The Number of the Beast (album)
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| The Number of the Beast | ||
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| Studio album by Iron Maiden | ||
| Released | 29 March 1982 | |
| Recorded | Battery Studios December 1981–February 1982 |
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| Genre | Heavy metal | |
| Length | 44:50 | |
| Label | EMI (U.K.) Harvest/Capitol (U.S. original) Sanctuary/Columbia (U.S. reissue) |
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| Producer(s) | Martin "Headmaster" Birch | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden chronology | ||
| Maiden Japan (1981) |
The Number of the Beast (1982) |
Piece of Mind (1983) |
The Number of the Beast is a heavy metal album released in 1982 (see 1982 in music) by Iron Maiden on EMI in the UK and originally Harvest Records/Capitol Records in the U.S. (now on Sanctuary Records/Columbia Records). Metal-Rules.com named this the second greatest heavy metal album of all time.[1] This was the third album released by the band.
Contents |
[edit] History
Even though Iron Maiden was on the brink of worldwide superstardom after its breakthrough sophomore effort, Killers, vocalist Paul Di'Anno was fired from the band (due to his use of alcohol and drugs) at the conclusion of its 1981 world tour. The Number of the Beast is thus vocalist Bruce Dickinson's debut album with the band.
The album made UK Number 1, with the single "Run to the Hills" reaching number 7 and the title track reaching number 18.
On the Billboard Music Charts, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" hit number 50 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The album peaked at number 33 and number 150 on the Pop Albums and Billboard Top 200, respectively and went Gold in the U.S. in 1983 and Platinum a few years later.
The album was also the centre of much controversy, particularly in America, due to the misinterpretation of the lyrics of the title track and the cover art. Despite it being considered a classic among fans of heavy metal, it was widely panned by mainstream media upon its release, including Rolling Stone, who claimed that it "blusters along aimlessly, proving again that bad music is hell."
Since this album (and its tour Beast on the Road), "The Beast" has become something of a nickname for the band and possibly Eddie, as suggested by albums such as Best of the Beast (which featured a 'best of Eddie' mural on the cover), Beast over Hammersmith, and the DVD Visions of the Beast.
This album is the only one to feature song writing by drummer Clive Burr. This is one of several reasons why the album was so different from previous ones other than the obvious change in lead singer. It was the first album with writing by Adrian Smith (see below track listing for details), and the first to feature writing by the 'new' Steve Harris (his older style had been written for different musicians, and in a different time) - the entire writing system was different. However, it is one of the few albums not to feature a Dave Murray song.
[edit] Lyrical references
"Children of the Damned" is based on the films Village of the Damned and Children of the Damned, which in turn were adapted from the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham.
"The Prisoner" was inspired by the British TV show of the same name, and features dialogue from its title sequence. Iron Maiden later made another song based on the series, "Back in the Village" from Powerslave.
The title track opens with a spoken introduction which draws heavily from the King James Version of Revelation 13:18, and is obviously inspired by 1960s horror fiction and movie tales of devil-worshipping sects.
[edit] Track listing
- "Invaders" (Steve Harris) – 3:23
- "Children of the Damned" (Harris) – 4:34
- "The Prisoner" (Adrian Smith, Harris) – 6:02
- "22 Acacia Avenue" (Harris, Smith) – 6:36
- "The Number of the Beast" (Harris) – 4:50
- "Run to the Hills" (Harris) – 3:52
- "Gangland" (Smith, Clive Burr) – 3:47
- "Total Eclipse" (Harris, Murray, Burr) - 4:25 [*]
- "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Harris) – 7:10
[*] This is an extra track included on the Original 1982 Japanese LP/Cassette and enhanced/remastered version of the CD.
It is little known that Bruce Dickinson was involved in the writing of this album, namely "Children of the Damned", "The Prisoner", "Run to the Hills" and "Gangland". Because of his contract with Samson, he was not allowed to be credited. In interviews he gave hints that clearly explained his involvement but never openly stated it.
[edit] 1995 Reissue Bonus CD
- "Total Eclipse"
- "Remember Tomorrow (live)"
[edit] Miscellanea
- The album was ranked number 17 on the October 2006 issue of Guitar World magazine's list of the greatest 100 guitar albums of all time.[1]
- It was also ranked 3rd of IGN's 25 most influential metal albums.[2]
- The cover art was parodied by crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death for the cover art of their 1999 album Bigger Than the Devil.
- The Number of the Beast album cover art was originally intended for the Iron Maiden single "Purgatory". The band had felt that it was too high of caliber for just a single and requested a less complex cover be prepared in its place.
- In 2000 Q magazine placed The Number of the Beast at number 100 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2001 the same magazine named it as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time.
- Two tracks from the album have been since re-released as CD singles. "Run to the Hills" was released in 2002 as a benefit for former drummer Clive Burr. "The Number of the Beast" itself was released in the first week of 2005, reaching number 3 in the charts.
- This is the first Maiden album not to feature any instrumentals.
- New York progressive metal band Dream Theater covered the album as a whole several times on an international tour in 2002.
- The BBC made a documentary of this album in their Classic Albums series.
- During the making of the album, record producer Martin Birch had been in an accident and crashed his car into that driven by a "religious nutter" on a rainy Sunday evening. When he got his car back from the mechanic the bill came back in the exact amount of £666.66. Birch, "terrified", demanded the bill be rounded up to £667. Other strange stories centering around the recording studio have circulated.
- The song "Hallowed Be Thy Name" contains several verses that were "borrowed" (without giving credit) from a song by Beckett, called "Life's Shadow", from their 1974 self-titled album. Later on, Iron Maiden would cover Beckett's song "A Rainbow's Gold" for their 1984 single "2 Minutes To Midnight". Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood was Beckett's agent before meeting Iron Maiden.
- Rod Smallwood had to telephone Patrick McGoohan to ask permission to use the intro to The Prisoner on the album. According to witnesses the usually calm Smallwood was completely star struck during the conversation. McGoohan was reported to have said "What did you say the name was? Iron Maiden? Do it."
- "Run to the Hills" was featured on the video game SSX on Tour as the opening theme.
- "22 Acacia Avenue" is the second song in the "Charlotte the Harlot" saga.
[edit] Credits
- Bruce Dickinson - vocals
- Dave Murray - guitar
- Adrian Smith - guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Harris - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Clive Burr - drums
- Martin "Farmer" Birch - Producer
- Nigel "It Was Working Yesterday" Hewitt-Green - Engineer
- Rod Smallwood - Band Manager
- Ross Halfin - Photography (Main Photographer)
- Derek Riggs - Cover and Sleeve Illustration
- Enhanced CD Edition
- Simon "Chope 'Em Out" Heyworth - Digital Remastering
- Doug Hall - Producer
- Supplementary Photographers
- George Chin - Photography
- Robert Ellis - Photography
- *Denis O'Regan - photography
