The Iron Maidens
Route 666

"When God said: Go forth and multiply! evidently, he hadn't looked around carefully..." (Tiziano Sclavi speaking through Groucho Marx, Dylan Dog)

"It's not horror movies that create Serial Killers, they just make the ones that are already there more creative." (Kevin Williamson speaking through Billy Loomis, Scream)

"Blend the two quotes above into one and you'll discover the meaning of this review." (Mo. speaking through CaptainHowdy, DeBaser)

Formed in 2001 in Southern California, the "Iron Maidens" are among all the cover bands dedicated to the world's most followed metal group, the most unique, if not the most successful one.

The peculiarity lies in the fact that the members of the project are actually female members, and no, it's not a joke, they do seriously exist.

Nominated to win, from now until Harris & co. disband (which is never, get over it), the award for "most exuberant female musical expression" (the all-categories one is out of reach, it's been owned by Manowar since '87), our band consists of 5 sweet (well...) damsels full of grit and with the right boldness needed to play a genre unfortunately always (except for some limited cases... and don't bring up Doro now...) the prerogative of the (physically) strong sex (but more limited cerebrally).

Even their stage names are an anthem to femininity and the rightful demand for space in a crude and male-dominated world:

Aja "Bruce Chickinson" Kim: vocals

Linda "Nikki McBURRain" McDonald: drums

Heather "Adrienne Smith" Baker: guitar

Sara "MiniMurray" Marsh: guitar

Wanda "Steph Harris" Ortiz: bass

After six years spent playing in various holes on the West Coast and appearances in some Tribute Albums, halfway through 2007, a Studio EP was released (note the sober and elegant cover above), consisting of 5 Iron Maiden classics played by them, the "Iron(?) Maidens":

1. Die With Your Boots On
2. Fear Of The Dark
3. The Prisoner
4. Revelations
5. The Trooper (with Phil Cambell from Motorhead)

I assure you that the result is credible and the five ladies give it their all, it's a pleasure, great interpretation of "The Prisoner" but it's possibly with "Revelations" that they reach their peak, and all this despite the obvious diversity in the vocal lines, less successful though is "Fear of The Dark" where there's not enough pathos and the lack of a certain choral feeling is noticeable.

A well-done work nonetheless recommended to fans but also to detractors because you never know what might happen upon listening: "there will surely be something that hits you, something that wasn't there, something unexpected.... a revelation might hit you... maybe that you're gay." (Fuckforever in this Review)

Aloha People of DeBaser and may the Metal be with you!

Mo. (increasingly commercial until the final victory!)