IRON MAIDEN - Man on the Edge 12" Vinyl Picture Disc + Huge Poster

- Explore the fury, musicians, tracks and rare visuals behind this explosive mid 90s Iron Maiden release

Front Cover Photo Of IRON MAIDEN - Man on the Edge 12" Picture Disc + Huge Poster

Here is Iron Maiden kicking down the 90s door with "Man on the Edge", a turbocharged dispatch from a world fraying at the seams. Blaze Bayley does not soar, he bulldozes — baritone grit over Harris's engine room gallop and guitars that slice like neon headlines. It is the sound of commuter rage, tabloid panic, and late night fluorescent misery, distilled to four minutes and change. Not nostalgia, defiance. A new singer, a new snarl, the same iron will, stamped on a picture disc big enough to glare back. From the mid 90s grind, this single throws sparks and dares the faithful to hang on tight!!

Iron Maiden's "Man on the Edge": A Blaze of Defiance in a Changing World

In the heart of the mid-90s, as the grunge movement ebbed and a new wave of metal began to crest, Iron Maiden, the legendary British heavy metal band, unleashed "Man on the Edge." This 12-inch vinyl picture disc, accompanied by a colossal poster, marked a pivotal moment in the band's storied career, signifying both a continuation of their signature sound and a daring exploration of new sonic territories.

Historical Context: A Shifting Landscape

Released in 1995, "Man on the Edge" emerged in a world grappling with social unrest and political upheaval. The song's lyrics, penned by Blaze Bayley (who had recently replaced Bruce Dickinson as the band's vocalist) and Janick Gers, reflected a sense of disillusionment and frustration with the status quo. The song's themes of alienation, rebellion, and the relentless pursuit of individual freedom resonated deeply with a generation navigating a rapidly changing world.

Musical Exploration: A Fusion of Power and Melody

"Man on the Edge" is a quintessential Iron Maiden track, characterized by its galloping rhythms, soaring vocals, and intricate guitar harmonies. The song's structure is both complex and accessible, with a driving verse that builds to an explosive chorus. Bayley's vocals, while distinct from Dickinson's, retain the band's signature power and intensity, while Gers' guitar work adds a new layer of melodicism to the band's sound.

Genre: Heavy Metal with a Modern Edge

While firmly rooted in the heavy metal genre, "Man on the Edge" incorporates elements of hard rock and alternative metal, reflecting the evolving musical landscape of the mid-90s. The song's production, overseen by Nigel Green, is polished and powerful, with a crisp sound that highlights the band's technical prowess.

Controversies: A Change in the Guard

The release of "Man on the Edge" was not without controversy. The departure of Bruce Dickinson, a beloved figure in the metal community, and his subsequent replacement by Blaze Bayley, was met with mixed reactions from fans. Some embraced the change, while others longed for the return of the band's classic lineup.

Production Team and Recording Studio

The song was recorded at Barnyard Studios in Essex, England, with Nigel Green at the helm. Green, known for his work with artists like The Almighty and Wolfsbane, brought a fresh perspective to the band's sound, while still preserving their core identity.

Title: A Reflection of the Times

The title, "Man on the Edge," is a metaphor for the song's themes of alienation and rebellion. The "edge" represents the precipice of change, where the protagonist must choose between conformity and defiance.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

NWOBHM, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal

Collector Notes / Liner Notes
  • This is a 12" Picture Disc of Man On The Edge and includes a Huge Poster of 36" x 60"
Label & Catalognr:

EMI 7243 8 82428 6 8

Media Format:

12" Vinyl Picture Disc Gramophone Record
Album weight: 420 gram

Year & Country:

1995 – Made in England

Producers:
  • Nigel Green – Producer
  • Steve Harris – Producer

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Members, Musicians:
  • Blaze Bayley – Lead vocals
    Blaze Bayley is an English heavy metal vocalist, born Bayley Alexander Cooke, known for fronting Wolfsbane and leading Iron Maiden from 1994–1999. With a darker, chest-voiced power, he co-wrote hits like Man on the Edge from The X Factor and later built a prolific solo career blending grit and melody.
  • Dave Murray – Guitar
    Dave Murray, born 1956, is the melodic mastermind behind Iron Maiden‘s signature twin-guitar attack. A founding member, his fluid, expressive solos and harmonized leads have defined the band’s sound since 1975. With impeccable technique and a bluesy yet electrifying style, he’s a pillar of heavy metal guitar. Learn more about his journey here.
  • Janick Gers – Guitar, backing vocals
    Janick Gers, born 1957, is a high-energy guitar virtuoso whose electrifying solos and wild stage presence have fueled Iron Maiden since 1990. From his early days with White Spirit and Gillan to shredding alongside Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, his dynamic style adds fire to Maiden’s sound. Discover more about his journey here.
  • Steve Harris – Bass guitar, backing vocals
    Steve Harris, born 1956, is the mastermind behind Iron Maiden’s galloping bass lines and epic compositions. Founding the band in 1975, his songwriting shaped metal anthems like The Trooper and Hallowed Be Thy Name. A pioneer of NWOBHM, his legacy as a bassist and visionary is untouchable. Discover his journey here.
  • Nicko McBrain – Drums
    Nicko McBrain, born 1952, is the powerhouse drummer who has fueled Iron Maiden’s thunderous sound since 1982. With lightning precision and unrelenting groove, he’s driven classics like Powerslave and The Number of the Beast. From Trust to Pat Travers Band, his journey shaped a legendary career. Dive deeper into his story here.

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting:
  1. Man on the Edge (Blaze Bayley, Janick Gers) – 4:13
  2. The Edge of Darkness (Steve Harris, Bayley, Gers) – 6:39
  3. I Live My Way (Harris, Bayley, Gers)
Video: Iron Maiden - Man On The Edge (Official Video)

IRON MAIDEN Man on the Edge 12" Picture Disc + Huge Poster Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo
Large folded poster featuring the Iron Maiden logo across a stone-textured header and a dramatic industrial depiction of the band’s mascot Eddie restrained in a metallic apparatus. Eddie’s muscular torso is lit from the side, with veins and scars visible, while clamps, bolts, and articulated steel arms surround him against a dark background. Prominent horizontal and vertical fold lines segment the sheet. A circular inset in the lower-left corner shows related artwork printed on the picture disc.

A tall, folded poster fills the frame. At the very top, the Iron Maiden logo sits in a weathered stone panel, like a slab bolted above a stage. Beneath it stretches a single, dark image sliced by crisp fold lines, revealing how the sheet was once packed down to a tidy rectangle.

The scene shows Eddie in stark, side lighting: sinewed torso, taut veins, and scar-like seams across pale skin. He’s clamped into an industrial rig—steel arms, pistons, collars, and bolts crowd the foreground, their machined edges catching slivers of light. The background recedes into black, making the metal and flesh pop with harsh contrast.

Near the lower-left corner, a circular inset reproduces related artwork on the picture disc—Eddie rendered again within the same mechanical nightmare—signaling the companion format bundled with this edition. The palette leans charcoal and gunmetal, offset by flesh tones and cold chrome highlights.

The overall composition feels claustrophobic and kinetic: angled limbs, cables, and brackets channel tension, while the crease grid emphasizes the poster’s physicality—an artifact meant to be unfolded, handled, and displayed.

Album Back Cover Photo
Wide, folded poster used as the back cover: five members of Iron Maiden stand across the foreground against a blue-grey, stormy sky. At center rear, the band’s mascot Eddie, pale and snarling, is strapped to a mechanical chair on rails beneath a giant metal X frame. Upper left shows a list titled THE X FACTOUR with November venues. Horizontal and vertical crease lines cross the sheet. Lower right includes a round inset reproducing the picture-disc artwork. Dark clothing, long hair, and cold metallic tones dominate.

A landscape poster unfolds into a grid of crisp creases. Across the foreground stand five long-haired band members in black, faces half in shadow, eyes fixed on the camera. One wears a shirt reading EDDIE WOULD GO, a sly nod to the mascot looming behind them.

Centered in the distance, Eddie sits clamped to a mechanical chair on rails beneath a towering steel X. Cables, braces, and pistons bracket his body; his mouth is open in a feral snarl. The sky is cold blue with hints of storm, throwing metal edges into stark relief.

At the upper left, a column headed THE X FACTOUR lists November dates and venues, echoing the album era. In the lower right, a circular inset reproduces the picture-disc artwork—Eddie in an industrial harness—tying the poster to the 12" picture disc edition.

The palette is gunmetal and slate, punctuated by skin tones and chrome highlights; the overall mood is tense, clinical, and relentless, a visual fuse to the single’s grim urgency.

Photo of Side One of the Picture Disc
Close-up of a 12-inch picture disc: Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie is shown in three-quarter profile, restrained in a mechanical head brace. The printed artwork spans the grooved vinyl; the center hole sits near the face. Eddie’s mouth is wide open in a scream, with exposed gums and jagged teeth, while steel arms, clamps, and bolts frame his head. A reddish cranial section appears like an opened cap above the brace. Lighting is cold and directional against a near-black background. Tiny catalog text is printed near the rim.

A round, glossy picture disc fills the view, its black rim and faint radial grooves framing dense, cinematic artwork. The spindle hole gleams at the center, reminding you this is both music carrier and collectible.

In three-quarter profile stands Eddie, skin pallid and sinewed, hair strands trailing the edge. His mouth is wrenched open mid-scream, gums and serrated teeth stacked like gears, the expression frozen at the peak of pressure.

A crown-like head brace encircles him. Telescoping steel arms, clamps, and knurled bolts converge from left and right, their machined edges catching slivers of light. Above the ring, a fleshy cranial cap sits lifted, a surgical red accent in a field of gunmetal.

Cold, directional light sculpts every ridge and cable, while the background sinks to charcoal. The circular composition lets arcs of hardware echo the disc itself; tiny catalog text whispers along the rim, completing Side One’s stark, industrial tableau.

Photo of Side Two of the Picture Disc
12-inch picture disc, side two. Printed artwork shows a front-facing industrial restraint chair set on a tracked platform inside a tunnel-like bay. The vinyl’s spiral grooves radiate around the scene. At left, a tidy column of small text lists tracks—Man On The Edge, The Edge Of Darkness, I Live My Way—followed by brief production credits and Made in the UK. The center hole aligns with the chair’s seat mechanism. Hazard stripes, pistons, bolts, and cabling detail the machine base; thin catalog text appears near the lower rim. Palette is grey, black, and steel.

The round surface is a glossy stage: concentric grooves circle a stark, industrial tableau. At the center stands a heavy restraint chair on a tracked platform, its struts, clamps, and hydraulic bases rendered with clinical precision.

Cool light washes the metal, revealing scuffs and brushed textures, while the tunnel-like backdrop recedes into shadow. Yellow-and-black hazard stripes edge the platform, a warning band against the charcoal floor plates.

On the left arc, fine type lists the three cuts—Man On The Edge, The Edge Of Darkness, I Live My Way—with compact production and origin notes below. The spindle hole pierces the composition at the chair’s midline, reminding you this is art pressed onto sound.

Small catalog glyphs whisper along the lower rim. Altogether, the design feels mechanical and ceremonial: a surgical throne waiting for voltage, printed across the living surface of the record.

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