I see iron maiden out of Thin Lizzy and Wishbone ash. Melodic harmonizing guitar leads. If you look at the lead of Emerald, it sums up the IRon Maiden sound or at least the sound without Dianno's punky vocals. I look forward to them next year.
But all musicians and artists are a bit like magpies. They take a little from here and little from there. I only mind if it sounds like a direct rip off. As long as they are playing instruments and are trying, I will give it a listen.
This debate sounds remarkably similar to one that has rumbled on over the years - Sex Pistols basically New York Dolls with UK attitude, Duran Duran were Roxy without the panache, Iron Maiden = every 70's rock band but a bit more punky etc etc. One of the disadvantages of getting older is that when new bands "explore", i.e. rip off, ideas from older bands, it seems so obvious, yet to the younger music listener it probably sounds completely new and refreshing. I realized the years were marching on when I read an interview with the singer of Hot Hot Heat saying that he got into music via his Dad's XTC albums!