IRON MAIDEN - Killers 12" Vinyl LP Album

- German Releasw with Artwork on Record Label

This release of "Killers" by "IRON MAIDEN" does have "Eddy" label art, see photos further below ( other releases of "Killers" have a plain yellow EMI record label ). This web-page has hi-res photos of the album covers, record label and a detailed description.

 

Front Cover Photo Of IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )

 

Killers: A Teutonic Testament to Iron Maiden's Ascendance
Album Description:

In the blood-soaked battlegrounds of 1981, Iron Maiden, forged in the fires of London's East End, unleashed their sophomore onslaught, "Killers." This German release, a vinyl chronicle of their relentless conquest, stands as a monument to their burgeoning power.

Historical Context: As the New Wave of British Heavy Metal surged, Iron Maiden, with Paul Di'Anno at the helm, sharpened their blades. "Killers," a sonic war cry, captured their hunger for dominance.

Musical Exploration: This album is a relentless assault of galloping rhythms, soaring melodies, and Di'Anno's raw, snarling vocals. The dual guitars of Adrian Smith and Dave Murray weave intricate tapestries of sound, while Steve Harris's bass lines thunder like cannon fire.

Genre: "Killers" is the quintessential embodiment of heavy metal, a genre defined by its rebellious spirit and raw energy. The album's themes of violence, death, and warfare are echoed in its pummeling riffs and fierce vocals.

Controversies: The album's cover art, depicting Eddie the Head brandishing a bloody knife, drew criticism for its graphic nature. Yet, this controversy only fueled the band's notoriety and cemented their status as metal outlaws.

Production Team: Martin Birch, a seasoned veteran of metal production, helmed the recording sessions. His expertise captured the raw intensity of the band's live performances, while Nigel Hewitt's engineering skills ensured the vinyl's sonic fidelity.

Recording Studio: The album was forged in the crucible of Battery Studios, London, a legendary space that had witnessed the birth of countless metal classics.

Description & Collectors Information:

This issue does have "Eddy" label art, see photos further below (other issues of "Killers" have a plain yellow EMI record label)

Music Genre:

NWOBHM New Wave of British Heavy Metal 

Album Production information:

The album: "IRON MAIDEN - Killers Netherlands" was produced by: Martin Birch

  • Martin Birch – Producer, Sound Engineer

    Treat Martin Birch like the invisible band member: you don’t see him on the sleeve, but you sure hear him in the punch, the bite, and that “turn it up” clarity. His run is legendary—starting as an engineer in the late 1960s, sharpening the sound with Deep Purple in the early 1970s, helping Rainbow hit that dramatic hard-rock stride in the mid-to-late 1970s, powering the Dio-era Black Sabbath in 1980–1981, then basically going exclusive with Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1992 before he bowed out.

    Martin Birch, to my ears, is the guy who made heavy records feel both massive and surgical—tight low end, bright attack, and a midrange that cuts like fresh steel without turning into ear-pain. He built long relationships instead of quick drive-bys: Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and then that famous Iron Maiden stretch from "Killers" (1981) through "Fear of the Dark" (1992), after which he retired. That’s not just a resume, that’s a whole era with his fingerprints on it.

    Martin Birch Wiki

    • Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Martin Birch, Nigel Hewitt

    Nigel Hewitt a British Sound Engineer who has (during the 1980s) engineered vinyl albums for heavy metal bands like: Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Dio, Mammoth and others.

    This album was recorded at: Battery Studios, London.

    Battery Studios London has been a key recording centre since the 1970s, known for its high-end equipment and sessions spanning rock, pop, and metal. Countless artists shaped their sound here, leaving a production legacy that still influences modern studio work. Read more.

    Album cover design: Derek Riggs

  • Derek Riggs – Illustrator, Cover Artist Derek Riggs is the artist who gave Iron Maiden its visual soul by creating Eddie, one of the most recognizable mascots in heavy metal history. Since the band’s 1980 debut, his artwork fused sci-fi, horror, and dark fantasy into covers that were as confrontational and imaginative as the music itself. Riggs’ paintings didn’t just decorate records, they built a world that became inseparable from Maiden’s identity.
    Derek Riggs Wiki

    • Album cover photography: Robert Ellis

    Robert Ellis is a renowned music photographer celebrated for capturing iconic live performances and behind-the-scenes moments of legendary rock and metal bands. His compelling visual storytelling has appeared in countless magazines and album sleeves. Discover more through this dedicated profile.

    Record Label & Catalognr:

    EMI 1C 064-07 450 

    Media Format:

    12" Vinyl LP  Gramophone Record
    Album weight: 230 gram 

    Year & Country:

    1981 Made in Germany 
    Band Members and Musicians on: IRON MAIDEN Killers Label Art
      Band-members, Musicians and Performers
    • Clive Burr - Drums
    • Clive Burr – Drums

      The early Maiden groove machine: big feel, sharp fills, and that “Beast-era” punch that still rattles the walls.

      Clive Burr (8 March 1957 – 12 March 2013) is one of those drummers who didn’t just keep time—he gave a band its early backbone. I mainly hear him as Iron Maiden’s rocket fuel from 1979–1982, laying down that urgent, swinging drive on their first run of classic records and helping make the whole NWOBHM thing feel dangerous instead of polite. Before that, he did the London grind with Samson (1977–1978). After Maiden, the timeline gets gloriously nomadic: Trust (1983–1984), a blink-and-you-miss-it week with Alcatrazz (1983), his own Clive Burr’s Escape (1983–1984) evolving into Stratus (1984–1985), the supergroup cameo in Gogmagog (1985), Desperado (1988–1990), and later work with Praying Mantis (1995–1996). His later years were brutally shaped by multiple sclerosis, but the playing legacy stays loud, human, and unmistakably his own—Clive Burr Wiki

    • Dave Murray - Guitars
    • Dave Murray – Guitar

      Maiden’s calm killer: smooth leads, twin-guitar harmony for days, and that melodic bite that makes the “gallop” feel cinematic instead of chaotic.

      Dave Murray (born 23 December 1956, Edmonton, Middlesex, England) is one of the defining lead guitar voices of heavy metal, and in my book he’s the melodic “second spine” of Iron Maiden. His timeline with the band starts early: joining in 1976, getting briefly pushed out in 1977, then returning in 1978 and staying locked in ever since—making him one of the longest-serving members in the whole Maiden saga. During that 1977 gap he spent around six months with Urchin (Adrian Smith’s band), which is a fun little historical glitch in the matrix if you like your Maiden lore messy and human. Beyond the main band, his most notable “outside the mothership” credit is the all-star charity metal project Hear ’n Aid (1985), because apparently even guitar lifers sometimes leave the bunker to do side quests. Dave Murray Wiki

    • Paul Di'Anno - Lead Vocals
    • Paul Di'Anno – Vocals

      The OG Iron Maiden throat: street-level grit, punk heat, and zero “polite” in the delivery.

      Paul Di'Anno, (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024) locked himself into metal history by fronting Iron Maiden from 1978–1981, putting that snarling, rough-cut voice on the band’s early landmark releases. After Maiden, the timeline turns into a proper tour-bus saga: Di’Anno (1983–1985, then revived in the 1998–2001 era), the short, star-stacked Gogmagog detour (1985), Battlezone (1985–1989, back again 1997–1998), a notable studio cameo with Praying Mantis around 1990, and Killers (1990–1997, returning 2001–2003, plus a 2013 regroup). Later chapters include the Brazil-based Rockfellas run (2008–2010) and Architects of Chaoz (2014–2016). The common thread never really changed: that unmistakable, no-varnish vocal attitude that made early NWOBHM feel dangerous in the first place.

      Paul Di'Anno Wiki
    • Steve Harris
    • Steve Harris – Bass Guitar, Songwriter

      Iron Maiden’s engine room: galloping bass lines, history-nerd lyrics, and “captain of the ship” energy baked into every riff.

      Steve Harris (born 12 March 1956, Leytonstone, England) is the rare bassist who doesn’t just hold the floor—he draws the whole blueprint. In my book, he’s the founder and primary songwriter who’s kept Iron Maiden on its rails from 1975–present, with that instantly recognizable “gallop” driving huge chunks of the catalogue. The pre-Maiden grind matters too: first band days in Influence/Gypsy’s Kiss (1973–1974, including a documented gig run in 1974), then the older, blues-leaning Smiler period (1974–1975) where his more ambitious writing basically forced the next step: forming Maiden. Outside the mothership, he’s fronted his own hard-rock outlet British Lion (2012–present), a project that grew out of connections going back to the early 1990s and finally hit the world as his solo debut in 2012.

      Steve Harris Wiki
    • Adrian Smith
    • Adrian Smith – Guitarist, Songwriter Adrian Smith is one of those players I always associate with Iron Maiden’s classic sound and its later revival. Joining in 1980, leaving in 1990, and returning in 1999, his melodic solos and sharp songwriting helped define albums from The Number of the Beast to Brave New World and beyond.
      Adrian Smith Wikipedia
    Complete Track Listing of: IRON MAIDEN Killers Label Art
      Tracks:
    1. The Ides of March
    2. Wrathchild
    3. Murders in the Rue Morgue
    4. Another Life
    5. Genghis Khan
    6. Innocent Exile
    7. Killers
    8. Prodigal Son
    9. Purgatory
    10. Drifter

    IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany ) High Resolution & Quality Photos

    Front Cover Photo Of IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )
    Front Cover Photo Of IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )

     

    Note: The images on this page are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash. Images can be zoomed in/out ( eg pinch with your fingers on a tablet or smartphone )

    Photo Of The Back Cover IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )
    Photo of album back cover IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )

     

    Close up of Side One IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany ) record's label
    Close up of Side One IRON MAIDEN - Killers ( Germany )

    Record Label Details: LC 0542, GEMA, 1 C 064-07 450 ℗ 1981 EMI Records Ltd. RIM-text printed in German Language "MADE IN GERMANY"

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