Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
By the release of this landmark eighth album, Iron Maiden had settled into what's generally considered their classic lineup. WithBruce Dickinson, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Nicko McBrain operating at the very peak of their form, bassist Steve Harris, the band's mastermind and main songwriter, decided to extend the Maiden remit yet further by unveiling their very first concept work. Contemporary critics scoffed in the face of such a grandiose gesture, butSeventh Son of a Seventh Sonspawned no less than four British hit singles and remains an indomitable highlight of the Maiden's illustrious career. From the strident commercial metal of "Can I Play with Madness" through the keyboard-enhanced epic bombast of the title track to the fretboard intricacies and chest-beating machismo of "Only the Good Die Young,"Seventh Sonfinds Iron Maiden at their most assured and creative. This is a spectacular example of 22-carat heavy metal.--Ian Fortnam