“Not that Bruce Dickinson has been inactive – which he can’t do, there’s to be said – but 19 years is really a lot to listen to a new album. Luckily, The Mandrake Project is exactly what fans expected, especially those who wanted the quality of its previous three records. With the same lineup as Tyranny of Souls (2005) - Roy Z (guilt and bass guitar), Maestro Mistheria (keys), Dave Moreno (drums) and Tanya O'Callaghan who will deal with the four strings on the tour - as well as with a collaboration together with Roy Z in the creative department, Dickinson gives light to a work that transcends music, as you can see from the interview in this issue. In addition, he can boast of having recorded some of the best songs of his career, one of which deserves a special mention: Sonata (Immortal Beloved), the most beautiful song you will hear in 2024 (yes, I bet), with a refrain whose simplicity is a triumph also thanks to the exciting interpretation of Dickinson, together with a conclusion in there Pink Floyd that highlights the skill of Roy Z.... That's great! For those who expected a ballad easier to join Tears of the Dragon and Man of Sorrows there is Face in the Mirror. All satisfied then, especially since the rest of the material is well above average.
Afterglow of Ragnarok does not do justice to the record, believe me, especially with the excellent Many Doors To Hell (hard/classic Rock with a tip of Scorpions at the beginning) and Rain on the Graves (which contains a tip of Alice Cooper both in instruments and in the spoken vocal lines) to follow. The Iron Maiden echo is felt not only in the fantastic Eternity Has Failed, which has turned into If Eternity Should Fail nine years ago at the hands of Maiden, respecting its structure; this is because Mistress of Mercy could comfortably be one of those successful tracks, and the guitar part before the a solo is confirmation.
After all this, there are three songs that stand out: the powerful and surprising Resurrection Men, the short but rich Fingers in the Wounds and Shadows of the Gods, in which Dickinson demonstrates why he is one of the best singers of all time.