As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several lineup changes, the band went on to release a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's eponymous debut album, 1981's Killers, 1982's The Number of the Beast, 1983's Piece of Mind, 1984's Powerslave, 1985's live release Live After Death, 1986's Somewhere in Time, 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1990's No Prayer for the Dying and 1992's Fear of the Dark. In 1982, the band released The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson, who replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer – which was a turning point in their career, helping establish them as one of heavy metal's most important artists. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Released in 2006, A Matter of Life and Death, their 14th studio album, reached top sales in dozens of countries, initiating the series of Iron Maiden's highest-ranked albums. Their 2010 album, The Final Frontier, peaked at No. 1 in 28 countries and received widespread critical acclaim. Their 16th studio album, The Book of Souls, was released on 4 September 2015 to similar success, debuting at No. 1 in the album charts of 24 countries with physical sales and summary in 43 territories with physical and digital sales. Most recently, their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, was released on 3 September 2021 and eventually reached No. 1 in 27 countries.
Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite minimal radio and mainstream media support. The band's catalogue has sold over 200 million copies worldwide, including albums, singles, compilations and videos. By 2022, their releases have been certified Silver, Gold and Platinum around 600 times worldwide. Iron Maiden have become one of the most influential and revered rock bands of all time, and is credited with influencing countless bands and genres. Critics have stated that the band elevated heavy metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist. The band is also hailed as one of the greatest live acts of all time.
The band and its members have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy Awards and its equivalents in other countries. Other accolades the band has received include Brit Awards, Silver Clef Award, Nordoff-Robbins Award, Ivor Novello Awards, Juno Awards, Guinness Book of World Records, Public Choice International, Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, ECHO Awards, Top.HR Music Awards, Žebřík Music Awards, honorary doctorates, State Prizes, sales recognition, marketing achievements recognition awards, charity and sport awards among many others. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame. The band is also a part of permanent exhibitions of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, British Music Experience, Rock in Rio Wall of Fame and Wacken Open Air Hall of Fame. Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail UK with dedicated postal stamps and cards. The band as 'bona fide' rock legends belongs to an elitarian circle of British iconic bands honoured with an unique range of stamps, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen and Iron Maiden as the fifth one.
Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, society and religion. Many of their songs are based on history, classic literature and film. As of October 2019, the band have played some 2500 live shows, performing for tens of millions of fans. For over 40 years, the musicians have been supported by their famous mascot, "Eddie", who has appeared on almost all of their album and single covers, videos and merchandise. Originally designed by Derek Riggs, Eddie became the main attraction of Iron Maiden live shows, which feature theatrical elements like coloured backdrops, inflatables, pyrotechnics, elaborate lighting rigs, props and stage sets.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Maiden
Studio albums
Iron Maiden (1980)
Killers (1981)
The Number of the Beast (1982)
Piece of Mind (1983)
Powerslave (1984)
Somewhere in Time (1986)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
The X Factor (1995)
Virtual XI (1998)
Brave New World (2000)
Dance of Death (2003)
A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
The Final Frontier (2010)
The Book of Souls (2015)
Senjutsu (2021)
Look for the Truth
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drift like smoke in the breeze
The fear grips me as I fall towards my sleep
Here comes the nightmare that never ends
Here is the dream that makes monsters of men
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
In the house of my soul
In rooms of ugliness and cold
Memories locked away
All the doubts and fears I never faced
Now they come again
I am falling down to meet with them
Fears within us all
Mine awake and they stand up tall
Look for the truth
Deepest cut of all from you
Knife of the truth
Blade of hatred slicing through
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
I pray my sleep will break
Maybe this time I won't wake
Weakness I hide so well
This dagger in my mind will tell
It's my final stand
I make a fist out of each hand
To shadows of the past
Take a breath and I scream attack
Look for the truth
Deepest cut of all from you
Knife of the truth
Blade of hatred slicing through
Here is the truth
Deepest cut of all from you
Knife of the truth
Blade of hatred slicing through
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh, yeah
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh
The song "Look for the Truth" by Iron Maiden is a powerful exploration of the dark fears and doubts that haunt us all. The lyrics describe the singer's journey into his own psyche, where he confronts memories and emotions he has tried to suppress. The song builds tension as the singer falls deeper into his own nightmare, facing the monsters of his own making. The chorus delivers a powerful message to "look for the truth," even when it is painful or difficult to face. The singer sees the truth as a "knife of the truth" and a "blade of hatred slicing through," but ultimately recognizes that it is the only way to break through the weakness he hides so well.
The repetition of the chant-like "oh-oh-oh" throughout the song adds to the haunting quality of the lyrics, emphasizing the sense of falling deeper into the singer's psyche. The use of metaphors, such as "drift like smoke in the breeze" and "dagger in my mind," further heighten the sense of danger and unease. The song's climax, where the singer makes a final stand and screams "attack" at the shadows of his past, is a powerful moment of catharsis, as he faces his fears head-on.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the human psyche and the importance of confronting our own darkest fears and doubts. It encourages the listener to embrace the truth, even when it is painful, and to stand up to the shadows of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
All my dark dreams
Every one of my deepest fears and nightmares
Drift like smoke in the breeze
Fade away like a wisp of smoke, but still linger and haunt me
The fear grips me as I fall towards my sleep
Intense terror takes hold of me as I try to fall asleep
Here comes the nightmare that never ends
The recurring dreams that always bring terror, as they seem to never stop
Here is the dream that makes monsters of men
The dream that reveals the darkness within everyone
In the house of my soul
Within the depths of my psyche
In rooms of ugliness and cold
In places filled with despair and misery
Memories locked away
The painful experiences I've tried to forget
All the doubts and fears I never faced
The insecurities and phobias that I've never confronted
Now they come again
These fears return to haunt me
I am falling down to meet with them
I'm succumbing to the terror and letting it consume me
Fears within us all
We all have hidden fears that affect our lives
Mine awake and they stand up tall
My fears awaken and become overwhelming
Look for the truth
Search for the reality of the situation
Deepest cut of all from you
The most severe pain I've ever experienced
Knife of the truth
The harsh reality that brings pain
Blade of hatred slicing through
The anger and resentment that arise from discovering the truth
I pray my sleep will break
Hoping that something will wake me up from these terrifying dreams
Maybe this time I won't wake
Perhaps I die in my sleep, so I won't have to face more nightmares
Weakness I hide so well
I conceal my vulnerabilities from others and myself
This dagger in my mind will tell
The pain and fear that exist within me will continue to surface
It's my final stand
I'm making a final effort to confront my fears
I make a fist out of each hand
I'm preparing to fight for my own sanity
To shadows of the past
Against the memories that have haunted me
Take a breath and I scream attack
I gather my strength and charge into battle
Here is the truth
The harsh reality I've uncovered
Deepest cut of all from you
The most severe pain I've ever experienced from this reality
Knife of the truth
The object that reveals the truth of the situation
Blade of hatred slicing through
The anger and resentment that arise from discovering the truth
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bayley Cooke, Janick Gers, Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it