Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
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Free Music Notes for Number of the Beast
Free Music Review: The Number is the BEST!
Hit: 5 Stars
Maiden's first album with Bruce Dickinson proved to be their high water mark, no disrespect to the many great albums that followed. From the opening riffs of "Invaders", it was obvious that this was a metal band like none that had ever heard before. Metallica may have gained more points for pioneering speed metal, but for me, Iron Maiden was much more adept at playing fast yet incredibly melodic and almost classical-sounding progressive heavy metal. Chief songwriter/bandleader Steve Harris rewrote the book on how metal should be played, and recruited some fine musicians along the way, anchoring everything with his top-notch bass playing. This was not a guy who simply "laid down a groove" for everyone else to upstage him. Instead, they were forced to KEEP UP with him and did a darn fine job. Meanwhile, Bruce Dickinson, possessor of one of the best voices in hard rock, soars on top of everything with his pristine vocals ("pristine" hardly being a good word of choice for heavy metal, but you get my drift). ... "The Prisoner" should've been a radio hit and a concert staple on the level of "Run To The Hills" with its catchy chorus. "Children Of The Damned" is one of Maiden's standard epic pieces, with several changes in tempo and overall mood. "22 Acacia Avenue" is kind of a throwaway that nevertheless made it to the "Live After Death" live album a few years later. "The Number of the Beast" is one of the album's not-so-obvious hit singles (if you can call any Maiden tunes hits),and is a much better tune than "Run To The Hills" IMHO. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is often held up as this album's centerpiece, and it is a fan and band favorite that has remained on Maiden's setlist to this day (whereas other more well known tunes have inexplicably fallen away). They liked this song so much that they basically reworked it (i.e., ripped themselves off) under different titles several times after that, as "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" to name but two.
Like any great progressive band, Maiden would do more ambitious work in later offerings, giving us landmark albums like "Powerslave" and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son", but this was to me their Mona Lisa. Rawer and more laid back than some of their other albums, "Beast" was also the best.
Free Music Review: incredible album
Hit: 5 Stars
Wow, this album is really cool. Its definitely one of my favorites.1. INVADERS (8.5/10)
Its a cool song to start out with, its fast paced and all. I love the beginning with the cool drumming and bass. The chorus sounds kind of goofy.
2. CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (9.5/10)
This song rocks. The acoustic intro is really cool, and the chorus is great too. Its a bit of a slower song.
3. THE PRISONER (9/10)
The beginning to this song is interesting. Then the song starts rocking. I love the chorus, its so catchy.
4. 22 ACACIA AVENUE (9/10)
This is a hard rocker. Second part of the Charlotte the Harlot series, but I think the first is still better. Sweet riffs in the beginning.
5. THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST (10/10)
Wow, this song rocks. The beginning with the bible verse is really cool and adds feeling to this song which sounds very eerie. The guitar riffs are just awesome and the solo is sick. The vocals are really good on this song. Bruce makes his voice sound all evil. No wonder its one of Maiden's most famous songs.
6. RUN TO THE HILLS (9.5/10)
This one is also very famous. Its a very amusing song with one hell of a catchy chorus. I think its a bit overrated though, still great.
7. GANGLAND (8.5/10)
Why do some people say this song sucks? Its a very fast paced song with great guitars. The lyrics are good. Its a cool song.
8. TOTAL ECLIPSE (8/10)
People say this song sucks too. Its slower than all the other tracks but still kicks. Plus its a bonus track so how can you lose?
9. HALLOWED BE THY NAME (12/10)
This is my favorite Iron Maiden song ever! Great title for the song. The lyrics are powerful. Guitars, bass, and drums all rock. The beginning always sends a chill down my spine with the sweet guitars playing and Clive making his drum set sound like a bell chiming, with help of Steve with his bass. Bruce's voice is powerful here. Then the song starts rocking hard and won't stop! This is the one that really got me into Iron Maiden. Got to be one of the greatest songs in music history!
The Number of the Beast is one of their greatest albums and the one I first got into. The first seven albums are sweet so you should look into the other six too.
Free Music Review: The best Heavy Metal of all time...and the very finest of the genre
Hit: 5 Stars
There is no other heavy metal album ever recorded that was as good as the Number of the Beast. This album shows Bruce Dickinson (vocals), Steve Harris (bass), Adrian Smith (guitar), Dave Murray (guitar) and Clive Burr (drums) all playing tightly and full of inspiration. Here Maiden find their sound, but did still seem to be experimenting with other tones which makes this album more varied than others like Powerslave which is what makes it their best (but don't get me wrong Powerslave kicks ass too and is full of complex songs. If you want more Maiden go there after getting this.) Heres how I feel about the tracks...
Invaders-7.5/10 annoying chorus but well sung verses and good solos
Children of the Damned-10/10-sorta like a good heavy metal power ballad with Bruce using his range in full swing, and has a nice guitar tapping section
The Prisoner-8.5/10-nice bass section into a catchy chorus and good solo, a little annoying sometimes though
22 Acacia Avenue-9/10-Great bass intro that goes straight into Bruce's war cry, loses a little bit of steam as the song progresses but is pretty awesome nonetheless
The Number of the Beast-12/10-favorite song ever, perfect, great solos vocals...
Run to the Hills-9/10-pretty cool song about murdering indians, most famous Maiden song
Gangland-8/10-fast paced song about gangs, its not that bad like people make it out to be, a very good rock song--but it sorta sticks out because other songs on this album are better. However its Punkish edge adds flavor to the album.
Total Eclipse-10/10-man am I glad they put this song on this album as a bonus track because its great. Bruce's voice really shines on this one...
Hallowed Be thy Name-10/10-what a great way to close such a brilliant album! Awesome song, with multiple time changes, good guitar harmonies and intelligent interesting lyrics...
Overall this is easily one of the best rock recordings of all time. I don't care if you like Iron Maiden or not, if you like hard rock or metal you owe it to yourself to get this album, its consistent through and lots of fun to hear, and the musicianship is superb. Don't listen to anyone who speaks otherwise, this is a 5 star album.
Free Music Review: Iron Maiden became a beast after this
Hit: 5 Stars
Prior to 1982 metal was a struggling genre. Black Sabbath wasn't as big without Ozzy, Judas Priest wasn't cutting it, and Paul Di'Anno just wasn't working for Iron Maiden (don't get me wrong, I kinda respect Judas Priest and Maidens first two albums). But in 1982 Iron Maiden released what would be considered their defining album 'The Number of the Beast', and there metal was redefined. With Steve Harris's fast yet melodic basslines, Adrian Smith's and Dave Murrays blazing riffs and solos, Clive Burr's fast-paced drumming, and Bruce Dickinsons ability to hold notes for a very lengthy time period (aside from his great voice), Iron Maiden was able to claim the throne of metal.
The songs on this album are amazing to say the least (with the exception of '22 Acacia Avenue', which is still pretty good) and it was here where Maiden became a definitive heavy metal band. The popular 'Run to the Hills', with it's fast paced riff and drum beat hook the listener and make them crave more. The title track shows the true face of Iron Maiden with Dickinson's striking vocals throughout the verses and choruses alongside Smith's and Murray's solos; 'Hallowed be they Name', quite possibly the best song on the album, is a hard rock masterpiece about a prisoner awaiting execution that has insightful lyrics and incredible guitar melodies. 'Total Eclipse, an epic song about the death of the Sun has great basslines from Steve Harris and crazy guitar riffs from Murray and Smith. And who could forget about the Maiden classic 'The Prisoner', a song that demonstrates some of the bands best and most memorable guitar riffs. Other songs like 'Invaders', 'Children of the Damned', and 'Gangland' come close to the greatness of the previous five and are definitely worth a listen or two as well. '22 Acacia Avenue' isn't too good when it comes to Iron Maiden, though it isn't bad and does not detract from the five star rating.
Overall I'd say that this is easily one of Iron Maidens top five best albums, it's up there with 'Powerslave' and 'Piece of Mind', and is definitely one of their definitive albums. If you are a metal fan and you don't have this, then...well...you're not a metal fan (UNLESS YOU GET IT NOW!).
Free Music Review: Instant Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is known as the benchmark of metal and one of the few that would set creative trends that were to shape the future of the heavy metal world. After the first two solid albums Iron Maiden were a rising force until Steve Harris made the hard decision to boot the unreliable and manic Di'Anno, a tough choice indeed considering Di'Anno's considerable vocal talent. Enter Bruce Dickinson, a singer who would demonstrate his unbelievable range of vocals that were essential to this progressing metal band leaving behind the punkier more streetwise Maiden and going for a more legendary, mystical and epic style of songwriting. Number of the beast was the start of the golden years and many would say this was the peak and with good cause. The first standout song is ironically the first song 'Invader's, fast furious and catchy, all doubts of Dickinson's appointment in the band are diminished in seconds of the opening of this song, Paul who?, outstanding. The second track is another classic 'children of the dammed is the classic slow builder but when it kicks into gear it's on of the high points of the album, heavy as hell! The prisoner and 22 Acacia Avenue are solid rockers and the title track is were Dickinson shines brightest as he reaches for the high notes and screams in style.
The next standout song 'run to the hills' is only a standout due to the massive amount of hype I've heard and when I actually heard it I was left scratching my head. This is a good song but in my view one of the weakest on the album.
Maiden certainly saved the best till last with 'Hallowed by thy name' which baffles me to how I have not heard this song either on t.v or radio because it's an absolute classic. The riffs the lyrics and the atmosphere are all unbelievable as Maiden so brilliantly portray the experience of an man about to be executed, who else could produce the tension, feel and poetic like lyrics with this type of theme, this is what makes Maiden the best.
To say this is not Iron Maiden's best album proves the shire strength of this band because this is an instant classic. Later releases such as 'Powerslave and Seventh son would be there high points.