Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project (2024)

★★★

I was not sure what to expect from this album. Dickinson’s solo career has had a few ups and downs with varying levels of consistency and quality, so it was really up in the air when it came to what I’d be listening to nearly 20 years since his last solo record. Would it be good? Would it be bad? Well, I found out… and actually wound up enjoying his new record a lot. It may not be as riffy as past works, or as melodic, but it still has an undeniable energy about it that’s uniquely Bruce Dickinson. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend this to people, but for a guy who’s 65 at the time of writing this, it's a very creative and memorable solo record. There’s even hints of Iron Maiden in here, so it’s not totally devoid of what many fans might be expecting - especially when it comes to the Dave Murray-esque leads, full of exotic Phrygian licks and deliberate phrasing. All in all, it’s an hour worth your time. Yes, it’s long – maybe too long in parts – but it was a fun listen for me and I’m sure it’ll be at least an interesting single (if not repeat) listen for others.

FAVORITE TRACKS: "Many Doors to Hell," "Eternity Has Failed," "Mistress of Mercy," "Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"

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Originally published in March '24 (Issue No. 2)