Starblind (Iron Maiden) (LP 2807 - 2809)

Iron Maiden  Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (CD, EMI Records, 1988) ****  

Iron Maiden  The Final Frontier (CD, EMI Records, 2010) ***  

Iron Maiden Somewhere Back In Time (The Best of: 1980 to 1989) (CD, EMI Records, 2008) *** 

Genre: Prog metal, heavy metal 

Places I remember: Virgin Megastore (Dubai); The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Only The Good Die Young (SS of a SS)

Gear costume: Moonchild, The Evil That Men Do (both SS of a SS); Run To The Hills (Somewhere Back In Time)

Active compensatory factors: I read about Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in Kerrang Magazine's article on the greatest albums in prog metal and decided to get a copy while living in the UAE.

Sure enough, it is more at the melodic prog metal end of the heavy metal continuum, and I enjoy listening to it still, although in some ways I've outgrown this kind of rock music.

The Final Frontier is back to bash crash metal and not as enjoyable. I can play SS of a SS LOUD and enjoy it immensely, but I find myself turning The Final Frontier down - not a good sign.

They always play with passion and vision though - it's never less than full throttle, and you have to admire that about them. Plus, the fact that they have parleyed this into a lengthy career is impressive. They are like AC/DC and Motorhead in that they don't mess with the formula much from album to album, and somehow they maintain a high consistency rate doing the same old same old with ongoing success.

Where do they all belong? I also have the compilation - Somewhere Back In Time (The Best of: 1980 to 1989) and that's a great place to start the journey of discovery if you are needing to find out what all the fuss is about.