Iron Maiden Take Off In Documentary

Iron Maiden: Flight 666, the first feature documentary about the British heavy metal band, will hit theatres around the world on April 21.

The film chronicles the first leg of Iron Maiden's 2008 "Somewhere Back In Time Tour," where lead singer and tourist rescuer Bruce Dickinson piloted their customized Boeing 757 jet to 23 stadium and arena shows in Asia, Australia and the Americas over 45 days last February and March.

Iron Maiden played in 13 countries and also stopped in Azerbaijan and Papua New Guinea to refuel in the midst of their 70,000-kilometre journey on "Ed Force One" that saw them perform in front of almost half-a-million fans.

A camera crew from Toronto's Banger Productions — which produced Global Metal and Metal: A Headbanger's Journey — was given exclusive access to the band, resulting in what film distributor Arts Alliance Media is billing as "an intimate and revealing portrait of one of the world's most successful rock bands and an inspirational and often humorous account of the chaotic world of a band on tour."

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 was shot in high definition with 5.1 surround sound that was mixed by Maiden producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley.

"Flight 666 is a snapshot of life in a rock band," Dickinson told Kerrang.com. "We've never given anybody access to everything and they had access to everything, 24/7!

"When we went out for a beer, they'd be there. The only thing they didn't do was film us having a shit."

Dickinson hasn't seen the film and says he has no idea what it will be like.

"I'm just waiting to see what they make of us," he told Kerrang.com.

Here's the trailer for Iron Maiden: Flight 666: