IRON MAIDEN - NUMBER OF THE BEAST 12" Vinyl LP Album

- European FAME Release, including lyrics sleeve

The "Number of the Beast" marks the debut of vocalist Bruce Dickinson in the IRON MAIDEN band.

 

IRON MAIDEN - Number Of The Beast Lyrics Sleeve Fame EEC 12" Vinyl LP album front cover

Fame's Fury Unleashed: The Number of the Beast's European Conquest
Album Description:

Across the continent, a legend spreads, Number of the Beast, its power treads.

In the heart of Europe, a vinyl beast arose, bearing the mark of Fame and the fury of Iron Maiden. The European FAME release of *The Number of the Beast* on 12" vinyl, complete with a lyrics sleeve, became a coveted artifact, a testament to the band's transcontinental dominance.

I. A Lyric Sheet Unveiled: Unraveling the Beast's Dark Poetry

The FAME release, unique in its inclusion of a lyrics sleeve, invited fans to delve deeper into the beast's lair. The words, once shrouded in the mystery of sound, now lay bare, revealing a tapestry of dark poetry and apocalyptic imagery. Each verse, a cryptic clue, a glimpse into the minds of the metal masters who conjured this sonic behemoth.

II. A Symphony of Soundscapes: Mastering the Vinyl Realm

The FAME pressing, a product of European craftsmanship, boasts a sonic landscape that transports listeners to the heart of the beast's domain. The vinyl's grooves, etched with meticulous precision, deliver a symphony of soundscapes, each instrument resonating with clarity and power. The listener becomes immersed in a sonic tapestry woven with intricate guitar harmonies, thunderous drums, and the soaring vocals of a metal maestro.

III. A Cultural Crossroads: Bridging Nations with Metal Might

The FAME release, with its European origins, symbolizes the unifying power of heavy metal. It transcends borders, language barriers, and cultural differences, uniting fans across the continent in a shared passion for the beast's sonic onslaught. The vinyl's journey from pressing plant to turntable becomes a pilgrimage, a testament to the enduring power of music to connect and inspire.

IV. A Visual and Sonic Feast: A Testament to Artistic Vision

The FAME release, complete with its lyrics sleeve and iconic artwork, stands as a testament to Iron Maiden's artistic vision. The cover art, depicting Eddie the Head locked in a cosmic battle with the devil, serves as a visual representation of the album's themes of good versus evil, darkness and light. The lyrics sleeve, adorned with the band's handwritten words, adds another layer of depth, inviting fans to explore the intricate storytelling that lies at the heart of the beast's mythology.

The beast's legacy endures, etched in vinyl, a European treasure, divine.

Music Genre:

NWOBHM New Wave of British Heavy Metal 

Album Production Information:

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

    • Record Label & Catalognr:

    EMI 1C 038-15 7693

    Media Format:

    12" Vinyl LP  Gramophone Record
    Album weight: 230 gram  

    Year & Country:

    1982 Made in EEC ( see rim-text on record's label )
    Band Members and Musicians on: IRON MAIDEN - Number of the Beast
      IRON MAIDEN Band: members/musicians
    • Bruce Dickinson
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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: IRON MAIDEN - Number of the Beast
      Side One:
    1. Invaders
    2. Children of the Damned
    3. The Prisoner
    4. 22 Acacia Avenue
      Side Two:
    1. The Number of the Beast
    2. Run to the Hills
    3. Gangland
    4. Hallowed be thy name

    IRON MAIDEN - Vinyl Records Discography Home Page