Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast (2015 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Invaders
02 - Children Of The Damned
03 - The Prisoner
04 - 22 Acacia Avenue
05 - The Number Of The Beast
06 - Run to the Hills
07 - Gangland
08 - Hallowed Be Thy Name

 

 

Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA) have released nineteen IRON MAIDEN catalog albums which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been remastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes.
Now let's take a listen to my favourite Iron Maiden album, the essential "The Number Of The Beast".

 

From the opening drums of 'Invaders' to the closing tones of 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' you can hear the difference with this remaster. Everything is so much clearer, sharper, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved, in my opinion.

"The Number Of The Beast" was the first album to feature the vocal talents of one Mr Bruce Dickinson (formerly known as Bruce Bruce whilst with Samson), and spawned such Iron Maiden classics as 'Children Of The Damned', ''The Prisoner', 'Run To The Hills', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and of course the mighty title track itself, 'The Number Of The Beast'.  

No ones needs telling just how good this album is, of course that goes without saying, but these new remasters really do add an entirely new dimension to the songs, You can hear all the intricate acoustic guitar work of 'Children Of The Damned' for example, or the fantastic drumming of the late Clive Burr on the proto thrash track 'Gangland', the layering of the guitars on the title track, 'The Number Of The Beast', or the brooding power and menace of 'Run To The Hills'.

As I have already said, these new remasters really do add that extra dimension to the songs, really lifting them, giving them an almost contemporary sound in fact. And 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' has never sounded better, absolutely awesome!

 

I know that many fans get irritated with the constant re-releases and remasters that many of the bigger bands put out, but this is one set that really is worth having!

 

Very, Very Highly recommended!

 

Rating - 10/10