Amazon.com This opening sonic salvo from Steve Harris's East End stalwarts pretty much defined the late-1970s post-punk rebirth of rock traditionalism known as the new wave of British heavy metal. Featuring the strident cockney roar of original lead vocalist Paul Di'Anno, Iron Maiden capitalized on the band's enormous grassroots following by storming immediately into the upper reaches of the album charts. A perfect balance of the irresistibly catchy ("Running Free"), the intricately epic ("Phantom of the Opera"), and the roguishly profane ("Charlotte the Harlot"), it's an assured debut, albeit one that's superficially marred by somewhat pedestrian production. Still, Iron Maiden--specifically the blazing, fretboard ferocity of its closing title track--is an utterly essential element of any self-respecting metal-head's collection. Furious, whiplash headbanging is not so much recommended as completely unavoidable. --Ian Fortnam