Which album shaped Iron Maiden's sound?

Iron Maiden: the pogre DNA few want to see

That Iron Maiden is one of the most influential bands in metal is beyond doubt. But what is not always told is that their sound did not come out of nowhere, nor from the first NWOBHM record. The debate about their influences reveals a web of connections that goes far beyond hard rock. Steve Harris, the band's bassist and mastermind, has acknowledged his debt to Wishbone Ash and UFO. Yet the traces run all the way to Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy and even the most acid prog of King Crimson. The fact that never makes the magazines? Rob Halford's voice in early Judas Priest — and by extension Paul Di'Anno's — draws directly on the dramatic style of Peter Hammill (Van der Graaf Generator).

Twin guitars: the Thin Lizzy legacy

Maiden's twin-guitar attack, with the duels between Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, has one clear father: Thin Lizzy. Albums like Jailbreak (1976) and Live and Dangerous are the template. Steve Harris has cited them in several interviews. The melodic riff and the epic in song format were forged there. It is no coincidence that Maiden's first big hit, 'Running Free', has that hard rock energy with duelling solos.

The galloping bass: more than Wishbone Ash

Steve Harris's bass playing is unique, but its roots lie in Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) and Chris Squire (Yes). The constant gallop, the melodic lines and the bass's prominence in the mix come from those two references. Although Wishbone Ash is ruled out as a direct influence because of their more rock-oriented sound, the bass style — particularly Turner's — is the skeleton of the Maiden sound. Harris himself has said he listened a lot to Yes and Jethro Tull.

The missing link: Jethro Tull and the drum change on Thick as a Brick

One of the subtler points in the debate is the influence of Jethro Tull. Not only because of Harris's bass, but because of the drums. The switch from Clive Bunker to Barriemore Barlow on Thick as a Brick (1972) marked a technical leap that shaped the band's sound. Barlow, considered by John Bonham one of England's finest drummers, influenced the precision and power of Clive Burr and Nicko McBrain. That album, together with Aqualung, is the bridge between blues and prog that Maiden would later take to the extreme.

The dark side: King Crimson and extreme metal

King Crimson is another long shadow. The album Red (1974) contains riffs and atmospheres that prefigure the heaviest metal. The debate here is whether that influence reached Maiden directly or is rather a coincidence in the genre's evolution. What is certain is that Crimson's controlled chaos and its 'everything is falling apart but we carry on' attitude resonate in the tragic epic of songs like 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'.

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Iron Maiden's puzzle of influences is more complex than it seems. Beyond the obvious names, there is an underground current of prog, blues and punk that shapes their sound. The question remains open: where does punk fit into this equation? The debate does not fully settle it, but it does make clear that Maiden would not be the same without the records Harris listened to before forming the band.

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