It was perhaps inevitable that the digital age would lead to a resurgence in enthusiasm for vinyl and the notion of physical artefacts as desirable items. And items don’t come more desirable than this collection of early Maiden albums; vibrant and vital evidence of a peerless eight-record streak that has never been rivalled.
It helps that these masterpieces were all recorded with the vinyl format foremost in their creators’ collective mind. The warmth and breadth of sound on display, from the raw urgency of that seminal self-titled debut through to the ambitious opulence of 1988’s Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, plainly indicates that the modern metal scene could learn a thing or two about heart, soul and humble authenticity from these ageless monuments.
Once you factor in the brilliance of Derek Riggs’s immortal cover art and the added bonus of all the Maiden singles from that first triumphant decade also being reissued, it’s hard to imagine how any discerning vinyl junkie could resist snapping the whole lot up./o:p
