Customer Reviews

The Number of the Beast

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4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Forget about the fact that in the United States the band has rarely received any airplay on commercial radio. Nearly 18 years after its initial release, this album holds up as being one of the best rock albums (not just metal) of all time.

When this album came out in 1982, it quickly outsold the previous two Iron Maiden albums and confirmed that band leader, bassist Steve Harris & Iron Maiden had made the right choice in naming Bruce Dickinson as their new lead singer.

While many of Iron Maiden's albums are very good, if you can have only ONE Iron Maiden album, this should be it.

Producer Martin Birch has crafted a studio album that from beginning to end is flawless.

Invaders, which kicks off the album with its thunderous riffs, will have you snapping your neck and running for your guitar to try and play along. Children of the Damned is deceptively mellow at the beginning before speeding up and concluding with a wallop.

The Prisoner (based upon the 60's TV cult classic starring Patrick McGoohan) is a tremendous effort and a nod against conformity. 22 Acacia Avenue is the continuing saga of Charlotte the Harlot from the first Maiden album and features simple chords that wail.

The title track, which was supposed to be intro'd by Vincent Price (he was unavailable), to even the Maiden uninitiated is one of the best known of all the metal anthems. Dickinson's screams of six-six-six, the number of the beast, hell and fire conjure up the images seen on the cover artwork. With the following track, Run to the Hills, Maiden wrote a song that should have received a lot of US radio airplay but didn't. Never the less it is probably the most sing-along-able and memorable song on the album.

Gangland with its heavy drums rolls, is an underated, interesting song for two reasons; One, it is the only song drummer Clive Burr ever wrote for the band. Two, it has rarely been performed live. Total Eclipse which was originally a b-side has been added to this CD and is solid contender. The final track, Hallowed Be Thy Name is a mini-epic that features the dueling guitars of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith.

There are very few albums that TRULY deserve a five star rating. Number of the Beast is lyrically superior to others of the genre and musically brilliant. If you do not own this album, you are missing out on a classic that you should end up re-playing for many years to come. Hopefully it will start you on the road to Maiden fanaticism.

These days, heavy metal is all about image and self-obsession. Metal Bands of the 90s are already so dated, it's embarrassing. How refreshing it is then, to go back to good 'ol 80s metal, when it was all about the music.

Number of the Beast is an absolute Howitzer of an album, and simply blows all of the phony wanna-be metal music of today out the door. Every song on this album is good (no filler, here.) The weakest song, Gangland, is thought of as sub-par only because it is sitting between "Run to the Hills" and "Hallowed be thy Name" (a song that is generally regarded as the greatest heavy metal song ever recorded.) Every song could find its way into a live set and be appreciated there, that's how good they are. I especially enjoy "22 Acacia Ave" and "Invaders", not to mention the title track and Children of the Damned...hell, the whole album rules.

This was the first maiden album I bought, and it quickly turned me into a believer. The music is incredible, the instruments and vocals are close to perfect... I'm sorry, if you don't like this you're not a metal fan. This is as close as you're gonna get to honest-to-god perfection in an often stale and tired genre. I can assure you, you will not be dissappointed by Number of the Beast.

Everyone who grew up in the early 1980's and followed Maiden has a favorite album. You know what I mean, that album that has the most songs you love and harkens back to a time in your life when Iron Maiden was just so "cool". Number of the Beast is my personal favorite. Bruce Dickinson's first album, it just seems more raw and powerful than all the others. "Hallowed be Thy Name" is classic, even Cradle of Filth covered it. Everyone knows "Run to the Hills" and personally i think "22 Acacia Ave" is one of their best songs ever. Throw in "Prisoner" and "Children of the Damned" (based on the movie The Omen) and you have one of the best metal albums of al time. Not to mention it's drummer Clive Burr's final album with the guys. As far as I am concerned, if you are going to get just ONE Maiden CD; this is the one, although Piece of Mind is a close second.

What can I say about the greatest Rock album of all time?
OK, maybe I exaggerate, but this truly is maiden at it's finest - check out the Classic Albums DVD while you're at it - you know you want to...
Invaders - introduces Bruce's unbelievable vocal range
Children of the Damned - mellow to rocking - one has to wonder Paul who?
The Prisoner - I am not a Number, I am a free man - great intro - great verses, great chorus - why is this song not amongst the absolute greats?
22 Acacia Avenue - Simple good rocker - sequel at that - one complaint that it goes too long (sorry!! i didn;t mean it!! don't hurt me for saying that!)
Number of the Beast - dare I even comment? I love listening to it, I love playing it - could it really only be 1982 when this was released?
Run to the Hills - Corny? yes - Catchy? yes - Great? you betcha!!
Gangland - Dead men tell no tales, baby!
Total Eclipse - apparently this was not included in the initial release - why not?
Hallowed be thy name - what can one say about such an introspective masterpiece - why, I remember that time I was on death row and I had in mind the same ideas that come through in this song - if I may add, it's not the easiest to play on the gi-tar either....
Buy this album - if you own Led Zeppelin 4 and Metallica - Master of Puppets (or the black album for all you sissies) you must buy this.

The Number Of The Beast (1982.), Iron Maiden's third studio album

During the 1980's, the genre that ruled supreme in rock music was without doubt heavy metal. One of the definitive bands of the era was the mighty Iron Maiden. Formed in 1975, the band had at first emerged on the scene during the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) explosion at the start of the 1980's. The band's first two albums in the shape of their self titled debut and the follow up, 'Killers', established the band and proved that they were on top of the NWOBHM scene. However, in late 1981, original vocalist Paul Di'Anno left the band. Often when a singer leaves an already successful band, usually the results are disastrous, but not in the case of Iron Maiden. His replacement was former Samson singer Bruce Dickinson, who from this album onwards became the band's definitive and legendary vocalist. Soon after the arrival of Dickinson, the band recorded 'The Number Of The Beast'. The album has gone on to become recognised as Iron Maiden's definitive album and is hailed as one of the great triumphs of the genre. So is this album worthy of its reputation?

To be honest, I shouldn't even question this album's reputation; it IS a masterpiece. Even though I'm not sure I would rank this as my personal favourite Iron Maiden album, there is no doubting how well this album succeeds on many levels. The arrival of Dickinson is particularly important; although Paul Di'Anno is a great vocalist, there is no denying Bruce Dickinson's superiority. Dickenson's phenominal vocal range with resounding cries and fearsome power could only serve to improve the band's sound. It is true to say that Iron Maiden found their true heavy metal sound on this album, moving away from the heavy but quite punkish sound of earlier work. Dickinson's voice fits in perfectly with the improved sound change. Furthermore, the album has awesome songwriting. Bassist Steve Harris chiefly but Adrian Smith and Dave Murray also penned some classic stuff on this album; theres plenty of unforgettable riffs and lyrics. The band adopt an almost mythical and fantasy based persona with the themes on a lot of the songs and it fits in perfectly with the album's musical style.

Not too long ago, the Iron Maiden catalogue got totally remastered and improved. Hence the 1998 remasters are the way to go. The remaster job is great and all of the songs shine through with no sound glitches but also the recent version features and excellent accompanying booklet. The CD itself also has an enchanced multimedia section and you can view video footage of the 'Run To The Hills' and 'Number Of The Beast' songs from your PC.

This monster, or should I say 'beast' of an album kicks off with 'Invaders'. Remarkably, this track sometimes gets crticised by fans but I personally think its a great opener. True, the lyrics, about Viking invaders are a bit cheesy but looking beyond this is an excellent, growling vocal performance from Bruce Dickinson and some excellent power charged riffs to get the album going. Things slow down for the follow up in 'Childen Of The Damned'. The semi-acoustic sounding opening with a classic bass line from Steve Harris is great and builds into a slow but pounding chorus with anguished vocals from Dickenson. The song also has a clever change of style towards the end; it picks up pace and builds towards to a thrilling finish. One of my favourite tracks off the album, 'Prisoner', is next up. After a funny but cheesy spoken intro, a vibrant but resounding riff gets the song going before it builds into a classic, pacy Maiden performance. The song is a classic metal showcase with some great guitar solos; don't fail to miss Steve Harris' stellar bass work on this one. Then, if things couldn't get any better, '22 Acacia Avenue' follows. A snarling riff leads into the song that is the sequel to 'Charlotte The Harlot' from the band's first album. Some great lyrics with a commanding vocal performance from Dickinson make this one a classic. Some of the complex rhythm changes and guitar layers on this song are amazing.

The two most famous songs off the album are next. 'The Number Of The Beast' song is a famed song by the band and it is another classic. Who can fail to recognise the song's opening riff or Dickinson's 'in your face' vocals in the chorus! Then we have 'Run To The Hills'. Screaming guitars and Dickinson's vocals which ascend to amazing levels make this one a winner too. However, the next track is sadly a bit of a rough diamond. 'Gangland' ain't half that band but the song has a bit of a slapdash feel to it, especially in the chorus and it lacks the cohesiveness of the other songs on the album. After this little dip though, it's business as usual with 'Total Eclipse'. A slower, more restrained but still heavy performance characterise this song. The riffs are quite rich and memorable and pave the way for the final track of the album 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. This, my friends is one hell of a track. It is praised by countless fans of Iron Maiden and it's not hard to tell why. This is a 7 minute masterpiece; an epic story in some ways with clever changes of mood and some awesome riffs. Iron Maiden proved with this track their talent for longer songs and we see this more and more with epics on later albums such as 'Rime Of The Ancient Mariner'.

This amazingly original album is a masterpiece. 'The Number Of The Beast' is one of the definitive moments with heavy metal and it has become a blue-print and massive influence for plenty of later bands as well as Iron Maiden themselves who would go on to put out plenty more awesome works. 'The Number Of The Beast' though is where Iron Maiden achieved their true classic status and it is a work that should be in any heavy metal fan's music collection.

MY RATING: 9.5/10

Let's say the truth: Iron Maiden began here. Ok, I have the album Iron Maiden and I like it, but just with this one Maiden became the best. Just with this one the band showed its true power. And it was possible thanks to the wonderful voice and extreme carisma of the new (at that time) lead singer Bruce Dickinson. I know that some older fans prefer Paul Di'Anno, but Bruce is the best in the genre. And I'm not the only one to say this. Critics, fans and even who doesn't like Iron Maiden agree with this. He was the mark in Maiden's history. Only with his incredible voice Iron Maiden could go out England. Obviously, he didn't do it alone. He was the piece that was missed and with him, the talent of the band was recognized everywhere. Steve & company are amazing too (most of fans doesn't like Clive, but I like him...)

So, what about the album? It is a classic, a must-have. The production is not so good, but the energy on it is amazing. In my opinion, five of the best musics the band has ever done are here: Children Of The Damned - 95/100 (that begins slowly and grows, with amazing vocals and guitars), 22 Acacia Avenue - 102/100 (that I don't know why is not one of the greatest hits with its superb emotional vocals and incredible energy. The music has a sense of urgency, is amazing), The Number Of The Beast - 100/100 (that everybody knows, amazing from the beginning till the end), Run To The Hills - 95/100 (do I have to say any thing?) and Hallowed Be Thy Name - 105/100 (that is my all time favorite. Incredible). The others? Well, Invaders is a good album opener but someway cheesy - 70/100-, The Prisoner is good but I don't like so much - 75/00 -, Gangland is the worst, even if is not bad - 65/100 - and Total Eclipse is really good but not caught me at all - 80/100.

What you'll find here? Great classic metal, great lyrics (22 has wonderful and enormous lyrics ...), a creative and talented band making great music, great lyrics, guitar harmonies and the best vocalist in the world trying to prove that he was the best, and he did it. The Opera style of Bruce brought a new direction to the band, more melodic. In Hallowed... you can listen why he is the best. He sings very fast and you can understand everything he says. And in the end, he can sing two 10-seconds notes, one after another. The perfect end.

I have all Maiden's albums, except Killers and Virtual XI, and this one is in a special place. Just to say, it is not my favorite. But it has four musics that I have to listen always (Children..., 22.., The Number... and Hallowed...). Adrian and Dave playing amazingly, Steve providing power, Burr doing what he can and Bruce destroying, making the real show. What more do you want?

UP THE IRONS!!!

Number of the Beast is without a doubt a classic album. It marks the debut of lead singer Bruce Dickinson, it also however is the last album for long time drummer Clive Burr. While this album in my opinion isn't as good as Powerslave or Piece of Mind it's still full of classic songs. This album is exactly what you would expect from Iron Maiden. This album is drenched with guitar harmonies from Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, crashing drums courtesy of Clive Burr, Steve Harris' bass playing is amazing as usual, and lead singer Bruce Dickinson's voice is extremely powerful.

The opening song, Invaders, is one of the best metal songs ever. Bruce Dickinson's voice is truly amazing, and the harmonies are extremely strong. Children of the Dammned begins with slow mellow acoustic guitars. The song isn't really that heavy. It does get harder toward the end when it goes into the solo. The Prisoner is one of my favorite Maiden songs ever. The drums are extremely powerful and it proves that a band can be heavy but still have a melody and a catchy chorus. 22 Acacia Avenue is a straight forward metal song. The Number of the Beast is also an amazing song. It's heavy and has a great guitar riff. Run to the Hills was Maiden's first hit, I guess. I wasn't around when this album came out. It's a cool song. Gangland begins with fast drums, then the rest of the band comes in. This song in my opinion is the weakest song on the album even though it's still a good song. The next song, Total Eclipse was a b-side to Run to the Hills I believe. It's a good song and a good contribution to this already classic album. The last song on this album is Hallowed be Thy Name. It begins slow and melodic in the style of Children of the Dammned. This is the longest song on the album, clocking in over 7 minutes, It is also the most progressive on the album. It is really a great song. The band sounds very powerful and the lyrics are amazing, as well as the guitar harmonies, and the excellent guitar solo. This album is part of what I call the essential 3. What I mean by that is that this album along with Powerslave and Piece of Mind are the 3 albums that a new Maiden fan should get first because those are their 3 best albums. So first time Maiden listeners get those 2 albums and this one.