Anul 1982 aduce o modificare importanta in destinul trupei. In locul lui Paul DiAnno soseste Bruce Dickinson, unul dintre cei mai reprezentativi solisti de heavy metal ai tuturor timpurilor. Numele sau adevarat este Paul Dickinson, insa solistul a adoptat prenumele Bruce inca de tanar din motive necunoscute. S-a nascut pe 7 august 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Dupa mutarea in Sheffield, Bruce devine captivat de trupele de rock ale anilor ’70, ca de exemplu, Deep Purple. Prima tentativa muzicala a lui Bruce se petrece ca tobosar, dar se incheie rapid fara prea mult succes. Dupa acest episod, Bruce incepe sa cante alaturi de trupe locale, dintre care amintim trei nume: Styx, Speed si Shots. Niciuna dintre aceste trupe nu a depasit statutul de trupa locala, fapt ce se va petrece atunci cand Dickinson se va alatura trupei, Samson. Numele trupei provine de la chitaristul Paul Samson, specializat pe heavy metal, cu toate ca in acea perioada Marea Britanie era cuprinsa de febra punk. Viitorul solist Iron Maiden a adoptat in aceasta perioada a carierei numele de scena Bruce Bruce. Trupa a realizat o serie de materiale discografice, printre care se remarca “Head On”(1980) si “Shock Tactics”(1981), dar nu a reusit sa se bucure de o popularitate ca trupele din NWOBHM, precum: Def Leppard. Judas Priest sau Iron Maiden. Invocand “diferente de abordare muzicala”, Bruce paraseste trupa in vara anului 1981, la putin timp dupa ce Samson apare la festivalul Reading.
Tot in acelasi an Dickinson se alatura trupei Iron Maiden, realizand in anul 1982 un album de referinta in istoria heavy metalului anilor 80. Unii spun ca ar fi cel mai bun album metal din istorie, eu consider ca nu e bine sa mergem atat de departe in categorisire. Topul meu personal pentru acest disc este urmatorul:
1. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” (Harris) – 7:10
2. ” The Number of the Beast” (Harris) – 4:50
3. “Children of the Damned” (Harris) – 4:34
4. “The Prisoner” (Adrian Smith, Harris) – 6:02
5. “Run to the Hills” (Harris) – 3:52
Albumul a starnit multe controverse din partea Bisericii, datorita numelui, dar si a copertii in special in Statele Unite. Discul a ocupat prima pozitie in Anglia, iar single-lul “Run to the Hills” a ajuns pe locul 7, in timp ce piesa de titlu a albumului s-a clasat pe 18.
In continuare va las sa va bucurati de piesa de titlu a albumului.
Versuri:
Woe to You Oh Earth and Sea
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath
because he knows the time is short
Let him who hath understanding
reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number
its number is six hundred and sixty six.
I lived alone my mind was blank
I needed time to think to get the memories from my mind
What did I see? Could I believe? That what I saw
that night was real and not just fantasy
Just what I saw in my old dreams were they
reflections of my warped mind staring back at me?
‘Cause in my dreams it’s always there the evil face that twists my mind
and brings me to despair
Night was black was no use holding back
‘Cause I just had to see was someone watching me
In the mist dark figures move and twist
was all this for real or just some kind of hell
666 the Number of the Beast
Hell and fire was spawned to be released
Torches blazed and sacred chants were phrased
as they start to cry hands held to the sky
In the night the fires are burning bright
the ritual has begun Satan’s work is done
666 the Number of the Beast
Sacrifice is going on tonight
This can’t go on I must inform the law
Can this still be real or just some crazy dream?
but I feel drawn towards the chanting hordes
seem to mesmerise…can’t avoid their eyes
666 the Number of the Beast
666 the one for you and me
I’m coming back I will return
And I’ll possess your body and I’ll make you burn
I’ll have the fire I’ll have the force
I’ll have the power to make my evil take its course
Anul 1983 aduce albumul meu preferat, Piece of mind, un album pe care il cataloghez drept cel mai sensibil, cel mai vast din punct de vedere al temelor adoptate si cel mai potrivit pentru a fi ascultat intr-o dimineata ploioasa, cand te afli departe de aglomeratiile urbane.
Premergator acestei lansari,Clive Burr paraseste trupa datorita unor probleme personale, fiind inlocuit de Nicko McBrain, anterior la trupa franceza Trust.
Top 5 Piece of Mind:
1. “Revelations” (Bruce Dickinson) – 6:48
2. “The Trooper” (Harris) – 4:10
3. “To Tame a Land” (Harris) – 7:27
4. “Flight of Icarus” (Dickinson, Adrian Smith) – 3:51
5. Die With Your Boots On” (Dickinson, Smith, Harris) – 5:28
Acest album are cea mai mare inspiratie in literatura. Piesa “To Tame a Land“are inspiratia in romanul Dune al lui Frank Herbert, “Flight of Icarus” are radacini in mitologia greaca, iar “Where eagleas dare” are originea in romanul si filmul lui Alistair MacLean.
In continuare va las cu piesa “To tame a land”:
Versuri:
He is the king of all the land
In the Kingdom of the sands
Of a time tomorrow.
He rules the sandworms and the Fremen
In a land amongst the stars
Of an age tomorrow.
He is destined to be a King
He rules over everything
On the land called planet Dune.
Bodywater is your life
And without it you would die
On the desert the planet Dune.
Without a stillsuit you would fry
On the sands so hot and dry
In a world called Arrakis.
It is a land that’s rich in spice
The sandriders and the “mice”
That they call the “Muad’Dib”.
He is the Kwizatz Haderach.
He is born of Caladan
And will take the Gom Jabbar.
He has the power to foresee
Or to look into the past
He is the ruler of the stars
The time will come for him
to lay claim his crown,
And then the foe yes
they’ll be cut down,
You’ll see he’ll be the
best that there’s been,
Messiah supreme
true leader of men,
And when the time
for judgement’s at hand
Don’t fret he’s strong
and he’ll make a stand,
Against evil and fire
That spreads through the land,
He has the power
to make it all end.
Va urma….