Jump to content

Killers (Iron Maiden album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Progrockdude (talk | contribs) at 17:01, 5 February 2016 (→Track listing). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Sputnikmusic4.0/5[5]

Killers is the second album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 2 February 1981 in the UK, and 6 June 1981 in the US. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was sacked after problems with his stage performance arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use.[6] This was also the first Iron Maiden album made with veteran producer Martin Birch, who went on to produce their next eight albums before retiring after Fear of the Dark in 1992.

The song "Wrathchild" is the only regularly played track from the album, appearing in almost all their concert tours. The song was covered in 2003 by British metal band Sikth and featured as a b-side on their single "Scent of the Obscene".[7] The song was also covered in 2005 by female tribute band The Iron Maidens on their 2007 album Route 666 and again in 2008 by Gallows on the tribute CD Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden released by Kerrang! magazine.[8] "Wrathchild" was featured in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.[9]

History

Killers was the second and final Iron Maiden album with vocalist Paul Di'Anno (shown here in 2008)

Killers is the only Iron Maiden album to feature two instrumentals and was written almost exclusively by Steve Harris,[10] with only minor assistance from the rest of the band (the title track and "Twilight Zone" being the only other songs to receive additional writing credits). Each song, with the exception of "Murders in the Rue Morgue" (based on the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe)[11] and "Prodigal Son", had been written in the years prior to the recording of their debut album,[12] though none were recorded professionally until the Killers sessions, apart from "Wrathchild" (an early version recorded in 1979 was featured on the Metal for Muthas compilation).[12]

The North American edition, which came out a few months after it did in the UK, was initially released on Harvest Records/Capitol Records and subsequently on Sanctuary Records/Columbia Records. "Twilight Zone" was also added to the album.

The Killer World Tour was the tour in support of the album and would feature the band's earliest shows in the US, the first being at The Aladdin, Las Vegas in support of Judas Priest.[13]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Steve Harris, except where noted

Original release

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Ides of March" (Instrumental)1:48
2."Wrathchild"2:54
3."Murders in the Rue Morgue"4:14
4."Another Life"3:22
5."Genghis Khan" (Instrumental)3:02
6."Innocent Exile"3:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Killers"Paul Di'Anno, Harris4:58
2."Prodigal Son" 6:05
3."Purgatory" 3:18
4."Drifter" 4:47
Total length:38:18

1981 North American version

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Ides of March" (Instrumental)1:48
2."Wrathchild"2:54
3."Murders in the Rue Morgue"4:14
4."Another Life"3:22
5."Genghis Khan" (Instrumental)3:02
6."Innocent Exile"3:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Killers"Di'Anno, Harris4:58
2."Twilight Zone"Dave Murray, Harris2:33
3."Prodigal Son" 6:05
4."Purgatory" 3:18
5."Drifter" 4:47
Total length:40:51

1998 Remastered release

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Ides of March" (Instrumental) 1:46
2."Wrathchild" 2:55
3."Murders in the Rue Morgue" 4:19
4."Another Life" 3:23
5."Genghis Khan" (Instrumental) 3:09
6."Innocent Exile" 3:54
7."Killers"Harris, Di'Anno5:01
8."Prodigal Son" 6:12
9."Purgatory" 3:20
10."Twilight Zone"Murray, Harris2:33
11."Drifter" 4:49
Total length:41:21

1995 reissue bonus disc

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Twilight Zone"Murray, Harris2:33
2."Women in Uniform" (originally by Skyhooks)Greg Macainsh3:07
3."Invasion" 2:38
4."Phantom of the Opera" (Live) 6:55

1995 US Reissue bonus disc

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Women in Uniform" (originally by Skyhooks)Greg Macainsh3:07
2."Invasion"Harris2:38
3."Phantom of the Opera" (Live) 6:55
4."Running Free" (Live)Harris, Di'Anno3:07
5."Remember Tomorrow" (Live)Harris, Di'Anno5:44
6."Wrathchild" (Live)Harris2:52
7."Killers" (Live)Harris, Di'Anno4:50
8."Innocent Exile" (Live)Harris3:46

The original Australian version of the album also includes the band's cover of Skyhooks' "Women in Uniform", which was previously released as a single in 1980.[14] The US Castle Records 1995 bonus disc contains several live tracks which originally appeared on the 1981 EP Maiden Japan.[15]

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.[3][16]

Iron Maiden
Additional personnel

Chart performance

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[30] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[31] Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[32] Gold 250,000^
Sweden (GLF)[33] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[35] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Bushell, Garry; Halfin, Ross (1985). Running Free, The Official Story of Iron Maiden (2nd ed.). Zomba Books. p. 83. ISBN 0-946391-84-X.
  2. ^ Bushell, Garry; Halfin, Ross (1985). Running Free, The Official Story of Iron Maiden (2nd ed.). Zomba Books. p. 88. ISBN 0-946391-84-X.
  3. ^ a b Killers (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 2 February 1981.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. Iron Maiden - Killers at AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  5. ^ Stagno, Mike (27 June 2006). "Iron Maiden - Killers". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  6. ^ Saulnier, Jason (22 November 2012). "Paul Di'Anno Interview, Legendary Singer talks Life on the Road". Music Legends. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Sikth - Scent Of The Obscene". Discogs. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  8. ^ "Kerrang! Maiden Heaven Track Listing Revealed!". Kerrang!. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  9. ^ "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The 80s: Complete List Of Songs Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 4 July 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  10. ^ Doran, John (2005). "Murder Most Foul". Metal Hammer presents: Iron Maiden 30 Years of Metal Mayhem: 144.
  11. ^ Brannigan, Paul. "Hack Job?". Kerrang! Legends (2): 26–27.
  12. ^ a b Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 183. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.
  13. ^ Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 251. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.
  14. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers 1981 Australian LP". Discogs. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers 1995 US 2CD". Discogs. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  16. ^ Killers Remastered (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 1998.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  18. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 166. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  19. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers". Media Control Charts (in German). Charts.de. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  20. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers (album)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  21. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers". VG-lista. Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  22. ^ a b "Iron Maiden - Killers". Sverigetopplistan. Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  23. ^ "1981 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive - 28 February 1981". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  24. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers - Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  25. ^ "Iron Maiden - Killers (album)". IFPI Greece. Greekcharts.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  26. ^ "UK Singles Archive- 21 March 1981". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  27. ^ "Iron Maiden Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  28. ^ "UK Albums Archive- 3 March 1990". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  29. ^ "UK Albums Archive- 10 March 1990". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  30. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Iron Maiden – Killers". Music Canada. 30 January 1991. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  31. ^ "French album certifications – Iron Maiden – Killers" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 1993. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  32. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Iron Maiden; 'Killers')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  33. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  34. ^ "British album certifications – Iron Maiden – Killers". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 April 2013. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Killers in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  35. ^ "American album certifications – Iron Maiden – Killers". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Killers_(Iron_Maiden_album)&oldid=703453703"