Bruce Dickinson – ‘The Mandrake Project’

“SCREAM FOR ME [insert city here]”

 

A phrase synonymous with Bruce Dickinson; pilot, author, brewer, sportsman, businessman… and lead singer of heavy metal titans Iron Maiden since 1981. Now, it’s highly unlikely that Dickinson shouts the phrase at air traffic controllers whilst piloting ‘Ed Force One’, Iron Maiden’s very own Boeing 747 (originally a Boeing 757) and it’s equally unlikely that he’ll scream it fiercely at opponents during fencing competitions. But to metal fans worldwide, it’s a kind of tribal call to arms that has become permanently embedded in Iron Maiden’s live performances, in many ways a by-product of the undoubted charisma and drive that has led to Dickinson’s forays and success in so many different areas of business and the entertainment world.

 

It’s fair to say that he’s probably better known for his time with Iron Maiden but in reality, he’s so much more than that. Indeed, he is often referred to as a polymath! As an author, his 2017 autobiography ‘What Does This Button Do’ was a Sunday Times bestseller, whilst the documentary and associated soundtrack ‘Scream For Me Sarajevo’, which charted Dickinson’s 1994 journey into the war-torn and besieged Bosnian city to perform a concert, won awards and was very much lauded in the film and music industries. As if that kind of success isn’t enough, Dickinson is also well-known and respected in the world of aviation, as chair of Cardiff Aviation Limited and as a commercial pilot with Astraeus Airlines, allowing him to Captain the aforementioned ‘Ed Force One’ during Iron Maiden’s world tours. Done yet? Nope! He’s also a brewer, personally overseeing Iron Maiden’s craft beer ‘Trooper’ in collaboration with Robinson’s Brewery. But most impressively, he’s done all this whilst beating cancer!

 

When you consider all of the foregoing, it’s easy to forget that Dickinson has also forged an impressive solo music career, starting in 1990 with the brilliant ‘Tattooed Millionaire’ and followed by ‘Balls to Picasso’ (1994), ‘Skunkworks’ (1996), ‘Accident of Birth’ (1997), ‘The Chemical Wedding’ (1998) and Tyranny of Souls (2005). Now, after a solo hiatus of 19 years, Dickinson is back with his latest solo album ‘The Mandrake Project’.

 

As the title suggests, ‘The Mandrake Project’ is more than a mere album of songs. It’s very much a concept album, described as “a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against a backdrop of scientific and occult genius”. The album finds Dickinson once again collaborating with guitarist and producer Roy Z (who also doubles as bass player), who he first worked with on ‘Balls to Picasso’, so it’s a fruitful and longstanding musical relationship known for giving the singer the opportunity to stray into a sonically different world from Iron Maiden. The studio line-up is completed by Italian keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno (Puddle of Mudd).

 

The album starts in a brooding, menacing manner with first single ‘Afterglow of Ragnarok’, with tension created by Moreno’s drums and Roy Z’s crunching guitar chords that eventually give way to a face-ripping riff. Dickinson’s voice is reassuringly clear in the highest vocal register but the biggest surprise is the ultra-melodic chorus. It’s heavy, yet so melodic that it could be straight out of the Scandi-rock movement that is saturating melodic hard rock at the moment. Mistheria’s keyboards give an almost gothic texture to the music that proves to be a perfect complement for Dickinson’s vocals.

 

The opening guitar riff to ‘Many Doors to Hell’ could be compared to classic Scorpions, with the layers of Hammond organ lower in the mix helping to cement to classic rock feel. Again, the chorus is melodic and memorable, with tempo slowing for a guitar solo in the atmospheric bridge section. It’s not a shredding solo, with more feeling than speed and technique but it’s exactly what the song called for before returning to the earworm riff.

 

There’s no slowing down on third track and second single ‘Rain on the Graves’, starting with a metal riff that James Hetfield and his Metallica bandmates would be proud of before verging into a musical theatre vibe in an almost Alex Harvey style for the verse. There’s a multi-layered guitar solo that just sounds different to the kind of soloing we’re used to hearing on Dickinson’s Iron Maiden songs… and that’s not a bad thing, as it fits the more modern edge apparent in the opening tracks of this album. The song finishes with a menacing cackle fading into the distance…………

 

 ‘Resurrection Men’ has a Hank Marvin and The Shadows guitar sound at the beginning (think Apache and you’ll surely hear it!) but that quickly gives way to power chords and Dickinson’s powerful vocals, which are very un-Shadow-like! There’s a sudden and unexpected change of pace into a grungy sound before returning to a more familiar hard rock edge to finish. It’s an eclectic track all round!

 

‘Fingers in the Wounds’ is heavy but very cinematic with wonderful orchestration that provide a panoramic landscape for Dickinson’s soaring voice. In the bridge section, there’s an Indian music vibe (perhaps Kashmir-like) completely unlike the rest of the track but it fits so well with the music, showing the genius in the arrangement and orchestration.

 

If you feel that you’ve heard ‘Eternity Has Failed’ before, you’d be correct… almost! This track appeared on Iron Maiden’s 2015 album Book of Souls under the title ‘If Eternity Should Fail’. But I’m led to believe that this version is closer to the original idea that Dickinson had, starting in an almost mystic manner, with a flute, Dickinson’s voice and other sound effects that conjure images of a barren landscape. Musically, when the guitars and drums kick in, it’s similar to the Iron Maiden version, yet it feels slightly slower and with a much heavier rhythm guitar riff. The layers of keyboards add another dimension altogether, with the guitar solo ably competing with its ‘big brother’ version.

 

‘Mistress of Mercy’ has a sludgy bass intro that gives way to a Velvet Revolver-style riff. Dickinson’s vocals remain higher in the register for the bulk of the song but that’s where his voice is comfortable, giving him the opportunity to drive the melodic chorus along. It leads perfectly into ‘Face in the Mirror’, an unusually slow and more introspective track for Dickinson that is almost… whisper it… ballad-like! But in all honesty, this piano-dominated song is a welcome break from the heavy, melodic bombast that has gone before and allows the listener to experience Dickinson’s voice in a lower register, dare I say it, with a tinge of emotion that he doesn’t sound overly comfortable with. Penultimate track ‘Shadow of the Gods’ follows on nicely, starting as another piano-led and more introspective track where the singer settles into a better rhythm in the lower register with a stunning vocal performance. The James Bond-like orchestration provides musical drama for Dickinson to work around but this all changes just over the half-way mark when a ‘Load’ era Metallica-esque riff changes the song completely from a ballad to out and out metal, complete with growling vocals! Wonderful stuff!

 

The album closes with a 10-minute epic, ‘Sonata (Immortal Beloved)’, a track that perfectly encapsulates everything that the album has represented from the outset; drama, theatre, gothic vibes, atmosphere, moody themes, top-notch orchestrations and arrangements, layers of magnificent keyboards and brilliant guitar playing. Then, there’s that unmistakeable voice that can only belong to one person… Bruce Dickinson; pilot, author, brewer, sportsman, businessman… and one of the greatest vocalists in metal music.

 

‘The Mandrake Project’ has been in development for a few years and has clearly been a labour of love for Dickinson and Roy Z. The attention to detail in the lyrical content, musical arrangement and production is nothing short of breath-taking. At times, it has lyrically dark themes but the story is always front and centre, using crystal clear production, heavy guitar riffs and incredibly menacing and atmospheric arrangements to bring it to life. If you’re looking for an album in the vein of classic Iron Maiden, then look elsewhere, as this won’t be for you. But if your mind is open to something that’s edgy, modern and thematically challenging, then I’d urge you to give it a listen. To fully understand it and to discover the true genius of the music, you’ll then need to listen a few more times (I’d recommend headphones!) as concept albums can be a complicated minefield to navigate… but it’s a musical journey that’s worth the perseverance. It’s metal… yet there’s elements of melodic hard rock, gothic rock and even musical theatre evident too. This is Bruce Dickinson at his screaming, powerful, storytelling best, in what could be the heaviest, most melodic, riff-filled yet eclectic sounding album he has ever recorded. 

 

“SCREAM FOR ME [insert city here]” …… indeed we will, Bruce. Indeed, we will!

 

‘The Mandrake Project’ is released on 1st March 2024 and will be followed by a UK Tour in May with dates in Glasgow, Manchester, Swansea, Nottingham and London before heading to mainland Europe. For those interested in more than just the music, ‘The Mandrake Project’ will also be released as a comic in 12 quarterly issues that will be collected into 3 annual graphic novels.