Iron Maiden – Best Of The Beast

Iron Maiden achieved veneration and prosperity primarily as an album-oriented band whose propensity for exceeding deadlines and writing too much or too little material often resulted in hasty track selections. Consequently, hidden gems such as "Total Eclipse", the B-side to "Run To The Hills", went largely unrecognized. In 1990, a box set titled "The First Ten Years" was issued, offering collectors an exhaustive coverage of their consistently majestic singles, B-sides and all, in the digital format. Indeed, this series of 10 CDs was infinitely more valuable than a greatest-hits compilation, especially for hardcore fans and collectors, but the demand for a single-disc career overview remained. Finally, in 1996, long after the band's imperial phase had ended, a round-up of all their best-known songs was released. "Best of the Beast" was issued across three formats: the 4-disc vinyl edition, 27-track double-disc package or the truncated single-disc version aimed at the less hardcore headbanger. Contrary to the decidedly uncommercial disposition of heavy metal in its pre-halcyon days, Iron Maiden were quite radio-friendly, scoring hits in their native country and presaging post-"Black Album" Metallica's crossover appeal and huge live following. Inarguably, the simultaneous release of three variations of the same album was an entirely inspired yet predictable move, indicative of the band's newfound depth of awareness regarding modern music consumption and the pre-millennial expansion of metal.

It is generally accepted that most printed-tee-wearing non-metalhead subordinate people are best served by a greatest-hits album since it can sustain their very limited attention, therefore by targeting audiences new and old with a collection works varying according to different tastes, sales are maximised, and with all editions of "Best of the Beast" weighted towards the iconic Bruce Dickinson hard-rocking era - symphonic live renditions and highlights from Blaze Blayley and Paul Di'Anno's respective periods at the helm notwithstanding - as well as some tasteful remastering and cogent sequencing applied throughout, the compilers have succeeded where many have failed, covering all the bases and pretty much pleasing everyone in the process, including Iron Maiden's own very finicky fanbase!

"Best of the Beast", complete with appropriately Eddie-emblazoned cover art assorting several representations of the mascot as he had appeared on the front of each studio album over the years, shows that, akin to other NWBHM luminaries, Iron Maiden have rarely decelerated, nor are they ever likely to as long as their signature triple guitar attack, grandiose songwriting and operatic delivery remains intact. As far as conventional career-spanning anthologies go, and there are few in the Iron Maiden catalogue, this one is hard to beat, especially the more inclusive and as such definitive two-disc version.

RATING: 5/5