Bruce Dickinson

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Kalata said:
^According to Roy, they had 6 demos in 2001. More or less in that time period after TCW. Maybe more. So from his answer:

A Tyranny Of Souls
Believil
Eternal
Broken
Silver Wings
Shadow Of The Gods
and probably The One You Love To Hate

It's interesting that even back then he wanted to ''go beyond'' TCW style for the next solo album (like he teased about the new album), but at the last minute he decided to not tuning down!! He viewed TOS as a natural continuation and a fitting part of the ''Trilogy'' (Accident-Chemical-Tyranny). Maybe that's why there are some experiments in Mandrake.
And something curious about TOS: ''Bruce was not there to pick some of the sounds while we recorded. So I just sort off went for what he normally likes''.

He cited TCW as his favorite sound for an album - and other albums such as The Number Of The Beast, Heaven And Hell and Holy Diver. Great productions.
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They probably still had the demo for The One You Love to Hate in 2001, although they had released a proper recording a year earlier…
 
Wickerman1204 said:
www.ebay.pl

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | eBay

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | Music, CDs | eBay!
www.ebay.pl

Guy who sent copies early still have them, confirmed info that people who got it earlier are from this guy. I won't buy it as shipping to Poland from the US will take 20 days, so I prefer to wait, but maybe is here someone from the US and can buy then leak it :D
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More than reviews, we need the leak.
 
Wickerman1204 said:
www.ebay.pl

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | eBay

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | Music, CDs | eBay!
www.ebay.pl

Guy who sent copies early still have them, confirmed info that people who got it earlier are from this guy. I won't buy it as shipping to Poland from the US will take 20 days, so I prefer to wait, but maybe is here someone from the US and can buy then leak it :D
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Now I’m also beginning to regret buying it from Bruce’s store. That shit will take ages to reach me. Didn’t know there were stores out there who’d be selling it this early. And I can’t even cancel my order now. Fuck my life.:mad:
 
Melony said:
Reviews Metal Hammer Germany 03/2024

Bruce Dickinson: "The Mandrake Project"

Together with another album on number 2 of the list "Soundcheck March 2024"

Points from the editors: 6/7; 4.5/7; 6/7; 6/7; 6/7; 3.5/7, 6/7; 5.5/7; 4/7; 3/7; 5/7; 4.5/7; 5/7

Average: 5/7

Description:

My translation

There are no half measures with Paul Bruce Dickinson: when the Iron Maiden frontman tackles something, he does it properly.
His first solo album in 19 years (TYRANNY OF SOULS, 2005) is consequently ambitious.
Something to do with concept, Dr. Strange, Dr. Necropolis, purity of the act of creation and Professor Lazarus. Oh yes, and there's also a comic. Sounds a bit confusing, but THE MANDRAKE PROJECT is not only bound together by a once again incomparably good singer, who is well-suited to the narrative approach of this album, but also by a stylistically very free approach. THE MANDRAKE PROIJECT is the most versatile work in the 65-year-old Brit's solo career and impresses in each of the songs in the genres chosen by him and co-composer Roy Z with sophisticated songwriting, musicality and shrewd ideas. The release 'Afterglow Of Ragnarok' (also the opener) shone with Savatage references, 'Many
Doors To Hell' offers the palatable hard rock charm of Deep Purple. The basic theme of 'Rain On The Graves' could also have come from a more recent Metallica album, 'Resurrection Men' salutes Tony Lommi in the middle section, before 'Fingers In The Wound' and 'Face In The Mirror' become airy ballads and 'Eternity Has Failed' is a throwback to Maiden history.
The almost ten-minute gloomy closer 'Sonata (Immortal Beloved)' ends an album with an incredible range and sensational songs that absolutely do justice to the musical myth of the protagonist. Great!

Matthias Weckmann 6/7

Ambition instead of ingratiation: Bruce Dickinson, still one of the busiest and best singers in the world, may write more compact songs solo than Iron Maiden these days; however, he packs so much into them that THE MANDRAKE PROJECT can initially leave you scratching your head.
But with the first catchy tunes as an anchor ("Rain On The Graves", "Fingers in The Wounds'), the unique body of work between heavy, prog metal and rock musical soon reveals itself.

Sebastian Kessler 6/7

Whereas Dickinson's slightly altered voice took some time to develop on the last Maiden album, here it fits the music straight away. It becomes clear just as quickly that, just like the voice, the songwriting of the two creative minds behind the solo outings has matured over time like good wine. With just the right balance of powerful, epic pieces and unusually heavy-sounding metal, Dickinson delivers one of his strongest works to date.
Simon Ludwig (6/7)
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Most of them are very good scores. Great.

It's also cool to read things like - most versatile solo work, impresses in each of the songs, sophisticated songwriting (not the 2 singles though), musicality, incredible range, sensational songs, absolutely do justice, so much ideas into the songs, unique body of work between heavy, prog metal and rock musical, right balance of powerful, epic pieces and unusually heavy-sounding metal, one of his strongest works to date.
Wickerman1204 said:
Sonata review from another forum:
Sonata is not normal song meaning it does not have a typical song structure it’s an atmospheric piece that Bruce sings and speaks over. I think this is the song that Bruce said dates back to AOB/TCW time but was never recorded and there are brief lyrical references to things that appear on those albums but I don’t know if they’re really connected. I think it’s very powerful but not in a “metal” way. I like it because it’s different to anything he’s done before.
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A slow and atmospheric song can be powerful, yes, but ''no typical structure, Bruce speaks over, not metal/calm for 10 minutes''... it would curious if the song will deliver. It won't be easy, that's for sure.
 
Wickerman1204 said:
www.ebay.pl

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | eBay

The Mandrake Project - Bruce Dickison - CD - 2024 -New - Sealed | Music, CDs | eBay!
www.ebay.pl
Click to expand...
Is this the original back cover of the album? If yes, then Bruce has chosen the lazy way again. It's Rain On The Graves revisited theme (AI/CGI in action?). He could do so much more interesting and cool works with the theme of the album. It's not Maiden (not that they're perfect in that regard), but many bands so often wasted opportunities for a cool extension with a back cover. It's annoying for me because I'm a big fan of metal cover that tell stories, they blend perfectly with the genre's music. Of course I didn't expect much, but since the album has a comic feel to it. The booklet could/should be rich with small arts for every song. The right thing for Bruce alone was to put more work on the album than on the comic. An ambitious task, but he knows the fans want music and traditional classic stuff from him. The letters font is cool though.
 
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Man, the way the marketing for this album uses Greek letters to substitute Latin ones that look similar but sound nothing alike rubs me the wrong way. No Bruce, a Delta does not sound like an A and a Sigma is not even close to an E.

To illustrate the point: ΣTΣRNITY HΔS FΔILΣD is not "Eternity Has Failed". It's Stsrnity Hths Fthilsd (with the "th" being the soft one like in the word "the").

Also, it's incredibly ugly but that's subjective I suppose.
 
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Kalata said:
Is this the original back cover of the album? If yes, then Bruce has chosen the lazy way again. It's Rain On The Graves revisited theme (AI/CGI in action?). He could do so much more interesting and cool works with the theme of the album. It's not Maiden (not that they're perfect in that regard), but many bands so often wasted opportunities for a cool extension with a back cover. It's annoying for me because I'm a big fan of metal cover that tell stories, they blend perfectly with the genre's music.
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I agree with you. This now makes me realize that he’s emphasized more on the comics than on the album. Getting the feeling he’s half-assed his efforts on the album. From a business perspective, a risky thing to do as he’s known as a musician and not a writer. Well let’s see how the album is. Don’t wanna assume things but just hoping the 19 years will be worth the wait.
 
redandtheblack92 said:
I agree with you. This now makes me realize that he’s emphasized more on the comics than on the album. Getting the feeling he’s half-assed his efforts on the album. From a business perspective, a risky thing to do as he’s known as a musician and not a writer. Well let’s see how the album is. Don’t wanna assume things but just hoping the 19 years will be worth the wait.
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This goes with what I said weeks ago, expectations are going to be too high after 19 years. Everyone is expecting a God album and you all are going to be disappointed. All this hand wringing and fussing, people deciding they are not going to like the album before it's released even.

I don't think Bruce should have even bothered...
 
Jadukor said:
So Sonata is probably a trainwreck...
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I believ that "Sonata" is a mess. How even reviewers who want to praise the album just briefly describe this song without really rating it.
And that's the album closer that stays in your ear!
Such a bad decision, man!

I'm afraid I won't like the album. I prefer it when an album has a common thread, not randomly x genres thrown in.

But I happy change my mind!
 
I´ll just wait until the album comes. I won´t change my expectations (medium high) based on these reviews.
I liked Afterglow Of Ragnarok (7/10) and Rain On The Graves was even better (8/10) so I´m quite sure there's more stuff I´ll like on the album.
Sonata a mess or a trainwreck? Let´s wait and hear.
 
AOR has settled around a 6/10 for me and ROTG is a 3/10 with its solo being its only saving grace. Sonata sounds like something I'll listen to a couple of times and then never again. Trainwreck seems like quite the apt description from what we've heard so far. There are some other songs that, according to the reviews, have things and ideas that I don't like. I'm open to be surprised by the album, but I'm not really hyped anymore. Muted expectations with the faint hope of being positively suprised, instead of high hopes that get dashed by music that doesn't connect with me.

We'll see, it's only a few more weeks.
 
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