PAUL DI'ANNO Releases New Version Of IRON MAIDEN's 'Wrathchild' From Upcoming 'The Book Of The Beast' Album

Former IRON MAIDEN. vocalist Paul Di'Anno. has released a new version of the band's classic song "Wrathchild"..

Di'Anno. is joined on this fresh rendition of the "Killers". album track by singer ZP Theart. (DRAGONFORCE, SKID ROW.),drummer Russell Gilbrook. (URIAH HEEP.) and guitarist Cliff Evans. (TANK.).

Paul. says: "I'm loving this version of 'Wrathchild'. and working on the vocals with ZP Theart. really brought a lot of new energy into the song.

"'Wrathchild'. is still in the setlist at all my live shows. I love singing it and the fans still go crazy for it every night

"As well as having ZP. from DRAGONFORCE./SKID ROW. joining me on vocals, I brought in Russell Gilbrook. from URIAH HEEP. on drums and Cliff Evans. from TANK. on guitar. What a band."

Di'Anno.'s new version of "Wrathchild". is taken from his upcoming album "The Book Of The Beast", which is due on September 27 via Conquest Music.

The vinyl double album (available in blood red, virgin white and cold steel colored vinyl) and two-disc CD/DVD include five previously unreleased tracks, along with a carefully curated collection of songs that distills many of the best moments from Di'Anno's fascinating and formidable career.

The CD/DVD also includes rare live, promotional, and acoustic video footage.

Deep cuts from albums going back to Paul's BATTLEZONE, KILLERS and solo days have been painstakingly remastered to give them a more up to date and polished production plus some of Paul's rare acoustic, rehearsal and demo recordings have been added as a special bonus.

Perhaps the most interesting addition to this album is the unexpected reworking of two IRON MAIDEN classics, but with a dark twist. Both "Remember Tomorrow" and "Wrathchild" have been treated to a facelift with Paul dueting alongside Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH),ZP Theart and Lidya Balaban (CROWLEY).

"I suppose it might sound like an unusual combination, but Lidya has got a brilliant voice," Paul enthused. "I've been trying to get it together to see CROWLEY, but it hasn't happened yet.”

"I'd be very interested in working on something special with Tony and ZP in the future," Paul added.

The vinyl albums feature Paul dueting with Lydia Balaban while the ZP Theart and Tony Martin duets are on CD/DVD and also digital.

Di'Anno is very excited at the possibility of this collection bringing belated attention to many of his songs that may have slipped past the casual listener.

"I've never felt that my albums were ever given the promotion they deserved, and record labels just didn't take me seriously," Di'Anno commented. "The guys at Conquest Music are really on the case so I hope more people will get to hear my music now."

With an exhaustive CV that includes BATTLEZONE, KILLERS, DI'ANNO (the band),PRAYING MANTIS, THE ALMIGHTY INBREDZ, WARHORSE and the metal supergroup GOGMAGOG, Paul Di'Anno is one of the most colorful and controversial characters in hard rock and heavy metal. But of course, Paul is best known for having been a member of IRON MAIDEN from 1978 to 1981, appearing on their two iconic albums "Iron Maiden" and "Killers", his voice bringing the band far more of a raw, punky edge than was present on subsequent records.

For that reason, MAIDEN's first two albums still inspire strong reactions. Though the band became bigger than ever after his exit, there are fans that stopped liking them when Paul exited the picture. In later years, Di'Anno met members of METALLICA, PANTERA and SEPULTURA who all respectfully told him how much those first two LPs had influenced them.

"That's always bloody brilliant to hear," Paul enthused. "It's nice to know that you are worth something in the grand scheme of things."

Paul will be touring Europe through to mid-December 2024.

Photo credit: Marco Benjamin Alvarado (courtesy of Central Press for Conquest Music)