BMG has announced the release of a commemorative triple black vinyl album in honor of the 40th anniversary of IRON 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.
“The Number Of The Beast” Triple Vinyl Release 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
The 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” box set 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.
Released in March 1982, “The Number Of The Beast” was IRON MAIDEN‘s first LP to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and the songwriting contributions of guitarist Adrian Smith, who had joined the band two years earlier. “Obviously, all those elements all thrown into one, it was a pretty scary time in a way, but it was also therapeutic in the sense that we actually went in and just had to come up with the goods,” Steve said. “It’s, like, ‘That’s it. It’s crunch time. You’ve gotta do it.'”
