Personnel: Blaze Bayley, Paul Di'Anno, Bruce Dickinson (vocals); Dave Murray , Dennis Stratton, Janick Gers, Adrian Smith (guitar); Clive Burr, Nicko McBrain (drums).

Audio Mixer: Kevin Shirley.

Liner Note Author: Lonn Friend.

Recording information: Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany (1980-1988).

Photographer: Simon Fowler.

A prototypical heavy-metal band if ever there was one, Iron Maiden has all of the hallmarks of the genre and then some. Creepy mascot for every album cover? Check. Undeniably intense live shows featuring said larger-than-life mascot? Check. Three fret-shredding guitarists playing at once? Check.

The two-disc ESSENTIAL IRON MAIDEN takes listeners backwards (for the most part) down the shadowy path of the iconic British group's career, beginning with tracks from 2003's DANCE OF DEATH and 2000's BRAVE NEW WORLD, the album that reunited Maiden with its most beloved frontman, the mercurial Bruce Dickinson (after two records with replacement Blaze Bayley). By the end of the first disc, the compilation hits the classic mid-to-late-1980s lineup with "The Clairvoyant," one of the group's signature mini-epics. The second disc ventures further into vintage Maiden (including the majestic "Wasted Years" and the soaring "Aces High"), ending with the band's early era (with vocalist Paul Di'Anno) and a pair of potent live tracks. Although EDWARD THE GREAT is the best concise summary of the Dickinson years, this ESSENTIAL collection is ideal for those looking for a more complete Maiden overview.