Maiden Japan
{{About|the Iron Maiden EP|the Monday Michiru album|Maiden Japan (album)|the anime licensing company|Section23 Films}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Maiden Japan
| type = EP
| artist = Iron Maiden
| cover = Iron Maiden - Maiden Japan.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{start date|1981|09|14|df=yes}}
| recorded = 23 May 1981
| venue = Aichi Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan, Nagoya, Japan
| studio =
| genre = Heavy metal
| length = 16:38
| label = EMI
| producer =
- Iron Maiden
- Doug Hall
| chronology = Iron Maiden EPs
| prev_title = Live!! +one
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = No More Lies
| next_year = 2004
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = ep
| cover = MaidenJapan-alt.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| caption = Brazilian and Venezuelan alternate cover
}}
}}
{{Album reviews
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r9910|last=Book|first=John|accessdate=23 March 2013|title=Iron Maiden – Maiden Japan}}
| rev2 =Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal
| rev2Score = 6/10{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | author-link1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing | date = 1 November 2005 | location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada | page=170|isbn = 978-1-894959-31-5}}
}}
Maiden Japan, released as Heavy Metal Army in Japan, is a live EP by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The title is a pun of Deep Purple's live album Made in Japan.
Release
There are at least two different versions of this EP; all tracks were recorded at the Aichi Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan on 23 May 1981. It was lead singer Paul Di'Anno's final recording with the band. The original Japanese pressing features only 4 tracks and the record speed is 45RPM, but the other version has 5 tracks. It was never the band's intention to release this album, but Toshiba-EMI wanted a live album.
The EP has been officially reissued on CD twice — the four-track version was included as part of the singles box set The First Ten Years, released in 1990, while the five-track version was included on the bonus disc that came with the 1995 reissue of Killers in the US (the European release did not include the Maiden Japan tracks).
Cover art
The original cover depicted the band's mascot, Eddie, holding the severed head of singer Paul Di'Anno.{{cite book | last = Popoff | first = Martin | author-link = Martin Popoff | title = Run For Cover: The Art Of Derek Riggs | publisher = Aardvark Publishing |year=2006| page = 40 | url = http://www.derekriggs.com/| isbn = 1-4276-0538-6}} The replacement cover was done on very short notice after Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood, received a proof for review, and became agitated at Di'Anno's depiction because the band was looking to replace him. Maiden Japan was released in Brazil (in 1981 & a 1985 re-issue) & Venezuela (in 1987) with the original cover and have become collector's items.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
Accolades
The Rolling Stone Italia named Maiden Japan EP as "The most important and the best metal's live EPs ever".{{cite web | url=https://www.rollingstone.it/musica/i-10-migliori-ep-metal-di-sempre/532514/#uno|title = The best and most important metal's live Eps ever | publisher = rollingstone.it | date = 15 November 2020 | language=it }} Ultimate Classic Rock placed Maiden Japan on Top 40 Best 1981 Albums List.{{cite web | url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/1981-rock-albums/|title = 1981 Rock Albums | publisher = ultimateclassicrock.com | date = 15 November 2020 }} Maiden Japan EP went platinum in Canada and made it to the charts in many other countries around the world.
Track listing
= European and Japanese edition =
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| all_writing = Steve Harris and Paul Di'Anno, except where noted
| title1 = Running Free
| length1 = 2:48
| title2 = Remember Tomorrow
| length2 = 5:27
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title3 = Killers
| length3 = 4:39
| title4 = Innocent Exile
| writer4 = Harris
| length4 = 3:44
| total_length = 16:38
}}
= International edition =
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Running Free
| length1 = 2:48
| title2 = Remember Tomorrow
| length2 = 5:27
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title3 = Wrathchild
| writer3 = Harris
| length3 = 2:52
| title4 = Killers
| length4 = 4:39
| title5 = Innocent Exile
| writer5 = Harris
| length5 = 3:44
| total_length = 19:30
}}
Personnel
- Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Adrian Smith – guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Harris – bass, backing vocals
- Clive Burr – drums
= Production =
- Doug Hall – producer, engineer
- Hiro Ohno – photography
- Rod Smallwood – management, photography
Chart performance
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=Canada |artist=Iron Maiden|title=Maiden Japan|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=1981}}
{{Certification Table Bottom |nosales=yes }}
=Notes=
References
{{Reflist}}
{{IronMaiden}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maiden Japan}}