Hurrah! Reason was listened to, hatchets were buried, and Bruce Dickinson was back with Iron Maiden once again. It had to happen for Maiden to be a force once more, and everyone came out of it with their pride intact. Blaze Bayley was fondly said goodbye to, and the band reconvened. But what was this? Legendary guitarist Adrian Smith also wanted back in? What a dream team!
So, with all the original 'dream team' members back, plus Janick Gers, Maiden now had an awesome triple-thronged guitar assault team. The writing for 'Brave New World' began in 1999, just before the dawn of the new Millennium, the 'brave new world' of the future. There was also a welcome return for artist Derek Riggs. He co-designed the cover art with Steve Stone, a foreboding image of Eddie's face forming in the turbulent sky over a futuristic cityscape.
Fans were drooling at the prospect of having the old Iron Maiden line-up back, but would there be the inspiration to make another classic album to rival, say, 'Powerslave'? One obvious factor was the ageing of the band. Although Steve Harris looks eternally the same age, McBrain had visibly aged (he was nearly 50!), Dickinson had cut and highlighted his familiar brown mop, and Adrian Smith had dispensed with his mullet, his hair now all long, and possessing a trendy goatee. Could these middle-aged men still cut it at the sharp end of the metal
scene?
The answer was a delighted yes, as 'Brave New World' was the best Maiden album since 'Seventh Son of a seventh son'. Maiden ditched the all-too-serious, unmemorable approach they used under Bayley, and dipped back into their classic archive of ferocious solos, legendary riffs, and epic singing of demons and legends. Dickinson's voice has clearly aged. Gone are the youthful screams and high notes, but his slightly hoarser tones also make him sound less camp and more passionate. The album makes great use of the three guitarists, and the writing is spread very evenly, although Harris has an input into every song.
1. 'The Wicker Man' If you were to pick a 'comeback' single for the old Maiden line-up, it would sound exactly like this. Loud, testosterone-charged guitars open, and we kick into a pulsating track based on the film of the same name. Magnificent lyrics and structure on the verses, with Dickinson yelling; "Your time will come!" above crashing guitars for the epic chorus, which also includes some uniquely catchy bass drum rhythms. Absolutely furious and headbanging solos from the three amigos make this a supreme Maiden CLASSIC. Turn this up to maximum volume. Trust me! Fantastic video too.
2. 'Ghost of the Navigator' Another untouchable track follows in this. A throwback to 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner', it is the tale of an intrepid Mariner who comes to his final journey, seeing spirits of long-dead Navigators on his way. A brilliantly-judged opening and lead 'maritime' riff paints the song's picture of life on the ocean perfectly. Nearly seven minutes of brilliance.
3. 'Brave New World' A beautifully-crafted wistful riff opens this epic about the dark side of the 'brave new world', a world of decay and destruction. Great lyrics; "Dying to tell you the truth, You are planned, you are damned, In this brave new world" Chorus is dynamic, but very repetitive and a tad uninspired. Other than that, excellent.
4. 'Blood brothers' Written solely by Steve Harris, it is apparently a tribute to his late father, and it is a worthy tribute. Another lovely reflective opening melody, with strangely un-Maiden lyrics; "And if you're taking a walk through the Garden of Life, What do you think you'd expect you would see?" Multi-layered of course, the song goes into the darker sides of the world, questioning existence, and prayer. A well-crafted epic, unlike the 'Maiden sound' in parts, but that just adds to it's appeal. An emotional song from Harris, it hits all the right notes.
5. 'The Mercenary' Dynamite riffage here, with more testosterone than a charging bull! Good lyrics, but chorus is so repetitive, it gets quite irritating.
6. 'Dream of Mirrors' This is the song that 'Deja Vu' (from the 'Somewhere in time' album) should have been. A multi-layered prog-metal song, with countless twists and turns, rather like it's subject matter. Clever stuff! Dickinson goes through most of his scales getting through this beast, with a memorable chorus; "I only dream in black and white! I only dream 'cos i'm ali-i-ive! I only dream in black and white, To save me from myself!" Clocks in at nearly ten minutes, but holds your interest from start to finish.
7. 'The Fallen Angel' A thundering, rampaging riff hits home like a sledgehammer, bludgeoning your mind with thoughts of the coming of the fallen Angel (Lucifer) for Armageddon. The bridge is cracking, sang at pace; "You and only God will know what could be done, You and only God will know I am the only one, You and only God will know what could be done, You and only God will know I am the chosen one!", leading to a rollicking, and uplifting chorus. Phew! What a cracker!
8. 'The Nomad' Just when you think it's safe to turn down the stereo, think again! This is absolutely phenomenal stuff, just over nine minutes of belting solos, untouchable riffs, and crashing rhythm section. Loud and destructive, the intro. comes in, with Dickinson wailing in an Arabic style, beckoning the song in, then you are assaulted with a supreme riff that i am sure i have heard before. Call me stupid, but i can't remember where from, but it is stupendous, and conjures up images of Arabian deserts. After this, Dickinson roars about the legendary 'Nomad', roaming the arid plains like an invincible spirit. after a few verses and bridges, the same verse structure is brilliantly turned into the chorus by way of Dickinson wailing passionately at a slow pace, and power chords replacing the riffage. Frankly marvellous lyrics, like; "Nomad! You're the rider so mysterious! Nomad! You're the spirit that men fear in us! Nomad! You're the rider of the desert sands! No man's ever understood your genius!" One of my favourites, and another Maiden stone-cold classic.
9. 'Out of the silent planet' The other single released from 'Brave New World', this is another superb multi-layered track. A hugely infectious sing-along chorus and hooks aplenty, especially the fantastic lead riff. I'll leave this with a review i read from a Maiden biography pullout; 'Puts anything they've done since at least 1982 to shame'
10. 'The thin line between love and hate' A ponderous, grandiose anthem that sounds curiously like a ballad, especially with Dickinson stretching his vocal chords to the limit with his passionate climactic delivery, this is a suitably ponderous and slow-burning epic end to an epic album that ranks alongside Maiden's very best. Not bad for a bunch of old-school headbangers in their mid-forties!
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bank holidays will be rainy, beans will be on the breakfast menu and Britain's homegrown heavy metal heroes will continue rocking well into their twilight years. ...
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One of the most comforting things about living in the UK is knowing what you can rely on: ... more
bank holidays will be rainy, beans will be on the breakfast menu and Britain's homegrown heavy metal heroes will continue rocking well into their twilight years. ...
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Sep 3rd, 2004
(Sep 4th, 2004)
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