Description
Iron Maiden – Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son – Compact Disc
Digipak and remastered
Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the band’s seventh studio album, released on 11 April 1988 (UK: EMI; US: Capitol). It was recorded in February–March 1988 at Musicland Studios in Munich and produced by Martin Birch, continuing the production team that handled much of Maiden’s 1980s run. The album runs 8 tracks / 43:51 and is often described as Maiden’s most explicitly progressive 1980s studio record, notably incorporating keyboards/synth textures more prominently than before.
The album is structured as a concept album, built around the idea of a protagonist with prophetic/clairvoyant abilities (inspired by the “seventh son of a seventh son” folklore concept). While not every lyric is strictly linear “plot,” the track sequence is designed to feel continuous, with recurring themes and an opening/closing framing device. Musically, it balances classic Maiden elements—galloping bass, harmonized guitars, big choruses—with longer-form arrangements and tempo/section changes, especially on the title track “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” (nearly ten minutes).
The lineup is the classic late-’80s configuration: Bruce Dickinson (vocals), Steve Harris (bass), Dave Murray and Adrian Smith (guitars), and Nicko McBrain (drums). Songwriting credits are spread across the band, with Harris central but major contributions from Smith and Dickinson as well. The opening “Moonchild” sets a dramatic tone (it became a common concert opener for the era), “Infinite Dreams” pushes the band’s melodic/prog side, and the mid-album run—“Can I Play with Madness,” “The Evil That Men Do,” and the title track—forms the record’s commercial and thematic core.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was a major success and a key “peak-era” release. It debuted at No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart and reached No. 12 on the US Billboard 200. The lead single “Can I Play with Madness” was released 14 March 1988 and peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart; “The Evil That Men Do” reached No. 5, and a live version of “The Clairvoyant” reached No. 6 in the UK.
On CD, it’s a concise, front-to-back listen that’s intentionally sequenced—only eight tracks, but with varied pacing: shorter “single-shaped” songs placed alongside longer, multi-part pieces. The full standard tracklist is: Moonchild; Infinite Dreams; Can I Play with Madness; The Evil That Men Do; Seventh Son of a Seventh Son; The Prophecy; The Clairvoyant; Only the Good Die Young.
Brand new, never played and in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Moonchild
Infinite Dreams
Can I Play With Madness
The Evil That Men Do
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
The Prophecy
The Clairvoyant
Only The Good Die Young
