EDWARD THE GREAT

Released in 2002, 'Edward the Great' is a compilation album by Iron Maiden that focuses mainly on the bands singles and "hits", as opposed to songs that are generally favored by fans. As a result, while it's a decent enough selection, it's also very predictable.

Of course, the music itself is still great! I mean, come on, it's Iron freaking Maiden! 'Run to the Hills', 'The Trooper', 'Can I Play With Madness', '2 Minutes to Midnight' and 'The Number of the Beast'... these are all iconic metal classics! However, there's a lot of songs missing, even by 2002, there was an absolute wealth of material that should have been included on a release such as this, but wasn't due to time limitations.

Overall, you're better off going for 'Best of the Beast', especially if you're new to the band. Despite being released six years earlier, it has a more well-rounded track listing, and the packaging as a whole is a lot nicer, with more pictures and detailed information on the band. Leave 'Edward the Great' to collectors like me.