CoronaVinyl Day 222 (I): Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden

For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "I," and I only have one album left by an "I" artist, so today you are graced with Iron Maiden's eponymous 1980 debut album.

It's fitting that Iron Maiden falls on Day 222 of CoronaVinyl.  If multiplied by three, 222 becomes 666 -- the Number of the Beast, which is Iron Maiden's third studio album.  And if one two is removed, it becomes 22 -- as in the address on Acacia Avenue on which Charlotte the Harlot lives.  It

Anyway, back in 1980, Iron Maiden and other British metal bands basically changed the metal game, inventing a new genre called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal classic, which combined the energy and speed of punk music with the virtuosity and musicianship of metal.

With their twin lead guitars, insane bass lines, and dark, often literary, and sometimes medieval imagery in their lyrics, Iron Maiden quickly established themselves as metal gods.  As you may or may not know, this was one of two albums made with lead singer Paul Di'Anno, before he was replaced by Bruce Dickinson.  Di'Anno has more of a gritty punk voice, in stark contrast to Dickinson's booming operatic voice.  Bass player Steve Harris, who is also the band's lead songwriter, is ridiculous.  The album not only changed metal, but also introduced the world to rock music's most identifiable mascot, Eddie.

While the album didn't chart in the U.S., it was a hit in the UK, getting as high as #4 on the UK album charts, the first of the band's studio 14 albums (and 17 albums overall) that cracked the UK Top 10 (five went to #1).  It also spawned the band's first UK Top 40 hit, "Running Free," which reached #34.  In addition, "Sanctuary" -- which was featured on the U.S. version of the album, but not the UK version -- went to #29.  The band would go on to have an additional 32 Top 40 hits in the UK, including 16 Top 10 songs and one #1 (1990's "Bring Your Daughter ... To the Slaughter").

Iron Maiden (the album) is an important and influential album in metal history, and it has rightfully received various accolades over the years.  In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked the album #13 on its list of 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.

This is also somewhat timely, as Iron Maiden is also on this year's list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  You can take part in the fan vote -- which doesn't really mean anything significant, but can often be a bellwether of induction.  The top five artists in the fan vote will comprise one ballot that will be tallied along with the other thousands of votes from living Rock Hall inductees and music industry insiders and journalists.  You can vote once a day from now through April 30.  Vote for Iron Maiden!  And Foo Fighters, Tina Turner, New York Dolls, The Go-Go's, and Rage Against the Machine!  Yes, I realize that's more than five, but you can always switch up your votes each day.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Prowler"

I always go back and forth between whether I like "Prowler" or "Running Free" better.  They're both awesome songs, but today is a "Prowler" day for me.  The first song on the album, it's a snarling hard rocker about a flasher, with a wicked solo.  All in all, it's a perfect "hello" to the world for NWOBHM.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Iron Maiden"
The rare self-titled song from a self-titled album, "Iron Maiden" starts off with a guitar riff that beckons you.  And then Di'Anno himself beckons you with the first line, in which he asks you to come into his room so that he can show you all his wares.  However, his motives are not innocent.  This is a frenetic, fantastic metal song.