Iron Maiden – Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

Mine also has "P70297" in the centre of the disc

Such a cool misprint !! Bruce & Blaze on same album

Just to lay the ground work for this review. I've been a Maiden fan since 1990. And I say fan with the greatest level of iration anyone can have for one band. Take a look at my collection of just Maiden and you'll see I could be a little obsessed. :)

I'm also an audiophile and will search to the ends of the earth for the best sounding albums and pressings that I can find. For reference here is my setup and the vinyl pressings of Seventh Son that I have in my possession.

Equipment: VPI Prime Turntable with Periphery Ring and Centerweight, Dynavector Te Kaitora Rua cartridge, Bob's Devices Step Up Transformer, Manley Chinook Preamp, Marantz PM 8004 Integrated Amp, KEF 104/2 Speakers.

Pressings: Original US DMM Pressing, Original UK DMM Pressing, Original Japanese Pressing, 2014 BMG Analog Repressing, and now this 2025 Remastered BMG Pressing.

I have never been able to find a pressing that can beat the Japanese pressing with the UK and US original pressings coming very close. Japanese pressing can be insanely priced nowadays though due to its rarity. The 2014 pressing will never see my turntable again as it is completely lifeless.

Now this 2025 Remastered pressing all I can say is WOW. This is the fullest I've ever heard this album ever sound. It just has a great energy that just pulls you into the album and makes you want to crank the volume. Bass drum thumps. Guitars are like a lush wave that is crystal clear. Steve's bass cuts through with no problems at all. Bruce just soars over the music with perfection. Just an all around truly enjoyable listen and pressing for an all time masterpiece of an album. Packaging is top notch and even includes a more sturdy slick cardboard inner sleeve. Lyrics just pop from the sleeve. This will easily become my go to copy for listening as the Japanese pressing is just slightly better. If you can find this pressing grab it. You will not be disappointed. It right now it costs not even a 5% of what the Japanese pressing sells for in great condition.

As far as the other early Maiden albums that have been getting pressed using the 2015 remastered recordings and that have the Chris Bellman vinyl mastering I have not heard one that isn't worth getting. The first album, Killers, NOTB, Piece of Mind, Somehwere In Time are all great. The Powerslave zoetrope pressing which does use the remastered Chris Bellman mastering, I would skip that one if your goal is a great listening pressing. For being a pic disc that was expected.

I'm looking forward to getting a black vinyl remastered version of Powerslave and Live After Death once they come out as well without any hesitation.

PERFECTION
Quite everything is perfect about this release - the concept, the composition, the instrumentation and performance, the artwork..
I really don't understand those die hard Maiden blocks that shame the band because of using synthesizers. Come on, grow up, what's not to like here? A row of 8 masterfully made melodic pieces of hm art?.. Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, even on their original tour they haven't even used them.
10/10

Great sounding press and quality packaging. Definitely one of the better maiden remasters.

My copy is unlistenable. I most have gotten a very bad pressing, the titel track distorts in the chorus so you just have too turn it off. Had to buy a n old copy and that sounded great. I thought every new pressing was flawless but now I know. I´m gonna stay away from new vinyls and consentrate on old copies.

I still hearing this album for the first time with my best friend weeks after release: First we‘ve been shocked because of the synth / keyboard part in the intro of Moonchild, then we both got enthusiastic about the incredible fat and ass-kicking production of the record. Nevertheless this album was the last IM album I immediately bought after the release of a new one. „Piece of Mind“ in comparison, was and is unique and a high benchmark.

Lovely flat silent vinyl. Presents the recording in a fair light, obviously its not audiophile by any stretch but theres no nastyness here. A fine reissue at a sensible price pressed at high quality (at least mine is!)

I don't agree at all with the bad reviews I'm reading here. It's not the best sounding record in my collection but certainly not anywhere the worst. I'll it that it would've benefited from being pressed as a double to reduce some compression but come on folks. Unless there's drastic differences among individual copies of the same press, I'd say a lot of you are being far too critical. I don't know, maybe my damaged 50+ year old ears don't hear the same as some of yours. I will say that when it comes to the artwork, those of you complaining are just being ridiculous

Spine artwork has a misprint where they used the same piece of Eddie on both sides, so that if you line up all of the cds in this release, Eddie’s face will be formed, but in this case it only lines up on one side. Somewhere in Time has the same issue