Tracklist Standard Edition CD: 1. The Number of the Beast (4:53) 2. Can I Play With Madness (3:33) 3.

Fear of the Dark (live) (7:23) 4. Run to the Hills (3:54) 5.

Bring Your Daughter. To the Slaughter (4:44) 6.

Track listing: 1st CD: 1. Phantom Of The Opera 2. Wrathchild 3. The Number Of The Beast 5. Run To The Hills 6. The Trooper 7. Flight Of Icarus 8.

The Evil That Men Do (4:34) 7. Aces High (4:30) 8. Be Quick or Be Dead (3:23) 9. 2 Minutes to Midnight (6:04) 10. Man on the Edge (4:13) 11. Virus (6:14) 12.

Running Free (live) (3:28) 13. Wasted Years (5:08) 14. The Clairvoyant (4:27) 15. The Trooper (4:14) 16.

Hallowed Be Thy Name (7:12) Total Time: 78:01 Limited Edition CD 1: 1. Virus (6:30) 2.

Sign of the Cross (11:17) 3. Man on the Edge (4:18) 4. Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Live) (6:48) 5. Be Quick or Be Dead (3:48) 6. Fear of the Dark (Live) (7:21) 7. Bring Your Daughter.

To the Slaughter (4:44) 8. Holy Smoke (3:49) 9. 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 (5:21) Limited Edition CD 2: 1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Live) (13:10) 2.

Running Free (Live) (3:25) 3. 2 Minutes to Midnight (6:04) 4. Aces High (4:31) 5.

Where Eagles Dare (6:10) 6. The Trooper (4:11) 7. The Number of the Beast (4:49) 8. Run to the Hills (03:50) 9. Hallowed Be Thy Name (7:10) 10. Wrathchild (2:54) 11.

Phantom of the Opera (7:20) 12. Sanctuary (3:13) 13. Strange World (The Soundhouse Tapes Outtake) (5:45) 14. Iron Maiden (The Soundhouse Tapes Version) (3:57) Total Time: 149:41 Limited Edition LP 1: 1. Sign of the Cross 3. Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Live) 4. Man on the Edge 5.

Be Quick or be Dead 6. Fear of the Dark (Live) 7.

Holy Smoke 8. Bring Your Daughter.to the Slaughter Limited Edition LP 2: 1.

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 2. Can I Play With Madness 3. The Evil That Men Do 4. The Clairvoyant 5. Heaven Can Wait 6. Wasted Years 7. 2 Minutes to Midnight 8.

Running Free (Live) Limited Edition LP 3: 1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Live) 2. Where Eagles Dare 4.

The Trooper 5. The Number of the Beast 6. Revelations (Live) 7. The Prisoner 8.

Run to the Hills 9. Hallowed by the Name Limited Edition LP 4: 1. Wrathchild 2. Remember Tomorrow 4. Phantom of the Opera 5. Simatic step 7 training. Prowler (The Soundhouse Tapes Version) 7. Invasion (The Soundhouse Tapes Version) 8.

Strange World (The Soundhouse Tapes Outtake) 9. 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 perfectly summarizes what many consider to be the groups 'golden era'. As is always the case with compilations, there's the argument for which songs should have been included and excluded, and in this regard 'The Best of the Beast' pretty much covers all the essentials. There's maybe one or two things I'd have preferred, perhaps at least one Paul Di'Anno-era song to be featured (there is one, but it's a live version sang by Dickinson), but that isn't too much of a detriment to the overall product. Featuring all the classics such as 'Aces High', 'Run to the Hills', 'Can I Play With Madness', 'Be Quick or Be Dead', 'Fear of the Dark', 'The Number of the Beast' and 'The Trooper', this is a great starting point for newcomers to the band (and I say this from experience, as this was my first Maiden album). There's some fantastic artwork used for the covers and inlays, with plenty of photos, lyrics and liner notes in the booklet, and seeing as it featured most of Maiden's early hits, this makes for a nice overall package for fans of the band.

However dated it may seem today, it's still a worthy addition to the collections of die-hard fans. 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.