BMG has announced the release of a commemorative triple black vinyl album in honor of the 40th anniversary of Irom Maiden‘s seminal third album, The Number Of The Beast, which was to become the record which catapulted the band to international stardom. Included in the new vinyl package is Beast Over Hammersmith — available now officially for the very first time on vinyl — featuring the live concert from March 1982’s now-legendary Hammersmith Odeon London show from the Beast On The Road world tour. Recorded only days before the release of The Number Of The Beast album, it’s remarkable to think these now-classic songs at that time were still brand new, unfamiliar and being heard live by fans for the very first time. A real piece of history in the making.
Track listing:
Disc 1 – The Number Of The Beast
Side 1:
1. Invaders
2. Children Of The Damned
3. The Prisoner
4. 22 Acacia Avenue
Side 2:
1. The Number Of The Beast
2. Run To The Hills
3. Total Eclipse*
4. Hallowed Be Thy Name
*alternative track listing to original The Number Of The Beast vinyl release. Total Eclipse replaces Gangland.
Disc 2 – Beast Over Hammersmith
Side 3:
1. Murders In The Rue Morgue
2. Wrathchild
3. Run To The Hills
4. Children of The Damned
5. The Number Of The Beast
Side 4:
1. Another Life
2. Killers
3. 22 Acacia Avenue
4. Total Eclipse
5. Transylvania
Disc 3 – Beast Over Hammersmith
Side 5:
1. The Prisoner
2. Hallowed Be Thy Name
3. Phantom Of The Opera
4. Iron Maiden
Side 6:
1. Sanctuary
2. Drifter
3. Running Free
4. Prowler
he package features exclusive liner notes written by Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris as well as restored and expanded artwork taken from the CD format of Beast Over Hammersmith, previously only available in the limited-edition Eddie’s Archive boxset originally released in 2002.
Harris comments, “On this vinyl release we get the chance to put Total Eclipse in its rightful spot on the album for the first time. The reason it didn’t make it in the first place was that it was all a mad rush when we were finishing the record and we had to get the Run To The Hills single out before the tour and we basically had to pick a B-side and it was between Gangland and Total Eclipse and we just picked the wrong one, really. I think Total Eclipse is a stronger song and the album would have been stronger if it had been on there.”
To pre-order the album, click here.
4 Responses
IMO, Iron Maiden is the greatest heavy metal band ever.
I saw them perform in San Diego a week ago. And they still perform at top notch sound and energy levels despite being over 40 years old as a band.
Absolutely life altering album for me. I saw the cover and heard the music and I knew I wanted more just like it immediately. I became a metal head (Earth dog, rivet head…. Those who’ve read the liner notes will recognize these terms). Sorry to roll out the cliché but this is a desert island album for me. It is on the Mt Rushmore of albums. Cannot praise it enough.
Kudos Myk! I love this album too but I like Piece of Mind a bit more personally.
Love Number of the Beast, but Powerslave is what got me into Maiden, so because of that it is my favorite Maiden album!
1 – Powerslave
2 – Iron Maiden
3 – Number of the Beast
4 – Killers
5 – Live after Death