The Number of the Beast [ENHANCED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [IMPORT]

Iron Maiden

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 29, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1982
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording reissued, Import
• Label: Raw Power
• ASIN: B00000BKDU
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,575 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Throughout the 1980s, a damning generalization held true: British metal was essentially working man's food, loosely descended from biker-meets and Northern pubs; whereas, in the States, it was an outgrowth of stadium rock, which traditionally subordinated substance to spectacle. Plug-ugly and cartoonishly morbid, Iron Maiden were typical of the Brit effort, since they effectively emphasized a driving, no-nonsense approach to the music. Among metal aficionados, this album ranks as one of the defining moments of the entire genre. Of the eight songs here--including Maiden classics like "Run to the Hills" and the title track--only "Gangland" falls flat, though it's immediately overshadowed by "Hallowed Be Thy Name," acknowledged by many as this band's apotheosis. --Andrew McGuire

Product Description
Digitally remastered reissue of their U.S. breakthrough album, first released on EMI in 1982 & now with 'Total Eclipse' added as a bonus track, for a total of nine cuts. An enhanced release, it also contains the CD-ROM videos to 'Run To The Hills' & 'The Number Of The Beast'. Also includes the original cover art. 1998 Raw Power release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Iron Maiden's seminal work- a masterpiece!, August 26, 2000

By	Nom De Plume - See all my reviews

What "Master of Puppets" is to Metallica, "Number Of The Beast" is to Iron Maiden. This album is the definitive Maiden album, and the first big, worldwide strike for the band. "Number of the Beast" is not only one of the handful of albums that defined metal in the 1980s, but also defined metal PERIOD.

Musically, the album is also fantastic. There is only one weak track on the disc- "Gangland." Every other song is a Maiden classic; musically well-done- moving where it has to sound moving, driving when it has to be, and powerful every inch of the way. Mere words cannot describe the quality of the album. From the beginning ("Invaders"), Bruce Dickinson takes the listener on a roller coaster of emotion with his vocals, while Adrian Smith, Steve Harris, Clive Burr, and Dave Murray provide the raw power to get you through "Children of the Damned," "The Prisoner," and the title track, "Number of the Beast." "Hallowed Be Thy Name" starts off slow, then gradually picks up until it ends in a strong crescendo, a perfect end to a nigh-perfect album.

A must have for a music fan, to say nothing about a Maiden fan, or a metal fan!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A defining moment in 1980's classic metal, June 1, 2000

By	R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

THE BAND: Steve Harris (bass), Bruce Dickinson (vocals), Dave Murray (guitar), Adrian Smith (guitar), Clive Burr (drums).

THE DISC: (1982) 9 tracks clocking in at approximately 45 minutes. This is Maiden's 3rd album. Recorded at Battery Studios, London. The disc contains a 22-page booklet with a brief intro, lyrics, band pictures and thank you's. Song writing credits: Harris takes credit for 8 of 9 songs. Murray, Smith and Burr co-wrote a few each with Harris (Dickinson has zero song writing credits). The song "Gangland" by Smith and Burr only. The enhanced CD features a nice multimedia section for your PC - including 2 videos ("Run To The Hills" and "The Number Of The Beast", the band's catalogue of albums, band history, itinerary from the '82 Beast On The Road tour, and more. Digitally remastered in 1998. Cover art by the one and only Derek Riggs.

COMMENTS: Iron Maiden hit it big with "Number of the Beast". Easily considered a classic in early 1980's metal. Departed is Iron Maiden's original singer and enter newcomer ex-Samson vocalist, 23 year old Bruce Dickinson. This was also Clive Burr's last album with the band. Perhaps not as polished a record, say as "Powerslave" or "Piece Of Mind", but the band is in rare form - writing songs that will stand the test of time... and many being concert favorites decades later. "Number Of The Beast" is at its core - raw and full of energy and excitement. Where many bands at the time were releasing 3 and 4 minutes songs, Maiden was breaking the mold and giving their fans some trademark long songs - the 7+ minute "Hallowed Be Thy Name", the 6+ minute "22 Acacia Avenue" and "The Prisoner". Radio hits included the title track (#35 on the Billboard charts) and "Run To The Hills (#18 Billboard, and #7 in the UK). As good as Iron Maiden's 1st two discs were with singer Paul Di'Anno, the chance they took firing him really paid off 10-fold with Dickinson. This is Iron Maiden's first classic period release. Great disc.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best metal album of all time!, October 23, 1999

By	"metalbeast" (Nottingham, Nottinghamshire England) - See all my reviews

I cannot beleive that just before I wrote this review this album had an average score of a mere four and a half stars out of five. This album truly deserves the maximum quantity of stars. I am hoping that this review will help to tip the balance and give it the five stars it deserves. This is one killer album and if you haven't got it then buy it NOW. Every song ROCKS especially classics like 'Number of the beast', 'Run to the hills', 'The prisoner' and 'Hallowed be thy name'. If you want to buy one maiden album I would say buy 'Live after Death' because it has most of the classics from their first five albums, but if you want a good maiden studio album, this is the one. This album, along with 'Powerslave' and 'Peice of mind' which are also excellent should go down as one of the finest examples of heavy metal mastery EVER.