Product Description

1982's THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST remains one of heavy metal'sall-time classics. Although the British quintet was in the midst of enjoying its first taste of global success, original singer Paul Di'Anno abruptly quit in 1981. Though stunned,the young band wisely agreed to soldier on, making ex-Samson singer Bruce Dickinson their new frontman. Nicknamed "The Air Raid Siren", Dickinson's voice was to become one of the band's most prominent signature characteristics. It also didn't hurt that the band had composed some of its best songs ever, such as the haunting title song, and its first U.K. Top-10 single, "Run to the Hills". Other highlights include thesinister "Children of the Damned", the melodic "The Prisoner", and the album-closing epic "Hallowed Be Thy Name".

Track Listing

1. Invaders
2. Children Of The Damned
3. Prisoner
4. 22 Acacia Avenue
5. The Number Of The Beast
6. Run To The Hills
7. Gangland
8. Total Eclipse
9. Hallowed Be Thy Name

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #742 in Music
• Released on: 1998-09-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.co.uk Review
Times might have changed, now--with the advent of new-metal acts like Korn--but throughout the 1980s, a damning generalisation held true: English heavy metal rocked, while the American variant--with a few notable exceptions--sucked. The difference went beyond aesthetics--the Yanks' avowed penchant for big hair and eyeliner--though that was certainly part of it: 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, cartoonishly morbid, Iron Maiden were typical of the local effort: emphasising a driving, no-nonsense approach to the music. And it worked: 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

Customer Reviews

One of the greatest rock albums of all time in an appalingly bad remaster
"The Number Of The Beast" is an absolute classic, a landmark album in music/rock/metal history. And this reissue is an absolute disaster, with the classic cover printed in wrong colors, and the audio victimized by the infamous "loudness war" (Google the expression if you don't know what it means). Check out the right cover colors on Amazon.com item ASIN code B000063CML - just for the cover, as the audio should be the same as here. Avoid this thing and buy an older, non-enhanced and non-remastered CD edition of the album if you want to hear how this masterpiece is really supposed to sound. Shame on EMI for releasing this insult to the band and their fans.

666 THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST HELL AND FIRE THE ONE FOR YOU AND ME
This is a classic metal album. Every metalhead should have this in your collection if you dont treat yourself and go out and buy a copy of this fantastic album. First album with Bruce Dickinson and what a debut for Dickinson. From the awesome Intro Of Invaders To the classic Hallowed Be Thy Name this has all killer written all over and no filler. Filled with great solos/riffs fantastic drumming and amazing vocals by Dickinson. Iron Maiden were the second metal band i got into there amazing i dont how anyone can hate them. They are so talented. This is reall music if you're into Nu-metal burn your nu-metal collection and start a new collection of proper metal and by doing first buy this wonderful masterpiece. UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!!!!

Generally strong
This song features a number of strong songs - Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, Number of the Beast, Hallowed be thy Name, Run to the Hills and a few fillers such as Invaders, 22 Acacia Avenue, Gangland. In general I think the title track is pretty special, it has a raw energy to it very rarely replicated. Hallowed be thy name is special for the opposite reason, its a complex, long brooding song.

This also introduced Iron Maiden to the true metal scene, before this they were part of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" a lot of which was also influenced by punk and also by what was happening in the US (Iggy Pop, MC5 etc). In fact Paul Dianno their first singer really had more in common with a non-metal scene. For those interested in checking out other early Bruce Dickinson, you might want to try to get a copy of some Sampson, although most of it is pretty crap (from memory there is a song called "Hard Times" and another song called "Vice Versa" which were ok).