crims@metalreviews wrote:
I'm a huge fan of Iron Maiden and have been since before I really got into Metal as a whole. However, for some reason I've always found Number Of The Beast to be slightly overrated. To be specific: to me this CD is low 90's (which mind you is still great) but I don't find it to be the godly piece of Metal that the majority feel it is. Call me crazy but I've always preferred Powerslave and Piece Of Mind and to an extent Killers. Now, I would agree this is probably their most influential and well-known work, along with what broke them into the extremely wide audience the band continues to enjoy. I still agree it's a classic due to its influence on Metal music but no matter how many times I listen to Invaders and Gangland I can't help but think that these songs are too weak to be part of what many people consider to be the best Metal CD ever released. But that's just my opinion. Perhaps the godliness of Hallowed Be Thy Name and the title track make up it?
I completely agree with this (though I'd call Invaders a godly track instead of the title track). Number of the Beast is a great album, there's no doubt about that, and there's no doubt that it was more influential (or well know) than any other Maiden album. However, in the holy pantheon of the first seven Maiden albums, this, to me, is probably their second weakest (the debut being the only weaker one). Gangland, The Prisoner, 22 Acacia Avenue and the title track range from average to good; the other four tracks are completely awesome in every single way (particularly, as everybody knows, Hallowed Be Thy Name, one of the best songs in metal). Still, that does make the album slightly overrated in my eyes, though deserving of the classic status (though Killers needs it too). Good review, though.