Bruce Dickinson. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, fencer, author, entrepreneur and brewmaster; television presenter, broadcaster, screenwriter, commercial airline pilot, cancer survivor, professor of history, plus actor.
There’s not really a lot left for the Iron Maiden frontman to try his hand at now. Politics maybe, but some divisive opinions on Brexit have shown that might not be the most suitable career path. So what now? Well, it seems not only a return to the world of solo recording but, in keeping with epic scale of the last few Maiden recordings, a bold and fully realised concept album complete with an accompanying (although not absolutely essential) comic book.
Incorporating an overarching storyline, characters with names like Dr Necropolis and Professor Lazarus, and more formats than you can shake a stick at, The Mandrake Project (BMG) is as ambitious as it gets, especially for someone heading towards retirement age.
Close to twenty years after previous solo record, Tyranny of Souls, Dickinson once again teams up with guitarist/bassist/producer Roy Z, the line-up completed by drummer Dave Moreno and Italian keyboard player Mistheria (aka Giuseppe Iampieri) both of whom also played on ToS.
Doomy riffs and Dickinson’s mighty pipes ensure the record gets off to a suitably thunderous start courtesy of first single “Afterglow of Ragnarok”. The thumping seventies vibe of “Many Doors to Hell” sounds like Ghost with a splash of Sparks, the song delivering an extra punch courtesy of a dark, bluesy middle section. The mid-paced “Rain on the Graves” follows, Dickinson dominating the cut along with an outstanding solo from Roy Z.
Boasting an atmospheric, proggy sixties spaghetti western style, ‘”Resurrection Men” has Bruce pushing his throat to the limit before switching to incorporate a more Black Sabbath oriented sound. Despite being the shortest song on the record, “Fingers in the Wounds” feels like it should be much longer: featuring piano and backing orchestrations that give it a truly cinematic feel, a Middle Eastern quality is introduced halfway through bolstering this even further without the track ever feeling overcrowded.
Written the same time as ‘”If Eternity Should Fail’” from Maiden’s 2015 opus The Book of Souls, the similarly titled and equally excellent “Eternity Has Failed” includes the same riffs and hooks but features bonuses like subtle orchestration and vocal backing, a brief, wild keyboard section, and alternative lyrics which allow the song to act as a companion piece while also standing on its own. Not to mention a superior production.
Bringing up the rear, the muscular and compact “Mistress of Mercy” hammers along at an authoritative uptempo pace while “Face in the Mirror” brings “Empire of the Clouds” instantly to mind before Roy Z’s guitar work helps change direction once again. It could be argued that the multifaceted “Shadow of the Gods” would have served better closing out the album but the story is concluded elsewhere so that honour goes instead to ten minute orchestrally backed prog ballad “Sonata (Immortal Beloved)”. Certainly not the worst choice by any stretch.
Although not exactly new to this solo album game, over several years Dickinson and Roy Z have still managed to construct an absolute behemoth with The Mandrake Project. Despite unsurprisingly sounding quite a bit older these days, Bruce’s voice is arguably better here than on Maiden’s last couple of records. The lyrics are memorable and typically poetic (“take a pearl from an oyster and feed it to swine” from “Fingers in the Wounds” being one of many highlights), and the album’s many different moods ensure things never get dull, even when at its most reserved.
A futuristic story about the occult that includes influences from the past, The Mandrake Project has been well worth the wait. If your expectations were cautiously low then raise them now.
Buy the album here:
https://brucedickinson.tmstor.es/
9 / 10
GARY ALCOCK