Celebrating 30 YEARS of Fear Of The Dark! 

Childhoods End and Judas Be My Guide are sooooo good. Wish there would be live versions of them.

Childhoods end - most underated song!!!

I live in Brazil and unfortunately the singles weren't released before the albums, but here in Rio de Janeiro there was a local radio called Fluminense FM and a few days before FEAR OF THE DARK was officially released, the radio station made a special program just playing some IRON MAIDEN classics and at the end, they were played in sequence: BE QUICK OR BE DEAD, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS. I still remember the feeling I had: the big blow with the aggressiveness of BE QUICK OR BE DEAD, the rocking and roller feeling kinda NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and the understanding that Steve was increasingly diving into their own Progressive Rock influences on AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS... I was also at Rock In Rio 1985, but at the time I was only 13 years old and the FEAR OF THE DARK tour was the first one they returned to Brazil, after the WORLD SLAVERY TOUR and it also happened to be their first show that I managed to watch already knowing the entire discography of the band...

AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS! Maiden's most beautiful riff

Weekend Warrior, a wonderful rocker, full of melodies and Bruce shows his "I can sing in any style" skills. The whole album is a masterpiecee and Apparition a heaven for Bass guitarists...

was 7 when this album came out, didn't know much about music but at that time i listened it somewhere and some parts got into my brain, when i was 14 and was in computer class and we were only 5 guys at the moment, teacher said "hey, do you mind if i put some music?"... and boom! be quick or be dead blew my mind, after listening to the whole album i tought "hey, i remember some of this music from time ago", so i asked for the name of the album and next day bought it... that's the moment i fell in love with maiden... so this album has a special place in my heart... and though some people criticize it and i admit it has some flaws, to me it's almost perfect and always will be...

Many underrated songs on this album. Judas my guide is probably my favorite (after ATSS ofc)

I remember going into the city to buy the record in dublin ireland on a fri but was not released till the monday,the record shop owner knew us so gave us the record on the friday..and Told us not to tell anyone we felt so privileged to get the album first 😁😁😁

Your bringing back so many memories regarding this album I purchased it on the day it was released which was 2 days before my 13th birthday so this album means so much to me👍👍

My first Maiden album. Thank you!

Thank you very much for such a great video, FOTD is an awesome album with very different songs to the Maiden sound. I have the best memories of this album, it was the tour that brought them for the first and only time to my country, and it was incredible because it was two days after my birthday. Unfortunately I have no pictures of that show, I was about to take a camera but being an important show I thought that security could take it away so I didn't take it, I still regret it. Thanks again! 🤘😉🤘

I love these "deep-dive" album videos! I remember I was like 9 years old 1994 when I got this album. I thought the band looked so damn cool and wild when I opened the album and saw all 5 of them in leather jackets (Dave in Jeans-Jacket) with long hair and jeans. My mother was not a fan when the first thing she saw was "Judas Be My Guide" but me and especially my father was really in to it, especially when we heard the melody from Afraid To Shoot Strangers for the first time and of course Fear Of The Dark 🥰

Your comments at the beginning of the video related to how music and specific albums can really bring back the memories really resonate with me. I think about that too for sure! This is another one of those Nico and Sara - Licks of the Beast creations that I will return to several times in the future! Also, like I did with No Prayer, I will listen to this with fresh ears.

...and now I have to listen the entire fear of the dark album now, thanks

Es de mis discos favoritos, me trae grandes recuerdos de mi juventud, excelente análisis Nico

I took me time to figure it out because the band put out many albums but now I can say that Fear of The Dark is my favourite Iron Maiden album. It's so haunting, beautiful and so well crafted. Perhaps not their best album but definitely my favourite one.

I was 8 yo and it's one of the first albums of which I could've sing every single riff and solos from beginning to end. "Be Quick Or Be Dead", "Afraid To Shoot Strangers" and "Fear Of The Dark" are obviously the three masterpieces of the record but the songs that I still listen the most are the amazing and underrated "Fear Is The Key" and the brilliant melodic "Judas Be My Guide". "Childhood's End" is another great track.

Thank you for shareing your love for Iron Maiden with your videos! In my personal oppinion it's a very underrated album, filled with excellent songs and a stellar production. I just love everything about this album. For me, it spreads a special vibe which fits so perfectly to the era it comes from. Hard to describe, but it has (like every Maiden release) a very special place in my heart and soul. For example the often overlooked "The Fugitive".... that vibe when Bruce sings the first lines of lyrics....always gives me the chills. Up the Irons!

Wasting Love clean section must’ve been influenced by the Tattooed Millionaire era - especially Son of a Gun. Great stuff man. Janick’s Weekend Warrior solo is still his hardest solo for me. It’s a beast.🐗✊🏻

I have ALWAYS said, if this album was an 8 song album like their 80s albums, it woud have been a masterpiece and praised alongside the 80s classics. But at 12 songs, there's just 4-5 lackluster songs that just dont cut it, mostly coming from the second half of the album. The first half of the album is very strong. It just falls off after the 6th song until the closing title track. Just my unbiased observation/opinion.....

These retrospective videos Nico are awesome everytime you do one I'm drawn back into that album and reminded why Maiden are so great. In 92 when this came out I loved it and still do. Some of the tracks are really different. Like Nico says more polished that No prayer. Had the album on tape too! Weekend Warrior, be quick or be dead, fugitive, wasting love, and the epic title track.

I find myself liking this album more as time goes on. Shame they never played Judas Be My Guide live. Love that song.

My best friend surprised me by making me listen to Be Quick or Be Dead. It wasn't until he recognized Bruce's voice to understand that it was a new Iron Maiden album. It's a fresh and different album that I really liked.

When the album was released, the local record store put the album poster in the shop window. As a 10 yeqr old it was so scary and fascinating at same time, it was my (visual) introduction to Maiden!

You pinpoint a lot of things that I like too. the major key intro riff in Afraid to Shoot Stranger is awesome ! The intro on The Fugitive is excellent. I think they explored a lot and by watching some old interviews, it s clear that Janick had a lot of input in this album. I was very surprised when I checked the guitar tabs of this album for the first time, as you say, it s very diversified and out of the "regular Maiden frame ". Great video !!

Thank you for sharing all of those memories surrounding this album with us! Very cool! And of course it’s cool that you met Dave and Janick. Yes, it’s too bad you didn’t have a camera with you, but you have the memory, and that’s priceless! Whenever you do these kinds of breakdown videos, I always realize there are parts in the songs that I overlooked or just didn’t hear. It’s always fun to go back and re-listen after you explain and play those parts.

I remember going to the store to buy the CD and getting all emotional looking at the artwork. Also got a copy of Burrn Magazine with amazing pictures of Fear on Tour. A few months later I saw them in Nagoya and met Steve.

Still one of my favorite Maiden records. Underrated in my opinion.

Absolutely brilliant "etude" of this album! I saw them in Ottawa on this tour. I remember not liking FOTD as much as the Adrian era (pt. 1) stuff but not because I thought it was good/bad but just because Jan's influence was "different". Again, not good/bad or better/worse but different from what I absorbed into my musical DNA 10 years earlier. This is part of what makes Maiden so brilliant. They never re-hash anything and always put out what feels natural and honest no matter what. Great stuff here as always my friend. Excellent.

Love the descriptions, along with the playing - really awesome!

You are one of the main reasons I got back into Iron Maiden, you Re-opened my soul to these masterpieces! And most important playing them on guitar( at least trying to play them) You are awesome Niko! In MTL as well.

I really like this album and I was also a teenager when it was released. I was chasing promo articles in metal magazines and watched the promo videos on MTV in awe. I especially liked the fact that they got their act together as for production and sound after NPFTD, where they failed to have a proper but still raw sound. FOTD sounded amazing especially on LP and is still not outdated to my ears today. Martin Birch was still at the helm, though slowly handing over the control to Steve before retirement. I also liked the fact they tried changing with times and the album was varied. They tried a little bit adapting to the 90s. Now we also know that it was due to internal tensions within the band too. The cover art was much superior to NPFTD, and of course I had big posters of it on my wall. I consider this album to be one of their best overall.

I always skipped the Apparition and the Weekend Warrior but you’re right to look at them as musical experiments (although I admit I still have no clue where an experiment like The Apparition could eventually lead to). I think it’s reminiscent of the NPFTD that Steve was less picky with the released music. Fortunately he got later back to being more careful about the song quality later on

Nico, nice video! I have warmed up to this album over the years, has some tasty gems. IMHO, very underrated!

I do really love Fear.. It's a great song in my opinion. Great to play and I appreciate the video Nico.. Great also as usual..

Definitely a great album! Thanks Nico for sharing all these memories and thoughts with us. Although this was not the first Maiden album I discovered (SSOASS), this was the first which I experienced the release in real time, which was an unforgettable experience. So, even a few months late (but still in 2022 ;-p), happy 30th birthday Fear of the Dark!

Great approach Nico, loved your detailed analtysis of the songs. This album had a different approach and, like you said, it is one of their most innovative albums. Thanks a lot and carry on like this!!!!

I was 16 when I got this album. I remember the hype was huge. Be Quick was riding high in the charts, the album was doing well and Donington was on the horizon. But it didn't take long for the wheels to come off. As big as the record was I think the band were expecting it to be bigger... Bruce was gone a year later 😢

That's the album with which I got hooked to Maiden

I do remember when I bought it, I was 16 and had been waiting for ages!!! After 30 years, FOTD is still a good album, despite some fillers with a commercial sound. Thanks for this video and for the emotions you made me feel again! 👍

Great analysis, amazing tone and so well played. Awesome video as usual!! Thank you so much! Cheers from Portugal.

I was waiting for this for awhile! 🤘🏻😁 And a funny thing.. I just uploaded my 8-bit cover from Be Quick Or Be Dead... 😃

Thanks, Nico, great video - can't get enough of that Maiden stuff. Up the Irons! 🎼🎼

I've always loved the melodies and guitar passages of afraid to shoot strangers. I had some clear favourites when this first came out, Be Quick or Be Dead, Afraid to Shoot Strangers, The Fugitive, Fear of the Dark, but it wasn't until later on the whole album grew on me.

Really love this video format! As someone that became a fan with Brave New World - I’ve tended to not always give this album its due. It really is musically interesting. Thank you Nico!

Awesome video, love the passion you put on every Maiden song..!And the way you explain every issue over compositional stuff, modes, etc...Thanks a lot!

i love the chords / chord voicings in wasting love, Emadd9 + Csus2add#11 and then that move to the Am7 + Dadd11/A... goosebumps!

Judas Be My Guide is definitely my fav track off the album.

Waiting for the Seventh son video next year already. As usual, great content!

What a record! My second approach to the band after the masterpiece 7th son. Afraid to shoot strangers and Childood's end are songs I still feel very connected to. Thanks for this vid! 🤘

Awesome ,my friend ...

Thank you Nico for this marvelous homage to this album🤟The FOTD and TNOTB albums were my 2 first experiences of IM, and especially the former played a special role in forming my musical identity. I turned 13 the same month this was released (92’), and with The Beatles and Queen as foundation I was getting into hard rock (Gnr) and heavy metal (Metallica, Megadeth, Sepultura) in those same years before Grunge took over. Excellent run through of the songs, I was borderline drooling when you reached Weekend Warrior, because I thought you would mention and/or play Dave’s solo, which I find to be one of his very best. What’s your opinion on it?

Man... i feel you are talking in my hurt. I have the same thoughts and memories. Fear of the Dark is one more great album. Greetings from Greece

I think Dave’s solo on Chains of Misery is one of the best on the album just my personal opinion

As a fan since 1982, I have bought every album since Piece of Mind on release day. I liked this album more than No Prayer, and to some degree, more than 7th Son. I remember this one got a lot more plays for a lot longer than the 2 albums that came before. We also got a tour down under for this one for the first time since the 1985 World Slavery Tour.

I think your retrospectives on songs and albums are my favorite of your videos! Please keep doing them ♥

The instrumental section of The Fugitive feels unique as well. Something about the modulations and the riffs feels uncharacteristic for Maiden. I like it.

Many great tracks on fear of the dark.

This was one of my first maiden albums I was exposed to as a teenager, the track fear of the dark blew my mind when I first heard it.

The intro to this video felt like an Elizabeth Cotten moment... This album defied musical trends of the time.

I was pretty close to turning 18 when Fear of the Dark came out - Childhood's End hit home then - and his home even more today - as I'm a father to a son who is growing up all to fast in this world.

I was 19 when this album came out. It became the album of the summer

Unpopular opinion but FOTD is my second favourite Maiden album behind POM which is my favourite. Love this album and I think it was a big step up songwriting wise and sonically. Love some of the deep cuts on this one especially Judas Be My Guide which I think is one of their best deep cuts. Some great playing from Davey and Jan on this album too and its also my favourite non Riggs artwork to date.

Thank you Nicko, very nice anniversary for the album. Well, as for me, somewhere in '91 my first Maiden listenings were Tailgunner and Bring Your Daughter which I had randomly included in a ''Metal compilation'' pirate cassete copy from the local vinyl shop haha... then after a few months Fear Of the Dark came out, and I was really thrilled by the cover art...but at the time I was ''busy'' discovering Number of the Beast and Piece Of Mind cassetes ( original this time). So , some time later I purcheased the Fear cassete which turned out to be malfunctioning and its sound was awful (it must have been demagnetised or so...). I recall my bad impression from the growling voice of Bruce in Be Quick and throughout the album in perfect contrast to his clear tone in Piece of Mind, Powerslave etc... So from this crap cassete I couldn't enjoy the songs... The funny thing is that my metal-friend from the neighbourhood had owned the vinyl but at this time he had a faulty turntable...😵😫shit over shit..hahah. Nevertheless , the track that first caught my attention was Fear is The Key. But now for me the striking track is the unusual Aparittion.... so cool ! As for the title track , while it really chilled the bones in Real Live One, after the unstoppable use through the years, it has been rendered un-listenable... And for the end of my story, I kept the best... Around 1995 Ι discovered that Harris had visited my neighborhood in Athens Greece for an interview in a cozy caffeteria literally some 300 metres from my house... but I didnn't know it...(how could I?). Anyway, finally, Fear Of the Dark Tour didn't visit Athens due to Yugoslavian civil war they said. They came with X-Factor and it was unforgettable... my first concert ever...

God, your tone is good.

Production-wise, Fear of the Dark sports the biggest low end on any Maiden album to date. Considering that Martin Birch was limited by the acoustics of Steve Harris's home studio, he had to rely on a lot of low end to give the mix the appearance of heaviness. Overall, the resulting American-sounding product, which reminds me a lot of albums by Alice Cooper around the same time, was destined to sound dated, once the '90s were over. Fear of the Dark is one of Maiden's least "Maiden" sounding albums. To compete with the new crop of bands on MTV, Maiden tried going with the times by increasing the tempo and energy of their songs, while also adopting a more topical and less British approach to lyric writing to appear hip and cool. This was also the inflection point for Maiden's concert footage, where, with an adoption of fast editing, the band aimed to give the impression of youthful energy. Lastly, we should not forget that the band at this time also ditched wearing spandex in concerts in favor of trendy shorts, black sneakers, and a fish net shirt for Bruce, and jeans and t-shirt for the rest of the band. Fear of the Dark was also my first Maiden album, and I, too, had it on cassette. I love songs like "Childhood's End" and "Fear is the Key" for the new elements that they brought to the table, but ultimately, Fear of the Dark, to me, is an album I haven't reached for in decades. To me, No Prayer for the Dying is the better, more Maiden album, as it still retains a hint of the old magic ("Fates Warning" is a forgotten classic, as is the excellent and very thought-provoking "Mother Russia").

Man you are rly pushing me to go back to play Maiden so much :D

Solid video as always Nico but the part that everyone came here for is at 15:34

So this made me go back and listen to the entire album - which was fun. Just my opinion, I have always put Fear Of The Dark and No Prayer at the bottom end of my favourite IM albums - I even prefer the two Blaze albums more (especially X-Factor)... but there are some good songs on here. I'm particularly drawn to Judas Be My Guide - lots of energy... I guess, Fear just wasn't a particularly consistent Maiden album - possibly a reflection of the splits in direction starting to appear within the band. Maybe this was a case of too many ideas? But perhaps also hampered by being two-three tracks too long (?). Take Weekend Warrior, The Apparition, and From Here to Eternity (cheese-metal material) off - and I think it's much stronger...

Fear of the dark sounds amazing live, the studio version sounds ok

Good record. I can still hear this album from beginning to end, whereas I find it painful to get through No Prayer for the Dying.

first Maiden tape I picked up brand new at the store when I was 14. I think Be Quick or Be Dead was my favorite song of my childood, so powerful and with a great Bruce sharp tone! Strong underrated album, I just don't like The Apparition and Weekend Warrior tracks. And dave' solos are amazing on this album! Dave' solos are always amazing...🤩

For me, fear of the dark was the craziest solo from Dave and the more complex to reproduce

This has always been my least favorite Maiden album with Bruce on vocals. I even listen to the Blaze albums more, BUT that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. I may be a fan boy but I’m under the belief that maiden never released a bad album. And there is still a lot to enjoy on this and you helped me see and hear a few of these songs in a new light so thank you. Also, seeing Afraid to Shoot Strangers live back in 2012 was pretty incredible. And I never see many people talk about this but I loved what Bruce was doing with his voice around this time (including No Prayer and Tattooed Millionaire) that raspy harsh almost scream he’s doing sometimes. I think it’s awesome.

Great Nico! I bought this record the day it came out, I listened to it maybe a million times... be qucki or be dead for me it is the best song, others are very good but others I don't like, such as the apparition, a song I can't really understand... for me one of the worst Maiden song

thank you nicko as always, but... i have a question! could you doa tutorial/ cover of walking on lgass... so cool and awesome! thank you again for all the things i learned with you

Where can I find that Maiden Shirt?

Great review & celebration of a masterfull album. As you mention it in the first minute of the video, it's a first album which is more "polished". Allthough I like the songs, it's a first album where I tend to skip some songs if I listend to the album again. FOTD is, to me, the first album of many up untill Book Of Souls where the guitar tone is turned down in the mix. It's still a Martin Birch production, but the involvement of Steve seems to shine through too much (sorry, I love steve for everything he is and what he has done). The production overall is a bit thin. But I do like Gers' contributions so much! Here and there you can already hear the blueprint for later albums as AMOLAD and Senjutsu. Overall, decent album tho.

You nailed it, you realy sound like the maidens

Was definitely a step up from "no prayer for the dying" wasn't as good as any of the other albums before it but definitely a good bump up from no prayer.....

Where kind I find the pictures that you have of Dave, Adrian, and Janick behind you? Great video as always!

Hi. i am from Croatia but Serbian. i love you channel Would like to ask you what are the best IMaiden songs and esiest to play on accoustic guitar Hvala ti i poz iz Dubrovnika

My very first t shirt from Iron Maiden. One of the albums without galloping..if i am not mistaken...Couple of good songs but but not so much experimenting.. dont like the drum sound.. it is a bit triggered. But i loved it back in the day when i discovered it

Hi Nico! Regarding "Childhood's End" solo, it always sounded to me that both Jan and Dave take the solo, with Dave starting at 3:05, immediately after Jan's final bend. Though it's a very short solo, it really sounds like Dave's legato technique and tone from that album. What's your thought on this? Love your channel and vids! Keep up the fantastic work. Greetings from Portugal.

Fear of the Dark may not be one of their best albums. Still I think it's a bit underrated.

Fear is the Key is so underrated

i liked a lot of the record when it came out, but songs like here to eternity, afraid to shoot strangers and weekend warrior felt too hokey for me. they still do. the rest was listenable. apparition felt like stock (but i liked it). i thought be quick or be dead, childhood's end and fear is the key were fantastic songs.

(15:43) Actually, that intro is so alike to the Foo Fighter's "Cold Day In The Sun", by Taylor Hawkins, btw (R.I.P.). Did he rip off? Was he a complete Maiden fan? 😁

Nicko you are an Iron Maiden Scholar! I want to enroll your Metal University! You are to Iron Maiden and to guitar playing what Cristiano Ronaldo was to football until recent years! Wish I'd have you as my guitar teacher! When I win Euro millions, I will come find you and hire you, paying you a salary only compared to what Ronaldo gets as a footballer! Bless you and all your amazing videos!! Best Wishes. LISBOA, PORTUGAL 🇵🇹

I've always been shocked to see how much criticism this album gets. "No prayer.." may have been mediocre but "Fear.." certainly isn't. Tracks like Judas be my guide or Fear is the key are amazing. There's so much more to this LP than the title track.

Questo video mi fa sentire vecchio.

You know you sang along with the lick at 17:39...

can you please do videos about dance iof death and the final forentier one day?

9:34 the end of the solo is actually Dave's, no?

This record gets bad reputation because of a couple of fillers in there, the good ones though are really good, I can compare those to their 80's work.

All your iron maiden shirts are sick, where do you get them

If we could strip this album from 4 or 5 songs ultra boring songs, it would be awesome.

Wasted Love was the only IM ballad until Darkest Hour

Unfortunately, on this one we have to disagree. I started listening to the band in 1980 so followed them through that astonishing run of albums that culminated with 7th Son. After so many stunning albums, Fear of the Dark and No Prayer were crushing disappointments. There were high points, such as Fear of the Dark, Be Quick or be Dead etc. but overall, the songs were feeble compared to their previous material. I think they missed Adrian far more than they expected.

play iron maiden sign of the cross with both guitars and bruce dickinson tattooed millionaire a tutorial complete very good your channel