As far as I'm aware although the members may have dabbled in certain aspects of Satanism, the Satanic references in songs such as "Number of the Beast" are pretty much typical dark metal songs, in that they are intended more to cause shock and outrage amongst conservative types, than as real invocations of the devil. Satanism as such, contrary to what the media would have us told, isn't "Satan worship", but merely a refusal to obey the rules set out by what they see as a dictatorial Christian God. They see Satan, or the anti-christ as a figure symbolising freedom from constraints. They don't worship the devil as worship of any form is against their principles. Teenagers in heavy metal t-shirts shouting "I love Satan" and writing 666 on everything are more interested in being deliberately shocking than they are in genuine Satanism.

In the 1985 Live album Live After Death Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson says that the band is not satanic. The song Number of the Beast was written about the movie the omen 2. So no they are not satanic. Now Marilyn Manson is Satanic.

As a born again Christian, I must answer no, I don't think they are satanic. You can find satan anywhere you are looking for him. I don't look for him, so I don't hear him in the music I listen too. Listen to the lyrics from Two Minutes to Midnight and really see what they are singing about !

as IronBlackZepp said, bruce said in live after death that they wern't satanic, and that he was sick of people accusing them that they were. Now, i believe strongley in my faith being in a christian band, (screw whoever left the comment about prefering satanic music over christian)but bruce also said that he wishes all of those who accuse him of being satinic would "fuck off and just die." So there's your answer.

most likely considered that because of the song and album entitled "the number of the beast"...although the song itself is not an anthem for devil worship (it's a tale about someone coming across devil worshipers and how it affected that person, and was based on a nightmare bassist steve harris had after watching "damien: omen ii"), most christians freak out over anything that has 666 or any kind of reference to the number of the beast, immediately branding it anti-christian or demonic...i think most metal bands get a kick out of ruffling feathers, and the christian groups who push to censor such artists only help bring these artists more attention, a bigger fan base, and more album sales...any publicity is good publicity...

I would say no more than Frank Sinatra was a "satanic" lounge singer.

they're only considered satanic by poorly informed fundies.

Nope. The vast majority of Maiden's music is based on literature and history. The band neither worships nor glorifies satan in any way, in fact quite the opposite. It is only the uneducated and those who care not to research that believe otherwise.

well.. ive wondered the same exact thing. i think that if it bothers you or that you feel it is wrong then you shouldn't listen to it. i consider myself a very strong christian and i only listen to select songs. ive seen the lyrics for many black sabbath and iron maiden songs. and to me it seems pretty blatant. just look up the lyric for "flight of icarus", in the bible it talks about when christ died .. in order for him to die. god had to leave him or his soul for him to not be eternal. and the song is basically saying that god betrayed him. and if you read the lyrics to the song "hallowed be thy name", its pretty obvious what they are saying. idk.. you will have to look into it yourself. the sad truth is that this is the goal of black metal bands such as iron maiden, to be darker and more satanic. it could be for show or they could be satin warshipers. There have been rumors that such band practice black magic or go to black mass and worship the devil. its all in what you want to believe. of course bruce dickenson is gonna say that the music is not satanic. they don't wanna lose sales. if they said they were satanic the christian listeners would stop buying albums.

no way