Day 6: The Trooper - Iron Maiden
I didn’t get around to this yesterday because I was hanging out in a hospital for the duration, waiting for my nephew to be born. For those of you who are shaking their head in confusion going “..wait a minute..Tommy has never heard of Iron Maiden?!”, let me assure you that I am well aware of the rock legends and their impact on music today. I just never got around to REALLY giving them a listen, and that’s what this is for. Maiden has been cited as one of the greatest bands of all time, inspiring everyone one from Madonna to MCR and Gaga to take the idea of spectacle to the next level. So many times I’ve been at a loss in conversation because I can’t chime in on my stance of Maiden’s music. I’ve lost friendships and even a girlfriend because I couldn’t namedrop my favorite IM album, or discuss the finer points of the 7th Son of a 7th Son Tour. Today, I’m proud to say I take my first true step into Maidenhood with one of their most popular songs, ‘The Trooper’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTaD9cd8hvw
Thoughts: Recorded in 1983, ‘The Trooper’ is widely accepted as one of the most popular and iconic heavy metal songs of all-time. Such is evident from the very first riff. I knew I was going to enjoy it the second the overall groove of the song set in. The style itself is a cry back to the days of New-Wave British Heavy Metal (ala Def Leppard, Judas Priest, etc), and Bruce Dickenson absolutely wailed in a register that, as Marah would put it, no guy should ever have the range to. I see this song as a precursor to the likes of Muse, specifically Knights of Cydonia (with definitely an 80’s rock vibe). The soloing harmonies and agressive instrumentation prove that Maiden meant business, which nowadays seems obvious given their 40+ years and more than 2000 live shows as a band. This song got me pumped, and within literally seconds, I felt as if I understood why so many revel in calling Iron Maiden ‘the greatest rock band of all time’. Though I’d say a couple other acts given them a run for their money, I can’t deny that this was a really fucking good song, and that I’ll continue feeling enlightened all the way to Five Guys later today.
Rating: 9/10
