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Visions of the Beast

Visions of the Beast

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $17.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Essential Iron Maiden
Review: Tracklisting:

Disc 1: Women in Uniform / Wrathchild / Run to the Hills / The Number of the Beast / Flight of Icarus / The Trooper / 2 Minutes to Midnight / Aces High / Wasted Years / Stranger in a Strange Land / Can I Play With Madness / The Evil that Men Do / The Clairvoyant / Infinite Dreams / Holy Smoke / Tailgunner

Disc 2: Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter / Be Quick or Be Dead / From Here to Eternity / Wasting Love / Fear of the Dark / Hallowed Be Thy Name / Man on the Edge / Afraid to Shoot Strangers / Lord of the Flies / Virus / The Angel & the Gambler / Futureal / The Wicker Man / Out of the Silent Planet / Brave New World

This compilation is an essential buy for any Iron Maiden fan, new or old. The most complete Iron Maiden music video compilation, the footage ranges from live concerts to strange 80's special effects to what most closely resembles a modern music video. You'll see a couple of good videos from the early period, showing the original band with Paul Di'Anno and with Clive Burr, and a wide variety of strange pants, mostly worn by Bruce (check out the videos for 'Stranger in a Strange Land' and 'The Troooper,' you'll see what I mean). Blaze Bayley also makes appearances in several videos from his mid-nineties period.

The video has some interesting bonus footage and hidden extras (by doing a search on the internet you'll easily be able to find them). The chosen tracks are among Maiden's best, and each is introduced with a cover picture and title. Overall, a good purchase, worth it to see 3 hours of great videos spanning Iron Maiden's entire career.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Money! Give us money!!
Review: Unbeliavable. Iron Maiden is behaving like an authentic "dinosaur" band, when they did not need to act like that, because they're still in top form.

Now, besides an endless stream of live albums, DVD's and compilations, they release a DVD (double) featuring videos released along the years to promote their albums or singles. Man, what for??? Why on Earth would I buy a collection of VIDEOS, featuring the version of the sonsg that are on the cd's??!!

Well, I think the die hard fans will love it. I won't. (and I'm a big fan)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable video retrospective of Maiden's first two decades.
Review: VISIONS OF THE BEAST is a 2 DVD set featuring all of Iron Maiden's promo videos from 1980 to 2000.

Track Listing:

DVD 1

WOMEN IN UNIFORM (3/5) Rare promo featuring Dennis Stratton & Paul Di Anno: an OK vocalist, but a right royal plonker. The man has all the stage presence of Ray Sager in THE WIZARD OF GORE (not that I'd knock HGL!). DiAnno's appearance suggests what would happen if Gary "Cars" Numan (you probably know the Fear Factory version) drank Dr Jekyll's potion.

WRATHCHILD (4/5) (I'm too damn lazy to write comments for all the tracks).

RUN TO THE HILLS (4/5)

THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST (5/5)

FLIGHT OF ICARUS (5/5) My personal fave on the DVD. This just rocks! Great music, lyrics, video. Top notch.

THE TROOPER (4/5)

2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (4/5)

ACES HIGH (3/5)

WASTED YEARS (4/5)

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (3/5)

CAN I PLAY WITH MADNESS (4/5)

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (5/5)

THE CLAIRVOYANT (5/5)

INFINITE DREAMS (live) (5/5)- Far gutsier than the "Seventh Son" version. More energy, rawer. Brilliant build up from melody to classic Maiden metal madness!

HOLY SMOKE (2/5)- Terrible, cheap, cruddy video directed by Steve Harris. Song is not much better.

TAILGUNNER (3/5)- Sounds 10X better live.

DVD 2

BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER (4/5) The UK #1 hit from NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 5: THE DREAM CHILD.

BE QUICK OR BE DEAD (5/5) Maiden at their best!! Possibly their heaviest, most menacing single to date. Essential stuff.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (5/5) A perfect example of the kind of song that the Bible bashers target Maiden for. Hell ain't a bad place? What makes you think Heaven will be any better?

WASTING LOVE (5/5) Melodic, anthemic hard rock ballad is an absolute classic. There's an epic beauty to this track.

FEAR OF THE DARK (LIVE) (5/5)

HALLOWED BE THY NAME (LIVE) (5/5) Self explanatory. The "Number Of The Beast" version is excellent. But when it's played live... wow! Pure genius, all the way.

MAN ON THE EDGE (3/5). OK anthem based on the excellent Michael Douglas movie "Falling Down". (Pretty obvious, the songs chorus is just Scruff Bayley wailing "Falling down" X 6. Go back to Wolfsbane, yer plonker!)

AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS (Live)(3/5) gets D-merits cuz Scruff sings it. With Bruce it gets a 5.

LORD OF THE FLIES (3/5) Bring back Brucie!

VIRUS (2/5) again Directed by Steve Harris. Cheap video. Lame song. This sure isn't one of the "Best of the Beast"!

THE ANGEL AND THE GAMBLER (3/5) Cool video. So-so song. Needs Bruce.

FUTUREAL (3/5) Ditto

THE WICKER MAN (5/5) A true Maiden classic. One of their most infectious, anthemic songs ever. Their first single with 3 lead guitarists. Personally I think they should have just given Yank-it, oops! I mean JANICK his marching (or stupid girly dancing) orders. Good to see Adrian back in the fold though!

OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET (5/5)

BRAVE NEW WORLD (5/5)

The DVD also includes a preview of the "Rock In Rio" DVD & animated vids for RUN TO THE HILLS & ACES HIGH, by the infamous Camp Chaos gang (you know, the guys who did the Metallica cartoons of James & Lars in the bath together? "NAPSTER BAD! BEER GOOD!"). There's also a special edition video of "Wicker Man" & a discography.
My only complaint with this is that the disk takes a long time to load. There's an animated sequence at the start that runs for about five minutes or something, so it's a good idea to put the DVD on and go make a coffee while it's loading. Other than that its pretty good value, if you're interested in having a collection of promo vids. If you like this, I also recommend the Judas Priest- "Electric Eye" DVD.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable video retrospective of Maiden's first two decades.
Review: VISIONS OF THE BEAST is a 2 DVD set featuring all of Iron Maiden's promo videos from 1980 to 2000.

Track Listing:

DVD 1

WOMEN IN UNIFORM (3/5) Rare promo featuring Dennis Stratton & Paul Di Anno: an OK vocalist, but a right royal plonker. The man has all the stage presence of Ray Sager in THE WIZARD OF GORE (not that I'd knock HGL!). DiAnno's appearance suggests what would happen if Gary "Cars" Numan (you probably know the Fear Factory version) drank Dr Jekyll's potion.

WRATHCHILD (4/5) (I'm too damn lazy to write comments for all the tracks).

RUN TO THE HILLS (4/5)

THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST (5/5)

FLIGHT OF ICARUS (5/5) My personal fave on the DVD. This just rocks! Great music, lyrics, video. Top notch.

THE TROOPER (4/5)

2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (4/5)

ACES HIGH (3/5)

WASTED YEARS (4/5)

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (3/5)

CAN I PLAY WITH MADNESS (4/5)

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (5/5)

THE CLAIRVOYANT (5/5)

INFINITE DREAMS (live) (5/5)- Far gutsier than the "Seventh Son" version. More energy, rawer. Brilliant build up from melody to classic Maiden metal madness!

HOLY SMOKE (2/5)- Terrible, cheap, cruddy video directed by Steve Harris. Song is not much better.

TAILGUNNER (3/5)- Sounds 10X better live.

DVD 2

BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER (4/5) The UK #1 hit from NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 5: THE DREAM CHILD.

BE QUICK OR BE DEAD (5/5) Maiden at their best!! Possibly their heaviest, most menacing single to date. Essential stuff.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (5/5) A perfect example of the kind of song that the Bible bashers target Maiden for. Hell ain't a bad place? What makes you think Heaven will be any better?

WASTING LOVE (5/5) Melodic, anthemic hard rock ballad is an absolute classic. There's an epic beauty to this track.

FEAR OF THE DARK (LIVE) (5/5)

HALLOWED BE THY NAME (LIVE) (5/5) Self explanatory. The "Number Of The Beast" version is excellent. But when it's played live... wow! Pure genius, all the way.

MAN ON THE EDGE (3/5). OK anthem based on the excellent Michael Douglas movie "Falling Down". (Pretty obvious, the songs chorus is just Scruff Bayley wailing "Falling down" X 6. Go back to Wolfsbane, yer plonker!)

AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS (Live)(3/5) gets D-merits cuz Scruff sings it. With Bruce it gets a 5.

LORD OF THE FLIES (3/5) Bring back Brucie!

VIRUS (2/5) again Directed by Steve Harris. Cheap video. Lame song. This sure isn't one of the "Best of the Beast"!

THE ANGEL AND THE GAMBLER (3/5) Cool video. So-so song. Needs Bruce.

FUTUREAL (3/5) Ditto

THE WICKER MAN (5/5) A true Maiden classic. One of their most infectious, anthemic songs ever. Their first single with 3 lead guitarists. Personally I think they should have just given Yank-it, oops! I mean JANICK his marching (or stupid girly dancing) orders. Good to see Adrian back in the fold though!

OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET (5/5)

BRAVE NEW WORLD (5/5)

The DVD also includes a preview of the "Rock In Rio" DVD & animated vids for RUN TO THE HILLS & ACES HIGH, by the infamous Camp Chaos gang (you know, the guys who did the Metallica cartoons of James & Lars in the bath together? "NAPSTER BAD! BEER GOOD!"). There's also a special edition video of "Wicker Man" & a discography.
My only complaint with this is that the disk takes a long time to load. There's an animated sequence at the start that runs for about five minutes or something, so it's a good idea to put the DVD on and go make a coffee while it's loading. Other than that its pretty good value, if you're interested in having a collection of promo vids. If you like this, I also recommend the Judas Priest- "Electric Eye" DVD.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable video retrospective of Maiden's first two decades.
Review: VISIONS OF THE BEAST is a 2 DVD set featuring all of Iron Maiden's promo videos from 1980 to 2000.

Track Listing:

DVD 1

WOMEN IN UNIFORM (3/5) Rare promo featuring Dennis Stratton & Paul Di Anno: an OK vocalist, but a right royal plonker. The man has all the stage presence of Ray Sager in THE WIZARD OF GORE (not that I'd knock HGL!). DiAnno's appearance suggests what would happen if Gary "Cars" Numan (you probably know the Fear Factory version) drank Dr Jekyll's potion.

WRATHCHILD (4/5) (I'm too damn lazy to write comments for all the tracks).

RUN TO THE HILLS (4/5)

THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST (5/5)

FLIGHT OF ICARUS (5/5) My personal fave on the DVD. This just rocks! Great music, lyrics, video. Top notch.

THE TROOPER (4/5)

2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (4/5)

ACES HIGH (3/5)

WASTED YEARS (4/5)

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (3/5)

CAN I PLAY WITH MADNESS (4/5)

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (5/5)

THE CLAIRVOYANT (5/5)

INFINITE DREAMS (live) (5/5)- Far gutsier than the "Seventh Son" version. More energy, rawer. Brilliant build up from melody to classic Maiden metal madness!

HOLY SMOKE (2/5)- Terrible, cheap, cruddy video directed by Steve Harris. Song is not much better.

TAILGUNNER (3/5)- Sounds 10X better live.

DVD 2

BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER (4/5) The UK #1 hit from NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 5: THE DREAM CHILD.

BE QUICK OR BE DEAD (5/5) Maiden at their best!! Possibly their heaviest, most menacing single to date. Essential stuff.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (5/5) A perfect example of the kind of song that the Bible bashers target Maiden for. Hell ain't a bad place? What makes you think Heaven will be any better?

WASTING LOVE (5/5) Melodic, anthemic hard rock ballad is an absolute classic. There's an epic beauty to this track.

FEAR OF THE DARK (LIVE) (5/5)

HALLOWED BE THY NAME (LIVE) (5/5) Self explanatory. The "Number Of The Beast" version is excellent. But when it's played live... wow! Pure genius, all the way.

MAN ON THE EDGE (3/5). OK anthem based on the excellent Michael Douglas movie "Falling Down". (Pretty obvious, the songs chorus is just Scruff Bayley wailing "Falling down" X 6. Go back to Wolfsbane, yer plonker!)

AFRAID TO SHOOT STRANGERS (Live)(3/5) gets D-merits cuz Scruff sings it. With Bruce it gets a 5.

LORD OF THE FLIES (3/5) Bring back Brucie!

VIRUS (2/5) again Directed by Steve Harris. Cheap video. Lame song. This sure isn't one of the "Best of the Beast"!

THE ANGEL AND THE GAMBLER (3/5) Cool video. So-so song. Needs Bruce.

FUTUREAL (3/5) Ditto

THE WICKER MAN (5/5) A true Maiden classic. One of their most infectious, anthemic songs ever. Their first single with 3 lead guitarists. Personally I think they should have just given Yank-it, oops! I mean JANICK his marching (or stupid girly dancing) orders. Good to see Adrian back in the fold though!

OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET (5/5)

BRAVE NEW WORLD (5/5)

The DVD also includes a preview of the "Rock In Rio" DVD & animated vids for RUN TO THE HILLS & ACES HIGH, by the infamous Camp Chaos gang (you know, the guys who did the Metallica cartoons of James & Lars in the bath together? "NAPSTER BAD! BEER GOOD!"). There's also a special edition video of "Wicker Man" & a discography.
My only complaint with this is that the disk takes a long time to load. There's an animated sequence at the start that runs for about five minutes or something, so it's a good idea to put the DVD on and go make a coffee while it's loading. Other than that its pretty good value, if you're interested in having a collection of promo vids. If you like this, I also recommend the Judas Priest- "Electric Eye" DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the bests ever!!
Review: visions of the beast is one of the most complete and cool dvd's you can ever find, the package, the animated menus, the complte maiden videography, it's just great, don't miss it, really!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Waste of time and money
Review: Well, if buying a collection of old clips that you've already seen hundred of times is a great deal, well..

I love (loved) Maiden, but it seems to me that this collection is a cheap move to earn some easy money. Their greedy and highly competent manager, Rod Smallwood, never loses an opportunity when he sees one! Including here are some of the worst videos ever, those for HOLY SMOKE and VIRUS, and a whole lot of them also featuring Janick "Look how I can jump!" Gers, that wrong choice for replacing Adrian Smith. (Nothing like having good relations... he was a friend of Bruce, had recently recorded an album with him before Bruce recommended him for Steve Harris...)

And, by the way, I'm sick of that reviews about Maiden products that ends "UP THE IRONS". IRgh!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good offering for the Maiden fan
Review: Within the time frame of their new album "Dance of Death," "Visions of the Beast" is a pretty good set for the average Iron Maiden fan. Practically every music video is here (except for a live version of "Iron Maiden" that can be found on the enhanced debut album, and a couple of "Live After Death" videos) and we also get a few special features:

- Futureal Football
This was a fundraiser during the "Virtual Xi" tour. Somewhat interesting and we see Steve Harris play very well at soccer, but it's not something we will see again most likely.

- Discography
Every studio and live release listed. It's a requirement if you're going to detail a band's history.

- Camp Chaos Videos
Remember those guys that made the "anti-Metallica" cartoons on the internet? We get some animated (well, partially) videos of some fan favorites. They are The Wicker Man, Aces High, Run to the Hills, Flight of Icarus, and Number of the Beast. Aces High is pretty good and it's ending with Lars Ulrich flipping you off in a Nazi uniform had me in tears! The Wicker Man is a neat video as well... but as for the rest of them, they are ok. I think the videos would've benefitted better if they were TOTALLY animated, as opposed to mixing in old band footage. I don't know, I guess I'm a purist.

The first disc covers from their very first single Women in Uniform on up til Tailgunner, and the second disc begins with Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter onto Brave New World. Some other reviewer stated that Disc 2 was worthless (in which case, the reviewer is wrong)... and while I don't particularly care for the albums during the 90s, it's still an essential piece of history. For them to ignore it would be blasphemous. Look at Ozzy Osbourne. He's "demastering" his albums by replacing the bass and drums and not even re-releasing "Speak of the Devil" or "The Ultimate Sin" because he hates them! Don't get me wrong, I love Ozzy, but at least Maiden has the know-how to not forsake their history.

For the Maiden fan, is it worth it? Most assuredly, especially if you get it for a low price (which I did, as well as I did for Rock in Rio). Is it worth it for the casual Maiden fan? That can be debated. Being the huge Maiden fan that I am, I do recommend it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Visons of hte Beast IS a Beast!
Review: Wow, two discs! Two discs of supreme coolness and energy. This must-have collection starts back in the day of the Dianno/Harris/Murray/Stratton/Burr lineup. The first disc begins immdiately with Women in Uniform, a song I never tire of. Most of the other videos are from the enhanced CD collections, but to see them on an actual screen with surround sound adds a whole other dimension. Notice I said most. Afraid to Shoot Strangers is shot live (1995) and then there are camp chaos videos with hilarious animation combined into original film. This video history of one of the most popular metal bands of all time is a delight from start to finish. Also, if you're a Maiden fan (And come to think of it, if you're not) get tickets to see them live. You'll be impressed with the show they put on in this DVD and their other visual mdiums, but I'm telling you, it's nothing compared to seeing these guys live.


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