IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying 12" Vinyl LP Album

"No Prayer For The Dying" is the first album recorded following the departure of guitarist Adrian Smith who left the band during the pre-production phase of the album. The album ushered in a change of vocal style for Bruce Dickinson from the operatic sound of the '80s to a raspier way of singing, and also produced Maiden's only number one single to date, "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", This web-page has hi-res photos of the album covers, record label and a detailed description.

Front Cover Iron Maiden's No Prayer for the Dying album cover, featuring Eddie the mascot emerging from a grave, grabbing a terrified man by the collar.

No Prayer For The Dying: Iron Maiden's Raw Roar Amidst Changing Tides

Album Description:

In a world aflame, a beast reborn, No Prayer For The Dying, a metal storm.

The year was 1990, a time of shifting sands in the heavy metal landscape. Grunge was clawing at the gates, threatening to dethrone the titans of the genre. Amidst this turmoil, Iron Maiden, the British stalwarts of metal, unleashed their eighth studio album, "No Prayer For The Dying".

A Sonic Shift: Back to Basics

Departing from the progressive complexities of its predecessor, *Seventh Son of a Seventh Son*, "No Prayer For The Dying" embraced a rawer, more direct approach. This back-to-basics ethos was evident in the stripped-down production and the abundance of straight-ahead rockers that populated the tracklist.

The album's opening salvo, "Tailgunner," set the tone with its galloping riffs and Bruce Dickinson's soaring vocals. Other highlights included the infectious "Holy Smoke," the anthemic "Public Enema Number One," and the hauntingly beautiful "Run Silent Run Deep."

Genre and Exploration

While firmly rooted in heavy metal, "No Prayer For The Dying" showcased Iron Maiden's willingness to experiment. The album incorporated elements of hard rock, blues, and even punk, resulting in a diverse and dynamic listening experience.

This sonic exploration was further amplified by the band's new guitarist, Janick Gers, who replaced Adrian Smith during the pre-production phase. Gers' energetic playing and flamboyant stage presence injected a fresh dose of adrenaline into Iron Maiden's sound.

Controversies and Challenges

Despite its commercial success, "No Prayer For The Dying" faced its share of controversies. The album's cover art, depicting Eddie emerging from a grave, was deemed too gruesome by some retailers, leading to censored versions being issued.

The album also marked a period of transition for Iron Maiden. The departure of Adrian Smith, a key songwriter and guitarist, left a void that was difficult to fill. While Janick Gers brought his own unique style to the band, his presence inevitably altered the chemistry that had defined Iron Maiden's earlier works.

Production and Recording

"No Prayer For The Dying" was produced by Martin Birch, a longtime collaborator of Iron Maiden. Birch's signature sound, characterized by its raw power and punchy drums, was evident throughout the album.

The album was recorded at Barnyard Studios in Essex, England, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. This unconventional approach allowed the band to capture a more spontaneous and live feel in their performances.

Legacy and Impact

While "No Prayer For The Dying" may not be regarded as one of Iron Maiden's most groundbreaking albums, it remains a significant entry in their discography. The album's raw energy and back-to-basics approach resonated with fans who craved a return to the band's earlier, more visceral sound.

Moreover, "No Prayer For The Dying" marked a turning point in Iron Maiden's career. The album's commercial success solidified their status as one of the leading heavy metal bands of their time. However, the departure of Adrian Smith and the changing musical landscape signaled a new era for the band, one that would be fraught with challenges and uncertainties.

The beast roars on, No Prayer For The Dying, a metal legacy born.

Music Genre:

NWOBHM, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal

Collector's info:

This album includes the original custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by and photos.

Album Production Information:

Produced by Martin Birch

Martin Birch – Producer, Sound Engineer

I first noticed Martin Birch on those early Iron Maiden sleeves—the ones with the typography that felt like a threat. At twelve, I didn’t care about "production value"; I just liked that the guitars didn't sound like mud. He was the man behind the sound mixer, the one who made the snare snap like a dry branch in a cold forest. He was "The Headmaster," and we were all just students of his high-voltage curriculum. Read more...

Birch didn’t just record noise; he organized aggression. By 1972, he was already wrangling the messy brilliance of Deep Purple’s Machine Head, turning Ian Gillan’s banshee wails into something that didn't just clip the tape but lived inside it. In 1980, he pulled off the ultimate renovation, giving Black Sabbath a much-needed shower and a new spine. Heaven and Hell shouldn't have worked, but Martin polished that Birmingham sludge into something operatic and gleaming. It was a pivot that felt like fate, mostly because he refused to let the mid-range get lazy.

Then came the long, obsessive stretch with Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1992. It was a twelve-year marriage to the fader. From the moment Killers (EMC 3357, for those who care) hit the shelves, the sound was physical. He knew how to let Steve Harris’s bass clatter like a machine gun without drowning out the melody—a sonic miracle that still feels fresh. You can almost smell the ozone and the dust on the Marshall stacks when the needle drops on The Number of the Beast. He stayed until Fear of the Dark, then simply walked away. No victory lap, no bloated memoir. He preferred the hum of the desk to the noise of the crowd, leaving us with nothing but the records and a slight sense of abandonment. But then, when you’ve already captured lightning on tape for twenty years, why bother hanging around for the rain?

Martin Birch Wiki

Record Label & Catalognr:

EMI 068-7 95142

Media Format:

12" Vinyl LP Gramophone Record
Album weight: 200 gram

Year & Country:

1990 Made in EEC

Band Members and Musicians on: IRON MAIDEN No Prayer For The Dying

Bruce Dickinson vocals
Bruce Dickinson – Singer
Samson forged the roar; Iron Maiden turned it into a global alarm system. Read more...
Bruce Dickinson, Bruce Dickinson is the rare frontman who can sound like a human air-raid siren and still tell a story. Before the arenas, I track him in Samson (1979–1981) , where the voice sharpened into steel. He joined Iron Maiden in 1981 and powered their classic run through 1993, then returned in 1999 and has stayed ever since. Between the big chapters he kept moving: a solo career from 1990 onward, plus the short, sharp Skunkworks detour in 1996. On stage he’s theatrical without slipping into pantomime—commanding, precise, and oddly disciplined for heavy metal. Timeline: Samson ’79–’81; Maiden ’81–’93 and ’99–now; solo from ’90; Skunkworks ’96. And yeah, never boring.
Bruce Dickinson Wiki
Dave Murray guitar
Dave Murray – Guitar
Maiden’s calm killer: smooth leads, twin-guitar harmony for days, and that melodic bite that makes the “gallop” feel cinematic instead of chaotic. Read more...
Dave Murray (born 23 December 1956, Edmonton, Middlesex, England) is one of the defining lead guitar voices of heavy metal, and in my book he’s the melodic “second spine” of Iron Maiden. His timeline with the band starts early: joining in 1976, getting briefly pushed out in 1977, then returning in 1978 and staying locked in ever since—making him one of the longest-serving members in the whole Maiden saga. During that 1977 gap he spent around six months with Urchin (Adrian Smith’s band), which is a fun little historical glitch in the matrix if you like your Maiden lore messy and human. Beyond the main band, his most notable “outside the mothership” credit is the all-star charity metal project Hear ’n Aid (1985), because apparently even guitar lifers sometimes leave the bunker to do side quests. Dave Murray Wiki
Janick Gers guitar
Janick Gers – Guitarist
He swings that Strat like it owes him rent, and somehow every note lands. Read more...
Janick Gers is the kind of guitarist who makes a stadium feel like a truly rowdy backroom, all elbows, grin, and ringing Stratocaster. I first clocked him in White Spirit (1975-1981), then in Ian Gillan's post-Purple outfit Gillan (1981-1982), where he learned how to punch riffs through real lungs. After a detour with the short-lived Gogmagog and a guest turn with Fish in 1990, he became Bruce Dickinson's right-hand man on "Tattooed Millionaire" (1990). Iron Maiden hired him in 1990; his first Maiden album was "No Prayer for the Dying" (1990), and when Adrian Smith returned in 1999, Janick stayed - so the band got three guitars and twice the sparks.
Janick Gers Wiki
Steve Harris bass guitar, backing vocals
Steve Harris – Bass Guitar, Songwriter
Iron Maiden’s engine room: galloping bass lines, history-nerd lyrics, and “captain of the ship” energy baked into every riff. Read more...
Steve Harris (born 12 March 1956, Leytonstone, England) is the rare bassist who doesn’t just hold the floor—he draws the whole blueprint. In my book, he’s the founder and primary songwriter who’s kept Iron Maiden on its rails from 1975–present, with that instantly recognizable “gallop” driving huge chunks of the catalogue. The pre-Maiden grind matters too: first band days in Influence/Gypsy’s Kiss (1973–1974, including a documented gig run in 1974), then the older, blues-leaning Smiler period (1974–1975) where his more ambitious writing basically forced the next step: forming Maiden. Outside the mothership, he’s fronted his own hard-rock outlet British Lion (2012–present), a project that grew out of connections going back to the early 1990s and finally hit the world as his solo debut in 2012.
Steve Harris Wiki
Nicko McBrain drums
Nicko McBrain – Drums Nicko McBrain, born 1952, is the powerhouse drummer who has driven Iron Maiden’s thunderous engine since joining in 1982. His playing combines brute force with swing and pinpoint timing, giving albums like The Number of the Beast and Powerslave their unstoppable momentum. Before Maiden, his work with Trust and the Pat Travers Band sharpened his style, culminating in a career that redefined metal drumming.
Nicko McBrain Wiki
Michael Kenney - Keyboards

Complete Track Listing of: IRON MAIDEN No Prayer For The Dying

The Song/tracks on "IRON MAIDEN No Prayer For The Dying" are

Tail Gunner (Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris) 4:15

Holy Smoke (Dickinson, Harris) 3:49

No Prayer for the Dying (Harris) 4:23

Public Enema Number One (Dickinson, Dave Murray) 4:13

Fates Warning (Harris, Murray) 4:12

The Assassin (Harris) 4:18

Run Silent Run Deep (Dickinson, Harris) 4:35

Hooks in You (Dickinson, Adrian Smith) 4:08

Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter (Dickinson) 4:45

Mother Russia (Harris) 5:32

IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying ( EEC ) High Resolution & Quality Photos

Front Cover Photo Of IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying ( EEC )

Front Cover Photo Iron Maiden's No Prayer for the Dying album cover, featuring Eddie the mascot emerging from a grave, grabbing a terrified man by the collar. — Album cover of Iron Maiden's 1990 release "No Prayer for the Dying," depicting Eddie clawing his way out of a grave, embodying the raw energy and horror themes that define the album.

Note: The images on this page are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash. Images can be zoomed in/out ( eg pinch with your fingers on a tablet or smartphone )

Photo Of The Back Cover IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying ( EEC )

Photo of album back cover IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying ( EEC )

Photo One Of The Original Custom Inner Sleeve IRON MAIDEN - No Prayer For The Dying ( EEC )

Photo of the Iron Maiden band-members in the cemetary at night