It's been over 18 years since Bruce Dickinson's latest studio album, 'Tyranny of Souls', as it was released in May 2005. Age-old clichéd proverb totally suits here: How time flies! It bloody well does, faster and faster year by year, or so it feels. To tell the truth, I didn't feel it was 18 years...

What has been revealed about Bruce's forthcoming album 'The Mandrake Project' is that it will be a concept album. The story isn't about hippies on field of flowers, but something much darker like evil rites and apocalypse. "Ragnarök" in Scandinavian mythology, basically, is the end of the world as we know it, and perhaps afterglowing means radio-activity after a nuclear war? Well, that certainly looks like a real possibility again these days, sadly. Not the first time when Bruce mingles with mythologies, this.

It's once again be Bruce and Roy Z handling the songwriting and arranging. This mid-paced, stomping song is one of the heavier ones under the name Bruce Dickinson. It does feel like a mixture of 1997's 'Accident of Birth' and 'Tyranny of Souls', especially sound-wise. Slow build at the beginning with some non-distorted guitar conjuring a ominous melody. The heavy main riff is something we all wanted Black Sabbath's return in 2013 to be like; British doomy heavy metal goodness. Verses and bridges are gloomy, yet rocking. The chorus, that feels somehow melancholic, was stuck into my brain after the first hearing of the song, really. It does sound highly original; it's not Maiden, it's not NWOTBHM, it's just something I cannot compare with any metal song I've heard, ever, but it's not Oasis music either, so stay calm. Towards the ending we get shredding guitar solos and big theatrical part. Bruce's vocals are still shiny and powerful, although here he goes quite low, too, as the song requires it.

The guitar tone is thick and palm-muted riffs slay, and those pinch harmonics are bad-ass. A synthesizer was utilized, bringing in carpet-sounds and some tinkling sounds. They help the song grow into epic proportions even though they sound preset. The bass guitar is meaty and the drums are booming like they've been since 'Accident of Birth', which took Bruce's solo career on the heavy metal road. The review was done via listening to a streaming, and I expect it kicking even more heavily on a physical record.

This single will be out as a 7" vinyl edition including a short comic. It's a limited edition and costs almost as much as a full-length album. And it's probably already been sold out or close to. I had to hunt it down quite a bit, and I am not even sure will I get it in Ragna... sorry, the end I mean. A very promising single that certainly lowered my blood pressure quite a bit. The wait was long and it will soon be over: 'The Mandrake Project' album will be out in early 2024.

Rating: 9- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/04/2023 00:12