10 Best Hard Rock Albums Of The 80s
8. The Number Of The Beast - Iron Maiden
No matter what can kind of metal you were into the 80's, you were into Iron Maiden. The band's penchant for writing epic songs of doom was something that any metalhead could relate to in one form or another. As the band got their start in Britain, their initial offerings with singer Paul Di'anno quickly sent them up the ranks as one of the most powerful rock outfits on the scene. Once the band decided to ditch Di'anno's more punkish antics, the arrival of Bruce Dickinson gave the band the fuel they needed to conquer the world.
From the word go, The Number of the Beast is one of the most relentless metal albums of the decade, whose galloping rhythms across "Run to the Hills" and the title track keep your heart racing throughout. Even when the band decides to slow things down on tracks like "Children of the Damned," the dramatic tone behind the music only increases the album's sense of gravitas. Along with being the perfect closer, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" takes all the greatest elements of heavy metal and concentrates them into one 7-minute journey.
Truly the best of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and a must for any fan of hard rock music.