IRON MAIDEN - The Number Of The Beast 12" LP ALBUM VINYL

- EEC Pressing

"The Number of the Beast" is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released in March 1982. The album saw the debut of vocalist Bruce Dickinson, and the final appearance of drummer Clive Burr in the band. The Number of the Beast met with considerable critical and commercial success and was a landmark release for the band, becoming their first album to reach No. 1 in the UK singles chart, and be certified platinum in the US. The album also produced the singles "Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast", the former of which was the band's first top-10 UK single. The album was also controversial – particularly in the US – due to the religious nature of its lyrics and its artwork.

 

IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast EEC Pressing 12" LP ALBUM VINYL album front cover

The Beast's Roar Echoes Through Time: Tales from the EEC Pressing
Album Description:

In ancient grooves, a legend lives, Number of the Beast, its power gives.

The hallowed halls of heavy metal history hold a sacred relic – the EEC pressing of Iron Maiden's *The Number of the Beast* on 12" vinyl. This artifact, sought after by metalheads and audiophiles alike, resonates with tales of sonic prowess, historical significance, and passionate debate.

I. A Sonic Odyssey: Unveiling the Beast's True Voice

Within the vinyl's spiral embrace, a sonic odyssey awaits. The EEC pressing, renowned for its pristine audio quality, unveils the beast's true voice. Each note, each riff, each scream erupts with clarity and power, as if the band were performing in your very presence. The warmth of analog sound envelops you, transporting you back to 1982, when this metal masterpiece first unleashed its fury upon the world.

II. A Battle of Pressings: Clash of the Vinyl Titans

The EEC pressing stands as a champion in the arena of vinyl debates. Fans and collectors engage in heated discussions, comparing its sonic virtues to other pressings, dissecting every nuance of sound, every subtle variation in mastering. The quest for the ultimate listening experience fuels this eternal battle, as enthusiasts strive to uncover the most faithful representation of the beast's roar.

III. A Time Capsule of Metal Mayhem: Echoes from a Golden Age

The EEC pressing serves as a time capsule, preserving the essence of a pivotal moment in heavy metal history. 1982 marked the rise of a new wave of British heavy metal, with Iron Maiden at its forefront. *The Number of the Beast* solidified their position as metal titans, its controversial themes and groundbreaking sound pushing the boundaries of the genre. The EEC pressing captures this moment in time, allowing fans to relive the excitement and energy of a golden age.

IV. A Legacy of Controversy and Triumph: The Beast's Unwavering Spirit

The legacy of *The Number of the Beast* is intertwined with controversy. Religious groups condemned the album, accusing it of promoting Satanism. Yet, this opposition only fueled the flames of the beast's popularity, solidifying Iron Maiden's reputation as rebels and outcasts. The EEC pressing bears witness to this turbulent history, reminding us of the power of music to challenge norms and ignite passions.

The beast lives on, its roar eternal, etched in vinyl, a tale infernal.

Music Genre:

British Heavy Metal / NWOBHM 

Album Production information:

The album: "IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast (EEC)" was produced by: Martin Birch

  • Martin Birch – Producer, Sound Engineer

    I first noticed Martin Birch on those early Iron Maiden sleeves—the ones with the typography that felt like a threat. At twelve, I didn’t care about "production value"; I just liked that the guitars didn't sound like mud. He was the man behind the sound mixer, the one who made the snare snap like a dry branch in a cold forest. He was "The Headmaster," and we were all just students of his high-voltage curriculum.

    Birch didn’t just record noise; he organized aggression. By 1972, he was already wrangling the messy brilliance of Deep Purple’s Machine Head, turning Ian Gillan’s banshee wails into something that didn't just clip the tape but lived inside it. In 1980, he pulled off the ultimate renovation, giving Black Sabbath a much-needed shower and a new spine. Heaven and Hell shouldn't have worked, but Martin polished that Birmingham sludge into something operatic and gleaming. It was a pivot that felt like fate, mostly because he refused to let the mid-range get lazy.

    Then came the long, obsessive stretch with Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1992. It was a twelve-year marriage to the fader. From the moment Killers (EMC 3357, for those who care) hit the shelves, the sound was physical. He knew how to let Steve Harris’s bass clatter like a machine gun without drowning out the melody—a sonic miracle that still feels fresh. You can almost smell the ozone and the dust on the Marshall stacks when the needle drops on The Number of the Beast. He stayed until Fear of the Dark, then simply walked away. No victory lap, no bloated memoir. He preferred the hum of the desk to the noise of the crowd, leaving us with nothing but the records and a slight sense of abandonment. But then, when you’ve already captured lightning on tape for twenty years, why bother hanging around for the rain?

    Martin Birch Wiki

    • Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Nigel "It Was Working Yesterday" Hewitt-Green*

    This album was recorded at: Battery Studios, London.

    Battery Studios London has been a key recording centre since the 1970s, known for its high-end equipment and sessions spanning rock, pop, and metal. Countless artists shaped their sound here, leaving a production legacy that still influences modern studio work. Read more.

    Album cover design: Derek Riggs

  • Derek Riggs – Illustrator, Cover Artist Derek Riggs is the artist who gave Iron Maiden its visual soul by creating Eddie, one of the most recognizable mascots in heavy metal history. Since the band’s 1980 debut, his artwork fused sci-fi, horror, and dark fantasy into covers that were as confrontational and imaginative as the music itself. Riggs’ paintings didn’t just decorate records, they built a world that became inseparable from Maiden’s identity.
    Derek Riggs Wiki

    • Album cover photography: Andre Csillag, P. G. "Wigan" Brunelli , Bob Ellis, Rod Smallwood, Ross Halfin, Toshi Yajima

  • Ross Halfin – Photographer Ross Halfin is one of the defining eyes of heavy metal, capturing the genre’s raw power on film since the late 1970s. His photographs of Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Led Zeppelin freeze live intensity, sweat, and backstage reality into instantly recognizable images. More than documentation, his work helped shape how metal looks and feels, turning fleeting moments into permanent pieces of rock history.
    Ross Halfin Wiki

    • Record Label & Catalognr:

    EMI 038 15 7693 1

    Media Format:

    12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
    Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram 

    Year & Country:

    1984 EEC
    Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast (EEC)
      Band-members, Musicians and Performers
    • Bruce Dickinson - Lead Vocals
    • Bruce Dickinson – Vocals Bruce Dickinson, born August 1958, is the powerhouse vocalist who propelled Iron Maiden to legendary status. Joining the band in 1981, his operatic range, sharp phrasing, and commanding stage presence reshaped the group’s sound and ambition, defining era-classic albums like The Number of the Beast and Powerslave. Beyond Maiden, he built a parallel career as a solo artist, commercial pilot, author, and broadcaster, giving his legacy a reach that stretches well beyond heavy metal.
      Bruce Dickinson Wiki
    • Dave Murray - Guitars
    • Dave Murray – Guitar

      Maiden’s calm killer: smooth leads, twin-guitar harmony for days, and that melodic bite that makes the “gallop” feel cinematic instead of chaotic.

      Dave Murray (born 23 December 1956, Edmonton, Middlesex, England) is one of the defining lead guitar voices of heavy metal, and in my book he’s the melodic “second spine” of Iron Maiden. His timeline with the band starts early: joining in 1976, getting briefly pushed out in 1977, then returning in 1978 and staying locked in ever since—making him one of the longest-serving members in the whole Maiden saga. During that 1977 gap he spent around six months with Urchin (Adrian Smith’s band), which is a fun little historical glitch in the matrix if you like your Maiden lore messy and human. Beyond the main band, his most notable “outside the mothership” credit is the all-star charity metal project Hear ’n Aid (1985), because apparently even guitar lifers sometimes leave the bunker to do side quests. Dave Murray Wiki

    • Adrian Smith - Guitars
    • Adrian Smith – Guitarist, Songwriter Adrian Smith is one of those players I always associate with Iron Maiden’s classic sound and its later revival. Joining in 1980, leaving in 1990, and returning in 1999, his melodic solos and sharp songwriting helped define albums from The Number of the Beast to Brave New World and beyond.
      Adrian Smith Wikipedia
    • Steve Harris
    • Steve Harris – Bass Guitar, Songwriter

      Iron Maiden’s engine room: galloping bass lines, history-nerd lyrics, and “captain of the ship” energy baked into every riff.

      Steve Harris (born 12 March 1956, Leytonstone, England) is the rare bassist who doesn’t just hold the floor—he draws the whole blueprint. In my book, he’s the founder and primary songwriter who’s kept Iron Maiden on its rails from 1975–present, with that instantly recognizable “gallop” driving huge chunks of the catalogue. The pre-Maiden grind matters too: first band days in Influence/Gypsy’s Kiss (1973–1974, including a documented gig run in 1974), then the older, blues-leaning Smiler period (1974–1975) where his more ambitious writing basically forced the next step: forming Maiden. Outside the mothership, he’s fronted his own hard-rock outlet British Lion (2012–present), a project that grew out of connections going back to the early 1990s and finally hit the world as his solo debut in 2012.

      Steve Harris Wiki
    • Clive Burr - Drums
    • Clive Burr – Drums

      The early Maiden groove machine: big feel, sharp fills, and that “Beast-era” punch that still rattles the walls.

      Clive Burr (8 March 1957 – 12 March 2013) is one of those drummers who didn’t just keep time—he gave a band its early backbone. I mainly hear him as Iron Maiden’s rocket fuel from 1979–1982, laying down that urgent, swinging drive on their first run of classic records and helping make the whole NWOBHM thing feel dangerous instead of polite. Before that, he did the London grind with Samson (1977–1978). After Maiden, the timeline gets gloriously nomadic: Trust (1983–1984), a blink-and-you-miss-it week with Alcatrazz (1983), his own Clive Burr’s Escape (1983–1984) evolving into Stratus (1984–1985), the supergroup cameo in Gogmagog (1985), Desperado (1988–1990), and later work with Praying Mantis (1995–1996). His later years were brutally shaped by multiple sclerosis, but the playing legacy stays loud, human, and unmistakably his own—Clive Burr Wiki
    Complete Track-listing of the album "IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast (EEC)"

    The detailed tracklist of this record "IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast (EEC)" is:

      Track-listing Side One:
    1. Invaders
    2. Children of the Damned
    3. The Prisoner
    4. 22 Acacia Avenue
      Track-listing Side Two:
    1. The Number of the Beast
    2. Run to the Hills
    3. Gangland
    4. Hallowed be thy name

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