Iron Maiden Head to The Forum for Two Nights of Head Banging Heavy Metal Magic

Matt Matasci

For those who love music of the darker, harder and faster persuasion, most of their favorite artists are of a direct lineage from Iron Maiden. The pioneering band from London is considered a driving force in the sub-genre that is now referred to as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Bands like Iron Maiden set themselves apart from their predecessors by incorporating the frenetic pacing and unadulterated intensity of punk rock into the existing metal template forged by early pioneers of the genre like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. The band is currently advancing through yet another tour, this time in support of their 16th studio album, “Book of Shadows.”

Incredibly, Iron Maiden has managed to remain continuously active over the span of four decades since their founding in 1975. The band survived original lead singer Paul Di’Anno’s heavy drug use and eventual dismissal and his replacement, Bruce Dickinson, leaving the band to pursue a solo career. Dickinson eventually returned to the band in 1999 after a six-year hiatus that saw the band employing Blaze Bayley as their primary vocalist. Centered on principle songwriter and bassist Steve Harris, the group peaked commercially in the early 80s with albums like “The Number of the Beast.” Over that span, the band has sold an astonishing 90 million records, made all the more impressive by the fact that they received very little support from radio or MTV.

“Book of Shadows” marks the first release from Iron Maiden since 2010. As their first double album, it is also the longest record in their discography. The album’s release and supporting tour were bumped in order to give Dickinson time to recover from the treatment of a cancerous tumor. Once again, Kevin Shirley teamed up with the band as the producer and the album has received praise from the music press.

Don’t miss your chance to catch metal legends Iron Maiden in the flesh when they perform for two nights at The Forum! While both nights are sold-out, some tickets for April 15 can be found here and some tickets for April 16 can be found here.