IRON MAIDEN Presented With Gold Disc For U.K. Sales Of 'Senjutsu' Album

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN were presented with a gold disc by Tony Harlow, the head of Warner Music U.K., at the first of their two sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena last Friday in recognition of their critically acclaimed studio album "Senjutsu" selling over 100,000 physical copies in the U.K.

IRON MAIDEN lead singer Bruce Dickinson says: "Gold? That's fantastic!

"From the launch of the first 'Senjutsu' track, 'The Writing On The Wall', we knew that this album would work really well live and we're delighted that fans totally bought into an album with four songs over eight minutes long and another that is almost 13!

"This U.K. tour has been incredible and it reminds us how much our music — both new and historical — means to fans both in the UK and all round the world."

IRON MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood says: "It's terrific to continue to be awarded gold discs whilst touring through the great cities of Europe with a set containing five songs and around 50 minutes from this latest album, and the fans are loving it! It's a vindication of the band's intent to perform new music and the relationship we have with our fans that we continue to sell past landmarks like this in our home country and globally.

"We've always been proud to fly the flag for Britain and to be acknowledged with yet another gold album here is very satisfying. I think this makes it about our 20 somethingth(!) U.K. gold album going back over 40 years! Some record in more ways than one!"

Harlow says: "At Parlophone/Warner we've been lucky enough to represent IRON MAIDEN for a good number of years now and my personal involvement professionally with them goes back much further. I remember manager Rod Smallwood telling me way back then that, 'MAIDEN and metal will always be there, strongly bubbling under the media fads of the day. Metal fans rely on quality and integrity, and we will always deliver on that.' Watching the band at the O2 last Friday, some 30 years later, is proof that he had that completely right and the result is yet another gold album. MAIDEN don't compromise, don't sell out, and never disappoint. That's why so many people wear their colors.

"It's an honor and a privilege for us to work with them and we are super proud to give them this latest award. Even if it's a drop in the ocean of over 5 million albums sold in the U.K. alone”.

In an era of streaming, where physical sales of albums have taken a back-seat, IRON MAIDEN continue to thrive as one of the most successful rock bands on the planet. Their remarkable attention to detail and quality in all things means that fans around the globe, including the U.K., still purchase physical vinyl albums and CDs in quantities beyond the imagination of many of today's artists.

In addition to record sales, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest-selling live acts globally. Their last tour — "Legacy Of The Beast" — played to over three million people worldwide, and during the course of more than 30 sold-out dates of this year's "The Future Past Tour", IRON MAIDEN will play to in excess of 750,000 fans. They have just taken this spectacular show into seven huge arena shows across the U.K., selling them out months in advance.

"The Future Past Tour" continues through Europe this summer, heading into western Canada for three arena shows in late September and early October prior to playing at Power Trip festival in Indio, California on October 6, alongside GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC and METALLICA.

"Senjutsu" was released in September 2021 via BMG. The band's first LP in six years was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

In the U.S., "Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

According to Billboard, "Senjutsu" logged the second-largest week of 2021 for a hard rock album in both equivalent album units earned and in traditional album sales.

"Senjutsu" topped the charts in several European countries upon its release, including in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

Left to right in photo: Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN),Tony Harlow (Warner Music),Janick Gers (IRON MAIDEN),Dave Shack (Phantom Management),Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN),Andy Taylor (Phantom Management),Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN),Dave Murray (IRON MAIDEN),Rod Smallwood (Phantom Management),Steve Harris (IRON MAIDEN)