Death on the Road

Death on the Road
Live album & video by Iron Maiden
Released 29 August 2005 (audio)
6 February 2006 (video)
Recorded 24 November 2003
Venue Westfalenhalle Arena, Dortmund, Germany
Genre Heavy metal
Length 94:25
Label EMI
Producer Kevin Shirley / Steve Harris
Iron Maiden live albums chronology
Eddie's Archive:
BBC Archives
/
Beast over Hammersmith
/
Best of the 'B' Sides
(2002)		 Death on the Road
(2005)		 Flight 666
(2009)
Iron Maiden video chronology
The Early Days
(2004)		 Death on the Road
(2006)		 Live After Death
(2008)
Singles from Death on the Road
  1. "The Trooper (live)"
    Released: 15 August 2005

Death on the Road is a live CD, LP, and DVD released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden on 29 August 2005 (CD & LP version) and on 6 February 2006 (DVD version). The album was recorded at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany on 24 November 2003, during the Dance of Death World Tour (2003–2004).

The release performed well in the national charts of several countries; Finland (no. 5), Sweden (no. 7), Norway (no. 12), France (no. 14), Italy (no. 17), Switzerland (no. 17), Spain (no. 18), United Kingdom (no. 22), Ireland (no. 27), the Netherlands (no. 39) and India (no.29).[1]

Background

The video was released in a 3 DVD set, with the first two representing the concert footage in 5.1 Digital audio and stereo and the final containing special features, including a documentary and the promo videos for Wildest Dreams and Rainmaker.[2][3]

The 70-minute documentary, directed by Matthew Amos, shows the recording of the Dance of Death album at Sarm West Studios, London and the subsequent preparations for the following tour, including interviews with the majority of the band's road crew. Additional and extended interviews with crew and fans (recorded at Earls Court, London) were also included as individual films, entitled "Life On The Road" and "The Fans". The documentary contains the first ever released footage of the band in the recording studio.

Following the original 2006 DVD release, the band noted that several fans had complained about playback issues with the stereo disc, and stated that they would investigate the issue.[4] A week later, the US release date for the DVD was postponed from 21 February 2006 to 30 January 2007, due to "unforeseen production issues".[5][6]

The cover was designed by Melvyn Grant.

The version of "Fear of the Dark" on this release was later included in the Edward the Great 2005 re-release.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [7]
Classic Rock (DVD) 9/10[8]
Guitarist (DVD) [9]
Kerrang! 4/5[8]
Kerrang! (DVD) 5/5[8]
Q (DVD) [10]
Record Collector (DVD) [11]
Terrorizer 7/10[12]

Reviews for the album were generally positive, with Kerrang! deeming it "very nearly the ultimate Iron Maiden live album," commenting that the release proves that the band "are as exciting, relevant and unique in 2005 as they were two decades ago."[8] AllMusic, however, were more critical of the album, remarking that "longtime fans do not need any more live versions of "Number of the Beast," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Run to the Hills," or "The Trooper,"" although also stating that the band lays "waste [to] any notions that they can't hold themselves to the performance standards of their younger days."[7] Guy Strachan praised the band for "capturing...the raw aggression of the band's delivery" but also suggested that "while it does do a very good job at capturing a good Maiden show for posterity, by default it contains six songs that have not been issued in a live context before but many of the other ten have featured on damn near every other live album. As a souvenir of a specific gig/tour it works very well, but in the grander scheme of things can be passed over for an album that has a greater tracklist variance".[12]

The DVD release was met with critical acclaim, receiving full marks from Kerrang! who deemed it "the next best thing to having front row seats at a Maiden show."[8] Record Collector were just as positive, calling the package "a visua-sonic treat."[11] Although criticising the "blink-and-you'll-miss-it editing," Guitarist also awarded it 5 out of 5, stating, "It may seem strange to you that Maiden are bigger than ever these days, but if you're in any doubt as to why, the evidence is right here."[9] Classic Rock praised the video for being more intimate than 2002's Rock in Rio, commenting that "it provides irrefutable proof that Iron Maiden are still the world's greatest living heavy metal band — bar none."[8] Q were somewhat less positive, giving the DVD a lower score of 4 out of 5, but still called it "a lavish tribute to one of the UK's most enduring bands."[10]

Track listing

CD Track listing

Disc One
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Wildest Dreams" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Adrian Smith, Steve Harris 4:52
2. "Wrathchild" (from Killers, 1981)Harris 2:49
3. "Can I Play with Madness" (from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1988)Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Harris 3:30
4. "The Trooper" (from Piece of Mind, 1983)Harris 4:12
5. "Dance of Death" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Janick Gers, Harris 9:23
6. "Rainmaker" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Dave Murray, Harris, Dickinson 4:02
7. "Brave New World" (from Brave New World, 2000)Murray, Harris, Dickinson 6:10
8. "Paschendale" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Smith, Harris 10:18
9. "Lord of the Flies" (from The X Factor, 1995)Harris, Gers 5:04
Disc Two
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "No More Lies" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Harris 7:50
2. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)Harris 7:32
3. "Fear of the Dark" (from Fear of the Dark, 1992)Harris 7:28
4. "Iron Maiden" (from Iron Maiden, 1980)Harris 4:50
5. "Journeyman" (from Dance of Death, 2003)Smith, Harris, Dickinson 7:03
6. "The Number of the Beast" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)Harris 4:58
7. "Run to the Hills" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)Harris 4:24
Total length:
 94:25

DVD special features

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.[13][14]

Iron Maiden
Additional musicians
Production

Chart performance

Album

Country Chart (2005) Peak
position
Austria Ö3 Austria Top 40 23[15]
Belgium (Flanders) Ultratop 32[16]
Belgium (Wallonia) 37[17]
Finland The Official Finnish Charts 5[18]
France SNEP 14[19]
Germany Media Control Charts 17[20]
Italy FIMI 26[21]
Japan Oricon 106[22]
Netherlands MegaCharts 39[23]
Norway VG-lista 12[24]
Spain PROMUSICAE 18[25]
Sweden Sverigetopplistan 7[26]
Switzerland Swiss Hitparade 17[27]
United Kingdom Official Albums Chart 22[28]

Video

Country Chart (2005) Peak
position
Australia ARIA Charts 3[29]
Austria Ö3 Austria Top 10 DVD 4[30]
Belgium (Flanders) Ultratop 4[31]
Finland The Official Finnish Charts 1[32]
Hungary Mahasz 6[33]
Italy FIMI 3[34]
Japan Oricon 53[35]
Netherlands MegaCharts 11[36]
Norway VG-lista 1[37]
Spain PROMUSICAE 2[38]
Switzerland Swiss Hitparade 78[39]
United Kingdom UK Video Charts 1[40]
United States Billboard charts 14[41]

Single

Single Chart (2005) Position
"The Trooper" (live) Canadian Singles Chart 5[42]
Danish Singles Chart 7[43]
Finnish Singles Chart 5[44]
French Singles Chart 100[45]
Irish Singles Chart 16[46]
Italian Singles Chart 8[47]
Spanish Singles Chart 1[48]
Swedish Singles Chart 5[26]
Swiss Singles Chart 61[49]
UK Singles Chart 5[50]
Single Chart (2006) Position
"The Trooper" (live) Spanish Singles Chart 10[48]

Certifications

Album
Region Certification Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)[51] Silver 60,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Video
Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[52] Gold 17,500^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[53] Gold 8,676[53]
France (SNEP)[54] Gold 10,000*

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Notes

  1. ↑ "Iron Maiden: More Death on the Road First-Week Chart Positions Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2006.
  2. ↑ "Death on the Road release date announced". ironmaiden.com. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  3. ↑ Lane, Daniel (15 December 2005). "Maiden New DVD". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "Iron Maiden Management Comments on Death on the Road DVD Glitches". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Iron Maiden: Death on the Road DVD US Release Delayed, Theatre Screenings Postponed". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 16 February 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Iron Maiden's Death on the Road DVD To Receive Long-Awaited US Release". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Monger, James. Iron Maiden - Death on the Road at AllMusic. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Lane, Daniel; Ling, Dave; Lawson, Dom (13 February 2006). "Death on the Road DVD reviews". Kerrang!; Classic Rock. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bradley, Simon (13 February 2006). "Guitarist Review Death on the Road DVD". Guitarist. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Q Review Death on the Road DVD". Q. 13 February 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Record Collector Review Death on the Road DVD". Record Collector. 16 February 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Strachan, Guy (November 2005). "Iron Maiden: Death on the Road". Terrorizer (137): 75.
  13. ↑ Death on the Road CD (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 29 August 2005.
  14. ↑ Death on the Road DVD (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 6 February 2006.
  15. ↑ "Discographie Iron Maiden". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  16. ↑ "Iron Maiden - Death on the Road - Belgian Charts (Flanders)" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  17. ↑ "Iron Maiden - Death on the Road - Belgian Charts (Wallonia)" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Discography Iron Maiden". The Official Finnish Charts. Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  19. ↑ "Classement officiel des ventes d'albums physiques du 29 août au 04 Septembre 2005". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). ChartsinFrance.net. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  20. ↑ "Iron Maiden > Longplay-Chartverfolgung". Musicline.de (in German). PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  21. ↑ "FIMI Artisti Classifica settimanale dal 02/09/2005 al 08/09/2005" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Iron Maiden - Death on the Road" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  23. ↑ "Discografie Iron Maiden" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  24. ↑ "Discography Iron Maiden". VG-lista. Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  25. ↑ "Top 100 Albumes Lista de los titulos mas vendidos del 29.08.05 al 04.09.05" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Discography Iron Maiden". Sverigetopplistan. Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  27. ↑ "Iron Maiden - Death on the Road". Swiss Hitparade. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  28. ↑ "Official UK Albums Archive 10 September 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  29. ↑ "Australian charts, 20 February 2006". ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. 10 April 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  30. ↑ "Austria Top 40 - Musik-DVD Top 10 - 17.02.2006". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  31. ↑ "10 Muziek-DVD 25/02/2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 34 April 2013. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  32. ↑ "Suomen virallinen lista - Musiikki DVD:t 6/2006" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  33. ↑ "DVD Top 20 lista 2006. 02. 06. - 2006. 02. 12." (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  34. ↑ "FIMI DVD Musicali Classifica settimanale dal 3/02/2006 al 09/02/2006" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  35. ↑ デス・オン・ザ・ロード（ＤＶＤ３枚組） (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  36. ↑ "Dutch DVD Music Top 30 18/02/2006". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  37. ↑ "Topp 10 DVD Audio Uke 7 2006" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  38. ↑ "Top 20 DVD Musical Lista de los títulos mas vendidos del 06.02.06 al 12.02.06" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  39. ↑ [DVD&cat=a "Iron Maiden - Death On The Road [DVD]"]. Swiss Hitparade. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  40. ↑ "Iron Maiden, Whitesnake Top UK's Music DVD Chart". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 13 February 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
  41. ↑ "Top Music Video Death On The Road". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  42. ↑ "Iron Maiden Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  43. ↑ "Iron Maiden - 'The Trooper' (song)". Tracklisten. Danishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  44. ↑ "Iron Maiden - 'The Trooper' (song)". The Official Finnish Charts. Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  45. ↑ "Iron Maiden - 'The Trooper' (chanson)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). Lescharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  46. ↑ "Search the Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  47. ↑ "Iron Maiden Songs". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Italiancharts.com. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 "Iron Maiden - 'The Trooper' (Song)". Productores de Música de España. Spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  49. ↑ "Iron Maiden - 'The Trooper'". Swiss Hitparade. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  50. ↑ "UK Singles Chart- 27 August 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  51. ↑ "British album certifications – Iron Maiden – Death on the Road". British Phonographic Industry. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2013. Enter Death on the Road in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  52. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 DVDs". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 The first web page presents the sales figures, the second presents the certification limits:
  54. ↑ "French video certifications – Iron Maiden – Death on the Road" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2013.