Tracklist
| Be Quick Or Be Dead | 3:21 | ||
| From Here To Eternity | 3:35 | ||
| Afraid To Shoot Strangers | 6:52 | ||
| Fear Is The Key | 5:30 | ||
| Childhood's End | 4:37 | ||
| Wasting Love | 5:46 | ||
| The Fugitive | 4:52 | ||
| Chains Of Misery | 3:33 | ||
| The Apparition | 3:53 | ||
| Judas Be My Guide | 3:06 | ||
| Weekend Warrior | 5:37 | ||
| Fear Of The Dark | 7:16 |
Credits (42)
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The Complete WorksArtwork [Packaging]
Steve HarrisBass-
Alan Parker (9)Crew [The Killer Krew]
-
Anzac (2)Crew [The Killer Krew]
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Chris HilesCrew [The Killer Krew]
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Chris Lang (4)Crew [The Killer Krew]
Notes
Fear of the Dark is the ninth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 11 May 1992.
It was the last album with Bruce Dickinson in lead vocals (until his return in 1999) and the last to feature the work of producer Martin Birch (who retired after its release), also produced by Steve Harris.
"Be Quick or Be Dead", a fast tempo song in a heavier thrash style released as the album's first single.
"Wasting Love" was the group's first power ballad, which dates back to Dickinson's first solo album "Tattooed Millionaire"
"Afraid to Shoot Strangers", is a political song from the point of view of a soldier in the Gulf War, Dickinson would often introduce the song as an anti-war narrative.
"Fear Is the Key" is about the fear in sexual relationships resulting from AIDS. The song was written around the time when the band learned about the death of Queen singer Freddie Mercury.
"Weekend Warrior" is about football hooliganism.
According to the band's biographer, Mick Wall, the cover depicts Eddie, "as some sort of Nosferatu tree figure leering at the moon". It was the group's first not to be designed by artist Derek Riggs, whose contributions were rejected in favour of Melvyn Grant's.
According to Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood, the band began accepting contributions from other artists as "We wanted to upgrade Eddie for the 90s. We wanted to take him from the sort of comic-book horror creature and turn him into something a bit more straightforward so that he became even more threatening."
Following Fear of the Dark, Grant has produced several more covers for Iron Maiden, making him the band's second most-frequent artist after Riggs.
In 2022, in her music video LALISA' M/V, South Korean superstar Lisa from Blackpink sports a full outfit featuring a collage of Fear of the Dark artwork.
Reviews for the album were mixed, with AllMusic commenting that, while "easily an improvement over 1990's lackluster No Prayer for the Dying (both musically and sonically)", the release "still wasn't quite on par with their exceptional work from the '80s".
Sputnikmusic were more positive about the release, stating that "though many of the songs are still sub-par by their standards ... the band returns to the lofty heights that they enjoyed for the entirety of the 80's".
Billboard gave it a positive review on release, saying Dickinson's voice "shows no sign of wear and tear" and the guitar work "sounds fresh and crisp".
In October 2011, Fear of the Dark was ranked No. 8 on Guitar World magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1992.
Fear of the Dark became the third Iron Maiden album to top the UK Albums Chart.
It is the band's most successful record in North America after the inception of Nielsen SoundScan in 1991, with 438,000 copies sold as of 2008.
It was the last album with Bruce Dickinson in lead vocals (until his return in 1999) and the last to feature the work of producer Martin Birch (who retired after its release), also produced by Steve Harris.
"Be Quick or Be Dead", a fast tempo song in a heavier thrash style released as the album's first single.
"Wasting Love" was the group's first power ballad, which dates back to Dickinson's first solo album "Tattooed Millionaire"
"Afraid to Shoot Strangers", is a political song from the point of view of a soldier in the Gulf War, Dickinson would often introduce the song as an anti-war narrative.
"Fear Is the Key" is about the fear in sexual relationships resulting from AIDS. The song was written around the time when the band learned about the death of Queen singer Freddie Mercury.
"Weekend Warrior" is about football hooliganism.
According to the band's biographer, Mick Wall, the cover depicts Eddie, "as some sort of Nosferatu tree figure leering at the moon". It was the group's first not to be designed by artist Derek Riggs, whose contributions were rejected in favour of Melvyn Grant's.
According to Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood, the band began accepting contributions from other artists as "We wanted to upgrade Eddie for the 90s. We wanted to take him from the sort of comic-book horror creature and turn him into something a bit more straightforward so that he became even more threatening."
Following Fear of the Dark, Grant has produced several more covers for Iron Maiden, making him the band's second most-frequent artist after Riggs.
In 2022, in her music video LALISA' M/V, South Korean superstar Lisa from Blackpink sports a full outfit featuring a collage of Fear of the Dark artwork.
Reviews for the album were mixed, with AllMusic commenting that, while "easily an improvement over 1990's lackluster No Prayer for the Dying (both musically and sonically)", the release "still wasn't quite on par with their exceptional work from the '80s".
Sputnikmusic were more positive about the release, stating that "though many of the songs are still sub-par by their standards ... the band returns to the lofty heights that they enjoyed for the entirety of the 80's".
Billboard gave it a positive review on release, saying Dickinson's voice "shows no sign of wear and tear" and the guitar work "sounds fresh and crisp".
In October 2011, Fear of the Dark was ranked No. 8 on Guitar World magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1992.
Fear of the Dark became the third Iron Maiden album to top the UK Albums Chart.
It is the band's most successful record in North America after the inception of Nielsen SoundScan in 1991, with 438,000 copies sold as of 2008.
Versions
Filter by
237 versions
| Image | , | – | In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory |
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Version Details | Data Quality | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Limited Edition, Gatefold
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EMI – 7991611 | UK | 1992 | UK — 1992 |
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album, Stereo
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EMI – CDP 7991612 | UK | 1992 | UK — 1992 |
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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EMI – 7991614 | 1992 | — 1992 |
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album, Stereo
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Epic – EK 48993 | US | 1992 | US — 1992 |
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – 7991611 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 | ||||
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album, Limited Edition, Digipak
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EMI – 7808612 | Australasia | 1992 | Australasia — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release
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Takt Music – 1796 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 | ||||
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Stereo
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EMI – 2-54 7991611 | Italy | 1992 | Italy — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album
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MMC Records (2) – 69515-1-D | Hungary | 1992 | Hungary — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – EMD 1032 | Europe | 1992 | Europe — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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Epic – ET 48993 | US | 1992 | US — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark = フィア・オブ・ザ・ダーク
CD, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo
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EMI – EMD 1032 | Japan | 1992 | Japan — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – 140 79 9161 1 | Spain | 1992 | Spain — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album, Stereo
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EMI – CDP 799 1612 | Europe | 1992 | Europe — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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EMI – 7 99161 4 | UK | 1992 | UK — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album
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Capitol Records – C2 99161 | Canada | 1992 | Canada — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album
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Croatia Records – LP-7-2 2036868 | Croatia | 1992 | Croatia — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album
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EMI – 7991611 | Greece | 1992 | Greece — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album
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EMI – CDP 799 1612 | Italy | 1992 | Italy — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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Croatia Records – MC-7-S 3036867 | Croatia | 1992 | Croatia — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – 168 799161 1 | Brazil | 1992 | Brazil — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – 7991611 | Portugal | 1992 | Portugal — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
LP, Album
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EMI – 11001472 | Colombia | 1992 | Colombia — 1992 |
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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EMI – 25201 | Venezuela | 1992 | Venezuela — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release
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MG Records (2) – MG 2144 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – EMI-25200 | Venezuela | 1992 | Venezuela — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release
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Brawo – 715 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Dolby HX Pro B NR
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Capitol Records – C4 99161 | Canada | 1992 | Canada — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – EMCJD(I) 5456 | South Africa | 1992 | South Africa — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
2×LP, Album, Gatefold
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EMI – EKPL-0230-231 | South Korea | 1992 | South Korea — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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EMI – E0187-2 | Indonesia | 1992 | Indonesia — 1992 | ||||
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Fear Of The Dark
Box Set, Limited Edition, Promo, Numbered; CD, Album; Cassette; VHS
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EMI – EMD 1032 | UK | 1992 | UK — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release
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Star – 149 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Stereo, Dolby System
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EMI – TCEMD 1032 | Netherlands | 1992 | Netherlands — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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MJM Music PL – MJM 139 | Poland | 1992 | Poland — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album
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EMI – TC EMD 1032 | Malaysia | 1992 | Malaysia — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, XDR quality system, Dolby system
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EMI – 68 7991614 | Italy | 1992 | Italy — 1992 |
Recently Edited
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Fear Of The Dark
Cassette, Album, Dolby System
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EMI Greece – 7 99161 4 | Greece | 1992 | Greece — 1992 |
New Submission
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album
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EMI – 374 799161 2 | Brazil | 1992 | Brazil — 1992 | ||||
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Fear Of The Dark
CD, Album
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EMI – 7243 8 36051 2 5 | Europe | 1992 | Europe — 1992 |
New Submission
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Recommendations
Reviews
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referencing Fear Of The Dark (CD, Album, Reissue) CK 86217
This looks like my copy(Barcode, Matrix/Runout & SID Code the same) except for mine being on Metal Is Records instead of BMG and the UPC code is top right of back inlay instead of sideways bottom right like this one. I hate it when they are this close but not close enough to add! -
This spanish version has the matrix/dead zone hand-written instead of machine-written. The color in the cover has less contrast, more luminous: it is a bit brighter than the other 1992 2LP spanish version.
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This spanish version has the matrix/dead zone machine-written. The color in the cover has more contrast and is a bit darker than the other 1992 2LP spanish version.
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Have this cd, my disc is blank on both sides, must have a misprint. Cd plays great and sounds about as good as a cd can! -
referencing Fear Of The Dark (2×LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress, Gatefold, Optimal Media Pressing) 538276291
Sounds phenomenal on my setup. Your mileage may vary.
Up the irons 🤘 -
Perfect copy, crystal clear sound! The 1st UK press is totally worth it! -
Sounds excellent to my ear. Clear across the spectrum, no flaws. Bass are ok. Really good. -
Record sounds fantastic actually. Better than the OG cd and at least they used the hi res files to cut the record. Just a history..i have listedn to Maiden since 1981 so I say this with sadness. This should have been an 8 song album. Its too long..and some of the songs would have been better b-sides. It would have been a glorious record it they had only not felt they had to fill up the entirety of the cd medium. Then again that is what program does on your cd player. -
referencing Fear Of The Dark (CD, Album, Stereo) EK 48993
Anybody else’s disc have a navy blue tray? Mine does. -
Excellent vinyl flat dynamics are on point the gate fold cover is nice quality soundstage overall is definitely on the money 💰
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