My very first Maiden album. I would pick "Hallowed be thy Name" as my favorite track. I still love Bruce's voice as much as I ever did. The guitar and bass playing on this album was mindblowing to my little 9 year old mind.

My first Maiden album too. Loved it when I got it a good ten years ago, but nowadays I like maybe half of it. Invaders starts great, but that chorus is just horrific. Total Eclipse and Gangland are terrible. I still like the title track, but Run To The Hills never did it for me.

On the other hand, the good songs are really, really good. 22 Acacia Avenue, The Prisoner, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Children Of The Damned are all bonafide metal classics, although Bruce can get on my nerves every now and then, haha. So in short, nowhere near the quality of the first two (perfect) albums, but still pretty darn good.

When I first heard NUMBER OF THE BEAST, I was speechless. To this day, I still am. It's about as close to a "perfect" album as has ever been made.

BOW DOWN BEFORE NUMBER OF THE BEAST!!!

Number of the Beast is my number one metal album/CD of all time!!

Hallow Be Thy Name has to be one of the greatest songs of all time.

I can remember my friend buying this the day it came out. I had to wait for the weekend to get it but I did spend my days at my friends house listening to the album.

I got mine autographed when they came to town with the great Clive Burr.

the second best Maiden album, every single song is a classic.

I still remember hearing NOTB for the first time at my friend Mike's place. We were a bunch of young bangers and he was the first in the neighborhood to get himself a copy, and he had a sort of listening party after school at his house and invited a bunch of us Maiden fans. I still remember being blown away by how much more massive and epic it sounded to me from the s/t and Killers and Maiden Japan that I heard and owned. Went out the following Saturday and picked up both the 'Run to the Hills' single w/ Total Eclipse on the b-side; and the record.

Had the pleasure of catching them that summer in a 4000 seat arena opening for Scorpions who were on their Blackout tour.

I had no use for this band.....then Bruce joined! :metal:

Bruce definitily kicked things up a couple of notch's

"Chldren of the Damned" is often overlooked for "Hallowed"
but Harris writes a better story on "children" and Bruce tells it like he's standing there watching it all happen. great stuff

Dickinson's voice alone makes the band sound so much bigger. When I hear the songs from the first two albums, it feels like material meant to be played in sweaty, cramped clubs, but starting with Number of the Beast, the band sounds more like an arena band.

Overplay means nothing to me - I still listen to this album regularly

Ah, The Number Of The Beast, one of the best Maiden albums. While not really NWOBHM anymore, alot of that raw energy is still present here, mainly in the rhythm section and largely due to Clive Burr Im sure. Nice balance between the epic and the raw power. And also contains my favorite Dickinson era song ever in The Prisoner, and Gangland, Hallowed Be Thy Name, 22 Acacia Avenue, the title track and Run To The Hills are all classics. While I prefer the first two albums and Maiden Japan to everything else they've done, this album just rocks and is one of their best. Also despite my love of Di' Anno, I really like Bruce's voice alot on this album, sounds AWESOME!

Next up is 1983's 'Piece of Mind' featuring new drummer Nicko McBrain formerly of Trust taking over the drummer's chair. This is the first Iron Maiden album I ever purchased and the first tour I saw them on with Quiet Riot serving as the opening act.

The album kicks off with a drum introduction from new boy McBrain serving as a strong introduction to Nicko McBrain's drumming style that differs from Clive Burr. The song 'Where Eagles Dare' based on the film of the same name opens the album in a frantic pace and this version of Iron Maiden is now an arena ready metal band. 'Revelations' Bruce Dickinson's first writing credit on Maiden track is an excellent track. As a matter a fact I love most of the album and its powerful in your face production fits perfectly with the songs and the subject matter.

The songs for the most part are inspired by films, books, and historic events,
'The Trooper' based on Tennyson's poem 'The Charge of Light Brigade,
'Flight of Icarus' of course on the Greek myth, and 'Quest for Fire' on
the movie, unfortunately I never cared for that track. 'To Tame a Land' based on Frank Herbert's Dune novels.

Not much I could add to this but it seemed at this point in their career Iron Maiden could no wrong. The Only track I do not care for is 'Quest for Fire', the rest of the album is excellent and again highly recommended.

Number of the Beast-
When I got into Maiden the first video I saw was "Run To The Hills" on Headbangers Ball. I was hooked ever since. Again its a great album all the way through except I wouldnt object to skipping the songs Invaders and Gangland from time to time.

Piece Of Time-
Ah manny you posted the same time I did so now I had to edit my post haha
I agree with what you wrote manny. Maiden could do no wrong in this point in time. 4 awesome albums in a row. With the addition to Nicko on drums they seem to loose a lot of the more punkier side of the band that they started with to the more noticeable style they are known for.

A lot of great songs but after track 6 "Still Life" the album starts to slip a little. "Quest for Fire" being my least favorite, "Sun And Steel" is an ok tune but i think the chorus gets a little annoying and "To Tame A Land" led to something that would be built on, on a later album.

Maiden fans beware of what I'm about to write.

Piece Of Mind is the most overrated album in Maiden's catalog. I already owned Killers, Maiden Japan & The Number Of The Beast when this album came out...and I was a little disappointed at the time...and time has only increased my apathy towards many of the songs on this album. I'll break down my feelings.

Where Eagles Dare - Absolutely love the instrumental sections of this song (particularly the riff at 1:22)...but Bruce's vocal line is horrid, I never have liked it. I've always skipped the beginning of this song and just listened to the middle section.

Revelations - This was a song I really loved when I first got the album, but over the years I've burnt out on it and now it just sounds kinda dull. I prefer Children Of The Damned from NOTB.

Flight Of Icarus - Easily the best song from the album, a perfect arena number with a great riff, excellent performance from Bruce and a memorable chorus.

Die With Your Boots On - an "ok" song until you get to the moronic chorus and goofy "if you're gonna die" backing vocals. I never liked this tune.

The Trooper - A classic tune to be sure (another Steve Harris gallop riff) with great lyrical imagery and a powerful performance from Bruce.

Still Life - Another song that I enjoyed as a teenager but now bores the hell out of me. Where was that aggressive band that recorded songs like Wrathchild?

Quest For Fire - easily the WORST SONG MAIDEN EVER RECORDED.

Sun & Steel - Another ho-hum gallop tune that always sounded just a little too "happy" in the chorus, it doesn't mesh with the verse sections.

To Tame A Land - I mentioned not being able to listen to the vocal line from W.E.D., this song is even worse. Harris seemed hell bent on writing lyrics that were impossible to sing (either that or Bruce couldn't figure out a good way to do it). If you skip to about the 4 minute mark you have an EXCELLENT Maiden instrumental with great riffs, solos and one of the most energetic performances of the album.

My overall feeling towards this record is boredom, there are a few great tunes and quite a few good ideas that don't get properly developed in others. But this was the record when Maiden started to take themselves a little too seriously...

*note* - The best song from these sessions was the cover version of Jethro Tull's Cross-Eyed Mary. An absolute CLASSIC Maiden performance that pretty much blows away the majority of the orignal tunes they wrote for this album.

Detuned stated

Quote:

*note* - The best song from these sessions was the cover version of Jethro Tull's Cross-Eyed Mary. An absolute CLASSIC Maiden performance that pretty much blows away the majority of the orignal tunes they wrote for this album.

Was the Montrose cover done at the same time period ? Don't rememeber...

This lp is special.... The year I got the whole package deal. My friend since kidnergarden had an older brother who for "Number" was Maidens bus driver and
sent all us kewl shirts from different places that tour. For "Piece" tour, he was assistant tour manager and we got backsatge to meet the guys, watch soundcheck and I got to play Nicko's kit :metal: :metal: :metal: .

I love the album still, yet some tunes could of used some more attention.

The Number Of The Beast - CLASSIC album all the way around!!! Bruce's additional just makes the band better!!!! The only song I am not a huge fan of is Gangland - it's good song but not up to the standards of the rest of the songs on the album (including the add of Total Eclipse here)

Piece Of Mind - my favorite Iron Maiden album. All killer, no filler!!!!! I can say nothing bad about the album. Enter one Nicko McBrain, add progressive elements. His drumming is KILLER on this album. This was the first Iron Madien album I purchased (even though I had heard Run To The Hills and Number Of the Beast, but that was right before Piece Of Mind came out). With this album, Iron Maiden instantly became one of my favorite bands. I still remember being pissed at my parents because they wouldn't let me go see Iron Maiden at the Norfolk Scope on this tour.......

I 100% disagree with detuned, I still love 'Piece of Mind' and that or maybe 'Killers' is my favorite Iron Maiden album.

It is fun and interesting to read someone's viewpoint who is completely opposite of mine in regards to this Iron Maiden album, but I do have to agree that the lyrics to 'To Tame a Lamb' is a bit of tongue twister and would be responsible for launching a thousand power metal bands trying to fit as many words as possible in between guitar solos.

"Piece Of Mind" is my favorite album. But it is strange in that it is not a pefect album, and probably not even the best one. But it is still my favorite! Weird!

"Revelations", "Flight Of Icarus", "The Trooper" (the song that made me a life time fan!) and the highly underrated "Sun And Steel" are amongst the strongest metal songs ever!

Oh, "Quest Foor Fire" isn't even close to the worst song Maiden has ever recorded. That song appears on the next record.....

Piece Of Mind might just be my favorite album with Bruce. Where Eagles Dare is a MONSTER of a tune. Every part of that song is just damn perfect. The fast part in Revelations with that harmony is also very, very awesome, another great song. The Trooper, Die With Your Boots On, Flight Of Icarus etc. are all Maiden classics.
The only real stinker is Quest For Fire. If that song was left off, Piece Of Mind would be a 10 out of 10. Nowhere near the brilliance of the selftitled and Killers, but better than Number Of The Beast.

No I did mention I dont mind skipping Invaders.

I have always liked Piece of Mind but I guess I don't hold it in as high a regard as many Maiden fans do, seeing as how many list it as their best/favorite album.
It has for me anway, one crappy track, a couple of mediorcre ones and the rest I would rate pretty good to great.

I think the best Maiden records were yet to come.