Iron Maiden "Killers"

Killers is the second studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 2 February 1981 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and on 6 June 1981 by Harvest Records and Capitol Records in the United States. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith, and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was fired after problems with his stage performance arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use. Killers was also the first Iron Maiden album recorded with the assistance of producer Martin Birch, who went on to produce their next eight albums up until Fear of the Dark (1992).

Killers is the only Iron Maiden album to feature two instrumentals, and was written almost exclusively by Steve Harris, only two tracks, "Twilight Zone" and the title track are co-authored. The opening track, "The Ides of March" is the band's shortest song to date.

Each song, with the exception of "Murders in the Rue Morgue" (based on the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe) and "Prodigal Son", had been written in the years prior to the recording of their debut album, though none were recorded professionally until the Killers sessions with the exception of "Wrathchild" (an early version recorded in 1979 was featured on the Metal for Muthas compilation). 

"The Ides of March" is near identical to "Thunderburst", by fellow British NWOBHM band Samson, who featured a pre-Maiden Bruce Dickinson on vocals. However, "The Ides of March" was written during the brief time in 1977 in which future Samson drummer Thunderstick was a member of Iron Maiden. While Harris took sole credit for "The Ides of March", "Thunderburst" is credited to Harris and all four members of Samson's Head On line-up, Bruce Bruce, aka Bruce Dickinson, Chris Aylmer, Paul Samson, and Thunderstick, aka Barry Purkis.

Killers spent eight weeks on the UK chart. The North American edition, which came out a few months later, was initially released on Harvest Records/Capitol Records and subsequently on Sanctuary Records/Columbia Records. The song "Twilight Zone" was added to the album. 

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. The song "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. The song "Wrathchild" is the only regularly played track from the album, appearing in almost all their concert tours. 

Track listing

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

Original release 

Side one 

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 

1. "Killers" Paul Di'Anno, Harris 4:58
2. "Prodigal Son" 6:05
3. "Purgatory" 3:18
4. "Drifter" 4:47

1981 North American version

Side one

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 

1. "Killers" Di'Anno, Harris 4:58
2. "Twilight Zone" Dave Murray, Harris 2:33
3. "Prodigal Son" 6:05
4. "Purgatory" 3:18
5. "Drifter" 4:47

Total length: 40:51 

1998 Remastered release

Track listing

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'Anno 5:01
8. "Prodigal Son" 6:12
9. "Purgatory" 3:20
10. "Twilight Zone" Murray, Harris 2:33
11. "Drifter" 4:49

Total length: 41:21 

1995 reissue bonus disc

Track listing

1. "Twilight Zone" Murray, Harris 2:33
2. "Women in Uniform" (originally by Skyhooks) Greg Macainsh 3:07
3. "Invasion" 2:38
4. "Phantom of the Opera" (Live) 6:55

1995 US Reissue bonus disc

Track listing 

1. "Women in Uniform" (originally by Skyhooks) Greg Macainsh 3:07
2. "Invasion" 2:38
3. "Phantom of the Opera" (Live) 6:55
4. "Running Free" (Live) Harris, Di'Anno 3:07
5. "Remember Tomorrow" (Live) Harris, Di'Anno 5:44
6. "Wrathchild" (Live) 2:52
7. "Killers" (Live) Harris, Di'Anno 4:50
8. "Innocent Exile" (Live) 3:46

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. The US Castle Records 1995 bonus disc contains several live tracks which originally appeared on the 1981 EP Maiden Japan.

The song "Wrathchild" was covered in 2003 by the English metal band Sikth and featured as a B-side on their single "Scent of the Obscene". The song was also covered in 2005 by female tribute band The Iron Maidens on their 2007 album Route 666, by Gallows on the 2008 tribute CD Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden released by Kerrang! magazine, and by Six Feet Under on the reissue of their 1999 album Maximum Violence. "Wrathchild" was featured in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.

Recording information:

Recorded at Battery Studios, London.

Martin "Headmaster" Birch – producer, engineer

Nigel Hewitt – second engineer

Derek Riggs – cover illustration

Dave Lights – cover concept

Robert Ellis – photography

Rod Smallwood – band manager, photography (1998 edition)

Dennis Stratton – guitar on "Women in Uniform", "Invasion", and "Phantom of the Opera" (1995 edition)

Tony Platt - producer of "Women in Uniform" (1995 edition)

Simon Heyworth – remastering (1998 edition)

Ross Halfin – photography (1998 edition)

P.G. Brunelli – photography (1998 edition)

Simon Fowler – photography (1998 edition)

Denis O'Regan – photography (1998 edition)

George Chin – photography (1998 edition)