There’s a new compilation album coming out from Iron Maiden, and the awesome music and brutal album cover (click image for the full view of awesomeness) will be coming out on May 23, 2011. For those who are both curious and generous, that’s nearly a week after my birthday [hint-hint!]. Seriously though, this new 2-disc album looks like a ripper. It’s called From Fear to Eternity and focuses on the last 20 years of the band.

In 2009, the Irons released a compilation called Somewhere Back in Time: The Best of 1980-1989, which focused on their first 10 years of reshaping, redefining, and dominating metal. This new album is being touted as the follow-up, and focuses on the releases Maiden has put out there from 1990 – 2010, and is a nice way to celebrate 30 years of the most influential bands in metal.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the death of musician Phil Lynott, frontman of the rock band Thin Lizzy.

Philip Parris Lynott was born in the UK on August 20, 1949 and grew up in Dublin, Ireland. Lynott began his musical career in the 1960s, playing with guitarist Gary Moore amongst others and in 1969 he co-founded Thin Lizzy as the band’s frontman and main songwriter, as well as lead singer and bassist. In the 1970s, the band hit it big with a rock version of the traditional Irish tune “Whiskey in the Jar” and again in 1976 with “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak.”

One of the biggest disappointments of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, was the fact that Rush, the country’s greatest musical achievement, was not part of the opening or closing ceremonies. Yes, William Shatner and Neil Young were there, but c’mon, where the hell was Rush?! Bad move, Canada, [I love you, but] bad move.

The next Olympics will be the Summer games in London, England, in 2012. The options for musical choices is massive, but music fans are already voicing their opinions on which act should be part of the ceremonies. One in particular are Iron Maiden fans (and I happen to be one of them), who are joining the Facebook group IRON MAIDEN to open the 2012 London Olympic Games in hopes of getting the British heavy metal band to open the games. As of this writing, there’s already over 36,000 people who’ve joined the group. There’s also a FB download group requesting that fans download Iron Maiden’s “Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner,” with lyrics fitting for Summer Olympics, on July 19, 2010 in support of getting the band to open the games.

And check out the image that was created for the groups of the band’s mascot Eddie, taken from the classic “Trooper” art, holding the Olympic torch against the backdrop of an Olympic track. (That’s the image here at top.) Just think of having something like that on a T-shirt!!!

Fear not, geekdom, we are not done offering suggestions for Christmas gifts yet!

The big day is little more than only a WEEK away now, and if you haven’t yet, you need to get going on the Christmas shopping! As always, we campaign for the banishment of congested mall parking lots and consumer fist fights in front of an Orange Julius, and propose you do it like we do it: online!

This particular guide is all about the reading materials and musical selections. From graphic novels to actual novels; anime to books showcasing the making of and art work of your favorite films of this past year! And let us not forget about the music. Never ever forget about the music. The Beatles, Spinal Tap, and the Star Trek soundtrack are just a few of the featured tunes you’ll discover below.

Oh, and don’t forget: if you’re not looking for music or books, you can also wander the words of our Holiday Geek Gift Guide ’09: Wii Sports Accessories, our Holiday Geek Gift Guide ’09: Specialty Christmas Gift Suggestions, the Holiday Geek Gift Guide ’09: Video Game Edition, and of course, our Holiday Geek Gift Guide ’09: DVD & Blu-ray Edition.

By all means, don’t let us keep you any longer; head on over to the other side to check out our Holiday Geek Gift Guide ’09: Books & Music Edition!

Iron Maiden: Flight 666, the documentary following the band Iron Maiden on tour in early 2008, will be screened for one day only on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 in more than 450 special digital movie theaters in 42 countries.

For a list of theaters showing the film, visit: ironmaiden.com/flight666.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 will then be released on extended Blu-ray and DVD formats, alongside a double-CD soundtrack album and limited edition double-vinyl picture disc which will be available Tuesday, June 9.

Directed by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the film provides an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the band during the first leg of their Somewhere Back In Time tour, which spanned 23 shows and 13 countries in 45 days back in February/March 2008. The tour took them 50,000 miles round the planet playing 23 concerts on five continents in just 45 days. One of the stars of the movie is the band’s customized Boeing 757, Ed Force One, which carried the band, all their crew, and 12 tons of stage equipment and was piloted by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, a fully qualified and active Airline Captain with Astraeus Airlines.