If only Sonata was a B-Side. I'm quite sure Bruce and Roy had other songs rolling around in a drawer somewhere that would've made for a much stronger finish to the album.
The real bonus song is Eternity. Come to think of it, the album could have been without it and Sonata - and those two, along with Shadow and maybe Resurrection Men, are the songs with the biggest
impression from the album for most fans. So it was a good move for the album's success. Better songs, probably, the same emotion, that's not that easy. IIRC, Bruce said that Shadow is a better closer than Sonata, both unique in their feel and structure.
With the amount of the written material, he could have easily putted more songs to the album (2 more - one fast and one TCW-like), and a bonus one too (he should have done it after all these years), but I guess he wanted to save some songs for the next album and maybe followed the concept of the story in some way. He probably felt that the album's backbone was there, and Eternity is definitely part of. I'm very grateful that a version of the song with solos exists, but it will always be more of a Maiden song for me, probably because it was released first as such. Sonata and Rain could have been bonus songs, especially in some of his other albums.
I'm really curious if they'll try Sonata live, it could change some opinions. It's a too specific song, so I'm not sure if he has to play it.
Also, y'all are crazy. Welcome to the Pit is one of the best songs on that album
I think almost all songs from Psycho Motel's 1997 album are better than it. Fitting for AOB is another question. Definitely the song with the least impression from this great album.