turned up loud to produce the "punch and grind" characteristic. Thrash metal guitar tone has scooped mid-frequencies and tightly compressed sound with multiple bass frequencies. Guitar solos are "an essential element of
1701-507: A concert in Ljubljana in May 2023. On 6 October, the band performed at the Power Trip festival which drew nearly 100,000 people. Throughout the 2023–24 world tour, Iron Maiden performed 81 shows for almost two million fans. On 19 September 2024, the band announced their 26th global tour, Run For Your Lives World Tour , which is set to start in May 2025, to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary and
1890-492: A crowd of 20,000. After the success of Piece of Mind and its supporting tour, the band released their fifth studio album, Powerslave , on 9 September 1984. The album features the singles " 2 Minutes to Midnight " and " Aces High ", the title track, and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge 's poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner ). Powerslave was another chart success, reaching number 12 on
2079-662: A few UK solo singles in the late 1970s. Later, he was in the band the Drivers , which found success in Canada, particularly with their 1982 single "Tears on Your Anorak". While touring Canada, the Drivers had a support band called Fast Forward, whose line-up included guitarist Kevin MacMichael . Van Eede was so impressed with MacMichael's guitar playing that he asked him to form a new band with him. The Drivers broke up in 1984, but MacMichael continued to tour with Fast Forward. In 1985, MacMichael survived an accident when his tour bus drove off
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#17328520957012268-669: A four-song demo at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge. Hoping the recording would help them secure more gigs, the band gave a copy to Neal Kay , who, at the time, was managing a heavy metal club called "Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse". After hearing the tape, Kay began playing the demo regularly at the Bandwagon, and one of the songs, "Prowler", eventually went to number 1 in the Soundhouse charts, which were published weekly in Sounds magazine. A copy
2457-567: A full-length documentary film in select cinemas on 21 April 2009. Entitled Iron Maiden: Flight 666 , it documented the first part of the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour (between February and March 2008). Flight 666 was co-produced by Banger Productions and was distributed in cinemas by Arts Alliance Media and EMI , with D&E Entertainment sub-distributing in the US. The film went on to have
2646-473: A heavy metal direction. A few commentators – mainly American – argue for other groups, including Iron Butterfly , Steppenwolf , Blue Cheer , or Vanilla Fudge , as the first to play heavy metal. In 1968, the sound that would become known as heavy metal began to coalesce. That January, San Francisco band Blue Cheer released a cover of Eddie Cochran 's classic " Summertime Blues " as a part of their debut album, Vincebus Eruptum , and many consider it to be
2835-517: A heavy-metals blues sound". In January 1970, Lucian K. Truscott IV , reviewing Led Zeppelin II for the Village Voice , described the sound as "heavy" and made comparisons with Blue Cheer and Vanilla Fudge . Other early documented uses of the phrase are from reviews by critic Metal Mike Saunders . In the 12 November 1970 issue of Rolling Stone , he commented on an album put out the previous year by
3024-402: A live video, entitled Maiden England . The video debuted at top spots of worldwide music videos charts. In May, the group set out on a supporting tour , which saw them perform 103 shows to well over two million people worldwide over seven months. To recreate the album's keyboards onstage throughout the tour, the group recruited Michael Kenney, Steve Harris' bass technician; Kenney has served as
3213-428: A major influence on heavy metal since the genre's earliest days, and that metal's "most influential musicians have been guitar players who have also studied classical music. Their appropriation and adaptation of classical models sparked the development of a new kind of guitar virtuosity [and] changes in the harmonic and melodic language of heavy metal." In an article written for Grove Music Online , Walser stated that
3402-582: A major influence on their work. Other bands and artists directly influenced by Iron Maiden include Ghost , Avenged Sevenfold , In Flames , Anthrax , Exodus , and Alice in Chains . Journalist Geoff Barton says the band's music constituted an important passage between the classic heavy rock school during the 1960s and 1970s, based on rhythm and blues, and contemporary heavy metal, characterised by sub-genre diversification and stylistic eclecticism. Music journalist Götz Kühnemund said "Iron Maiden were (and still are)
3591-427: A major record deal with EMI and asked Dave Murray's childhood friend, Adrian Smith of Urchin , to join the group as their second guitarist. Busy with his own band, Smith declined and Dennis Stratton was hired instead. Shortly after, Doug Sampson left due to health issues and was replaced by ex- Samson drummer Clive Burr at Stratton's suggestion on 26 December 1979. Iron Maiden's first appearance on an EMI album
3780-491: A massive, heavy sound from unison riffing between guitarist Eric Clapton and bassist Jack Bruce , as well as Ginger Baker 's double bass drumming. Their first two LPs – Fresh Cream (1966) and Disraeli Gears (1967) – are regarded as essential prototypes for the future style of heavy metal. The Jimi Hendrix Experience 's debut album, Are You Experienced (1967), was also highly influential. Hendrix 's virtuosic technique would be emulated by many metal guitarists, and
3969-596: A mixed reception among fans. After a three-year hiatus – a record for the band at the time – Iron Maiden released their next studio album, The X Factor . The band had their lowest chart position since 1981 for an album in the UK – debuting at number 8, although it went on to win "Album of the Year" awards in France, Spain and Germany. The record included the 11-minute epic "Sign of the Cross",
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#17328520957014158-422: A new album featuring "new songs and new versions of CC classics." Although they did not have any new releases for 2019, a press release made by January of the following year announced the release for their second official worldwide compilation album titled Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven , featuring nine songs from their past catalogue reworked as orchestral renditions, as well as other versions. Soon afterwards,
4347-659: A party without limits ... [T]he bulk of the music is stylized and formulaic." Music critics have often deemed metal lyrics juvenile and banal, and others have objected to what they see as advocacy of misogyny and the occult. During the 1980s, the Parents Music Resource Center petitioned the U.S. Congress to regulate the popular music industry due to what the group asserted were objectionable lyrics, particularly those in heavy metal songs. Andrew Cope stated that claims that heavy metal lyrics are misogynistic are "clearly misguided" as these critics have "overlook[ed]
4536-399: A raspiness in his voice, or whatever you want to call it, that just gave it this great edge". At this time, Murray would typically act as their sole guitarist, with Harris commenting, "Davey was so good he could do a lot of it on his own. The plan was always to get a second guitarist in, but finding one that could match Davey was really difficult". On New Year's Eve, 1978, Iron Maiden recorded
4725-819: A regular part of the band's concert setlists. Achieving their third number 1 on the UK albums chart and number 12 on the Billboard 200 , the release also included the number 2 single " Be Quick or Be Dead ", the number 21 single " From Here to Eternity ", and the softer " Wasting Love ". The album featured the first songwriting by Gers, and no collaboration between Harris and Dickinson on songs. The extensive worldwide tour that followed included their first-ever Latin American leg, although Christian organisations prevented Iron Maiden from performing in Chile and accused them of being "emissaries of satanic propaganda", and headlining
4914-480: 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 . In 2008–09 in Latin America the band played 27 concerts for about a million people in total, a record for a heavy rock performer. The tour continued with two legs in the US and Europe in the summer of 2008. The sole UK concert took place at Twickenham Stadium , marking
5103-566: A series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's debut album , 1981's Killers , and 1982's The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson , who in 1981 replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer. The addition of Dickinson was a turning point in their career, establishing them as one of heavy metal's most important bands. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide. After some turbulence in
5292-789: A trippy, distorted haze". During the late 1960s, many psychedelic singers, such as Arthur Brown , began to create outlandish, theatrical, and often macabre performances that influenced many metal acts. The American psychedelic rock band Coven , who opened for early heavy metal influencers such as Vanilla Fudge and the Yardbirds, portrayed themselves as practitioners of witchcraft or black magic , using dark – Satanic or occult – imagery in their lyrics, album art and live performances, which consisted of elaborate, theatrical " Satanic rites ". Coven's 1969 debut album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls , featured imagery of skulls, black masses , inverted crosses , and Satan worship, and both
5481-576: Is considered to be one of the most influential and revered heavy metal bands of all time. They have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy and Brit Awards . The band have released 41 albums, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations . They have also released 47 singles and 20 video albums, and two video games. Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, dark fantasy, science fiction, society and religion. As of October 2019,
5670-503: Is considered vital. In his book, Metalheads , psychologist Jeffrey Arnett refers to heavy metal concerts as "the sensory equivalent of war". Following the lead set by Jimi Hendrix , Cream and the Who , early heavy metal acts such as Blue Cheer set new benchmarks for volume. As Blue Cheer's Dick Peterson put it, "All we knew was we wanted more power." A 1977 review of a Motörhead concert noted how "excessive volume in particular figured into
5859-426: Is emphatic, with deliberate stresses. Weinstein observes that the wide array of sonic effects available to metal drummers enables the "rhythmic pattern to take on a complexity within its elemental drive and insistency". In many heavy metal songs, the main groove is characterized by short, two- or three-note rhythmic figures – generally made up of eighth or 16th notes . These rhythmic figures are usually performed with
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6048-411: Is set to be focused on the band's first nine studio albums. Iron Maiden have received numerous nominations, honours and awards including Grammy Awards and equivalents awards in many countries, Brit Awards , Ivor Novello Awards , and Juno Awards . They have ranked highly in many polls of the greatest metal artists of all time. In 2012 The Number of the Beast was voted as Best British Album Ever by
6237-557: Is speculation as to who started the phenomenon. Attendees of metal concerts do not dance in the usual sense. It has been argued that this is due to the music's largely male audience and "extreme heterosexualist ideology". Two primary body movements used are headbanging and an arm thrust that is both a sign of appreciation and a rhythmic gesture. The performance of air guitar is popular among metal fans both at concerts and listening to records at home. According to Deena Weinstein , thrash metal concerts have two elements that are not part of
6426-593: Is the second band to Black Sabbath , which has had the most significant impact on metal and heavy rock music. Heavy metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal ) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock , psychedelic rock and acid rock , heavy metal bands developed a thick, monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars, extended guitar solos , emphatic beats and loudness . In 1968, three of
6615-483: The Billboard 200 and eventually number 1 in the UK. The band's fifth studio album sold over 4 million copies in its first year after the premiere. The tour following the album, called World Slavery Tour , was the band's largest to date with 193 shows in 28 countries over 13 months, playing to an estimated 3,500,000 people. Many shows were played back to back in the same city, such as in Long Beach, California, where
6804-627: The Classic Album series . Following their summer 2003 Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour , with 57 shows in Europe and North America and headlining large festivals such as Roskilde, Heineken Jammin' Festival, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park (combined attendance of 130,000) and the first Download Festival held at Donington Park ; a successor to Monsters of Rock, Iron Maiden released Dance of Death , their thirteenth studio album. It met with worldwide critical and commercial success, reaching number 2 on
6993-439: The 13th Floor Elevators epitomized the frenetic, heavier, darker, and more psychotic psychedelic rock sound known as acid rock, a sound characterized by droning guitar riffs, amplified feedback, and guitar distortion, while the 13th Floor Elevators' sound in particular featured yelping vocals and "occasionally demented" lyrics. Frank Hoffman noted that "[Psychedelic rock] was sometimes referred to as 'acid rock'. The latter label
7182-714: The Aeolian and Phrygian modes . Harmonically speaking, this means the genre typically incorporates modal chord progressions such as the Aeolian progressions I-♭VI-♭VII, I-♭VII-(♭VI), or I-♭VI-IV-♭VII and Phrygian progressions implying the relation between I and ♭II (I-♭II-I, I-♭II-III, or I-♭II-VII for example). Tense-sounding chromatic or tritone relationships are used in a number of metal chord progressions. In addition to using modal harmonic relationships, heavy metal also uses " pentatonic and blues-derived features". The tritone, an interval spanning three whole tones – such as C to F# –
7371-520: The Best Metal Performance award at the 2011 Grammy Awards , the band's first win after two previous nominations. On 15 March, a new compilation to accompany 2009's Somewhere Back in Time was announced. The double disc set covers the period 1990–2010 (the band's most recent eight studio albums). In 2012, the band announced a new live album and DVD release entitled En Vivo! , based on footage from
7560-575: The COVID-19 pandemic , its physical release was delayed until 8 May 2020. Along with its other formats there is a limited box edition containing three different CDs, as well as the physical CD edition of the reworked (I Just) Died in Your Arms EP, and a postcard signed by Van Eede himself. To promote the album, Van Eede spoke to several media outlets, such as American Songwriter and Forbes . This greatest hits album has since spawned two more singles,
7749-568: The Cavalcade of Magi 2021 in the Spanish city of Cadiz , next to dolls representing characters known from the world of pop culture, there was a huge, inflatable mummy inspired by the image of the Iron Maiden mascot from 1985. Iron Maiden's distinct logo has adorned all of the band's releases since their debut, 1979's The Soundhouse Tapes EP. The typeface originates with Vic Fair 's poster design for
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7938-584: The Iron Curtain . The band's third official video, entitled Behind the Iron Curtain , was released in October 1984. The World Slavery Tour documentary brought footage of the band touring Eastern Europe in 1984, performing shows in the countries visited, Behind the Iron Curtain was the first documentary ever published by a Western artist that showed them touring the countries of Eastern Bloc . The documentary movie
8127-461: The Monsters of Rock festivals in seven European countries. Iron Maiden's second performance at Donington Park , for a sold-out audience of 75,000, was filmed for the audio and video release Live at Donington and featured a guest appearance by Adrian Smith, who joined the band to perform "Running Free". The tour also saw conflicts between Bruce Dickinson and rest of the band. In 1993, Dickinson left
8316-587: The Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia , at the age of 51. In 2003, Van Eede formed the group Grinning Souls. This group independently released the studio album Capture in 2005. The following year, Van Eede took the decision to re-release the album under the title Grinning Souls , this time crediting the work to Cutting Crew. Grinning Souls (the band) became Cutting Crew for all subsequent live work: Van Eede
8505-505: The RDS Stadium in Ireland on 31 August. At the end of 2005, Iron Maiden began work on A Matter of Life and Death , their fourteenth studio album, which was released in autumn 2006. War and religion are recurring themes in the lyrics and the cover artwork. The release was a critical and commercial success, marking the band's first top ten on the Billboard 200 and debuting at number one in
8694-803: The Reading Festival , Bruce Dickinson , formerly of Samson , auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and was immediately hired. The following month, Dickinson went out on the road with the band on a small headlining tour in Italy and a one-off show at the Rainbow Theatre in the UK. For the last show, and in anticipation of their forthcoming album, the band played "Children of the Damned" and "22 Acacia Avenue", introducing fans to their new material. In 1982, Iron Maiden released their third studio album, The Number of
8883-458: The minor third , major third , perfect fourth , diminished fifth or minor sixth . Most power chords are also played with a consistent finger arrangement that can be slid easily up and down the fretboard . Heavy metal is usually based on riffs created with three main harmonic traits: modal scale progressions, tritone and chromatic progressions, and the use of pedal points . Traditional heavy metal tends to employ modal scales, in particular
9072-443: The perfect fifth , though an octave may be added as a doubling of the root . When power chords are played on the lower strings at high volumes and with distortion, additional low-frequency sounds are created, which add to the "weight of the sound" and create an effect of "overwhelming power". Although the perfect fifth interval is the most common basis for the power chord, power chords are also based on different intervals such as
9261-485: The "1980s brought on ... the widespread adaptation of chord progressions and virtuosic practices from 18th-century European models, especially Bach and Antonio Vivaldi , by influential guitarists such as Ritchie Blackmore , Marty Friedman , Jason Becker , Uli Jon Roth , Eddie Van Halen , Randy Rhoads and Yngwie Malmsteen ." Kurt Bachmann of Believer has stated that "if done correctly, metal and classical fit quite well together. Classical and metal are probably
9450-434: The "holiest of heavy metal communions". The metal scene has been characterized as a "subculture of alienation" with its own code of authenticity. This code puts several demands on performers: they must appear both completely devoted to their music and loyal to the subculture that supports it; they must appear uninterested in mainstream appeal and radio hits; and they must never " sell out ". Deena Weinstein stated that for
9639-490: The 1973 British cult film The Wicker Man – and "Brave New World" – a title taken from the Aldous Huxley novel Brave New World . The album revisited the more progressive and melodic sound featured in some earlier recordings, along with elaborate song structures and keyboard orchestration. The album was a commercial and artistic success. The reunion world tour that followed had over 100 dates (including 31 shows of
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#17328520957019828-726: The 1976 science fiction film, The Man Who Fell to Earth , also used by Gordon Giltrap , although Steve Harris claims he designed it himself, using his training as an architectural draughtsman. Iron Maiden have influenced numerous artists and bands representing different genres of rock and metal music. Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley said Iron Maiden "have helped spawn an entire genre of music" and influenced literally thousands of other artists. According to Guitar World , Iron Maiden's music has "influenced generations of newer metal acts, from legends like Metallica to current stars like Avenged Sevenfold ." Metallica members Lars Ulrich , Kirk Hammett , and Jason Newsted have cited Iron Maiden as
10017-510: The 1980s and 1990s, heavy metal hair "symbolised the hate, angst and disenchantment of a generation that seemingly never felt at home", according to journalist Nader Rahman. Long hair gave members of the metal community "the power they needed to rebel against nothing in general". The classic uniform of heavy metal fans consists of light-colored, ripped, frayed or torn blue jeans, black T-shirts, boots, and black leather or denim jackets. Deena Weinstein wrote, "T-shirts are generally emblazoned with
10206-418: The 1980s, glam metal became popular with groups such as Bon Jovi , Mötley Crüe and Poison . Meanwhile, however, underground scenes produced an array of more aggressive styles: thrash metal broke into the mainstream with bands such as Metallica , Slayer , Megadeth and Anthrax , while other extreme subgenres such as death metal and black metal became – and remain – subcultural phenomena. Since
10395-511: The 1990s, the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999 saw the band undergo a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Their three most recent albums — The Final Frontier (2010), The Book of Souls (2015), and Senjutsu (2021) — have all reached number 1 in more than 25 countries. Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide and have obtained over 600 certifications . The band
10584-818: The 1999 tour), and culminated on 19 January 2001 in a show at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, where Iron Maiden played to an audience of over 250,000. While the performance was being produced for a CD and DVD release in March 2002, under the name Rock in Rio , the band took a year off from touring, although they played three consecutive shows at Brixton Academy to raise funds for former drummer Clive Burr , who had recently announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis . The band performed two further concerts for Burr's MS Trust Fund charity in 2005, and 2007, before his death in 2013. During
10773-475: The 2000–2002 tour, Iron Maiden played 91 shows for over two million people in 33 countries. In addition to their touring success, the band was nominated twice for the annual Grammy Awards and received the International Achievement Award at the 2001 Ivor Novello Awards . In November 2001, a documentary movie about the making of The Number of the Beast album was produced by BBC as a part of
10962-539: The Americas. The biggest show of the whole tour was a headline appearance for 60,000 people at the Monsters of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The X Factor sold 1.3 million copies, the lowest sales result since 1981. After the tour, Iron Maiden released a compilation album, Best of the Beast . The band's first compilation, it included a new single, " Virus ", in which the lyrics attack critics who had recently written off
11151-483: The Beast , which became the band's first number 1 record on the UK Albums Chart, was a Top 10 hit in many other countries, and reached number 33 on the Billboard 200 . At the time, Dickinson was in the midst of legal difficulties with Samson's management and was not permitted to add his name to any of the songwriting credits, although he still made what he described as a "moral contribution" to "Children of
11340-415: The Beast , is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time and the most commercially successful release of the band, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide. As of 2022 their releases have been certified silver, gold and platinum around 600 times worldwide. In 1979/1980, visual artist Derek Riggs created the macabre mascot named Eddie The Head. Since then, Eddie has been an integral part of
11529-702: The Beast: Live in Mexico City . The double concert album was recorded during three sold-out concerts in Mexico City 's Palacio de los Deportes for a combined audience of over 70,000 people. On 15 July 2021, Iron Maiden released a video for their first song in six years, " The Writing on the Wall ", which was directed by Nicos Livesey. Four days later, the band announced their seventeenth studio album, Senjutsu , would be released on 3 September 2021. Senjutsu eventually reached
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#173285209570111718-461: The British band Humble Pie : " Safe as Yesterday Is , their first American release, proved that Humble Pie could be boring in lots of different ways. Here they were a noisy, unmelodic, heavy metal-leaden shit-rock band with the loud and noisy parts beyond doubt. There were a couple of nice songs ... and one monumental pile of refuse." He described the band's latest, self-titled release as "more of
11907-416: The British bands Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath , with American commentators tending to favour Led Zeppelin and British commentators tending to favour Black Sabbath, though many give equal credit to both. Deep Purple , the third band in what is sometimes considered the "unholy trinity" of heavy metal along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, fluctuated between many rock styles until late 1969 when they took
12096-650: The British public as part of Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Iron Maiden have an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and Rock in Rio Wall of Fame . Iron Maiden were inducted into Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame. Band's mascot Eddie the Head is a part of the British Music Experience permanent exhibition. In April 2021, the band's former members (Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley, and illustrator Derek Riggs) were inducted into
12285-697: The British record label Earache Records , in an "unsuccessful attempt to prosecute the label for obscenity". In some predominantly Muslim countries, heavy metal has been officially denounced as a threat to traditional values, and in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon and Malaysia, there have been incidents of heavy metal musicians and fans being arrested and incarcerated. In 1997, the Egyptian police jailed many young metal fans, and they were accused of "devil worship" and blasphemy after police found metal recordings during searches of their homes. In 2013, Malaysia banned Lamb of God from performing in their country, on
12474-628: The Canadian pop charts, though it failed to hit the US Hot 100. The prophetically named "The Last Thing" scaled the AC charts as high as No. 17 in early 1990 and went to No. 90 on the Canadian chart, and has been their final chart hit to date. Although a music video for the title track did air briefly in the UK and North America, The Scattering failed to chart. Recorded at The Mill Studios in Cookham , Berkshire on
12663-429: The Chile concert. The DVD topped the music video charts around the world. In addition to the concert footage, the video release includes an 88-minute tour documentary, entitled Behind The Beast, containing interviews with the band and their crew. In December 2012, one song from the release ("Blood Brothers") was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards . On 15 February,
12852-601: The Damned", "The Prisoner", and " Run to the Hills ". The band embarked on a world tour, dubbed The Beast on the Road, with shows in North America, Japan, Australia and Europe, including a headline appearance for 40,000 people at the Reading Festival . Iron Maiden played 188 shows in 10 months. The Beast on the Road's US leg proved controversial when an American conservative political lobbying group claimed Iron Maiden were Satanic because of
13041-592: The Metal Hall of Fame. They have twice been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In January 2023 Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail UK with dedicated postal stamps and cards. Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite little radio or television support. According to many sources all audio-visual catalogue of the band have sold in over 200 million copies worldwide, including regular albums, singles, compilations, and videos. Their third studio album, The Number of
13230-530: The Money Run$ Out", which was released as the first single on 4 September 2015. The band line-up included guitarists Gareth Moulton and Joolz Dunkley, bassist Nick Kay, keyboardist Jono Harrison, drummer Martyn Barker and the Blackjack Horns. The band embarked on a UK tour shortly after its release. At the end of 2018, Cutting Crew had announced, through their social networks, they had plans to release
13419-520: The Opera" and " Sanctuary " – which was not on the original UK release, but appeared on the US version and subsequent remasters. The band embarked on a headline tour of the UK , before opening for Kiss on their 1980 Unmasked Tour 's European leg as well as supporting Judas Priest on select dates . After the Kiss tour, Dennis Stratton was dismissed from the band as a result of creative and personal differences, and
13608-712: The Rue Morgue" (the latter's title was taken from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe ). Unsatisfied with the production on their debut album, the band hired veteran producer Martin Birch , who would continue to work with Iron Maiden until his retirement in 1992. The record was followed by the band's first world tour with their debut performance in the United States opening for Judas Priest at The Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas. Killers marked
13797-514: The Slaughter ", the band's first – and, to date, only – UK Singles Chart number 1, originally recorded by Dickinson's solo project for the soundtrack of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child . Iron Maiden's eighth studio album debuted at number 2 on the UK albums chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200 . No Prayer for the Dying was a return to their musical roots, especially in
13986-466: The Thames and produced by Chris Neil. Farley and Beedle left the group in 1991 with no replacement, leaving only Eede and MacMichael in the group. Eede sang and played keyboards and MacMichael played all guitars (lead and bass). Standout tracks are "Frigid as England" written by Jeff Lowe, the plaintive "Sweet Auburn" and the darkly comic, "Don't Let It Bring You Down". The album spawned one single, "If That's
14175-794: The Top 40 of the Hot 100 at No. 38 and hitting No. 29 on the Mainstream Rock chart in the US, No. 47 in Canada and No. 52 in the UK Singles Chart. The band took a chance on "I've Been in Love Before" again, this time with greater success. The song became Cutting Crew's second US Top 10 on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 9, and was their first major hit on the US Adult Contemporary chart, where it peaked at No. 2. This success prompted
14364-862: The UK Albums Chart and number 18 on the Billboard 200 . Produced by Kevin Shirley, now the band's regular producer, many critics felt this release reached the standard of their earlier efforts. Historical and literary references were present, with "Montségur" focussing on the Cathar stronghold conquered in 1244, and "Paschendale" relating to the First World War battle . During the Dance of Death Tour 2003–04 , which began in September 2003, Iron Maiden played 53 shows across Europe, North America, Latin America and Japan. The band's performance at Westfalenhalle , in Dortmund, Germany,
14553-506: The UK charts and reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 . During the following tour , the band headlined the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park on 20 August 1988, playing to the largest crowd in the festival's history (107,000). The tour concluded with several headline shows in the UK in November and December 1988, with the concerts at the NEC Arena , Birmingham, recorded for
14742-567: The Way You Want It." Neither the single nor the album itself charted. Within weeks of its release, Virgin Records was bought by EMI and the album became obsolete. The band broke up in 1993; shortly after the release of their Compus Mentus studio album. After the break-up, MacMichael joined forces with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and played on his solo studio album Fate of Nations . On 31 December 2002, MacMichael died of lung cancer at
14931-526: The album A Long Time Comin' by U.S. band Electric Flag : "Nobody who's been listening to Mike Bloomfield —either talking or playing—in the last few years could have expected this. This is the new soul music, the synthesis of white blues and heavy metal rock." In the 7 September 1968 edition of the Seattle Daily Times , reviewer Susan Schwartz wrote that the Jimi Hendrix Experience "has
15120-418: The album artwork and the band's live performances marked the first appearances in rock music of the sign of the horns , which would later become an important gesture in heavy metal culture. Coven's lyrical and thematic influences on heavy metal were quickly overshadowed by the darker and heavier sounds of Black Sabbath . Critics disagree over who can be thought of as the first heavy metal band. Most credit
15309-725: The album charts of 13 countries. The supporting tour saw mixed critical reception, but included the band's first performance in Dubai at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival for 25,000 people, followed by a concert in Bangalore Palace Grounds, the first of any heavy metal band in India. The band then played a string of European dates, including an appearance at Download Festival , their fourth headline performance at Donington Park , to approximately 80,000 people. On 5 September 2007,
15498-526: The album's most successful single, " Purple Haze ", is identified by some as the first heavy metal hit. Vanilla Fudge , whose first album also came out in 1967, has been called "one of the few American links between psychedelia and what soon became heavy metal," and the band has been cited as an early American heavy metal group. On their self-titled debut album, Vanilla Fudge created "loud, heavy, slowed-down arrangements" of contemporary hit songs, blowing these songs up to "epic proportions" and "bathing them in
15687-434: The audience for whom they're playing – engage in headbanging , which involves rhythmically beating time with the head, often emphasized by long hair. The il cornuto , or "devil horns", hand gesture was popularized by vocalist Ronnie James Dio during his time with the bands Black Sabbath and Dio . Although Gene Simmons of Kiss claims to have been the first to make the gesture on the 1977 Love Gun album cover, there
15876-568: The band announced their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour , tying in with the DVD release of their Live After Death album. The setlist for the tour consisted of songs from the 1980s. They played their first concerts in Costa Rica and Colombia and their first shows in Australia and Puerto Rico since 1992. The tour led to the release of a new compilation album, entitled Somewhere Back in Time , which included
16065-629: The band announced their third retrospective Maiden England World Tour 2012–14, which was based around the video Maiden England . The tour commenced in North America in the summer of 2012 and was followed by further dates in 2013 and 2014, and included the band's fifth headline performance at Donington Park with 100,000 fans in attendance. Iron Maiden closed the tour in July 2014 at Sonisphere Festival , Knebworth , having undertaken 100 shows in 32 countries before an estimated audience of more than 2.7 million people. The band's 2015 album, The Book of Souls ,
16254-453: The band due to differences with Steve Harris regarding the direction the band should be taking. Smith disagreed with the "stripped down" style they were leaning towards. Janick Gers, having worked on Dickinson's solo project, was chosen to replace Smith and became the band's first new member in seven years. The album No Prayer for the Dying was released in October 1990. It contained the hit singles " Holy Smoke " and " Bring Your Daughter... to
16443-485: The band have played 2,500 live shows . For over 40 years the band have featured their signature mascot, " Eddie ", on the covers of almost all of their releases. Iron Maiden were formed on Christmas Day, 25 December 1975, by bassist Steve Harris shortly after he left his previous group, Smiler. Harris attributed the band's name to a film adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask from the novel by Alexandre Dumas , as
16632-577: The band played four consecutive concerts at Long Beach Arena for a combined audience of 54,000 fans. Iron Maiden also made their debut appearance in South America, where they co-headlined the Rock in Rio festival with Queen for an audience estimated at 350,000–500,000 people. The tour started in August 1984 with five shows in Poland. Iron Maiden were the first Western artists to bring full-scale production behind
16821-522: The band to pursue his solo career, but agreed to remain for a farewell tour and two live albums (later re-released in one package ). The first, A Real Live One , was released in March 1993 and featured songs from 1986 to 1992, and the second, A Real Dead One , was released after Dickinson left the band and featured songs from 1980 to 1984. The tour did not go well, with Steve Harris claiming Dickinson would only perform properly for high-profile shows, and that at several concerts, he would only mumble into
17010-432: The band's 10-year recording anniversary, Iron Maiden released a compilation collection, The First Ten Years , a series of 10 CDs and double 12-inch singles . Between 24 February and 28 April 1990, the individual parts were released one by one, each containing two of Iron Maiden's singles, including the original B-sides. Iron Maiden then began work on a new studio record. During the pre-production stages, Adrian Smith left
17199-696: The band's USA album charts debut, reaching number 78 on the Billboard 200 , and they booked 132 shows to promote the album, including their first concert in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. During the summer, Iron Maiden played several festivals in Europe, including at the Golden Summernights 1981 festivals at Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg in front of 100,000 people. By 1981, Paul Di'Anno was demonstrating increasingly erratic behaviour, particularly due to his drug usage, about which Di'Anno comments, "It wasn't just that I
17388-439: The band's career momentum. Cutting Crew's second studio album, The Scattering , was finally released in early 1989. Its lead single, "(Between a) Rock and a Hard Place" (CA 54, UK 66, U.S. 77), failed to reach the Top 40. Van Eede's vocal style, however, did score a sizeable US Adult Contemporary hit with "Everything but My Pride." That song peaked at No. 4 and stayed in the top 50 for 22 weeks. It climbed to No. 72 on
17577-477: The band's fifteenth, was released on 16 August to critical acclaim. It was also the band's greatest commercial success to that point, reaching number 1 in twenty-eight countries worldwide, including a debut at number 4 on Billboard 200 . The album's supporting tour saw the band perform 101 shows across the globe to an estimated audience of over two and a half million, including their first visits to Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea. " El Dorado " won
17766-426: The band's impact". Weinstein makes the case that in the same way that melody is the main element of pop and rhythm is the main focus of house music , powerful sound, timbre and volume are the key elements of metal. She argues that the loudness is designed to "sweep the listener into the sound" and to provide a "shot of youthful vitality". Heavy metal performers tended to be almost exclusively male until at least
17955-412: The band's live keyboard player ever since, also performing on the band's four following albums. During a break in 1989, guitarist Adrian Smith released a solo album with his band ASAP , entitled Silver and Gold . Vocalist Bruce Dickinson also began work on a solo album with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers , releasing Tattooed Millionaire in 1990, followed by a tour. At the same time, to mark
18144-603: The band's longest song since "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", as well as the singles " Man on the Edge " (based on the film Falling Down ) and " Lord of the Flies ", based on the novel Lord of the Flies . The release is notable for its "dark" tone, inspired by Steve Harris' divorce. The band toured for the rest of 1995 and 1996, playing their first shows in Israel and South Africa as well as Malta, Bulgaria and Romania in Europe, before concluding in
18333-541: The band's mascot . Not satisfied with the results from Harris' Barnyard Studios, located on his property in Essex, which had been used for the last four Iron Maiden studio albums, the band recorded the new release, Brave New World , at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France in November 1999 with producer Kevin Shirley . Iron Maiden continued to find inspiration in movies and books, as shown in songs like " The Wicker Man " – based on
18522-411: The band. In 1998, Iron Maiden released Virtual XI , whose chart scores were the band's lowest to date. The album peaked at number 16 in the UK, the band's lowest for a new studio record. At the same time, Steve Harris assisted in remastering the band's entire discography, up to and including Live at Donington . Bayley's tenure in Iron Maiden ended in January 1999 when he was asked to leave during
18711-450: The best rock and metal band in the world and awarded at Public Choice International. Returning from their time off, the band added different musical elements to their 1986 studio album, Somewhere in Time . These focused on synthesised bass and guitars to add textures and layers to the sound. The release performed well across the world, particularly the single " Wasted Years ", but included no writing credits from Dickinson, whose material
18900-466: The blues rock drumming style started out largely as simple shuffle beats on small kits, drummers began using a more muscular, complex and amplified approach to match and be heard against the increasingly loud guitar. Vocalists similarly modified their technique and increased their reliance on amplification, often becoming more stylized and dramatic. In terms of sheer volume, especially in live performance, The Who's "bigger-louder-wall-of- Marshalls " approach
19089-429: The components of the term mean in " hippiespeak ": "heavy" is roughly synonymous with "potent" or "profound", and "metal" designates a certain type of mood, grinding and weighted as with metal. The word "heavy" in this sense was a basic element of beatnik and later countercultural hippie slang , and references to "heavy music" – typically slower, more amplified variations of standard pop fare – were already common by
19278-536: The emergence of an intense, exclusionary and strongly masculine subculture. While the metal fan base is largely young, white, male and blue-collar, the group is "tolerant of those outside its core demographic base who follow its codes of dress, appearance, and behavior". Identification with the subculture is strengthened not only by the group experience of concert-going and shared elements of fashion, but also by contributing to metal magazines and, more recently, websites. Attending live concerts in particular has been called
19467-651: The era. Bands like The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds developed blues rock by recording covers of classic blues songs, often speeding up the tempos . As they experimented with the music, the U.K. blues-based bands – and in turn the U.S. acts they influenced – developed what would become the hallmarks of heavy metal (in particular, the loud, distorted guitar sound). The Kinks played a major role in popularising this sound with their 1964 hit " You Really Got Me ". In addition to The Kinks' Dave Davies , other guitarists such as The Who 's Pete Townshend and The Yardbirds' Jeff Beck were experimenting with feedback. Where
19656-418: The fans themselves, the code promotes "opposition to established authority, and separateness from the rest of society". Musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie observed, "Most of the kids who come to my shows seem like really imaginative kids with a lot of creative energy they don't know what to do with" and that metal is "outsider music for outsiders. Nobody wants to be the weird kid; you just somehow end up being
19845-521: The first time the band would headline a stadium in their own country. The 2008 tour was the second highest-grossing tour of the year for a British artist. The final leg included the band's first appearances in Peru and Ecuador, as well as their return to Venezuela and New Zealand after 17 years. The band also played another show in India at the Rock in India festival to a crowd of 20,000. At their concert in São Paulo on 15 March, Dickinson announced on stage that it
20034-405: The first to go as, according to Harris, he lacked "energy or charisma on stage". He was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a Kiss fan who used makeup and fake blood during live performances. Wilcock's friend, guitarist Dave Murray , was invited to join, much to the dismay of the band's guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance. Their frustration led Harris to temporarily disband Iron Maiden in 1976, though
20223-813: The first true heavy metal recording. The same month, Steppenwolf released their self-titled debut album , on which the track " Born to Be Wild " refers to "heavy metal thunder" in describing a motorcycle. In July, the Jeff Beck Group , whose leader had preceded Page as The Yardbirds' guitarist, released its debut record, Truth , which featured some of the "most molten, barbed, downright funny noises of all time", breaking ground for generations of metal ax-slingers. In September, Page's new band, Led Zeppelin , made its live debut in Denmark (but were billed as The New Yardbirds). The Beatles ' self-titled double album , released in November, included " Helter Skelter ", then one of
20412-532: The foundation of heavy metal and greatly influential in the transformation of acid rock into heavy metal. Cutting Crew Cutting Crew are an English rock band formed in London in 1985. They are best known for their debut studio album Broadcast (1986) and hit singles, " (I Just) Died in Your Arms " and " I've Been in Love Before ". While still in his teens, Nick Van Eede (born Nicholas Eede) recorded
20601-473: The fullness of the sound. Deep Purple 's Jon Lord played an overdriven Hammond organ . In 1970, John Paul Jones used a Moog synthesizer on Led Zeppelin III ; by the 1990s, synthesizers were used in "almost every subgenre of heavy metal". The electric guitar and the sonic power that it projects through amplification has historically been the key element in heavy metal. The heavy metal guitar sound comes from
20790-413: The general population. For many artists and bands, visual imagery plays a large role in heavy metal. In addition to its sound and lyrics, a heavy metal band's image is expressed in album cover art, logos, stage sets, clothing, design of instruments and music videos . Down-the-back long hair is the "most crucial distinguishing feature of metal fashion". Originally adopted from the hippie subculture, by
20979-445: The genre is immeasurable, as they not only inspired subsequent generations of metal bands but also revolutionized live shows with their elaborate stage productions, further cementing their status as pioneers of heavy metal." Music journalist and the writer Neil Daniels said Iron Maiden "redefined the whole genre blending classic heavy rock influence with punky vibe, twin guitars attack and progressive approach which finally have created
21168-458: The genre's most famous pioneers – British bands Led Zeppelin , Black Sabbath and Deep Purple – were founded. Though they came to attract wide audiences, they were often derided by critics. Several American bands modified heavy metal into more accessible forms during the 1970s: the raw, sleazy sound and shock rock of Alice Cooper and Kiss ; the blues-rooted rock of Aerosmith ; and the flashy guitar leads and party rock of Van Halen . During
21357-517: The ground opening up and little dwarves coming out riding dragons! You know, like bad Dio records." Heavy metal's quintessential guitar style, which is built around distortion-heavy riffs and power chords, traces its roots to early 1950s Memphis blues guitarists such as Joe Hill Louis , Willie Johnson and particularly Pat Hare , who captured a "grittier, nastier, more ferocious electric guitar sound" on records such as James Cotton 's " Cotton Crop Blues " (1954). Other early influences include
21546-429: The grounds that the "band's lyrics could be interpreted as being religiously insensitive" and blasphemous. Some people consider heavy metal music to be a leading factor for mental health disorders, and that heavy metal fans are more likely to suffer poor mental health, but a study from 2009 suggests that this is not true and that fans of heavy metal music suffer from poor mental health at a similar or lower rate compared to
21735-485: The group reformed soon after with Murray as the sole guitarist. Harris and Murray remain the band's longest-serving members and have performed on all of their releases. Iron Maiden recruited another guitarist in 1977, Bob Sawyer, who was sacked for embarrassing the band on stage by pretending to play guitar with his teeth. Tension ensued again, causing a rift between Murray and Wilcock, who convinced Harris to fire Murray, as well as original drummer Ron Matthews. A new line-up
21924-413: The harmonic analysis done by metal players and teachers is "often very sophisticated". In the study of heavy metal chord structures, it has been concluded that "heavy metal music has proved to be far more complicated" than other music researchers had realized. Robert Walser stated that, alongside blues and R&B, the "assemblage of disparate musical styles known ... as ' classical music '" has been
22113-605: The heaviest-sounding songs ever released by a major band. The Pretty Things ' rock opera S.F. Sorrow , released in December, featured "proto heavy metal" songs such as "Old Man Going" and "I See You". Iron Butterfly 's 1968 song " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida " is sometimes described as an example of the transition between acid rock and heavy metal or the turning point in which acid rock became "heavy metal", and both Iron Butterfly's 1968 album In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and Blue Cheer's 1968 album Vincebus Eruptum have been described as laying
22302-436: The heavy metal code ... that underscores the significance of the guitar" to the genre. Most heavy metal songs "feature at least one guitar solo", which is "a primary means through which the heavy metal performer expresses virtuosity". Some exceptions are nu metal and grindcore bands, which tend to omit guitar solos. With rhythm guitar parts, the "heavy crunch sound in heavy metal ... [is created by] palm muting "
22491-403: The influence of 'art traditions.' An example is Walser's linkage of heavy metal music with the ideologies and even some of the performance practices of nineteenth-century Romanticism . However, it would be clearly wrong to claim that traditions such as blues, rock, heavy metal, rap or dance music derive primarily from "art music.'" According to David Hatch and Stephen Millward, Black Sabbath and
22680-596: The inspiration for all the heavy metal bands we know today because they're an intrinsically heavy metal group. They're equally important for those who play power metal, speed, thrash, death, black, nu metal, metal core and hard rock – almost every genre." The journalist stated the band introduced a DIY approach to all rock music. According to Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp the style and attitude of Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has inspired generations of heavy-metal drummers that followed. Music writer, heavy metal expert and radio broadcaster Scott Penfold stated band's "influence on
22869-605: The intricate patterns" used in heavy metal. A characteristic metal drumming technique is the cymbal choke , which consists of striking a cymbal and then immediately silencing it by grabbing it with the other hand (or, in some cases, the same striking hand), producing a burst of sound. The metal drum setup is generally much larger than those employed in other forms of rock music. Black metal, death metal and some "mainstream metal" bands "all depend upon double-kicks and blast beats ". In live performance, loudness – an "onslaught of sound", in sociologist Deena Weinstein 's description –
23058-423: The late 1950s instrumentals of Link Wray , particularly " Rumble " (1958); the early 1960s surf rock of Dick Dale , including " Let's Go Trippin' " (1961) and " Misirlou " (1962); and The Kingsmen 's version of " Louie Louie " (1963), which became a garage rock standard. However, the genre's direct lineage begins in the mid-1960s. American blues music was a major influence on the early British rockers of
23247-438: The late 1970s, however, metal bands were employing a wide variety of tempos, and as recently as the 2000s, metal tempos range from slow ballad tempos (quarter note = 60 beats per minute ) to extremely fast blast beat tempos (quarter note = 350 beats per minute). One of the signatures of the genre is the guitar power chord. In technical terms, the power chord is relatively simple: it involves just one main interval , generally
23436-471: The logos or other visual representations of favorite metal bands." In the 1980s, a range of sources – from punk rock and goth music to horror films – influenced metal fashion. Many metal performers of the 1970s and 1980s used radically shaped and brightly colored instruments to enhance their stage appearance. Fashion and personal style was especially important for glam metal bands of the era. Performers typically wore long, dyed, hairspray-teased hair (hence
23625-496: The low-end sound crucial to making the music "heavy". The bass plays a "more important role in heavy metal than in any other genre of rock". Metal basslines vary widely in complexity, from holding down a low pedal point as a foundation to doubling complex riffs and licks along with the lead or rhythm guitars. Some bands feature the bass as a lead instrument, an approach popularized by Metallica 's Cliff Burton with his heavy emphasis on bass solos and use of chords while playing
23814-480: The microphone. Dickinson denied he was under-performing, saying it was impossible to "make like Mr. Happy Face if the vibe wasn't right", and that news of his exit from the band had prevented any chance of a good atmosphere during the tour. Bruce Dickinson played his farewell show with Iron Maiden on 28 August 1993. The show was filmed, broadcast by the BBC , MTV and released on video under the name Raising Hell . In 1994,
24003-485: The mid-1960s, such as in reference to Vanilla Fudge . Iron Butterfly 's debut album, which was released in early 1968, was titled Heavy . The first use of "heavy metal" in a song lyric is in reference to a motorcycle in the Steppenwolf song " Born to Be Wild ", also released that year: "I like smoke and lightning / Heavy metal thunder / Racin' with the wind / And the feelin' that I'm under". An early documented use of
24192-585: The mid-1970s, Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence, while Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed. Beginning in the late 1970s, bands in the new wave of British heavy metal such as Iron Maiden and Saxon followed in a similar vein. By the end of the decade, heavy metal fans became known as " metalheads " or " headbangers ". The lyrics of some metal genres became associated with aggression and machismo , an issue that has at times led to accusations of misogyny. During
24381-462: The mid-1980s, with some exceptions such as Girlschool . However, by the 2010s, women were making more of an impact, and PopMatters' Craig Hayes argues that metal "clearly empowers women". In the power metal and symphonic metal subgenres, there has been a sizable number of bands that have had women as the lead singers, such as Nightwish , Delain and Within Temptation . The rhythm in metal songs
24570-422: The mid-1990s, popular styles have expanded the definition of the genre. These include groove metal and nu metal , the latter of which often incorporates elements of grunge and hip-hop . Heavy metal is traditionally characterized by loud distorted guitars, emphatic rhythms, dense bass-and-drum sound and vigorous vocals. Heavy metal subgenres variously emphasize, alter or omit one or more of these attributes. In
24759-452: The mid-Seventies". "The term 'heavy metal' is self-defeating," remarked Kiss bassist Gene Simmons . "When I think of heavy metal, I've always thought of elves and evil dwarves and evil princes and princesses. A lot of the Maiden and Priest records were real metal records. I sure as hell don't think Metallica 's metal, or Guns N' Roses is metal, or Kiss is metal. It just doesn't deal with
24948-502: The more extreme side of the psychedelic rock genre, frequently containing a loud, improvised, and heavily distorted, guitar-centered sound. Acid rock has been described as psychedelic rock at its "rawest and most intense", emphasizing the heavier qualities associated with both the positive and negative extremes of the psychedelic experience rather than only the idyllic side of psychedelia. In contrast to more idyllic or whimsical pop psychedelic rock, American acid rock garage bands such as
25137-405: The new album's title track and "demonic" cover art, and a group of Christian activists destroyed Iron Maiden records in protest. Dickinson later said the band treated this as "silliness" and the demonstrations in fact gave them "loads of publicity". The Number of the Beast sold 2.5 million copies in its first year, 14 million by 2010, and 20 million by 2022. In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr
25326-492: The new quality. [The] Band's influence on generations of rock and metal bands cannot be overstated. They elevated metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist." The band's profile by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says "in the 1980s, Iron Maiden released seven high-octane albums that cemented them as one of the greatest rock bands – creating a blueprint for how heavy metal bands should look, sound and tour." According to Metal Hammer Iron Maiden
25515-530: The nickname "hair metal"); makeup such as lipstick and eyeliner; gaudy clothing, including leopard-skin-printed shirts or vests and tight denim, leather or spandex pants; and accessories such as headbands and jewelry. Pioneered by the heavy metal act X Japan in the late 1980s, bands in the Japanese movement known as visual kei , which includes many non-metal groups, emphasize elaborate costumes, hair and makeup. When performing live, many metal musicians – as well as
25704-502: The number 3 spot in the UK and number 14 on the Billboard 200 . Piece of Mind features the singles " The Trooper " and " Flight of Icarus ", the latter being one of the band's few songs to gain substantial airplay in the US. Iron Maiden played 147 concerts in Europe and North America as a part of the World Piece Tour. This was also their first major North American tour as headliners, selling out Madison Square Garden with
25893-456: The numerous heavy metal bands that they inspired have concentrated lyrically "on dark and depressing subject matter to an extent hitherto unprecedented in any form of pop music." They take as an example Black Sabbath's second album, Paranoid (1970), which "included songs dealing with personal trauma—' Paranoid ' and ' Fairies Wear Boots ' (which described the unsavoury side effects of drug-taking)—as well as those confronting wider issues, such as
26082-646: The orchestral version of the Broadcast single "One for the Mockingbird", and the orchestral version of The Scattering single "Everything but My Pride". On 5 August 2020, it was announced a vinyl limited edition, with only 300 copies pressed, would be available for purchase solely through DTC , making this the first vinyl edition of one of the band's releases since The Scattering . After Van Eede stated he had planned to do some concerts held in England in 2021 to support
26271-431: The other metal genres: moshing and stage diving , which "were imported from the punk/hardcore subculture ". Weinstein states that moshing participants bump and jostle each other as they move in a circle in an area called the "pit" near the stage. Stage divers climb onto the stage with the band and then jump "back into the audience". It has been argued that heavy metal has outlasted many other rock genres largely due to
26460-430: The overwhelming evidence that suggests otherwise". Music critic Robert Christgau called metal "an expressive mode [that] it sometimes seems will be with us for as long as ordinary white boys fear girls, pity themselves, and are permitted to rage against a world they'll never beat". Heavy metal artists have had to defend their lyrics in front of the U.S. Senate and in court. In 1985, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider
26649-720: The periodic table organizes elements of both light and heavy metals (e.g., uranium). An early use of the term in modern popular culture was by countercultural writer William S. Burroughs . His 1961 novel The Soft Machine includes a character known as "Uranian Willy, the Heavy Metal Kid". Burroughs' next novel, Nova Express (1964), develops the theme, using "heavy metal" as a metaphor for addictive drugs: "With their diseases and orgasm drugs and their sexless parasite life forms—Heavy Metal People of Uranus wrapped in cool blue mist of vaporized bank notes—And The Insect People of Minraud with metal music." Inspired by Burroughs' novels,
26838-574: The phrase in rock criticism appears in Sandy Pearlman's February 1967 Crawdaddy review of the Rolling Stones ' Got Live If You Want It (1966), albeit as a description of the sound rather than as a genre: "On this album the Stones go metal. Technology is in the saddle—as an ideal and as a method." Another appears in the 11 May 1968 issue of Rolling Stone , in which Barry Gifford wrote about
27027-610: The release date was announced on 27 March 2020 by Van Eede in a short video through the Cutting Crew official Facebook page. On the same day, they released the lead single for this project, an eight-track digital EP of their signature song " (I Just) Died in Your Arms ", which also received a physical release, as well as a brand new video for the song uploaded on YouTube . The album was released on 24 April 2020, through August Day label, on digital platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music . But due to logistics limitations during
27216-424: The same 27th-rate heavy metal crap". In a review of Sir Lord Baltimore 's Kingdom Come in the May 1971 edition of Creem , Saunders wrote, "Sir Lord Baltimore seems to have down pat most all the best heavy metal tricks in the book." Creem critic Lester Bangs is credited with popularizing the term via his early 1970s essays on bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Through the decade, "heavy metal"
27405-499: The self-explanatory ' War Pigs ' and ' Hand of Doom .'" Deriving from the genre's roots in blues music, sex is another important topic – a thread running from Led Zeppelin's suggestive lyrics to the more explicit references of glam metal and nu metal bands. The thematic content of heavy metal has long been a target of criticism. According to Jon Pareles , "Heavy metal's main subject matter is simple and virtually universal. With grunts, moans and subliterary lyrics, it celebrates ...
27594-451: The side of a mountain, and he relocated to London, England to join forces with Van Eede. Initially, the two made demos before bassist Colin Farley and drummer Martin "Frosty" Beedle joined in 1986. They named the band "Cutting Crew" after a quote by Queen , who were once asked why they were not touring, and they replied, "We're a cutting crew", meaning they were only cutting records in
27783-460: The simplicity of composition. The No Prayer on the Road tour was booked for 120 shows in Europe, North America, and Japan. Thirty-three shows in continental Europe were sold out with a reported 530,000 fans attending. In total, Iron Maiden played for some two million fans. After another break, the band recorded their next studio album, Fear of the Dark , which was released in 1992. The title track became
27972-540: The stage and media image of the group. Originally a papier-mâché mask which would squirt fake blood during their live shows, the character featured on the band's debut album cover, also done by Derek Riggs. Eddie was painted exclusively by Riggs until 1992, at which point the band began using artwork from other artists, including Melvyn Grant . A large puppet version of Eddie has appeared many times during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and other South American cities. During
28161-410: The strings with the picking hand and using distortion. Palm muting creates a tighter, more precise sound and it emphasizes the low end. The lead role of the guitar in heavy metal often collides with the traditional "frontman" or bandleader role of the vocalist, creating a musical tension as the two "contend for dominance" in a spirit of "affectionate rivalry". Heavy metal "demands the subordination of
28350-474: The studio. Having assembled the band, they invited representatives from various labels to a London recording studio to showcase the crew, and they were later signed by Siren Records, which was part of Virgin Records . Their debut studio album, Broadcast , was released on Virgin Records in 1986. The song "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" was mixed in London at Utopia Studios by Tim Palmer . Although Virgin Records
28539-689: The term was used in the title of the 1967 album Featuring the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids by Hapshash and the Coloured Coat , which has been claimed to be its first use in the context of music. The phrase was later lifted by Sandy Pearlman , who used the term to describe the Byrds for their supposed "aluminium style of context and effect", particularly on their album The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968). Metal historian Ian Christe describes what
28728-467: The terms "heavy metal" and "hard rock" have often been used interchangeably, particularly in discussing bands of the 1970s, a period when the terms were largely synonymous. For example, the 1983 edition of the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll includes the following passage: "Known for its aggressive blues-based hard-rock style, Aerosmith was the top American heavy-metal band of
28917-568: The title reminded him of the iron maiden torture device . They originally used the name Ash Mountain, but most of the band members preferred the name Iron Maiden. After months of rehearsal, Iron Maiden made their debut at St. Nicks Hall in Poplar on 1 May 1976, before taking up a semi-residency at the Cart and Horses Pub in Maryland , Stratford . The original line-up was short-lived, with vocalist Paul Day being
29106-504: The title track from the Fear of the Dark album received a Grammy Awards nomination for "Best Metal Performance", a first for Iron Maiden. The band listened to the thousands of tapes sent in by vocalists before convincing Blaze Bayley , formerly of the band Wolfsbane , who had supported Iron Maiden in 1990, to audition for them. Harris' preferred choice from the outset, Bayley had a different vocal style from his predecessor and ultimately received
29295-581: The top of the best-seller lists in 27 countries, but it was the band's first album in fifteen years not to reach number one on the UK charts , although it did top the UK Rock & Metal Singles and Albums Charts . In total, Senjutsu reached the top three in 55 countries and the top five in 63 countries. On 1 February 2023, the band received their second nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The band started their 25th global tour, The Future Past World Tour , with
29484-403: The tour ended. In October 1985, Iron Maiden released the double live album and home video, Live After Death . A critical and commercial success, it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK. The album was recorded at Long Beach Arena and also features additional tracks from four nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo . In November 1985, Iron Maiden were named
29673-434: The two genres that have the most in common when it comes to feel, texture, creativity." Although a number of metal musicians cite classical composers as inspiration, classical and metal are rooted in different cultural traditions and practices – classical in the art music tradition, metal in the popular music tradition. As musicologists Nicolas Cook and Nicola Dibben note: "Analyses of popular music also sometimes reveal
29862-434: The voice" to the overall sound of the band. Reflecting metal's roots in the 1960s counterculture, an "explicit display of emotion" is required from the vocals as a sign of authenticity. Critic Simon Frith claims that the metal singer's "tone of voice" is more important than the lyrics. The prominent role of the bass is also key to the metal sound, and the interplay of bass and guitar is a central element. The bass provides
30051-475: The weird kid. It's kind of like that, but with metal you have all the weird kids in one place." Scholars of metal have noted the tendency of fans to classify and reject some performers (and some other fans) as " poseurs " "who pretended to be part of the subculture, but who were deemed to lack authenticity and sincerity". The origin of the term "heavy metal" in a musical context is uncertain. The phrase has been used for centuries in chemistry and metallurgy, where
30240-414: The bass in the early 1980s. Lemmy of Motörhead often played overdriven power chords in his bass lines. The essence of heavy metal drumming is creating a loud, constant beat for the band using the "trifecta of speed, power, and precision". Heavy metal drumming "requires an exceptional amount of endurance", and drummers have to develop "considerable speed, coordination, and dexterity ... to play
30429-890: Was a multiformat success in the US, where it also reached number four on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, No. 24 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and—in an extended remix version—No. 37 on the Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The song peaked at No. 4 in another major market, the UK Singles Chart , as well as becoming a hit in the smaller Switzerland and South Africa markets. It went to No. 2 in Sweden and Ireland , and No. 9 in Austria . Keyboardist Tony Moore joined in 1986 and
30618-510: Was a touring member of the band through 1988. The choice for follow-up single in the UK had been " I've Been in Love Before ", but that song spent only three weeks in the UK Top 40, peaking at No. 31. Their choice for follow-up single in the US was their third UK release, " One for the Mockingbird ", but the song was a relative commercial disappointment on both sides of the Atlantic, just cracking
30807-501: Was already a major label in the UK , their debut song, " (I Just) Died in Your Arms ", provided the first US hit for Virgin as a full-fledged label. This song release quickly helped the band gain popularity. Virgin flew the band to New York City for initial recordings of the album, then to Australia to shoot music videos . The unknown band shot to No. 1 in the major US market, as well as smaller markets such as Canada and Norway , with their debut single. Their most popular single
30996-409: Was also acquired by Rod Smallwood , who soon became the band's manager. As Iron Maiden's popularity increased, they released the demo on their own record label as The Soundhouse Tapes , named after the club. Featuring only three tracks (one song, "Strange World", was excluded as the band were unsatisfied with its production), all 5,000 copies sold out within weeks. In December 1979, the band secured
31185-406: Was applied to a pounding, hard rock variant that evolved out of the mid-1960s garage-punk movement. ... When rock began turning back to softer, roots-oriented sounds in late 1968, acid-rock bands mutated into heavy metal acts." One of the most influential bands in forging the merger of psychedelic rock and acid rock with the blues rock genre was the British power trio Cream , who derived
31374-578: Was asked to defend his song " Under the Blade " at a U.S. Senate hearing. At the hearing, the PMRC alleged that the song was about sadomasochism and rape ; Snider stated that the song was about his bandmate's throat surgery. In 1986, Ozzy Osbourne was sued over the lyrics of his song " Suicide Solution ". A lawsuit against Osbourne was filed by the parents of John McCollum, a depressed teenager who committed suicide allegedly after listening to Osbourne's song. Osbourne
31563-573: Was at Dennis' and Thunderstick's last gig, and joined the band afterwards. Harris, Murray and Sampson spent the summer and autumn of 1978 rehearsing while they searched for a singer to complete the band's new line-up. A chance meeting at the Red Lion, a pub in Leytonstone , in November 1978 evolved into a successful audition for vocalist Paul Di'Anno . Steve Harris said, "There's sort of a quality in Paul's voice,
31752-402: Was broadcast by MTV and local TV stations around the world. The tour was physically gruelling for the band, who demanded six months off when it ended (although this was later reduced to four months). This was the first substantial touring break in the group's history, including the cancellation of a proposed supporting tour for the new live album, with Bruce Dickinson threatening to quit unless
31941-493: Was considered extremely dissonant and unstable by medieval and Renaissance music theorists. It was nicknamed the diabolus in musica – "the devil in music". Heavy metal songs often make extensive use of pedal point as a harmonic basis. A pedal point is a sustained tone, typically in the bass range, during which at least one foreign (i.e., dissonant) harmony is sounded in the other parts. According to Robert Walser, heavy metal harmonic relationships are "often quite complex" and
32130-499: Was fired from the band and replaced by Nicko McBrain , who previously played for Trust . Although Harris said the dismissal took place because his live performances were affected by offstage activities, Burr later claimed he was unfairly ousted from the band. The band then recorded the first of three consecutive albums at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. In 1983, they released their fourth studio album, Piece of Mind , which reached
32319-445: Was not found to be responsible for the teen's death. In 1990, Judas Priest was sued in American court by the parents of two young men who had shot themselves five years earlier, allegedly after hearing the subliminal statement "do it" in the band's cover of the song " Better by You, Better than Me ". While the case attracted a great deal of media attention, it was ultimately dismissed. In 1991, U.K. police seized death metal records from
32508-410: Was often used interchangeably with "heavy metal" and " hard rock ". "Acid rock" generally describes heavy, hard or raw psychedelic rock. Musicologist Steve Waksman stated that "the distinction between acid rock, hard rock, and heavy metal can at some point never be more than tenuous", while percussionist John Beck defined "acid rock" as synonymous with hard rock and heavy metal. Apart from "acid rock",
32697-597: Was on the Metal for Muthas compilation (released on 15 February 1980) with two early versions of " Sanctuary " and "Wrathchild". The release led to a tour including several other bands linked with the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Iron Maiden released their self-titled album in 1980, which debuted at number 4 in the UK Albums Chart . In addition to the title track, the album included other early favourites such as " Running Free ", "Transylvania", "Phantom of
32886-419: Was one of the earliest terms used to describe this style of music and was applied to acts such as Sabbath and Bloodrock . Classic Rock magazine described the downer rock culture revolving around the use of Quaaludes and the drinking of wine. The term would later be replaced by "heavy metal". Earlier on, as "heavy metal" emerged partially from heavy psychedelic rock, also known as acid rock , "acid rock"
33075-548: Was put together, including future Cutting Crew member Tony Moore on keyboards, Terry Wapram on guitar and drummer Barry Purkis (better known today as Thunderstick). After a single gig with the band in January 1978, Moore was asked to leave as Harris decided keyboards did not suit the band's sound. Dave Murray rejoined in late March 1978, and when Terry Wapram disapproved he was sacked. A few weeks later, Dennis Wilcock decided to leave Iron Maiden to form his own band, V1, with Wapram, and drummer Barry Purkis also left. Doug Sampson
33264-574: Was re-released and went straight to number 3 on the UK Chart. The tour featured many headlining stadium and festival dates, including a performance at Ullevi Stadium in Sweden to an audience of almost 60,000. This concert was also broadcast live on satellite television across Europe to approximately 60 million viewers. The band completed the tour by headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals on 26–28 August, and
33453-400: Was received very positively by fans and critics, spanning up to three years with 140 shows, performing to over 3.5 million fans. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling of nearly one million tickets from 2020, first to 2021, and then to 2022. In October 2020, the band announced they would release a live album from the Legacy of the Beast World Tour called Nights of the Dead, Legacy of
33642-400: Was recorded and released in August 2005 as a live album and DVD entitled Death on the Road . In 2005, the band announced the Eddie Rips Up the World Tour , which, tying in with their 2004 DVD entitled The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days , only featured material from their first four albums. As part of this celebration of their earlier years, "The Number of the Beast" single
33831-446: Was recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in late summer 2014; its closing song, " Empire of the Clouds ", penned by Dickinson, surpassed "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (from 1984's Powerslave ) as Iron Maiden's longest song, at 18 minutes in length. In February 2016, the band embarked on The Book of Souls World Tour , with shows in 35 countries across six continents, including their first performances in China, El Salvador, and Lithuania. It
34020-557: Was rejected by the rest of the band. The album was the band's biggest American chart success to date, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK charts. The Somewhere on Tour was also a success. The band played 157 shows for over two and a half million fans, including eighty-one shows in North America. Once again, Iron Maiden visited Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia to play for tens of thousands of fans in each country. The experimentation evident on Somewhere in Time continued on their next album, Seventh Son of
34209-429: Was released on 4 September. The band's first original studio album not to be issued by EMI outside North America, following Parlophone 's acquisition by Warner Music Group in 2013, it was a critical and commercial success, becoming the band's fifth UK number 1 album and hit number 4 on Billboard 200 in the US. The new release reached the number one position in the album charts of 43 countries. The new record
34398-533: Was replaced by Smith in October 1980. In December, the band played at the Rainbow Theatre in London, where their first live video was filmed. Live at the Rainbow was released in May 1981, and "Iron Maiden" and "Wrathchild" from this video received heavy rotation on MTV during its first hours on the air as the first metal videos ever. In 1981, Iron Maiden released their second studio album, Killers . Although many tracks were written prior to their debut release, it had two new songs: "Prodigal Son" and "Murders in
34587-435: Was seminal to the development of the later heavy metal sound. The combination of this loud and heavy blues rock with psychedelic rock and acid rock formed much of the original basis for heavy metal. The variant or subgenre of psychedelic rock often known as "acid rock" was particularly influential on heavy metal and its development; acid rock is often defined as a heavier, louder, or harder variant of psychedelic rock, or
34776-423: Was snorting a bit of coke, though; I was just going for it non-stop, 24 hours a day, every day ... the band had commitments piling up that went on for months, years, and I just couldn't see my way to the end of it. I knew I'd never last the whole tour. It was too much". Di'Anno was dismissed following the Killer World Tour with the band already having selected his replacement. After a meeting with Rod Smallwood at
34965-407: Was telephoned a few hours later. With Gers remaining, Iron Maiden now had a three-guitar line-up (nicknamed "The Three Amigos"), and embarked on a hugely successful reunion tour. Dubbed The Ed Hunter Tour, it tied in with the band's newly released greatest hits collection, Ed Hunter , whose track listing was decided by a poll on the group's website, and also contained a computer game starring Eddie,
35154-409: Was the band's biggest album tour since 1996. In total, Iron Maiden played 117 shows on six continents for well over two and a half million people. The band then launched the Legacy of the Beast World Tour in Europe in 2018, with North and South American shows following in 2019. The tour was inspired by the band's new mobile game and comic series released in 2017, entitled Legacy of the Beast . The tour
35343-441: Was the largest non-festival show of their career, with an overall attendance of 100,000 people. The final leg ended in Florida on 2 April after which the band took a break. Overall, the tour reportedly had an attendance of over two and a half million people worldwide over both years. At the 2009 Brit Awards , Iron Maiden won the award for best British live act. On 20 January 2009, the band announced they were planning to release
35532-474: Was the only original Cutting Crew member in the group. The new band toured in Germany, Norway, the UK, Canada, Hungary, Switzerland and the USA with, amongst others, ABC , Berlin , Wang Chung , Supertramp , Level 42 and Midge Ure . In 2008, Cutting Crew signed a US deal with label Spectra Records. In October 2015, Cutting Crew released their fifth studio album, Add to Favourites , through In Red Flynn label, via Cherry Red Records . It features "Till
35721-413: Was used by certain critics as a virtually automatic putdown. In 1979, lead New York Times popular music critic John Rockwell described what he called "heavy-metal rock" as "brutally aggressive music played mostly for minds clouded by drugs" and, in a different article, as "a crude exaggeration of rock basics that appeals to white teenagers". Coined by Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward , "downer rock"
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