The Number of the Beast

How good is The Number of the Beast on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    14
10 of course. You would think after all these years it wouldn't be so hard to convince non-Maiden fans that this song doesn't "celebrate" Satan. People ignint! :mad:
 
The best known iron maiden song that even non-metal fans know and refer to. That mainstream success doesn't mean this isn't a good song though. Another great guitar solo and this controversial devil song caused quite the stir. It's a metal classic. That sound be good enough for a 10/10.
 
The first Maiden song I ever heard, and this together with Hallowed Be Thy Name is the reason I started listening to this band. While the latter is better, this one is still beasty.
I think it's a little to happy, as I think they should have used minor thirds insted of major thirds in the riff ( music nerd :P )
The solos are still one of my favorite; starting of with Murray's emotional solo, going into that dramatic break, continuing with Adrian's hard-hitting solo and end it all with Steve's basslick.

8/10
 
One of Maiden's most well known and overplayed tracks. The band also received unfair criticism due to the lyrics of this song.
However, putting all this aside, it is an absolute classic. The main riff is very memorable, providing a dark and menacing atmosphere for Bruce's vocals.
His scream is legendary, and many thanks to Martin Birch for his perfectionism or it may not have ended up as we know today.
The solos are phenomenal, as is Steve's bass fills throughout. Excellent track that deserves its classic status.

10/10
 
Brilliant opening, excellent main riff, a classic song - although I can't give it higher than a...

8/10
 
Spoken intro, demonic promises that don't disappoint.

Now, they get it right. Careful introduction, a slow build, fun guitar work that leads to blistering, all-time solos, a driving drum and bass combo, and the perfect showcase for Bruce's voice. There's a reason this one is a classic. It earned it, searing its way into Iron Maiden history as one of the first overarching classics by which all future attempts would be judged, and this album's first (of 2) 10/10s.
 
There's a good reason why this song is played as often as it is; it's a fantastic song that can appeal to both hardcore and casual fans of the band. I actually attribute Maiden's burst to success to this song more than RTTH for a few reasons, one being that this song is very slightly better, and secondly because of the controversy that it stirred, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. A minor nitpick is that the demonic intro doesn't really mesh together with the upbeat tempo that the song is going for, as well as the subject matter also. As I said, it's a nitpick though, and this song is a classic for a good reason.

8/10.

RTC's Maiden Ranking:
1: Phantom Of The Opera: 9/10
2: Killers: 9/10
3: Children Of The Damned: 8/10
4: Remember Tomorrow: 8/10
5: The Number Of The Beast: 8/10
6: Murders In The Rue Morgue: 8/10
7: Purgatory: 7/10
8: 22 Acacia Avenue: 7/10
9: Wrathchild: 7/10
10: Transylvania: 7/10
11: Prodigal Son: 6/10
12: Strange World: 6/10
13: Sanctuary: 6/10
14: Another Life: 6/10
15: The Prisoner: 6/10
16: Prowler: 6/10
17: Genghis Khan: 5/10
18: Iron Maiden: 5/10
19: Charlotte The Harlot: 5/10
20: Twilight Zone: 5/10
21: Drifter: 4/10
22: Running Free: 4/10
23: Innocent Exile: 4/10
24: Invaders: 3/10
25: The Ides Of March: 2/10
 
I believe this might be the most energetic Iron Maiden song, especially the album version.
A lot of things are going on in this song, yet the song as a whole feels so tight and appropriately organized.

Though, there are a couple of songs on this album that are better than TNOTB. This just shows how strong this album really is.

The highlight: Well known Bruce Dickinson scream.

8/10

A classic but not a masterpiece.
 
10/10. The song that got me into Maiden and is still one of my favorites nearly 10 years later. Just love Bruce's vocals on it!! Some awesome guitar riffs throughout it as well. So much energy in this one!
 
Despite being overplayed like RTTH, I never get tired of this one. Great intro, epic Bruce scream, perfect solos and I just love the "I'm coming back..." part. I just think the song is a bit happy sounding for its subject matter, but this isn't really a problem, so I'll go with 10/10.
 
10/10, and not a second thought about it. I've felt for years that this song is absolutely perfect; lean and mean. In only 291 seconds: spoken intro, an intro/coda verse, 3 more verse/chorus pairs telling a horrific story, 2 guitar solos and even a bass solo. All built into a concise arch structure, which takes the listener on a subtle but important musical round trip...

The intro verse contrasts with the coda verse to show the change in the narrator, all as a dramatic frame for the "normal" song contained within. A clear case of setting a scene, taking us on a journey, and returning "home" but changed. Did Steve Harris think this through and intend this directly? Almost certainly not. The fact that he instinctively follows classical dramatic structures proves his storytelling talents go deeper than a gallop and singing about war.

And for the next song on the album... a gallop, and singing about war!
 
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