OK, well there are five distinct eras, just to clue you in:
1) Pre-Dickinson, the Paul Di'Anno years, 1980-1981. This is the period before the singer they are always identified with, and with whom they achieved their biggest commercial success, Bruce Dickinson, joined, and there are two albums in this period, their debut Iron Maiden and Killers. Both have a rawer, almost punk feel about them through the debut is the rawest.
2) Dickinson "Golden Age", 1982 - 1988. This the era when they were most active and most commercially successful, as well as at their creative peak, with Bruce Dickinson helping to turn them into a legend as well as a global commodity and bring heavy metal to the masses. Music is classic metal of the highest calibre. This includes The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
3) Dickinson "Sunset period", 1990 - 1992. Two albums made in this period, as Dickinson grew weary and thought about leaving the band. No Prayer for the Dying and the final one with him for eight years, Fear of the Dark. Good albums but a lot of flaws.
4) The Blaze Bayley period, 1995 - 1998. Two albums recorded without Dickinson, generally universally panned. The X-Factor and Virtual XI.
5) The "Dickinson Rebirth" period, 2000 - now. Dickinson returned to the fold with one immense album and so far their other releases have all been great, but tending more in the progressive metal vein. Brave New World, Dance of Death, A Matter of Life and Death and The Final Frontier.
__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
|