Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast
1982 EMI
by Horatio

Quick Summary:
This may be the most obvious Maiden album to review of their catalogue, but for myself is the least appetizing.  Following the monstrous 'Killers' this can be viewed as a step back in regards to heaviness, as the inclusion of ex-Samson man Bruce Dickinson seemed to cause a rethink in Steve Harris' logic towards Maiden's approach.  This is not to say 'Number' isn't heavy, of course it is, but the likes of 'Run To The Hills' and the title track verge on the annoying, overplayed in every sense of the word in the last twenty two years.  Maiden could do no wrong once Dickinson joined, the album going straight to number one, an impressive feat for a traditional metal act.  Maiden's thought process was that they required a definitive vocalist to make the band complete, melody and commercially wise, Paul Dianno allegedly not that individual.  All these years later there are still people who think the move was an error and that the band wasn't the same again, mainly the fans who were there at the start.

The change in sound is reflected immediately with 'Invaders', your basic Nordic rape and pillage affair, but a track which stacked up next to 'Drifter' or 'Genghis Khan' seems like kids stuff.  Epics like 'Children Of The Damned' and 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' indicated the direction the band was heading, drawn out intros, long buildup, but something that wasn't fully explored until a decade later.  The only track that recalled the bluster of the first two albums was 'Gangland', which typically Harris disowned some years later saying he wished it had never been included.  It's more viable than '22 Acacia Avenue' and 'The Prisoner', which although fine material, leave me unmoved.  'Total Eclipse' is included on the remaster I have here (one of about four different remasters the band has greedily released since 1996) and is superior to most of the tracks on the album proper, with a scorching fast break near the end that has an entirely different feel than the majority of 'Number'.  It doesn't save this, an album I rarely listen to anymore, and one which pales to 'No Prayer' or 'Piece Of Mind'.

Website:  www.ironmaiden.com

Song Summaries:

1. Invaders - Powerful riffs and an overall singing pace with more melody than usual but lacking something that special something.  In all fairness I'd take Saxon's 'Warrior' over this.  C+
2. Children Of The Damned - Instrumentally very close to Dianno-era, but Dickinson with his higher pitch gives makes a world of difference.  Maiden's galloping style had already been trademarked as witnessed in the instrumental section.  B
3. The Prisoner - Harris often woeful obsession with crafting tracks based on literary topics, novels, movies, etc. presents itself in the form of 'The Prisoner' based on the cult 1960's Patrick McGoohan TV show.  Six minutes long and far more commercial than anything before it, it still retains the heaviness expected.  Harris' bass work is overpowering, sounding like he wants to be the next John Entwistle.  B
4. 22 Acacia Avenue - Lars Ulrich once said he couldn't believe it when he first heard this, as Maiden were so far ahead of anyone else.  I'm not so sure about that, Kiss' 'Creatures Of The Night' album blows this track away as a whole, but there's some nice chord changes of the thrilling melodic sort around the 3:23 mark.  C+
5. The Number Of The Beast - Maiden had already left behind 98 percent of the NWOBHM, only Saxon and Def Leppard providing any opposition, and Leppard's 'High 'N' Dry' was formidable itself as was all of Saxon's early material (even though I've tired of it).  In terms of production and songwriting this is why Maiden excelled, superior arrangements with enough sensibilities to make them chart contenders as their legions of fans always made them.  Not quite as stale as 'Run To The Hills', but no need to ever hear it ever again.  B+
6. Run To The Hills - If there's anyone reading this who wants a blow by blow description of how this song progresses then you had better listen to Jeff Beck instead.  I can't face listening to it at all.  A classic of course, but how many times?  Don't the band ever want to dispense with it live?  It's got nothing on 'Run Silent, Run Deep'.  B
7. Gangland - The reason Harris must dislike this is because he didn't write it, the song credited to Smith and Burr.  Utterly relentless in its speed and riffs, there's a brief guitar break prefaced by a Dickinson scream which is among the most savage in metal history!  Brilliantly done and the most convincing three and a half minutes on offer.  A+
8. Total Eclipse - Obviously not part of the original album but so excellent it deserves praise, more so than much of the album.  Takes a more unique direction, with a guitar sound removed from the actual album which suggests it was recorded in a different session.  If it wasn't then it must have been a random piece of inspiration.  Hard to beat the galloping section halfway in which bursts out from nowhere.  Almost amazing how inferior Priest were to this, in '82 they were at the top of their game, but fare such as 'Take These Chains' verged on AOR, just four years after the likes of 'Exciter'!  A
9. Hallowed Be Thy Name - True British metal copied by hundreds of acts but never duplicated.  This may not rank as one of my Maiden favourites, but this album is still classic and a pioneer of the rest of the decade in which every band wanted to be Maiden.  Just ask Slayer, Anthrax and Metallica in 1983 anyway.  Early Maiden epic, opening slowly but inevitably building in pace until a frenzied finale.  At least it was fresh in 1982.  B+ 

Average Song Rating:  B+
Overall Album Rating:  B

Also be sure to read:
Iron Maiden - A Real Dead One Quick Reviews by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Killers by Horatio
Iron Maiden - No Prayer For The Dying by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Powerslave by Horatio
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time by Horatio
Iron Maiden - The X Factor Quick Reviews
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