IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary 12" EP ALBUM VINYL

 This 12" EP is the only Sanctuary song release with four tracks. The track Sanctuary first appeared on the USA release of Iron Maiden's self-titled debut album (which is NOT the case for the European releases of the self-titled album)

 

IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary Netherlands 12" EP VINYL Record front cover https://vinyl-records.nl

Sanctuary: Iron Maiden's First Strike on Vinyl
Album Description:

In the bleak winter of 1980, a fledgling Iron Maiden unleashed "Sanctuary," their first EP, a harbinger of the metal storm to come. This 12" vinyl, emblazoned with Derek Riggs' controversial Eddie artwork, marked their initial foray into the world of recorded music, a raw and unyielding declaration of their intent.

Historical Context and Musical Exploration

Fresh from the London club scene, Iron Maiden had already garnered a reputation for their energetic live shows and rebellious spirit. "Sanctuary" captured this raw energy, showcasing their early sound: a blend of punk attitude and heavy metal thunder. This EP was a musical exploration, a testing ground for their songwriting prowess and a glimpse into the sonic landscape they were about to conquer.

Musical Genre: The Birth of a Metal Legend

"Sanctuary" laid the groundwork for what would become known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. It showcased their signature elements: Steve Harris' galloping basslines, Dave Murray's fiery guitar solos, and Paul Di'Anno's raspy vocals. The title track, with its infectious chorus and rebellious lyrics, became an instant anthem for disaffected youth, cementing their place in the burgeoning metal scene.

Controversies: Eddie's Unleashed Fury

The original artwork, featuring Eddie brandishing a knife over the corpse of Margaret Thatcher, sparked a media frenzy. This controversy only fueled the band's notoriety, drawing attention to their music and solidifying their image as defiant outsiders.

Production Team and Recording Studio

"Sanctuary" was produced by Will Malone, a seasoned studio hand who had worked with artists like Black Sabbath and Nazareth. Recorded at Kingsway Studios in London, the EP captured the band's raw energy and unpolished sound, a testament to their early days as a hungry and ambitious group.

Track by Track Breakdown

    Side One:
  • Sanctuary: A defiant anthem, fueled by a driving rhythm section and Di'Anno's snarling vocals.
  • Prowler: A predatory track, showcasing Murray's blistering guitar work and the band's tight musicianship.
    Side Two:
  • Drifter: A live recording, capturing the band's raw power and onstage energy.
  • I've Got the Fire (Montrose cover): A fiery rendition of the Montrose classic, injected with Iron Maiden's signature intensity.

Legacy: A Metal Milestone

"Sanctuary" may have been a short burst of vinyl fury, but its impact was undeniable. It marked the arrival of a new force in heavy metal, a band that would go on to conquer the world with their epic soundscapes and unwavering spirit. For those who witnessed its birth, "Sanctuary" remains a cherished artifact, a reminder of Iron Maiden's raw power and unyielding ambition, forever etched in vinyl and enshrined in the hearts of metalheads.

Collectors information:

Side Two of this EP contains the songs: "Drifter" and "I've Got Fire". This EP is the first release album with these two live tracks.

"Drifter" and "I've Got The Fire" were recorded live at London's Marquee Club on 3 April 1980 with vocal support by the "Iron Army"

 Collector's attributes: This section contains detailed information to be able to uniquely identify this particular version/release of the album IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary (EP)
 Album front cover:

The album front cover shows the British Prime-Minister Margaret Thatcher slaughtered by Eddie

Top right corner:

4 Tracks Inc
2 "Live" Tracks

 Album back cover

 

Top right corner:
1A K052Z-07390

Bottom center:
Black & White EMI logo in a circle

Bottom right corner:
Marketed, manufactured and distributed by EMI-logo
PRINTED IN HOLLAND

 Labels  Side One:

Copyrights text in the rim of the label in both English and German

At 3 o'clock:
in Red print: LC 0542
K 052Z-07390
STEREO
BIEM/STEMRA
Side 1

At 6 o'clock
EMI-Logo inside a red box

At 9 o'clock
(K 052Z-07390-A)
1980 Original
Sound Recording
Made by EMI
Records Ltd

 

 Side Two:

Copyrights text in the rim of the label in both English and German

At 3 o'clock:
in Red print: LC 0542
K 052Z-07390
STEREO
BIEM/STEMRA
Side 1

At 6 o'clock
EMI-Logo inside a red box

At 9 o'clock
(K 052Z-07390-B)
1980 Original
Sound Recording
Made by EMI
Records Ltd

 Matrix code / run-out grooves  Side One:

K025Z-07390-A//46025-1Y C1

 

 Side Two::

K052Z-07390-B//46026-1-Y C1

 

Music Genre:

NWOBHM  British Heavy Metal

Album Production information:

The album: "IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary (EP)" was produced by: Will Malone:

Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Will Malone

Album cover Illustration: Derek Riggs

  • Derek Riggs – Illustrator, Cover Artist Derek Riggs is the artist who gave Iron Maiden its visual soul by creating Eddie, one of the most recognizable mascots in heavy metal history. Since the band’s 1980 debut, his artwork fused sci-fi, horror, and dark fantasy into covers that were as confrontational and imaginative as the music itself. Riggs’ paintings didn’t just decorate records, they built a world that became inseparable from Maiden’s identity.
    Derek Riggs Wiki

    •  

    Record Label & Catalognr:

    EMI K 052Z-07390

    Media Format:

    12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
    Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 210 gram  

    Year & Country:

    16 May 1980 Netherlands
    Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary (EP)
      Band-members, Musicians and Performers
    • Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals
    • Paul Di'Anno – Vocals

      The OG Iron Maiden throat: street-level grit, punk heat, and zero “polite” in the delivery.

      Paul Di'Anno, (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024) locked himself into metal history by fronting Iron Maiden from 1978–1981, putting that snarling, rough-cut voice on the band’s early landmark releases. After Maiden, the timeline turns into a proper tour-bus saga: Di’Anno (1983–1985, then revived in the 1998–2001 era), the short, star-stacked Gogmagog detour (1985), Battlezone (1985–1989, back again 1997–1998), a notable studio cameo with Praying Mantis around 1990, and Killers (1990–1997, returning 2001–2003, plus a 2013 regroup). Later chapters include the Brazil-based Rockfellas run (2008–2010) and Architects of Chaoz (2014–2016). The common thread never really changed: that unmistakable, no-varnish vocal attitude that made early NWOBHM feel dangerous in the first place.

      Paul Di'Anno 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.

      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

    • Dennis Stratton – guitar
    • Dennis Stratton – Guitar

      Maiden’s short-lived “melody guy” in the earliest days: twin-guitar shine, tighter harmony instincts, and a very un-satanic love of proper hooks.

      Dennis Stratton (born 9 October 1952, Canning Town, London) is a classic example of “brief stint, permanent fingerprints.” He joined Iron Maiden in December 1979 and was out by October 1980, but in that tight window he played on the debut album Iron Maiden (released April 1980) and the non-album single "Women in Uniform", right as the band went from club-level chaos to real-deal momentum. He even helped shape the lineup by recommending drummer Clive Burr, which is the kind of butterfly-effect detail collectors love to remember. Before Maiden, he’d cut his teeth in local bands like Harvest/Wedgewood (early 1970s) and Remus Down Boulevard (mid-1970s). After leaving, he kept moving through the UK hard rock ecosystem, notably with Lionheart (1980s onward) and as lead guitarist (and occasional lead vocalist) for Praying Mantis from 1990–2006, plus a mid-1990s collaboration run with former Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno under The Original Iron Men. Dennis Stratton Wiki

    • Steve Harris – bass guitar
    • 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.

      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
    • Clive Burr – drums
    • Clive Burr – Drums

      The early Maiden groove machine: big feel, sharp fills, and that “Beast-era” punch that still rattles the walls.

      Clive Burr (8 March 1957 – 12 March 2013) is one of those drummers who didn’t just keep time—he gave a band its early backbone. I mainly hear him as Iron Maiden’s rocket fuel from 1979–1982, laying down that urgent, swinging drive on their first run of classic records and helping make the whole NWOBHM thing feel dangerous instead of polite. Before that, he did the London grind with Samson (1977–1978). After Maiden, the timeline gets gloriously nomadic: Trust (1983–1984), a blink-and-you-miss-it week with Alcatrazz (1983), his own Clive Burr’s Escape (1983–1984) evolving into Stratus (1984–1985), the supergroup cameo in Gogmagog (1985), Desperado (1988–1990), and later work with Praying Mantis (1995–1996). His later years were brutally shaped by multiple sclerosis, but the playing legacy stays loud, human, and unmistakably his own—Clive Burr Wiki
    Complete Track-listing of the album "IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary (EP)"

    The detailed tracklist of this record "IRON MAIDEN - Sanctuary (EP)" is:

      Track-listing Side One:
    1. Sanctuary
    2. Prowler
      Track-listing Side Two:
    1. Drifter
    2. I've Got the Fire

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