The third Blaze-sung Maiden album: lyrically a fusion of Silicon Messiah and BNW, but musically rooted in BNW?

[07-SMS:A1L]

Revisiting Silicon Messiah today, it’s intriguing to imagine what Iron Maiden might have explored, musically and lyrically, if Blaze Bayley had remained for a third album. The record is dark and dramatic yet full of melody. Adrian Smith has confirmed that several Brave New World tracks, The Nomad, Dream of Mirrors, The Mercenary, and Blood Brothers, were originally written during the Virtual XI era. Placed alongside the material from Silicon Messiah, these songs hint at an alternate vision of Maiden in 2000: not Bruce Dickinson’s return, but a continuation of Blaze’s darker, cyber-themed direction. With Blaze now announcing a European 25th Anniversary Tour for Silicon Messiah in 2026, I’m excited to see songs from this overlooked classic performed live and to reflect on what that third Blaze album might have been.

Which songs from Silicon Messiah would you have included alongside The Nomad, Dream of Mirrors, The Mercenary, and Blood Brothers for a third Blaze fronted album? What could the name of this album have been?

 

[Jer]

I speculated on this a while back based on what we knew at the time.

 

[srfc]

Would be nothing like Silicon Messiah, the band wrote the music.

 

[Kalata]

1.The Mercenary (fitting opener)
2.Ghost In The Machine (less heavier)
3.Born As A Stranger
4.Blood Brothers
5.Silicon Messiah/The Thin Line Between Love And Hate (the first because is a title track; the second one's instrumental section is covered by Nomad)
6.Dream Of Mirrors
7.The Brave (it could be a Maiden song)
8.The Nomad
9.The Launch
10.Stare At The Sun

Title? Dream Of Mirrors sounds the coolest. Come to think of it, this collection of songs would have been a fitting and logical continuation of TXF & VXI styles and sound.