Disco de Iron Maiden: “Brave New World”

THE BAND: Steve Harris (bass/keyboards), Bruce Dickinson (vocals), Dave Murray (guitar), Adrian Smith (guitar), Nicko McBrain (drums), Janick Gers (guitar).

THE DISC: (2000) 10 tracks clocking in at 67 minutes. The disc contains a 14-page booklet with band pictures, lyrics and thank you's. Recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France. Bassist Steve Harris once again is the creative force behind the album - co-producing and writing or co-writing each of the 10 songs. Each of the other band members (except McBrain) contribute in the writing of at least one song as well.

COMMENTS: Most of what Iron Maiden put out in the 1990's was horrid, so I came apon this album with hesitation. Exit Blaze Bailey, re-enter Bruce Dickinson. Seeing the original line-up from the 1980's back in tact (plus Gers), I decided to absolutely chance it... having only been kept alive on Dickinson's solo work throughout the 90's. "Brave New World" (BNW) is a pleasant surprise. Gone are the bass and guitar synth's that were present on "Somewhere In Time" and "7th Son"... BNW features voice, drums, driving guitars, and an occasional stroke on the keyboard. This is easily their best studio album in 12 years (7th Son...), maybe more. Bruce Dickinson is back and sounds great. Although I do miss his high piercing vocals (like on the classic "Where Eagles Dare")- and I really didn't hear it until the last song ("Thin Line Between Love & Hate"). I have a slight problem with the title of the last song - an Iron Maiden tune with the word "Love" in it? It just doesn't sound right. The band sounds very tight on "Brave New World". They have obviously taken their time to do things write on this album. Nicko sounds like he has a new drum kit. The snare drum sounds a bit higher pitched than normal. That's okay tho, it sounds good. Track 1 "The Wicker Man" is one of those classic "2 Minutes to Midnight" type songs, fast from the get-go. The title track has a nice slow intro and then the rest of the band kicks it up a notch. Track 4, "Blood Brothers" has a Jethro Tullesque feel to it (no problem). "The Mercenary" and "The Fallen Angel" are the hardest rocking tunes on the disc - and they kick some seious tail. "The Nomad" is a marathon of a song at just over 9 minutes. I like it's irregular guitar chords and story line. The album ends with "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate" - this song has it all... It's fast, it's slow, Bruce is all over the place (a good thing) and the song has a great melody. At the very end you'll hear one of the band say "I missed it". If any of them missed something, I don't know what it is. The song is a strong one - the whole album is STRONG. "Brave New World" gets my vote for best metal album of the year in 2000, and 'Comeback Artist' of the year as well. Up the Irons! Great disc.

Throughout the '90s, many music snobs had claimed that classic heavy metal was officially dead - and Iron Maiden were one of the bands that was always mentioned in those remarks. Who could blame them? The band was putting out mediocre material in the wake of Bruce Dickinson's departure, and most of the so-called "metal" that was being released around that time was watered-down, poser, commercial nonsense. However, in 1999, Dickinson decided to rejoin Maiden after a six-year absence, and guitarist Adrian Smith (who played on two of Bruce's solo albums)came along for the ride as well. With the revamped line-up, which now included three guitar players (Smith, along with Dave Murray and the ever underrated Janick Gers), the new 21st century Maiden went on a short reunion tour and headed to the studio afterwards.

The result is the aptly titled BRAVE NEW WORLD, an album that brought good ol' classic, melodic, epic, no-holds-barred heavy metal back to the masses. While the band's trademark galloping sound is as fearsome as ever, this is also the band's most experimental release to date, and the most complex since SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON. You would think that with three guitarists in the band it would be a disaster, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. You get the best of all worlds on here. From the heavy punch of Murray, to the melodic instinct of Smith, and to the technical flash of Gers, all three players get the job done. Steve Harris' rapid-fire bass playing is just as sharp as ever, and Nicko pounds the skins like a madman while also showing that his playing has matured since he first joined the band back in 1983. The real standout, however, is Bruce himself. He sounds better than ever on this release. This is definitely his crowning achievement as a vocalist, combining the rougher style of his solo albums with the classic "Air Raid Siren" style of Maiden's golden era. A tour de force performance.

With 10 songs topping 67 minutes, there is not a wasted track on here, making this Maiden's most consistent album ever. "The Wicker Man," "The Mercenary," and "The Fallen Angel" are pounding riff-heavy rockers in the IM tradition. Short, fast, and to the point with awesome choruses. Both the title track and "The Thin Line Between Love and Hate" show that Maiden is maturing and that heavy rock can be emotional if done right. "Blood Brothers" is the most unique thing they've done. It's mostly bass and keyboard-heavy, with stunning orchestrations and great solos to complement the arrangement. "Dream of Mirrors" is a masterpiece and probably the band's best epic. It's mostly slow, but stay with it - it's that good. Bruce's vocals are incredible, the chorus is so powerful, the lyrics are brilliant, and the escalating musicianship (leading to a furious time change around the 5:47 mark) is nerve-wracking. Nine minutes never went by so fast.

I think I've said enough. This is just an amazing accomplishment from a band that proved it still has staying power. Maiden is in the studio now recording their new album which should be out in this summer. If it's anywhere near as good as BRAVE NEW WORLD, the music world is safely secure.

Iron Maiden has always occupied a strange place in the world or heavy metal: virtually no acknowledgment outside the metal community, yet within that hailed as one of the forms most potent, challenging, and ground-breaking bands. Their work in the early to mid-80s set standards that will never be equaled, so to see them reform their classic line-up in 1999 was to question their very existence. Then, they put out this album--within the metal community the buzz was high, because they had a huge legacy to live up to.

After a short, well-received tour last year, Maiden went back to the studio to produce an entirely new album, "Brave New World." And to the relief and delight of true metal fans the world over, it's a scorcher, filled with everything that made Maiden great in the '80s.

It's dense, rich, filled with a sense of loss and melancholy. The songs have come to life, insinuating themselves into my head to rival classics like "The Trooper," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," and the rest. It combines the best of all their greatest work: the SF cosmic sound of Somewhere in Time, the complex arrangements of Seventh Son of a Seventh Song the hooks and metal attack of The Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind and the epic historical scope of Powerslave.

Bruce Dickinson's voice has never sounded clearer, more emotionally wrought, or more convincing. His voice carries the album, double-tracked at times to great effect. He means every word, soaring transcendently, growling with menace and then dropping to a heartfelt, world-weary croon. His voice is showcased best on "Out of the Silent Planet," "Dream of Mirrors," and "Blood Brothers." These songs are melodramatic powerhouses, with choruses sure to move you in a way Maiden never has. Remember the longing and regret of "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "Wasted Years"? Those feelings are even stronger here, lending a sadness and maturity one does not expect from Maiden.

"There are times when I feel I'm afraid for the world/ There are times when I'm ashamed of us all," he sings on "Blood Brothers," the chorus of which seems to lift off this world. In the album's longest song, "Dream of Mirrors," the band builds and builds slowly, the chorus bolstered by fat riffs and mid-tempo drumming, finally releasing all the pent-up feelings, Dickinsons growls, "Lost--a hell that I revisit/Lost--a nightmare I retrace," and then they're off, Smith, Dave Murray, and third guitarist Janick Gers trading some serious harmonies with Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain holding down the backbeat. "The dream is true," Dickinson sweetly sings as the tune comes to a quiet resigned end. Whew!

As for historical scope, "The Nomad" evokes a real sense of mystic, ancient desert wastes, legendary figures that wander this earth alone. The long musical interlude, including Harris on keyboards, is marvelous. You can lose yourself in it, just like in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" or "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son."

Other fantastic songs include "Out of the Silent Planet," "Ghost of the Navigator" and the title track "Brave New World"--as Huxley intended, ironic--wherein Bruce sings: "Dragon kings dying queens/Where is salvation now/Lost my life lost my dreams/Rip the bones from my flesh...Dying to tell you the truth/You are damned in this Brave New World."

These are songs that reflect upon loss, death, dashed hopes and an ache for understanding and knowledge that will probably never come. Plus they're all catchy as hell, with muscular, brutal riffs and headbangin' drumming.

The musicianship and songcraft is superb, rivalling anything from the mid-80s. This is not recycled Maiden, but a true, honest continuation of their greatest and most unique talents.

It's been years since Iron Maiden has sounded so vibrant and creative. Brave New World is a fine achievement of quintessential heavy metal songwriting; a return to form for one of metal's preeminent bands. Maiden shows considerable growth here, but the energy captured on this record is nearly concordant with their zenith of intensity (I refer to albums like Piece of Mind and Powerslave). This is the album Maiden fans have awaited for years, ever since they began to lose their fervor with No Prayer for the Dying.

So, Blaze Bailey out, Bruce Dickinson in. A good trade, to say the least, but even better with the canny melodic sense and creativity of guitarist Adrian Smith, who also returns. This ups the line-up to three lead guitarists, which might sound excessive, but it's remarkable how well they make it work. The arrangements don't sound cluttered at all, and overall the band handles this approach intuitively. The production is stunning, and succeeds and isolating and preserving the ineffably energy of Iron Maiden's music.

As always, Iron Maiden is defined by the impetus of heavy metal's intensity with a shrewd melodic awareness unique among metal bands. The difference is that the band shows considerable progression here. While there are cuts that just ooze the classic Maiden sound (like "Wicker Man," "The Mercenary," and "Fallen Angel"), while others explore the band's more ambitious tendencies. Shades of these inclinations have often been evident ("Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son," "Heaven Can Wait," for instance), but here the band delves into them farther. Behold the Middle Eastern influences of the epic "The Nomad," the mix of quiet and loud passages in "Thin Line Between Love and Hate," and the lush orchestrations of "Blood Brothers." So, while the band retains their classic feel, they also expand on this with rewarding results. Truly, they are one of the most sophisticated heavy metal bands ever. (Steve Harris does enjoy many progressive rock bands, you know.)

My only complaints are that the band sometimes protracted the songs unnecessarily. "Mercenary" and "Fallen Angel" are great, save for the fact that they are too repetitive. "Dream of Mirrors" is, again, a great song, but it should have been 2 or 3 minutes shorter because a lot of it is needless repetition. I'm left thinking that the band was trying too hard to impress at times.

Still, despite these complaints, I can't deny that this truly is a recovery for Maiden. Good job boys. (Sweet cover art, too!) Now how about another solo album, Bruce?

In 1999, it was announced that vocalist Bruce Dickinson & guitarist Adrian Smith were returning to Iron Maiden after being gone for six & ten years, respectively. The metal community rejoiced, because the albums that Maiden put out following Smith's departure in 1989 (NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING & FEAR OF THE DARK) were not very good, & the ones they released after Dickinson's left in 1993 (X FACTOR & VIRTUAL XI) were just plain awful. They would retain Adrian Smith's replacement, Janick Gers, which made Maiden a three-guitar band (Dave Murray being the third guitarist). Bruce Dickinson's repalcement, Blaze Bayley, left the band. Maiden would have a new album out in 2000, entitled BRAVE NEW WORLD. There was a great deal of anticipation surrounding it. K-ROCK in New York even played the first single from the album, "The Wicker Man" (yes, believe it or not, you could hear rock music on the radio in New York in 2000). Anyway, the song sounded great & I was stoked to get the new album. I guess I was hoping for an album that was as strong as their self-titled debut or THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST. Let's just say that I was in for a bit of a disappointment when I finally heard BRAVE NEW WORLD.

The album starts off strongly with the aforementioned "The Wicker Man" & "Ghost Of The Navigator." These songs have great guitar riffs & they flow nicely. The album goes downhill from here though. During the years that Blaze Bayley was their singer, Maiden got into the very bad habit of repeating chorus sections in some of their songs over & over & over again. Unfortunately, the band failed to break that habit here. The album's title track is a prime example of this. Another is "The Mercenary," which is a shame because the song has a great verse riff. Listening to Dickinson sing "Show them no fear, show them no fear" repeatedly just gets tiring.

"Blood Brother" is a ballad-like song that just doesn't work. There are two prog-ish sounding tracks here, "Dream Of Mirrors" & "The Nomad." "Dream Of Mirrors" is not very good & has an absolutely jarring intro. "The Nomad" is much better & is one of my favorite songs on the album. Another track that I like is "The Fallen Angel," which is a straight-forward riff-rocker. "Out Of The Silent Planet" is an okay song but nothing great. I guess you say the chorus is kind of catchy. Bruce Dickinson's vocal line in "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate" just sounds awkward. Definitely a song to skip over.

Kevin Shirley produced BRAVE NEW WORLD, & he did a fine job. The guitars come through crisply & clearly as does Steve Harris' bass guitar. Murray, Smith & Gers find room to take solos. Bruce Dickinson's voice sounds very strong. If you've read my reviews of some other Iron Maiden albums, you've probably noticed that I'm not a big fan of drummer Nicko McBrain. While I still believe that Maiden was a better band with Clive Burr on drums, McBrain does a good job on BRAVE NEW WORLD. Unfortunately, Iron Maiden didn't come up with enough good material to match the high production values.