BMG
Bruce Dickinson is back with his seventh solo LP, The Mandrake Project, 19 years after his previous solo album, “Tyranny of Souls”, and it is worth the wait. Chugging riffs, soaring choruses and immaculate arrangements decorate the varied album, beginning with the mid-paced opener “Afterglow Of Ragnarok”. “Many Doors to Hell” has a more subdued feel, and sounds like a track Ghost could have written. It could be Dickinson’s most pop like composition to date. Guitarist Roy Z’s mid-section shines, as does his production throughout the record. Dickinson’s talent as a narrator takes centre stage on “Rain On The Graves”, where the verses are mostly spoken and contrast nicely with the fully belted out chorus. The song was inspired by Dickinson’s visit to poet William Wordsworth’s grave. Next is a highlight of the album, “Resurrection Men”, and one that Dickinson himself hinted to us in an upcoming interview could be on the setlist when he visits Oslo on 9 June. It features Western guitar and Latin rhythms, and transitions into a goth-tinged, doomy, progressive Black Sabbathesque section. The power and range of Dickinson’s vocals at 65 years old are to be admired.
The brooding “Fingers in the Wound” is the shortest track at only 3 and a half minutes, and has atmospheric piano, strings and organ, flawlessly layered, and again there is a surprising transition to an Arabic section. Dickinson’s storytelling and musical imagination are running wild on this record, freed from the democracy of Iron Maiden. “Eternity Has Failed” is, you’ve guessed it, a cover of Iron Maiden’s “If Eternity Should Fail” from “The Book Of Souls”. Heavier and shorter than the Maiden version, Mistheria’s keyboards have also replaced some of the guitars, and it works! Also, the Ennio Morriconesque woodwind intro compliments Dickinson’s voice more than the trumpet intro on Maiden’s version. The tempo picks up with the speed metal and heavy heat of “Mistress Of Mercy” and its catchy chorus. Dickinson’s vocals and Roy Z’s riffs prove to be a perfect marriage. The music slows down with the ballad “Face In The Mirror”, and this is the weakest track on the album. It is the only one that feels like it doesn’t quite fit, but it does contain a beautiful acoustic guitar passage. The mellow vibe continues as “Shadow Of The Gods” begins with piano, reminiscent of Maiden’s “Empire of the Clouds”, but the track later segues into a heavier prog metal vibe. The longest track is the album closer, the theatrical 10-minute epic “Sonata (Immortal Beloved)”, where Dickinson expresses vulnerability, repeatedly pleading “save me now” with increasing desperation, and Roy Z plays a blistering, heartfelt solo that echoes the sound of Dickinson’s heart.
Essential listening for all heavy metal fans, and I am calling it now, a contender for album of the year. (You can read our interview with Bruce in the next issue – subscribe here and now!)
5/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 1 March 2024