SEALED LP IRON MAIDEN “Number of the Beast” HARVEST 12202 orig ’82 metal WOW

$

136

Artist:  IRON MAIDEN

Title:   “The Number of the Beast”  

Label:  HARVEST ~ ST-12202.    

Year:  1982

NOTE:  This album came from the extensive personal collection of the former owner of a chain of retail music stores who retired from the business in the early 80’s.  The albums have been stored virtually untouched and unplayed since that time in a climate controlled, non-smoking environment.  I will be selling many investment grade coloured vinyl LPs, promos, sealed LPs, and other rare collector items from the collection over the coming months.  If you desire MINT albums, you will not be disappointed.

Condition: 

STILL SEALED in original factory shrink wrap.  There is a cut-out punch whole at upper right corner.  Shrink wrap is fully intact and clean. 

Track Listing: 

Side One:

• Invaders
• Children of the Damned
• The Prisoner
• 22, Acacia Avenue

Side Two:

• The Number of the Beast
• Run to the Hills
• Gangland
• Hallowed Be Thy Name

Review:

“Routinely ranked among the greatest heavy metal albums of all time, The Number of the Beast is the birth of Iron Maiden as we know it, a relentless metal machine lifted to soaring new heights by the arrival of erstwhile Samson frontman Bruce Dickinson.  Dickinson's operatic performance here made him an instant metal icon, challenging even Rob Halford for bragging rights, and helped launch the band into the stratosphere.  The Number of the Beast topped the charts in the U.K., but even more crucially -- with Judas Priest having moved into more commercial territory -- it also made Iron Maiden the band of choice for purists who wanted their metal uncompromised.  Maiden took the basic blueprint Priest had created in the late '70s -- aggressive tempos, twin-guitar interplay, wide-ranging power vocals -- and cranked everything up faster and louder.  The album's intensity never lets up, the musical technique is peerless for its time, and there isn't a truly unmemorable song in the bunch.  Blessed with a singer who could drive home a melody in grandiose fashion, Steve Harris' writing gets more ambitious, largely abandoning the street violence of old in favor of fittingly epic themes drawn from history, science fiction, and horror.  The exceptions are "22 Acacia Avenue," a sequel to "Charlotte the Harlot" that sounds written for Di’Anno's range, and the street-crime tale "Gangland," which Harris didn't write; though the punk influences largely left with Di’Anno, these two definitely recall the Maiden of old.  As for the new, two of the band's (and, for that matter, heavy metal's) all-time signature songs are here.  The anthemic "Run to the Hills" dramatized the conquest of the Native Americans and became the band's first Top Ten U.K. single.  It features Maiden's trademark galloping rhythm, which in this case serves to underscore the images of warriors on horseback.  Meanwhile, the title track's odd-meter time signature keeps the listener just slightly off balance and unsettled, leading into the most blood-curdling Dickinson scream on record; the lyrics, based on nothing more than Harris' nightmare after watching a horror movie, naturally provoked hysterical accusations of Satan worship (which, in turn, naturally provoked sales).  "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is perhaps the most celebrated of the band's extended epics; it's the tale of a prisoner about to be hanged, featuring some of Harris' most philosophical lyrics.  It opens with a superbly doomy atmosphere before giving way to a succession of memorable instrumental lines and an impassioned performance by Dickinson; despite all the tempo changes, the transitions never feel jarring.  Elsewhere, "The Prisoner" is a catchy retelling of the hit British TV series, and "Children of the Damned" is a slower, heavier number patterned after the downtempo moments of Dio-era Black Sabbath.  CD remasters integrate "Total Eclipse," first released as the B-side of "Run to the Hills," into the running order.  Though some moments on The Number of the Beast are clearly stronger than others, the album as a whole represented a high-water mark for heavy metal, striking a balance between accessible melodicism and challenging technique and intensity.  

Everything fell into place for Iron Maiden here at exactly the right time, and the result certainly ranks among the top five most essential heavy metal albums ever recorded.  A cornerstone of the genre.” 

(courtesy Steve Huey, allmusic.com.)

Guaranteed to be original and authentic.  I do not sell bootlegs or modern reissues.

 As with all my records, I offer a complete guarantee of satisfaction.  If not happy, simply return it in same condition for a full refund of purchase price plus one-way postage.

Payment methods:  I accept Paypal, and any suitable method of payment.  If you have any questions or do not wish to use Paypal, please feel free to contact me and I am sure we can work something out. 

I pack all records in sturdy cardboard custom LP boxes for safe shipment.
The records are removed from the jackets to protect the cover.
Both the LP and jacket are sandwiched between additional layers of cardboard.

I am happy to combine purchases to minimize shipping cost. 

NOTE TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS:  I will be glad to hold purchases for up to 30 days upon request and receipt of payment, to allow you to accumulate purchases and combine orders in order to save on shipping.  (First LP costs US $18.50 to ship, additional albums in the same order will ship for an additional $2.50 per disc up to a total of four.).  If ebay overcharges for shipping, I will promptly refund any overpayment and apply your discount.

FAST SHIPPING:  If I fail to ship your item within 2 business days of payment receipt, your shipping is free!

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PLANNING A VISIT TO THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON AREA?

 If so, please consider a visit to my booth (Booth 002, down stairs) at the ANTIQUE DEPOT antique mall in historic ELLICOTT CITY, MARYLAND (3720 Maryland Avenue, just off Main Street at the north end of town – open every day of the year except Christmas and Thanksgiving) for some excellent bargain-priced LPs and 45’s. 

Thank you for viewing my auction, and good luck with your bids!