Iron Maiden - Killers
1981 EMI
by Horatio

Quick Summary:
For many Maiden fans, the band was never the same when Paul Dianno was sacked.  After the hiring of Bruce Dickinson, Maiden streamlined their sound, never quite approaching the aggression of 'Killers', to this day Maiden's heaviest (overall) album.  Maiden's self titled debut a year earlier had dented the top five in the UK, almost unheard of for a metal band, but an indication of how strong the NWOBHM was.  Many reviewers described Maiden's sound as a mixture of punk meets metal, a description I refuse to accept, it's just metal.  'Killers' was more polished than the debut, not to mention faster and one of the more influential albums of the entire genre.  Dennis Stratton was out and in his place was Adrian Smith who would remain for the rest of the decade.

It's impossible not to let the mid drift and still wonder what direction Maiden would have taken had they retained Dianno.  Thrash?  AOR maybe?  Dianno's always had a fondness for that.  The possibilities...What I know is that as great as Maiden were and still are, they've never composed anything quite like 'Genghis Khan' since, an early example of near grindcore.  The title track is definitive serial killer metal, bringing to mind Lizzy's 'Killer On the Loose', while 'Drifter' and 'Purgatory' tear it up in a sophisticated manner that renders 98 percent of the NWOBHM to shame.  Listening to many of those acts from the era, you start to realize how weak they really were, unlistenable, with the obvious exception of Saxon and few others.  Easily one of Maiden's top five recordings, up there with 'Piece Of Mind', 'Powerslave', 'No prayer For The Dying' and the current 'Dance Of Death'.  More than essential, one of metals greatest moments as whole.

Website:  www.ironmaiden.com

Song Summaries:

1. The Ides Of March - This instrumental's origins were first heard as 'Thunderburst' on Samsons 'Head First' album of 1980, of which 'S.Harris' wrote.  Steve obviously rewrote it for 'Killers', having stated many times 'Killers' was nothing more than old demos and previously recorded material, a stopgap measure.  B
2. Wrathchild - The most enduring track from 'Killers', that still gets live airings.  I'm convinced Harris borrowed the melody from Purple's 'Stormbringer', but that's beside the point.  At less than three minutes this proves how you can pack ten minutes worth of fury into such a short space of time.  A
3. Murders In The Rue Morgue - Vintage Maiden speed, which is reminiscent of similar period Trust and their 'Repression' album.  The classic guitar harmonies are in place, memorable melody and Dianno's gruff as hell vocals are my cup of tea.  A
4. Another Life - Clinical.  That's the only stale description to tag this with.  For 1981, Maiden sounded like a band from 1990.  The section around the two minute mark is near thrash.  So easy to see how the 'big four' took Maiden as the key behind their initial sounds.  A
5. Genghis Khan - Another instrumental, this time a frenzied attack, which takes off at the one minute mark with enough speed to suggest Maiden were the godfathers of 80's thrash.  If they had progressed like this, they could have recorded their own 'Reign In Blood'.  Youthful aggression, eh?  Can't beat it.  A
6. Innocent Exile - Early Maiden had shades of classic 70's hard rock, like Purple, and less of the traditional metal of the Dickinson years.  You hear it here in the verses and the blazing soloing halfway in.  Maiden seemed unafraid to take tangents most wouldn't dream of, something that wilted not long after.  A
7. Killers - Thoroughly brutal, and as such an all time classic.  The distinctive riff, Dianno's maniacal vocals, how many punsters copied this?  Slayer's 'Show No Mercy' for one.  Megadeth's 'Black Friday' also, lyric wise.  A
8. Prodigal Son - Someone recently asked Bruce Dickinson about the mellow acoustical (and brilliant) 'Journeyman' off 'Dance Of Death', suggesting it was a departure for them.  Bruce replied Maiden have been doing that stuff for years, after all they did it with 'Prodigal Son' in 1981!  This is heavier, but Bruce was very astute in that comment, with acoustic guitars running the show, with the sensibilities of early 70's prog rock, which of course Steve Harris admired.  It works like a charm, displaying at this early point how varied Maiden were and still are in their approach to metal.  A
9. Purgatory - The complete opposite of the above.  Murray and Smith combine for some mind bending riffs, set to a fast backdrop which never relents.  Raw energy.  A+
10. Drifter - This could be the most forgotten Maiden classic in their entire catalogue.  Again very fast, with a hard rock like theme, 'Drifter' for god's sake!  That was another one Purple did in the 70's...Burr abuses his kit in a way McBrain never has (never having gotten the chance) and the guitar solo at the three minute mark storms out of the gate faster than Ben Johnson in 1988.  A

Average Song Rating:  A
Overall Album Rating:  A

Also be sure to read:
Iron Maiden - A Real Dead One Quick Reviews by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark by Horatio
Iron Maiden - No Prayer For The Dying by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Powerslave by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time by Horatio
Iron Maiden - The X Factor Quick Reviews by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Virtual XI by Horatio
Killers - Menace To Society by Horatio