This was written for people who know nothing about Maiden, so feel free to scroll past the bits you already know 
.
Enjoy,
W
IRON MAIDEN: SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON
(EMI Records, 1988)
Bruce Dickinson- Lead vocals
Steve Harris- Bass guitar, synthesiser
Adrian Smith- Lead and rhythm guitars, synthesiser, backing vocals
Dave Murray- Lead and rhythm guitars
Nicko McBrain- Drums
Produced, engineered and mixed by Martin Birch.
I: UP THE IRONS!
Iron Maiden emerged from London's East End in the late seventies. They were hailed as figureheads of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and are among the movement's most enduring survivors. Their eponymous debut (1980) and Killers (1981) achieved considerable acclaim in the UK, but they were catapulted into the spotlight with the arrival of new singer Bruce Dickinson and the release of The Number of The Beast in 1982.
Piece of Mind (1983), Powerslave (1984) and Live After Death (1985) all built upon that intial success. Somewhere In Time (1986) moved in a more progressive direction. In spite of the tension between Dickinson and founding member Steve Harris at the time of recording, the album was a true innovation. It added keyboards to the band's already potent sound, and reflected guitarist Adrian Smith's growing confidence as a songwriter.
This creative evolution would continue on the next album. To coincide with what was to be their seventh studio project, Iron Maiden began writing a series of songs based on Orson Scott Card's fantasy novel Seventh Son. Released in April 1988, the finished product was one of their most ambitious and popular works.
It would also be the last from this particular version of the group. Smith left just before the recording of No Prayer For The Dying in 1990. In his place came Janick Gers, who had played with Ian Gillan and Fish amongst others, and also co-wrote the majority of Bruce Dickinson's first solo effort Tattooed Millionaire.
Fear of The Dark (1992) was followed the next year by a lacklustre double live set. Dickinson quit at this juncture, to be replaced by ex-Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley. Although a confident and capable frontman, he had little of his predecessor's charisma or stage presence and neither The X-Factor (1995) nor Virtual XI (1998) made much of an impression on the record buying public.
Bayley was ousted in early 1999, paving the way for both Dickinson and Smith to return. With Janick Gers still an integral part of the lineup, the band wrote and recorded 2000's Brave New World. After a world tour (that excluded Australia) and a long-delayed live DVD, they are now working on new material due in 2003.
II: SO IT SHALL BE WRITTEN, SO IT SHALL BE DONE.
The protagonist in Card's book and Iron Maiden's interpretation of it is a seventh son of a seventh son, a legendary figure with the power to heal the sick and predict the future. His importance stems from the sacred origin of the number seven, which, being the sum of Pythagorean "lucky" numbers four and three, is imbued with great spiritual and religious significance. For example, God is said to have created the Earth in seven days, Muslims believe in seven stages of paradise, there are seven ages of human life and medieval alchemists spoke of seven different bodies (or metals) to correspond with each of the planets they recognised.
In an era where male children were of crucial importance to the family unit, having seven sons was a sign of good fortune and prosperity. If that seventh son went on to produce seven sons of his own and they all lived, it comes as no surprise that such a birth should be regarded as a special, if not magical event.
The "chosen one" is a recurring idea in the myths and legends of many cultures. Whereas most are predestined to perform a heroic feat or play a role in some divine purpose, the seventh son is one of few to be allowed the agony of choice. He is an innocent whose preternatural abilities can be used by the forces of good and evil alike. It is up to him to choose which side (if any) he will serve.
Card takes this rich mythological tapestry and seasons it with the flavour of colonial America. His version of the frontierland is one where magic and superstition still abound, their places yet to be taken by science and progress. Charms, beseechings, hexes and potions are all commonplace here, and it is into this world "in a roadhouse on the track westward, amid the deep wood where the Red man still holds sway" that a very special child called Alvin is born.
As the first volume in an ongoing series, the novel introduces characters and establishes settings. Concentrating for the most part on Alvin's early years, it shows him coming to terms with his extraordinary skills and learning how to control them, while being pressured to make a decision that will affect the course of his entire life.
III: SEVEN HOLY PATHS TO HELL AND YOUR TRIP BEGINS...
"There are some albums," Steve Harris told veteran rock journalist and official Iron Maiden biographer Mick Wall, "that no matter how hard you try or how good they are, just don't seem to have that same magic that some others have. Then there are those you record when, almost without trying, you come up with an album that... for reasons of its own almost, just becomes one of the best things you've ever done. That's what Seventh Son of A Seventh Son is to me."
Bold words from the usually modest bass player, but nonetheless accurate. Seventh Son of A Seventh Son is quite unlike any Iron Maiden album recorded before or since. It entered the UK charts at Number 1, spawned four top ten singles and earned them a headline slot at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival.
Quite a few of Iron Maiden's earlier tracks (such as "Phantom of the Opera", "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"), were inspired by film and/or literature, so translating an entire book onto two sides of vinyl seemed like a logical step forward. Some other groups risk self-indulgence and critical derision when first they venture into concept album territory, but there was little chance of that here. Fans of Iron Maiden and heavy metal in general knew better than to expect radio-friendly pop songs, and the majority were content to let Harris and co experiment as they saw fit.
Each of the album's eight songs contribute to its overall theme and cover a wide range of musical styles. "Moonchild" is a fast-paced opening number written about Aleister Crowley's book of the same name. "Infinite Dreams" is a product of Steve Harris' fascination with nightmares. Though he would write about them on previous and subsequent occasions (such as "Still Life" and "Dream of Mirrors"), he never quite managed to evoke the same dreamlike quality. The anthemic "Can I Play With Madness?" was an ideal choice for a first single, and led to a video clip that boasted one of Graham Chapman's final performances before his death in 1989. "The Evil That Men Do" takes its title from Mark Antony's soliloquy in Julius Caesar and remains a crowd favourite to this day.
Side two focuses in greater depth on the central plot points of Card's novel. The title track is a trademark Harris epic nearing ten minutes in length. Despite a weak and repetitive chorus, it succeeds in telling the story of Alvin's birth and the dilemmas that follow. In "The Prophecy", he pleads with his village to heed warnings of a coming disaster, only to be ignored and then denounced as a bringer of curses. "The Clairvoyant" shows Alvin beginning to understand the depths of his power and accepting the responsibility of using it, while in "Only The Good Die Young" he turns his back on the forces that have been exploiting him and decides to live life on his own terms.
Replete with first class musicianship and unrivalled heights of inter-band creativity, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is Iron Maiden at their zenith. More than fourteen years later, it still ranks as one of their greatest achievements.
IV: CREDITS.
Thanks to Aaron Cooper and everyone on the Maiden Downunder discussion forum at Ultimatemetal.com who supplied me with plenty of research material. Also to the Iron Maiden commentary at www.truemetal.org/ironmaiden, Hatrack.com, (the official Orson Scott Card website), Leslie Shepard's Encyclopaedia of The Occult and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.
Stephen Lord.
.Enjoy,
W
IRON MAIDEN: SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON
(EMI Records, 1988)
Bruce Dickinson- Lead vocals
Steve Harris- Bass guitar, synthesiser
Adrian Smith- Lead and rhythm guitars, synthesiser, backing vocals
Dave Murray- Lead and rhythm guitars
Nicko McBrain- Drums
Produced, engineered and mixed by Martin Birch.
I: UP THE IRONS!
Iron Maiden emerged from London's East End in the late seventies. They were hailed as figureheads of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and are among the movement's most enduring survivors. Their eponymous debut (1980) and Killers (1981) achieved considerable acclaim in the UK, but they were catapulted into the spotlight with the arrival of new singer Bruce Dickinson and the release of The Number of The Beast in 1982.
Piece of Mind (1983), Powerslave (1984) and Live After Death (1985) all built upon that intial success. Somewhere In Time (1986) moved in a more progressive direction. In spite of the tension between Dickinson and founding member Steve Harris at the time of recording, the album was a true innovation. It added keyboards to the band's already potent sound, and reflected guitarist Adrian Smith's growing confidence as a songwriter.
This creative evolution would continue on the next album. To coincide with what was to be their seventh studio project, Iron Maiden began writing a series of songs based on Orson Scott Card's fantasy novel Seventh Son. Released in April 1988, the finished product was one of their most ambitious and popular works.
It would also be the last from this particular version of the group. Smith left just before the recording of No Prayer For The Dying in 1990. In his place came Janick Gers, who had played with Ian Gillan and Fish amongst others, and also co-wrote the majority of Bruce Dickinson's first solo effort Tattooed Millionaire.
Fear of The Dark (1992) was followed the next year by a lacklustre double live set. Dickinson quit at this juncture, to be replaced by ex-Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley. Although a confident and capable frontman, he had little of his predecessor's charisma or stage presence and neither The X-Factor (1995) nor Virtual XI (1998) made much of an impression on the record buying public.
Bayley was ousted in early 1999, paving the way for both Dickinson and Smith to return. With Janick Gers still an integral part of the lineup, the band wrote and recorded 2000's Brave New World. After a world tour (that excluded Australia) and a long-delayed live DVD, they are now working on new material due in 2003.
II: SO IT SHALL BE WRITTEN, SO IT SHALL BE DONE.
The protagonist in Card's book and Iron Maiden's interpretation of it is a seventh son of a seventh son, a legendary figure with the power to heal the sick and predict the future. His importance stems from the sacred origin of the number seven, which, being the sum of Pythagorean "lucky" numbers four and three, is imbued with great spiritual and religious significance. For example, God is said to have created the Earth in seven days, Muslims believe in seven stages of paradise, there are seven ages of human life and medieval alchemists spoke of seven different bodies (or metals) to correspond with each of the planets they recognised.
In an era where male children were of crucial importance to the family unit, having seven sons was a sign of good fortune and prosperity. If that seventh son went on to produce seven sons of his own and they all lived, it comes as no surprise that such a birth should be regarded as a special, if not magical event.
The "chosen one" is a recurring idea in the myths and legends of many cultures. Whereas most are predestined to perform a heroic feat or play a role in some divine purpose, the seventh son is one of few to be allowed the agony of choice. He is an innocent whose preternatural abilities can be used by the forces of good and evil alike. It is up to him to choose which side (if any) he will serve.
Card takes this rich mythological tapestry and seasons it with the flavour of colonial America. His version of the frontierland is one where magic and superstition still abound, their places yet to be taken by science and progress. Charms, beseechings, hexes and potions are all commonplace here, and it is into this world "in a roadhouse on the track westward, amid the deep wood where the Red man still holds sway" that a very special child called Alvin is born.
As the first volume in an ongoing series, the novel introduces characters and establishes settings. Concentrating for the most part on Alvin's early years, it shows him coming to terms with his extraordinary skills and learning how to control them, while being pressured to make a decision that will affect the course of his entire life.
III: SEVEN HOLY PATHS TO HELL AND YOUR TRIP BEGINS...
"There are some albums," Steve Harris told veteran rock journalist and official Iron Maiden biographer Mick Wall, "that no matter how hard you try or how good they are, just don't seem to have that same magic that some others have. Then there are those you record when, almost without trying, you come up with an album that... for reasons of its own almost, just becomes one of the best things you've ever done. That's what Seventh Son of A Seventh Son is to me."
Bold words from the usually modest bass player, but nonetheless accurate. Seventh Son of A Seventh Son is quite unlike any Iron Maiden album recorded before or since. It entered the UK charts at Number 1, spawned four top ten singles and earned them a headline slot at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival.
Quite a few of Iron Maiden's earlier tracks (such as "Phantom of the Opera", "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"), were inspired by film and/or literature, so translating an entire book onto two sides of vinyl seemed like a logical step forward. Some other groups risk self-indulgence and critical derision when first they venture into concept album territory, but there was little chance of that here. Fans of Iron Maiden and heavy metal in general knew better than to expect radio-friendly pop songs, and the majority were content to let Harris and co experiment as they saw fit.
Each of the album's eight songs contribute to its overall theme and cover a wide range of musical styles. "Moonchild" is a fast-paced opening number written about Aleister Crowley's book of the same name. "Infinite Dreams" is a product of Steve Harris' fascination with nightmares. Though he would write about them on previous and subsequent occasions (such as "Still Life" and "Dream of Mirrors"), he never quite managed to evoke the same dreamlike quality. The anthemic "Can I Play With Madness?" was an ideal choice for a first single, and led to a video clip that boasted one of Graham Chapman's final performances before his death in 1989. "The Evil That Men Do" takes its title from Mark Antony's soliloquy in Julius Caesar and remains a crowd favourite to this day.
Side two focuses in greater depth on the central plot points of Card's novel. The title track is a trademark Harris epic nearing ten minutes in length. Despite a weak and repetitive chorus, it succeeds in telling the story of Alvin's birth and the dilemmas that follow. In "The Prophecy", he pleads with his village to heed warnings of a coming disaster, only to be ignored and then denounced as a bringer of curses. "The Clairvoyant" shows Alvin beginning to understand the depths of his power and accepting the responsibility of using it, while in "Only The Good Die Young" he turns his back on the forces that have been exploiting him and decides to live life on his own terms.
Replete with first class musicianship and unrivalled heights of inter-band creativity, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is Iron Maiden at their zenith. More than fourteen years later, it still ranks as one of their greatest achievements.
IV: CREDITS.
Thanks to Aaron Cooper and everyone on the Maiden Downunder discussion forum at Ultimatemetal.com who supplied me with plenty of research material. Also to the Iron Maiden commentary at www.truemetal.org/ironmaiden, Hatrack.com, (the official Orson Scott Card website), Leslie Shepard's Encyclopaedia of The Occult and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.
Stephen Lord.
that song deserves 2 