Top 10 for 1981

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Midnight Oil
Place Without A Postcard

Rock | Album | 1 November 1981

Bob Dylan
Shot Of Love

Classic Rock | Album | 12 August 1981

Motley Crue
Too Fast For Love

Hard Rock | Album | 10 November 1981

The Angels
Night Attack

Hard Rock | Album | 30 November 1981

AC/DC
For Those About To Rock

Hard Rock | Album | 23 November 1981

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Samson
Shock Tactics

Heavy Metal | Album | 15 May 1981

Tygers Of Pan Tang
Spellbound

Heavy Metal | Album | 10 April 1981

Anvil
Hard 'n' Heavy

Heavy Metal | Album | 25 May 1981

Judas Priest
Point Of Entry

Heavy Metal | Album | 26 February 1981

Saxon
Denim And Leather

Heavy Metal | Album | 25 September 1981

Black Sabbath
Mob Rules

Heavy Metal | Album | 4 November 1981

Venom
Welcome To Hell

Black Metal | Album | ?? December 1981

Ozzy Osbourne
Diary Of A Madman

Heavy Metal | Album | 7 November 1981

Iron Maiden
Killers

Heavy Metal | Album | 20 February 1981

'The Ides Of March' announces out the gate that Iron Maiden is no longer just a pub band, but a major contender in the race. As brilliant as the first album had been, the production was somewhat primitive (and founder Steve Harris to this day still complains about it). As luck would have it, the band landed Martin Birch to produce the second album - and with a history of band credits behind him such as Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, Fleetwood Mac, and Black Sabbath, he had nothing to prove in credentials. It was a match made in Heaven, so much so Birch would work pretty much exclusively with Maiden from here on for the next decade. In fact, the production is what carries a lot of the album, as it is lacking in consistency in places. There are obvious stand-outs (many still fan favourites today) like 'Wrathchild' and the masterpiece that is the title track, but other tracks like 'Another Life' and 'Prodigal Son' feel like they are lacking in some of this punch that a great sophomore album requires. At least half the album was made up of older songs the band had played for many years on the pub circuit when they were still finding their identity, with only a few newer compositions. The instrumental 'Genghis Khan' feels like an attempt to match the grandeur of the debut album's 'Phantom Of The Opera', but it falls flat without a lyrical narrative to carry it. It isn't all bad though, as barnstormers like 'Purgatory' and somewhat grand 'Drifter' wrap the album nicely in a bow. All in all, it is a great addition to the Maiden catalogue (and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno), but over the years it would usually not be remembered as one of their best albums, especially considering the quality that many of their future 1980s albums would exhibit.