{"product_id":"iron-maiden-the-number-of-the-beast","title":"Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast (Vinyl)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRoutinely ranked among the greatest heavy metal albums of all time, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Number of the Beast\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e is the birth of \u003cstrong\u003eIron Maiden\u003c\/strong\u003e as we know it, a relentless metal machine lifted to soaring new heights by the arrival of erstwhile \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e frontman\u003cstrong\u003e Bruce Dickinson\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eDickinson's\u003c\/strong\u003e operatic performance here made him an instant metal icon, challenging even \u003cstrong\u003eRob Halford\u003c\/strong\u003e for bragging rights, and helped launch the band into the stratosphere. \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Number of the Beas\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003et topped the charts in the U.K., but even more crucially -- with \u003cstrong\u003eJudas Priest\u003c\/strong\u003e having moved into more commercial territory -- it also made \u003cstrong\u003eIron Maiden\u003c\/strong\u003e the band of choice for purists who wanted their metal uncompromised. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaiden\u003c\/strong\u003e took the basic blueprint \u003cstrong\u003ePriest\u003c\/strong\u003e had created in the late '70s -- aggressive tempos, twin-guitar interplay, wide-ranging power vocals -- and cranked everything up faster and louder. The album's intensity never lets up, the musical technique is peerless for its time, and there isn't a truly unmemorable song in the bunch. Blessed with a singer who could drive home a melody in grandiose fashion, \u003cstrong\u003eSteve Harris\u003c\/strong\u003e' writing gets more ambitious, largely abandoning the street violence of old in favor of fittingly epic themes drawn from history, science fiction, and horror. The exceptions are \u003cem\u003e22 Acacia Avenue\u003c\/em\u003e, a sequel to \u003cem\u003eCharlotte the Harlot\u003c\/em\u003e that sounds written for \u003cstrong\u003eDi'Anno\u003c\/strong\u003e's range, and the street-crime tale \u003cem\u003eGangland\u003c\/em\u003e, which \u003cstrong\u003eHarris\u003c\/strong\u003e didn't write; though the punk influences largely left with \u003cstrong\u003eDi'Anno\u003c\/strong\u003e, these two definitely recall the \u003cstrong\u003eMaiden\u003c\/strong\u003e of old. As for the new, two of the band's (and, for that matter, heavy metal's) all-time signature songs are here. The anthemic\u003cem\u003e Run to the Hills\u003c\/em\u003e dramatized the conquest of the Native Americans and became the band's first Top Ten U.K. single. It features \u003cstrong\u003eMaiden's\u003c\/strong\u003e trademark galloping rhythm, which in this case serves to underscore the images of warriors on horseback. Meanwhile, the title track's odd-meter time signature keeps the listener just slightly off balance and unsettled, leading into the most blood-curdling \u003cstrong\u003eDickinson\u003c\/strong\u003e scream on record; the lyrics, based on nothing more than Harris' nightmare after watching a horror movie, naturally provoked hysterical accusations of Satan worship (which, in turn, naturally provoked sales). \u003cem\u003eHallowed Be Thy Name\u003c\/em\u003e is perhaps the most celebrated of the band's extended epics; it's the tale of a prisoner about to be hanged, featuring some of \u003cstrong\u003eHarris\u003c\/strong\u003e' most philosophical lyrics. It opens with a superbly doomy atmosphere before giving way to a succession of memorable instrumental lines and an impassioned performance by \u003cstrong\u003eDickinson\u003c\/strong\u003e; despite all the tempo changes, the transitions never feel jarring. Elsewhere, \u003cem\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/em\u003e is a catchy retelling of the hit British TV series, and \u003cem\u003eChildren of the Damned\u003c\/em\u003e is a slower, heavier number patterned after the downtempo moments of Dio-era Black Sabbath. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEverything fell into place for \u003cstrong\u003eIron Maiden\u003c\/strong\u003e here at exactly the right time, and the result certainly ranks among the top five most essential heavy metal albums ever recorded. A cornerstone of the genre!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSide 1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInvaders\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChildren of the Damned\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e22 Acacia Avenue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSide 2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Number of the Beast\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRun to the Hills\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGangland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHallowed Be Thy Name\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WxnN05vOuSM?si=YNA48zmc7nUd-UHU\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Iron Maiden","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":47649435091188,"sku":"5419778430","price":60.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/files\/Iron_Maiden_-_The_Number_Of_The_Beast.jpg?v=1770785552","url":"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/products\/iron-maiden-the-number-of-the-beast","provider":"Flying Nun ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}