Nearly 20 years had passed since Bruce Dickinson’s last album, Tyranny of Souls. This is probably the reason why the entire metal community was shaken by the big news of the upcoming Mandrake Project…
Which metalhead hasn’t heard of Bruce Dickinson, the legendary Iron Maiden frontman? Renowned as one of heavy metal’s most emblematic voices, Bruce is also a pilot, a fencer, an author, a screenwriter… He joined Iron Maiden in 1981 to replace Paul Di’Anno. In addition to the numerous albums he recorded with the band, he decided in 1990 to release his first solo album, Tattooed Millionaire. He left Iron Maiden in 1993 to focus on his solo career, but returned in 1999, continuing to work on solo projects. The Chemical Wedding (1998) and Accident of Birth (1997) are among his most notable solo works.
Nearly 20 years had passed since his last album, Tyranny of Souls (not counting his work with Maiden). This is probably the reason why the entire metal community was shaken by the big news of the upcoming Mandrake Project. This new album, which is actually not simply an album, was announced in September 2023 with tour dates for Brazil and Mexico. Back then, Bruce commented:
“This album has been a very personal journey for me and I am extremely proud of it. Roy Z [his long-time musical partner] and I have been planning, writing and recording it for years, and I am very excited for people to finally hear it. I’m even more excited at the prospect of getting out on the road with this amazing band that we have put together, to be able to bring it to life. We’re planning to play as many shows as we can in as many places as possible, for as many people as we can! As for what The Mandrake Project is… all will be revealed soon!”
The announcement was followed by the premiere of the first single, “Afterglow of Ragnarok”, on the 1st of December.
The second single, “Rain on the Graves”, was released on the 25th of January 2024, along with its sinister and spectacular music video directed by Ryan Mackfall.
At this point, we were all looking forward to THE date, the 1st of March 2024, for the release of the complete record. Believe me, it was a long, long wait. In the meantime, new tour dates were being added and the final touring line-up was unveiled…
The Comic
Remember when we said The Mandrake Project was not merely an album? Well, you followed well! Indeed, Bruce took this project to a whole new level by creating a comic to back up the record. The series is scripted by Tony Lee and illustrated by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics. 3 of 12 issues are already out! The story, set in an eerie atmosphere, follows mystic characters such as Dr Necropolis and Professor Lazarus in their journey through power, struggle for identity, occult, and even immortality.
Album Review
On the 1st of March, during the school holiday, the thing that got me out of bed in the morning was the release of the long-awaited Mandrake Project. It was early in the morning when my dad and I went to the car to give it a first listen. Some tracks immediately struck me.
The first track is the well-known “Afterglow of Ragnarok”, which is directly connected to the comic. The song kicks off with a sinister intro, followed by an aggressive guitar riff. The story is about Dr Necropolis and his rituals. The scientist, whose purpose is to bring back his brother who died at birth, gets into occult and magic.
Concert photos. Hellfest Festival at Clisson, France. By Antoine de Montremy. Duke TV. DR.
The second track, “Many Doors to Hell”, might be my favourite on the album. The banging drum-guitar intro is enough to galvanize you. “This is about a female vampire who wants to be human again. She wants to feel what it’s like to not just bite people in the neck, but to maybe kiss them or make love.” Dickinson tells Apple Music.
As mentioned earlier, “Rain on the Graves”, the third track, is an eerie banger. The music video is set in a graveyard on a gloomy day. A visit to the grave of 19th century poet William Wordsworth inspired this one.
The fourth track “Resurrection Men” is related to the comic. In fact, the Resurrection Men -Dr Necropolis and Professor Lazarus- are pivotal characters of the comic, making this one not only a musical highlight but a key moment in the narrative as well. The “Dick Dale surf sound” guitar, as Dickinson puts it, brings a whole new dimension to the album.
“Eternity Has Failed” … Wait a minute, why does this sound so familiar? It’s because the sixth track is a “remake” of the Iron Maiden song “If Eternity Should Fail”. If Maiden hadn’t chosen to put it on their album Book of Souls, the song was meant to be the title track of the record. After the comic came up however, Dickinson modified it and got it ready for the brand-new story.
This next one might be the darkest toned track of the album. “Shadow of the Gods” is the ninth track of The Mandrake Project. The gloomy atmosphere is immediately established by keyboardist Mistheria’s delicate melody. Yet, the classic heavy metal essence of the song shows itself past the first half. The bittersweet story of this one is that the two other heavy metal vocal legends, Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford, were supposed to accompany Dickinson singing. Unfortunately, that never happened, with the passing of Dio. Give it a listen and you will get shivers (or even tears?) as you hear the parts Halford and Dio were supposed to sing. The song is simply magical.
The four other tracks aren’t less impressive than the ones above. The Mandrake Project takes you on an emotional journey, from the oriental bit of “Fingers in the Wounds” to the relaxed acoustic guitar of “Face in the Mirror”, the thrashing “Mistress of Mercy”, and the haunting atmosphere of the final track, “Sonata (Immortal Beloved)”. It might bring tears to your eyes, surprise you, make you smile, and definitely send chills down your spine.
Mise en page par Arif Kilinç
