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.

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!

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.

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.

This cd is completely full of classics. There is no way Piece of Mind is better then this with fillers like Quest for Fire. I actually like this cd more than Black Sabbaths' Paranoid and by a long shot more than Metallica's Master of Puppets. Bruce's vocals are the best and so are Burr's drums (he was ranked 3rd in the world at the time) whom I think is a better drummist than Mc Brain. This and Powerslave are about tied in my book only because it seems this cd dosnt have the memorable solos that Powerslave does. Here are my reviews for the songs.

Invaders- its sounds really good until you get to the refrain which almost ruins the song with the chesesy riff. Also the lyrics are weak. I like the heavy sound though. - B

Children of the Damned- one of the best..I like its slow start up to the clashing refrain..Bruce's vocals are unbelievable..a masterpiece- A+

The Prisoner- the intro is interesting and memorable and so is the rest of the song which is quite different from their other songs. The chorus is very good but perhaps it goes on too long?- A

22 Acacia Avenue- an awesome tale of a tramp..I still think there's a screw up at the 50 sec. mark though.- A+

The Number of the Beast- another classic and the guitars in the middle are amazing- A+

Run to the Hills- the riff in the beginning is great and so is the chorus however the song will tire with repeated listens.- A-

Gangland- whats everyones problem with this song? Not bad by any means but not the best either- B

Total Eclipse- the suprise of the album this song is crazy..one of the best on the album and the end is surely the best- A

Hallowed be thy Name- the climax of Bruce's vocals. The finisher and their biggest masterpiece.- A+

There is no way any metal fan should not own this album. Why the band never got as popular as Metallica is an enigma to me. Buy it now even if its hard to find.