Bruce Dickinson

I really didn’t like the album after my first couple of listens. It just wasn’t the style I wanted or expected. After setting it aside for a few days, I gave it another listen today, and it started to click with me. Bruce’s vocals are outstanding on the album, in my opinion. And Sonata might just be a masterpiece. I still haven’t made my final judgment, though.
 
Vaenyr said:
I can definitely relate to that. Personally I've always been a Maiden fan due to growing up with them and their music constantly playing at home thanks to my oldest brother. After a while I noticed that I'm actually not a big fan of Bruce's early 80's voice. Piece Of Mind is mostly quite good, but Powerslave in particular, as well as The Number Of The Beast, have some truly obnoxious vocal lines.
Click to expand...

I think we share pretty much the same opinion about Bruce's voice. Let me take 2 examples from Powerslave: 2 minutes to midnight and ROTAM. I can't even remember last time I listened to the studio versions, because the live ones after 2000s with a more mature voice are SO much better.

Perfect example being the end of Total Eclipse, which single-handedly ruined the song for me and made it one of the worst songs they've ever recorded in my opinion. The pitches he hits are incredibly impressive but also sound utterly atrocious and unmusical to me. Pure howling. Also, something heard very clearly on Beast Over Hammersmith, during that time Bruce barely has control over his high range where he constantly missed notes by going over them and sliding around the actual intended note.
Click to expand...

Yes, Total Eclipse hurts my ears as well. Good example.

Since last decade he strains like there's no tomorrow in his highest range and there are plenty of performances that are unlistenable to me because of that. Bruce is one of my favorite singers for his work from 86 to 2010, not for what came before or after.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better. I will just add that The Talisman (En Vivo) is a song that he is using his highest range and I simply love that, which is kinda hard to explain why.

There are some songs that are unlistenable to me, though, like the chorus of Mother of Mercy and the entire version TRATB (Live Chapter), which is a shame, because the band simply nailed it. I also think he strains a little bit on Speed of Light chorus and the list could go on.

I have to say, though, that I love his work on TBOS and Senjutsu as a whole. Some exceptions here and there when he is using his high range (TGU and DOFP, for example), but overall it's a solid performance. I'd say he shines on The Parchment and Hell On Earth (studio version). Unfortunately, I didn't see an outstanding performance of Hell On Earth live yet, just okish ones.

I wish he wasn't so stubborn and would just accept that his high register simply isn't pleasant anymore. I remember on TFF world tour Bruce singing Hallowed Be Thy Name without his high register on some nights and that was perfecly fine, much better than the strainfest. I wish he would use this kind of alternative more often.
 
Last edited:
Mosh said:
I don't think the album is great but I think it's a bit better than the fan consensus and some of the criticisms of Sonata feel overblown to me. There are some really weaknesses in the vocal department, but I actually think the vocals are better when it's sourced from 2014 or earlier (see Shadows of the Gods, which I believe is probably the strongest track and definitely Bruce's best vocal performance, and it seems like he recorded that around 2005). So using old takes/old versions of songs has been to the album's benefit more often than not. I tend to think most people wouldn't notice as much if Bruce hadn't been so public about it though.

Same thing with Sonata. I don't love the track and it feels more like an epilogue/bonus track, but I think a lot was made of the ad libbing and the looseness of the track stands out a lot more as a result. Overall, the album has had impossible expectations and the lack of a lyrical or musical theme/concept to tie it all together, despite originating as a concept album, doesn't give fans a whole lot to work with. I really dig the variety though.
Click to expand...

The quote above pretty much sums up my opinion on the album as well!

I've listened it a couple of times now and I've really enjoyed it. It's certainly not as cohesive as the previous four or three albums, but at the same time I really like the different arrangemental ideas on it and frankly, I've liked most of the song material a lot. I've found Fingers in the Wounds very catchy and it's a very cool, dynamic vocal performance too; it might have made a great single!

So put your fingers in the wounds and pray that he's god
A roll of the dice for a piece of his cloth...

I LOVE IT.

Sonata is... certainly a song. Not even particularly bad one, but.... Well, for now, I'd say it's kind of nice ending to the album, but more as perhaps overly extended outro, rather than a final chapter that gives sense of completance and closure to the album as a whole.

With some finishing touches and/or a proper reconstructing it might've served as rather great sequel to Taking the Queen; I quite like the build-up to the SAVE ME NOW... chorus thingy, and even with all the repetition, it's a really nice vocal part. After that, I just don't think it forms into anything too interesting. I do like the somewhat dreamy vibe of it, but it's not quite as captivating as this type of a song clocking almost 10 minutes probably should be. But we'll see, I've only heard it some three times now.

So uhm...

I can see why a lot of people don't really like this one at all, but I can also... kind of get why some really love it as well. For now, it's quite hard for me to get a proper grip on it. It's one of those instances where a song has certain very strong, emotionally impactful qualities and a handful of more... potentially irritating/just poor qualities. Sometimes the first mentioned are gold enough to win one over (e.g Lost in a Lost World from Senjutsu for me - not a huge fan of everything in it, but damn I love the "feel the spirit of the old ones... " part & the ending...) and sometimes it's just... a nice try, but no.

Not quite sure yet how the scales will tip for Sonata (Immortal, Beloved).
 
Really looking forward to seeing Bruce solo play in London this year. But so far glad I am only seeing one show, not multiple dates. Open question now is whether Bruce will have a cohesive band or not on stage.

The impression I am getting is Bruce increasingly likes to fly by the seat of his pants creatively. He likes living in the moment of artistic inspiration. As opposed to Maiden's regimented nature. Personally, I am clearer now where I think his strengths better come out...

Also, looking back to 1997 - 1998, younger Bruce clearly lapped up Roy Z's ideas from a position of rebuilding his confidence (after the bruising and collapsing solo career, 1994 - 1996). Bruce also co-wrote six songs with Adrian Smith in 1997 - 1998, like pent up ideas after they had left Maiden to prove a point. That was lightning in a bottle for Accident of Birth & Chemical Wedding, not to be repeated.

My respect for Harris and Shirley has actually grown a great deal after hearing Mandrake Project for getting the best out of older Bruce.
 
www.webisjericho.com

Talk Is Jericho: Bruce Dickinson – The Afterglow Of The Mandrake Project

Bruce Dickinson returns to talk about “The Mandrake Project,” his first new solo album in some 20 years! And, of course, in true Bruce fashion, this “project” is so much more than just an album; it’s a comic book series and tour, too! Bruce talks about the timing of the album, the meaning behind...
www.webisjericho.com

^Some curious bits:

Bruce's favorite songs from the album are:

Sonata (''the most extraordinary thing I've ever done'').
Shadow Of The Gods (''it's amazing'').
Face In The Mirror.
Resurrection Men (''love it'').
Rain On The Graves (''will sound massive live'').

He thinks TMP is a continuation of his previous 3 albums and for him TOS is a gem.

The 4-5 demos he showed Steve in 2014 are all on the album! Hmm, I doubt the song Nightmares is included.

If he's going to do Spoken shows again, he might include playing music during them.

He mentioned that the next 3 years are planned for both solo and Maiden. He never thought Maiden would be as big as they are now.
 
Azas said:
but The Chemical Wedding should have been there. Utter Masterpiece but commercially underrated?
Click to expand...
There is no doubt about that.
TheMercenary said:
france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr

VIDÉO. Hellfest 2024. Bruce Dickinson, le chanteur d'Iron Maiden, en tournée promotionnelle à Clisson et Nantes

Le mythique chanteur d'Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson est en tournée promotionnelle. Il est de passage ce mardi 5 mars à Nantes et Clisson. Un petit détour par le site du Hellfest avant une séance de dédicace pour promouvoir...
france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr
Click to expand...
Bruce wearing a shirt with the Blake artwork that was hinted in the Rain On The Graves video.
Randalf said:
I've listened it a couple of times now and I've really enjoyed it. It's certainly not as cohesive as the previous four or three albums, but at the same time I really like the different arrangemental ideas on it and frankly, I've liked most of the song material a lot. I've found Fingers in the Wounds very catchy and it's a very cool, dynamic vocal performance too; it might have made a great single!
Sonata is... but more as perhaps overly extended outro, rather than a final chapter that gives sense of completance and closure to the album as a whole.
It's one of those instances where a song has certain very strong, emotionally impactful qualities and a handful of more... Sometimes the first mentioned are gold enough to win one over
Click to expand...
^This. I'm kind of surprised that I like the different ideas and Sonata, tbh.

Wounds is already one of my favorite Bruce rockers.
Helmuth Von Moltke said:
Open question now is whether Bruce will have a cohesive band or not on stage.
The impression I am getting is Bruce increasingly likes to fly by the seat of his pants creatively. He likes living in the moment of artistic inspiration. As opposed to Maiden's regimented nature. Personally, I am clearer now where I think his strengths better come out...
Also, looking back to 1997 - 1998, younger Bruce clearly lapped up Roy Z's ideas from a position of rebuilding his confidence (after the bruising and collapsing solo career, 1994 - 1996). Bruce also co-wrote six songs with Adrian Smith in 1997 - 1998, like pent up ideas after they had left Maiden to prove a point. That was lightning in a bottle for Accident of Birth & Chemical Wedding, not to be repeated.
My respect for Harris and Shirley has actually grown a great deal after hearing Mandrake Project for getting the best out of older Bruce.
Click to expand...
I think the band will sound very good live, especially with 2 guitars.
Bruce writes differently and improvises for his solo stuff, but I'm not sure about his strengths. I mean at Maiden we have writers like Adrian, Steve and Janick.
Agreed about the special timing and nature of both AOB and TCW.
Bruce can get the best of himself on his own, but he seems to be a bit more lazier about his solo stuff, now. Everyone thought he would do more takes of the songs compared to Maiden's recent albums.
Vaenyr said:
There are songs that are worthy of such a description like Powerslave or Empire Of The Clouds. Personally, I don't think Sonata fits, but hey, it's an interview in the marketing cycle.
Click to expand...
Sonata is ''one of'' for sure. Nothing will top Empire for me though.
 
After nearly a week of solid listening, this album has grown on me quite a lot. I do really like parts of it but struggle with others. I'm just glad to have more songs with my favorite singer to enjoy.

I know it's probably crazy, but I like this album way more than I ever did Tyranny of Souls which I have never ever been able to get into or connect with for whatever reason.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top