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Iron Maiden - Killers CD (album) cover

KILLERS

Iron Maiden

 

Prog Related

3.61 | 617 ratings

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Rune2000
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars I rarely find it disappointing to hear that an album is comprised of leftovers from the previous sessions since some of my favorite albums just so happen to be those releases. I guess that Still Life by Van Der Graaf Generator is the best example of just that (note that I just made a VDGG reference in an Iron Maiden album review)!

Killers starts off with a short instrumental followed by the early concert favorite Wrathchild. So far everything is off to a good start, even though Murders In The Rue Morgue is not as poignant as I would have preferred it to be. Another Life is the first really forgettable track of the bunch, only the dual guitar action of Murray/Smith keeping it barely a drift. Genghis Khan is this album's second instrumental which comes only halfway into the record. This can of course be seen as a way to highlight the strong instrumentalists that are featured in the lineup but somehow I get the feeling that this was rather a way to hide the fact that this album is lacking in the actual songwriting department.

The album's title track is easily the highlight of the entire record and features another enigmatic performance from Steve Harris. If only more of this record could be as strong as this one track! The remainder of the album ranges from good to decent performances from the band, but there is really not a single moment that would be considered as classic as anything off the band's debut album.

It's not that Killers is a bad album in any way, believe me when I say that those releases aren't that far ahead, but it simply pales in comparison to the classic debut album. Still, it's clear that many Iron Maiden fans really cherish this album, so if you're in the midst of discovering Iron Maiden for yourself then be sure to give this album a spin just to make up your mind about it. Personally, I've always preferred the raw energy of the band's debut mixed with some of their top notch material. We don't get either of the two on their sophomore release but it's still a solid, if not essential release from this rising NWoBHM band.

***** star songs: Killers (5:02)

**** star songs: The Ides Of March (1:46) Wrathchild (2:55) Murders In The Rue Morgue (4:19) Genghis Khan (3:10) Innocent Exile (3:54) Prodigal Son (6:13) Purgatory (3:20)

*** star songs: Another Life (3:23) Twillight Zone (2:33) Drifter (4:50)

Rune2000 | 3/5 |

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