According to Independent.co.uk, IRON MAIDEN’s heavy metal landmark from 1982 The Number Of The Beast and the 1996 film Trainspotting are the surprise winners in an HMV survey to find the public’s favourite British album and film produced during the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.

Bruce Dickinson, the Iron Maiden singer, said he was "astonished and delighted" at the result of the Diamond Jubilee poll, which was conducted via Facebook and attracted almost 55,000 votes over the past month.

Released in 1982, The Number Of The Beast spawned the top ten hit ’Run To The Hills’ and has sold 14 million copies. Its Book Of Revelations-quoting title track, inspired by the Omen II horror film, led to accusations that the band were Satanists.

Religious groups in the United States burnt copies of the album’s cover, which featured the band’s mascot Eddie toying with a marionette Satan.

Thirty years on however, Iron Maiden are pillars of the establishment. Their globe-straddling tours have turned them into one of the UK’s most successful exports.

Read more atIndependent.co.uk.

Top Ten British albums of the past 60 years :

1. IRON MAIDEN - The Number of the Beast
2. DEPECHE MODE - Violator
3. THE BEATLES - Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. THE BEATLES - Abbey Road
5. PINK FLOYD - The Dark Side of the Moon
6. THE BEATLES - Revolver
7. QUEEN - A Night At The Opera
8. OASIS - (What’s the Story) Morning Glory ?
9. ADELE - 21
10. THE BEATLES - White Album

BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has issued the following update :

"Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,

I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won’t be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3rd, 2012. It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I’m very, very sorry that it’s fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.

To express my thoughts about you, the Sabbath fans, I’m going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the UK. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, “is your brother playing Birmingham ? What’s going on ? I waited in line with my son and paid x amount for the concert tickets.”

The man’s son is a young drummer. He’s going to see Sabbath, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums. Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn’t help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were. To be clear, I’m not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can’t be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It’s sad that it’s come to this. “This” will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully “this” will heal and pass in time.

My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don’t know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him. Sabbath fans have a voice and a face, to me you’re human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment as far as I’m concerned you are also that young boy in England. I don’t know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I’m very, very sorry.

Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn’t have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I’m doing it.

Earlier in April 2012, I’d been asked to participate “minimally” in the Download festival. I believe I’d been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with Black Sabbath. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs. I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30th through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the “signable” contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded. We contacted the representative for Black Sabbath to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime my drum crew and I, along with our US endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the UK. There wasn’t a whole lot to complete ; we’d all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the UK was confirmed done by our European and UK endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4th 2012. There were two stress points : firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn’t move ahead without a realistic confirmation.

Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5th finalizing on Wednesday, May 9th. The offer we received on May 9th was, “come to the UK, play for free and see how the first show goes.” I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but “seeing how the first show goes” left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.

I had notified the representative that May 10th was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9th I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10th, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew a decision was made to let go and stop.

I can’t prioritize the Sabbath fans making one show more important than the other. I can’t do that. All of you are important. It’s all the gigs or none at all. I can’t come to Birmingham and “see what happens” knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it’s all or nothing. I had to say “no” to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham. It’s still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.

Although the statement was made that, “the door is always open” for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a “signable” contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.

I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them ; I’m tolerant of them ; I’m frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I’ll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time ; the band doesn’t win ; the fans for an original lineup don’t win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.

I didn’t want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn’t want to write ; it’s the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.

Since spring of 2011, I’ve waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the Sabbath fans chanting “Bill Ward” and asking “why ?” and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.

On a final note, even though I’m at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate “signable” terms with Sabbath’s representatives in the future.

Stay strong. Stay safe.

With all my heart and strength, I love you,

Bill Ward.

Following on a separate page is a thank you message to some very extraordinary people."

Black Sabbath’s return to their home city for the first time in thirteen years will occur at the O2 Academy in Birmingham on May 19th and will benefit Help For Heroes.

The reformed band - featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler (original drummer Bill Ward is still having a dispute with the members) - are currently working on their first studio album in thirty three years and first since 1978’s Never Say Die !

Black Sabbath will also headline UK’s Download Festival on June 10th and the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago which runs from August 3rd-5th.

Iron Man : The Best Of Black Sabbath is set for release on June 4th in Europe via Universal and features material from their entire first era with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals.

The Greatest Hits album tracklisting is as follows :

’Paranoid’ (Paranoid)
’Iron Man’ (Paranoid)
’Changes’ (Volume 4)
’Fairies Wear Boots’ (Paranoid)
’War Pigs’ (Paranoid)
’Never Say Die’ (Never Say Die)
’Children Of the Grave’ (Master Of Reality)
’The Wizard’ (Black Sabbath)
’Snowblind’ (Volume 4)
’Sweet Leaf’ (Master Of Reality)
’Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games)’ (Black Sabbath)
’Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath)
’Black Sabbath’ (Black Sabbath)
’N.I.B.’ (Black Sabbath)

Courtesy of Roadburn.com, as curators of Roadburn 2012 VOIVOD played two stunning sets at this year’s festival. Relive the intensity of the band’s entire Dimension Hatröss performance through the clips below !

The following announcement has been issued by photographer/journalist Kristina Sisti via SingForLayne.com :

“He sang for us, now we will sing for him.”

It will be ten years since the passing of singer Layne Staley and to mark this anniversary and honor his life, we’re calling for all fans, new and old, to join us on the eve of April 5th to sing back to the man that gave us his everything.

ALICE IN CHAINS and MAD SEASON singer Layne Staley’s voice cut through the soul of a generation. He affected all who heard him and, a decade after he left us, his impact hasn’t lessened. What better way to express our appreciation for what he gave us and continues to give us than to sing his own words back to him ?

Give five minutes of your time and join us live on April 5th, 2012 at 9:00pm EST as we Sing For Layne.

For more information on how you can participate, please visit our website www.SingForLayne.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

EMI will release Iron Maiden’s En Vivo !, a new Blu-Ray, 2 DVD and 2 CD soundtrack album, on Monday March 26th (March 27th in Canada via EMI and in the US via UMe).

Disc Two of En Vivo ! is a bonus disc containing an 88-minute documentary, Behind The Beast.

A fascinating, high quality “home movie”, produced entirely in-house by Maiden’s own Krew led by Andy Matthews, it reveals how to put on an Iron Maiden tour and what goes on behind the scenes at a show. It describes the extraordinary story of one of the most acclaimed and ambitious touring shows in the world, illustrating the day to day life and complex tasks of the Maiden Killer Krew and the other characters behind the scenes. As well as interviews with the Iron Maiden crew, it interweaves anecdotes from the band and their fans, and includes footage of the live show in this comprehensive guide to the intricacies of staging massive, live stadium shows around the world out of the belly of a Boeing 757.

Check out a trailer at this location.

In support of the En Vivo ! release, Iron Maiden will guest on US nationally syndicated program Rockline, hosted by Bob Coburn, on Monday, June 11th. The show starts at 11:30 PM (EST)/8:30 PM (PST) and fans are encouraged to speak with the band by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For more information go to Rocklineradio.com.

Iron Maiden have revealed the packaging for the Double Vinyl Picture Disc version of the En Vivo ! live release below !

EMI will release En Vivo !, a new Blu-Ray, 2 DVD and 2 CD soundtrack album, on Monday March 26th (March 27th in Canada via EMI and in the US via UMe). Check out the clip for ’Blood Brothers’ from the release below (may be unavailable in some regions) :

En Vivo ! was filmed on April 10th, 2011 in front of over 50,000 ecstatic fans at the Estadio Nacional, Santiago during the Round The World In 66 Days leg of The Final Frontier World Tour, and captures a magnificent performance by the band, ardently embraced by the legendary Latino passion and energy of their Chilean fans. With spectacular stage backdrops, dynamic musicianship and a literally jaw-dropping appearance by Eddie, this live show encapsulates to perfection the heart and soul of Iron Maiden 2011.

Bass player and founder member Steve Harris comments : "For The Final Frontier Tour it was really important to me that we filmed in South America as we’re always so overwhelmed by the fans’ reaction when we go to that part of the world and I wanted to reflect that in the filming. After much consideration we chose the Santiago show as we felt it was one of our best performances of the entire Tour and to play at the prestigious Estadio Nacional was a landmark moment for us. For reasons known to our fans, it took a long time before we got to play our first show in Chile, and once we did get to play a show, the response was so phenomenal we just had to keep coming back and it’s got better and better each time !

This show also features the gigantic new Eddie. He wasn’t due to make his appearance until our European leg of the tour later in 2011, but we managed to transport him across the sea in a special huge container just in time for the latter end of the South American dates so it was great we were able to immortalize him for the DVD as he really has to be seen to be believed !"

The concert was filmed digitally using 22 HD cameras and an octocam (a flying camera which captures aerial crowd scenes), recorded in both stereo and 5.1 audio and mixed by Maiden’s longstanding producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, all of which serves to accentuate the incredible atmosphere of this compelling performance. Extensive use is made of split screens so fans can follow the individual members closer and the set list moves seamlessly between songs from Maiden’s most recent studio album, 2010’s The Final Frontier through to classic fan favourites via the band’s vast and varied catalogue (full set listing below).

DVD Disc Two is a Bonus Disc containing an 88-minute documentary, Behind The Best. This is also an entirely in-house production by Maiden’s own Krew, led by Andy Matthews, and is intended as an interesting and revealing high quality "home movie" for their fans of how to put on an Iron Maiden tour and what goes on behind the scenes at a show. It describes the extraordinary story of one of the most acclaimed and ambitious touring shows in the world. It illustrates the day to day life and complex tasks of the Maiden Killer Krew and the other characters behind the scenes. The expertise and experience, the problem-solving and successes, the sheer scale and immense difficulties of the undertaking comes to life through the day to day coverage of the tour and the background work of the crews in sound, lighting, carpentry, production and set design. As well as interviews with the Iron Maiden crew, it interweaves anecdotes from the band and their fans, and includes footage of the live show in this comprehensive guide to the intricacies of staging massive, live Stadium shows around the World out of the belly of a Boeing 757. The bonus disc also contains an extended version of the promo video ’Satellite 15...The Final Frontier’, a video about the making of ’Satellite 15...The Final Frontier’ plus the opening video sequence to The Final Frontier World Tour.

In addition to the Blu-Ray, the 2 DVD will initially be available as a Limited Edition double DVD in Collectors Steel book case and Double Vinyl Picture Disc (as seen above). As well as a traditional 2 CD Soundtrack album, En Vivo ! will also be available as a Digital Download, CD soundtrack album and Digital Download Video.

Maiden’s Final Frontier World Tour 2010-11 saw the band circumnavigating the planet for the third time in their customized Boeing 757, Ed Force One, piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson, and playing 98 shows in 36 countries to over 2 million fans.

DVD Disc One - Live At Estadio Nacional, Santiago (approx running time 120 mins)

’Satellite 15’
’The Final Frontier’
’El Dorado’
’2 Minutes To Midnight’
’The Talisman’
’Coming Home’
’Dance Of Death’
’The Trooper’
’The Wicker Man’
’Blood Brothers’
’When The Wild Wind Blows’
’The Evil That Men Do’
’Fear Of The Dark’
’Iron Maiden’
’The Number Of The Beast’
’Hallowed Be Thy Name’
’Running Free’

Bonus Disc - DVD Disc Two - Behind The Beast (approx running time 102 mins)

Behind The Beast documentary
’Satellite 15...The Final Frontier’ promo video (director’s cut)
The Making of ’Satellite 15...The Final Frontier’ promo
The Final Frontier World Tour Show Intro

In other news, IRON MAIDEN have updated their Behind The Beast photo gallery at Facebook. Check out new pics at this location.