BEST OF THE BEAST

Iron Maiden

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Iron Maiden Best of the Beast album cover

3.79 | 56 ratings | 4 reviews | 36% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
rock music collection

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Boxset/Compilation, released in 1996

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Number of the Beast (4.49)
2. Can I Play With Madness (3.31)
3. Fear of the Dark (Live, from "A Real Live One") (7.21)
4. Run to the Hills (3.50)
5. Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter (4.44)
6. The Evil That Men Do (4.35)
7. Aces High (4.31)
8. Be Quick or Be Dead (3.21)
9. 2 Minutes to Midnight (6.04)
10. Man on the Edge (4.10)
11. Virus* (6.30)
12. Running Free(Live, from "Live After Death") (3.25)
13. Wasted Years (5.06)
14. The Clairvoyant (4.27)
15. The Trooper (4.11)
16. Hallowed Be Thy Name (7.10)

Total Time 77:53

Limited 2CD edition:

CD1
01. Virus* (6:30)
02. Sign Of The Cross (11:17)
03. Man On The Edge (4:18)
04. Afraid To Shoot Strangers* (Live with Blaze Bailey) (6:48)
05. Be Quick Or Be Dead (3:21)
06. Fear Of The Dark (Live, from "A Real Live One") (7:21)
07. Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter (4:44)
08. Holy Smoke (3:49)
09. The Clairvoyant (4:27)
10. Can I Play With Madness (3:31)
11. The Evil That Men Do (4:35)
12. Heaven Can Wait (7:24)
13. Wasted Years (5:06)

CD2
01. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Live, from "Live After Death") (13:10)
02. Running Free (Live, from "Live After Death") (3:25)
03. 2 Minutes To Midnight (6:04)
04. Aces High (4:31)
05. Where Eagles Dare (6:10)
06. The Trooper (4:11)
07. The Number Of The Beast (4:49)
08. Run To The Hills (3:50)
09. Hallowed Be Thy Name (7:10)
10. Wrathchild (2:54)
11. Phantom Of The Opera (7:20)
12. Sanctuary (3:13)
13. Strange World* (Outtake from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (5:45)
14. Iron Maiden (Demo from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (3:57)

Total Time 149:40

4-Disc vinyl edition:

Disc 1:
1. Virus* (6:30)
2. Sign of the Cross (11:17)
3. Afraid to Shoot Strangers* (Live with Blaze Bailey) (6:48)
4. Man on the Edge (4:18)
5. Be Quick or Be Dead (3:21)
6. Fear of the Dark (Live, from "A Real Live One") (7:21)
7. Holy Smoke (3:49)
8. Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter (4:44)

Disc 2:
1. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (9:54)
2. Can I Play With Madness (3:31)
3. The Evil That Men Do (4:35)
4. The Clairvoyant (4:27)
5. Heaven Can Wait (7:24)
6. Wasted Years (5:06)
7. 2 Minutes to Midnight (6:04)
8. Running Free (Live, from "Live After Death") (3:25)

Disc 3:
1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Live, from "Live After Death") (13:10)
2. Aces High (4:31)
3. Where Eagles Dare (6:10)
4. The Trooper(4:11)
5. The Number of the Beast (4:49)
6. Revelations* (Live) (6:11)
7. The Prisoner (6:00)
8. Run to the Hills (3:50)
9. Hallowed Be Thy Name (7:10)

Disc 4:
1. Wrathchild (2:54)
2. Killers (5:01)
3. Remember Tomorrow (5:27)
4. Phantom of the Opera (7:20)
5. Sanctuary (3:13)
6. Prowler (from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (4:17)
7. Invasion (from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (2:55)
8. Strange World* (Outtake from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (5:45)
9. Iron Maiden (from "The Soundhouse Tapes") (3:57)

Total Time 189:25

(*) Previously unreleased

Line-up / Musicians

- Bruce Dickinson / Vocals
- Blaze Bayley / Vocals
- Steve Harris / Bass
- Dave Murray / Guitars
- Adrian Smith / Guitars
- Janick Gers / Guitars
- Nicko McBrain / Drums
- Clive Burr / Drums

Thanks to valarius for the addition
and to Modrigue for the last updates
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IRON MAIDEN Best of the Beast ratings distribution

3.79
(56 ratings)

Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(36%)
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(39%)
Good, but non-essential (14%)
Collectors/fans only (5%)
Poor. Only for completionists (5%)

IRON MAIDEN Best of the Beast reviews

Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Modrigue
PROG REVIEWER

Get the 2CD edition if you can

First best of compilation of the NWOBHM kings, "Best of the Beast" was declined in three versions. The most common one is the 1CD edition, good but not without flaws. The 2CD limited edition is well worth the buy if you can grab it. Finally, the 4-Disc vinyl edition was intended for collectors only and is hardly impossible to find nowadays.

Let's talk about the 1CD edition first. The only novelty here is "Virus", released as a single in 1996. A pretty cool song, whose darker atmosphere inherits from "The X Factor", MAIDEN's previous album. Nice! The track-list is overall good, but there are 2 small problems though. The first one is the inclusion of irritating hit singles, such as "Run To The Hills", "Can I Play With Madness", "Bring Your Daughter...", which are the black sheeps of their respective albums. It's a pity, as there are less epic compositions on the disc, nor tracks representing the explosive "Killers".

That's why the limited 2CD edition is much more interesting. Composed of 27 tracks, it contains 3 more emblematic epics from various eras: "Phantom Of The Opera", "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" and "Sign of the Cross". Furthermore, it offers a more faithful overview of the band, as each album is represented by 1 or 2 titles, as well as 2 more previously unreleased tracks. The first one is a live version of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" with Blaze Bailey. His low tone fits the song's haunting ambiance well. The second one is the 1979 demo of "Strange World" from "The Soundhouse Tapes".

Finally, the 4-disc vinyl edition consists in 34 tracks, each album being represented by 2 or 3 titles. It features an unreleased live version of "Revelations" with Bruce Dickinson. However, the main interest of this edition for collectors is the inclusion of the complete 1979 demos recording "The Soundhouse Tapes".

Better than "Edward the Great", "Best of the Beast" mixes studio and live songs with a few rarities. The booklet is richly illustrated with many photos and informations. The most interesting IRON MAIDEN best of compilation, as well as a good way to discover the group for newcomers.

Latest members reviews

4 stars Iron Maiden's first major compilation album, released in 1996, may seem dated today, but it contains some of the bands strongest and most memorable material up until that point, and seeing as this was released after Bruce Dickinson initially left the band (he'd rejoin them in 2000), this perfect ... (read more)

Report this review (#1801696) | Posted by martindavey87 | Sunday, October 8, 2017 | Review Permanlink

3 stars It was the first album that I buy from this magnificent British band, and I did it in order to know the best tracks from each album that they have done. I was really impressed with this band, in this compilation you can hear the best songs of the band, such as Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills ... (read more)

Report this review (#267637) | Posted by JgX 5 | Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | Review Permanlink

3 stars My review is based on the limited 2 CD version, which contains these tracks: Disc one Virus/Sign of the Cross/Man on the Edge/Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Live)/Be Quick or Be Dead/Fear of the Dark (Live)/Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter/Holy Smoke/The Clairvoyant/Can I Play with Madne ... (read more)

Report this review (#189202) | Posted by toroddfuglesteg | Friday, November 14, 2008 | Review Permanlink

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