The Beast (Revelation) of the sea, specifically fishing, and of fertility: Dagon. According to this interpretation, the beast and false prophet were most commonly identified with the papacy in its political and religious aspects. The identification with the papacy is a viewpoint echoed by Seventh-day Adventist writers. According to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the "image to the beast" represents Protestant churches which will form an alliance with the Papacy, and the "mark of the beast" refers to a future universal Sunday law. Adventists have interpreted the number of the beast, 666, as corresponding to a Latin title Vicarius Filii Dei of the Pope.
The Number of the Beast (album) Hills" and "The Number of the Beast", the former of which was the band's first top-ten UK single. The album was also controversial, particularly in the United States, due to the religious references in its artwork and the title track's lyrics. Since the release of "The Number of the Beast" and its subsequent tour, The Beast on the Road, "The Beast" has become an alternate name for Iron Maiden and was later used in the titles of some of their compilations and live releases, including "Best of the Beast" and "Visions of the Beast". "The Number of the Beast" is