InVisions have just released their latest record entitled Deadlock. It is the bands’ third record; and the band’s most complete and ambitious statement to date. Formed in 2016, InVisions have become one of the hungriest and most promising bands of the British metalcore scene.

Though wanting to avoid specifically writing about the pandemic, 18 months inside, and almost two years away from the stage have given pause for reflection that inevitably worked its way into the album’s lyrics. Across its tracks, Deadlock takes looks at loss, frustration, self-doubt and the other things that come up when distraction is at a minimum and life’s question marks begin to loom.

Here, we welcome Alex Scott from InVisions who shares his love for one of the greatest bands ever; Iron Maiden.

The funny thing about being an Iron Maiden fanboy is that you expect everyone else to love them, or at least respect them for all they have done for metal, and it’s genuinely surprising when you find out that’s not true. There is a generation of younger metal fans who believe that modern metal can be attributed solely to the influences of the likes of Parkway Drive and Slipknot, casting older bands to the side as “dad rock” or “boomer metal”. I have a huge amount of respect for those bands, but let’s be clear: Iron Maiden have 17 (seventeen!) studio albums, 11 of which I’d say are 10/10s, over 100 million records sold, 200-date world arena tours are the norm, selling out arenas in parts of the world where an arena actually had to be built to accommodate the size of their show. They are just giants. Alongside Metallica, I don’t think any other metal band has done more to popularise the genre during its infancy in the late 70s through to the present day.  

I first heard them when I was 12 years old, just starting to check out heavy music but didn’t really have any sort of connection with an artist in particular. Then I heard Fear of the Dark live at Rock in Rio on a ‘Best of Heavy Metal’ compilation CD and it blew my mind. Bruce Dickinson’s soaring top lines, the three-part guitar harmonies and solos. 12 year old me didn’t stand a chance and became immediately hooked on Maiden!

It’s Iron Maiden’s skillset in terms of song and lyric writing that gets me, even now. Especially those albums they released during the 80s. The way they manage to paint a picture in your mind with their lyrics is, for me, unrivalled. Songs like Powerslave or Revelations are a great example of this. Both are concept songs about topics you wouldn’t necessarily expect to become your favourite songs (Ancient Egypt and the book of Revelations) but somehow Iron Maiden do it.

On the flip side, they also hit the emotional side of song writing perfectly, with bangers like Wasted Years. All those songs I’ve just mentioned also have absolutely phenomenal guitar solos, arguably a dying art in modern metal music. Catchy, technical, and timeless. The note choice from guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith in particular is perfect – just listen to that solo section in Powerslave.

Iron Maiden’s live show is well documented as one of, if not the best live show in metal. Even right now, in their mid-60s, they are bombing round the stage avoiding a 12ft Eddie with planes flying overhead. It’s an unforgettable experience every single time. They were my first “big” show that I went to when I was 13, but the best experience was when a friend hooked us up with some VIP box tickets to see them at the O2 in London. I got to drink free beers and sing along to Maiden between mouthfuls of curry – perfect.

Maiden’s album artwork and merchandise game should not go without mention. Derek Riggs, the artist behind the majority of their album covers, has created some amazing artworks, my favourite being the cover art for “The Number of the Beast”. This in turn sparked a new beginning when it came to selling T-shirts for metal bands. Iron Maiden shirts were, and still are everywhere. I’ve even seen them in ASDA! I think it was Lars Ulrich of Metallica who credited Iron Maiden with “inventing” the concept of merch for metal bands. Something which seems so normal and widespread now, and something which bands these days rely on to keep them afloat.             

The best thing about being an Iron Maiden fanboy is how it brings like-minded fans together, it’s like a genuine family. Its scientific fact that if two strangers wearing Maiden shirts meet each other, you won’t be able to separate them for hours while they discuss their favourite albums and debate who the best guitar player is. You don’t often see casual Maiden fans, it’s usually all or nothing, but there are hundreds of millions of us die-hards.

Watch the video for Deadlock from InVisions below. You can order the album and check out the bands’ merch here.

InVisions: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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