THE ESSENTIAL IRON MAIDEN

I am not a fan of the Essential series Sony BMG has released. It smells too much of cheap supermarket food. When did music become food ? Never ever in my view. It is nasty and lack of respect to release a series of albums called The Essential....... But they have done a good job on this series, releasing good compilations of both OZZY OSBOURNE and JUDAS PRIEST. It is my understanding Iron Maiden themselves was not too happy in the beginning......until they got the track list. Then they agreed.

.........with good reasons. This compilation album open with a Paschendale, a excellent prog rock tune. Then it continues with more or less essential tracks from Iron Maiden's career. I still wonder how it is possible to omit Iron Maiden's best song from a compilation like this. I am off course talking about Hallowed Be Thy Name. Is it regarded offensive/religious ? Nope, the song is about the last hours of a man on the death-row. It has actually one of Iron Maiden's best lyrics. Both Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson has gone on record, praising this song. So why the magpie is this song not here then ? Besides of that, I am missing a couple of other songs and I do not understand why this horrible Bring Your Daughter...To the Slaughter has been included. Even four songs from the Blaze Bailey albums has been included. There is off course no songs from their last album A Matter Of Life And Death due to this compilation album being released before the writing of that masterpiece. But besides of my gripes, I am pretty satisfied with this compilation album.

Is this the first Iron Maiden album novices should buy ? No, I would very much recommend the live album Rock In Rio to all novices. But this is probably the best Iron Maiden compilation on the market. Not bad, but not perfect either.

3.85 stars.