Iron Maiden

It’s been a hot minute since Iron Maiden struck fear in the hearts of Parents Music Resource Center-types, but the band continues forging ahead as undying soldiers of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Derided as mindless bombast in its time, the apocalyptic surge of unimpeachable head-bangers like “Run To The Hills” and “2 Minutes To Midnight” endures years after it was drained of its last drop of shock value—a testament to the simple power of a killer riff and Bruce Dickinson’s silver-throated banshee scream. The band’s latest album, The Final Frontier, shares much musical DNA with those stadium-rocking anthems. On its latest big-deal North American tour, Maiden dusts off chestnuts from the Seventh Son From A Seventh Son era. So get ready to play with madness.

Updated 07/25/2012