Invaders by Iron Maiden – Guitar Lesson

Start your Number of the Beast journey off with a bang by mastering “Invaders” by Iron Maiden, the explosive opening track from the band's groundbreaking 1982 album. With its high-octane tempo, tightly locked guitar riffs, and classic Maiden harmonies, Invaders is a fast-paced metal workout for guitarists looking to refine precision, speed, and control. In this note-for-note LickLibrary guitar lesson, we break down every riff, fill, and solo, focusing on key techniques including power chords, palm muting, alternate picking, and hammer-ons.

Whether you’re a fan of Iron Maiden’s early work or simply want to strengthen your rock and metal guitar skills, this lesson will guide you through the technical and musical elements that make Invaders such a powerful opener—and a must-learn track for any serious guitarist. This lesson is taught by Danny Gill.

Technique Focus

Power Chords

Power chords are at the heart of the rhythm guitar work in Invaders. These simple yet effective shapes deliver the punchy foundation that drives the track’s high-energy riffing, especially during the verses and chorus sections.

Learning benefit: Mastering power chords strengthens your fretting-hand accuracy and improves your ability to play tight, defined rhythms under distortion. They are a staple of metal rhythm playing and crucial for delivering strong, impactful riffs.

Palm Muting

Throughout the song, especially during the verses and bridge sections, palm muting is used to control note length and tighten up the rhythmic drive. It adds percussive clarity and helps distinguish between muted and open-strummed sections for dynamic contrast.

Learning benefit: Practicing palm muting develops right-hand precision and rhythm control, helping you achieve the clean, staccato punch that defines Iron Maiden’s galloping riffs.

Alternate Picking

Given the song’s tempo and rhythmic complexity, alternate picking is essential for executing the fast, repeating patterns found throughout Invaders. This technique is especially critical in the intro and verse sections, where rapid down-up strokes are required for clean note separation.

Learning benefit: Developing alternate picking increases picking efficiency, speed, and consistency—vital for mastering fast-paced metal riffs without sacrificing clarity or tone.

Hammer-Ons

Hammer-ons appear throughout the song’s fills and lead sections, offering a smooth, legato feel when transitioning between notes. They’re used in tandem with picked notes to enhance phrasing and fluidity.

Learning benefit: Working on hammer-ons improves left-hand dexterity and control. They help add speed and flow to lead lines, and reduce reliance on the picking hand for every note.

Why Learn This Song?

Invaders is a fast-paced, technically demanding Iron Maiden classic that serves as a complete workout for the modern metal guitarist. From its machine-gun riffing to melodic leads and rhythmic complexity, the song offers valuable practice in building right- and left-hand coordination, improving timing, and developing dynamic control.

Learning Invaders is also a window into Iron Maiden’s early compositional style—where punk-like aggression meets progressive metal complexity. Whether you're working on your rhythm playing, building speed, or simply expanding your Iron Maiden repertoire, this lesson offers a powerful and rewarding challenge.

About the Song and Iron Maiden’s Guitarists

“Invaders” is powered by the dual guitar partnership of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, a duo that helped shape the sound of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Known for their unique blend of harmonised leads, tightly synchronized riffs, and expressive solos, Murray and Smith elevated Iron Maiden’s music beyond the raw aggression of early metal, injecting melody and technicality into their playing.

Murray’s smooth, legato-driven style adds fluidity to solos and fills, while Smith brings a more riff-oriented, blues-infused precision to the table. Together, they laid the blueprint for countless metal bands to follow. Invaders captures them at full throttle—showcasing their ability to lock into complex rhythms while keeping everything musically cohesive.

What You’ll Learn in This Lesson

In this detailed LickLibrary guitar lesson, you’ll learn every section of Invaders in depth—from the razor-sharp intro riff and verse gallops to the solo section and energetic transitions. You'll develop better control over fast-paced rhythm work, improve your phrasing, and sharpen your lead technique.

This lesson is ideal for intermediate to advanced players who want to improve picking control, speed, stamina, and articulation—while also diving into the signature style of Iron Maiden’s most energetic material.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Alternate Picking
• Hammer-Ons

Crank up your speed, accuracy, and metal phrasing with this full breakdown of Invaders—a LickLibrary lesson that captures the intensity and brilliance of Iron Maiden’s opening anthem.