The wait for Bruce Dickinson’s new solo album has been long. A whole nineteen years have passed since the man released his previous solo record, “Tyranny of Souls”. At the same time, we’ve been given hints that Dickinson has long been working on a solo album. Already in 2015, we got to hear the first song from what Dickinson had been tinkering with when “If Eternity Should Fail” was included on Iron Maiden’s “The Book of Souls”. The song was taken from his upcoming solo album. This song is also featured on “The Mandrake Project” … but under the title “Eternity Has Failed”. However, it’s not very different from the version released by Iron Maiden.
“The Mandrake Project” kicks off vigorously and heavily with “Afterglow of Ragnarok” – which was also the first single and video from the album. The production by Dickinson’s long-time collaborator, guitarist Roy Z, is evident. It continues with “Many Doors To Hell”, which is lighter and has a catchy chorus. Dickinson’s voice is crystal clear, and it’s almost unbelievable to think that he’s now 65 years old. “Rain on the Graves” is the song that stands out the most on the album. It gives off blues vibes, and Bruce almost speaks (raps) in the verse, while the chorus is typically melodious Dickinson solo. Additionally, it has some dramatic synths that give the song an even greater distinctive character. Perhaps it’s not surprising that this became the second song released as a video. “Resurrection Men” is also very catchy with a very nice chorus. The song ranks high among the favorites on the album. “Fingers in the Wounds” slows it down again before the aforementioned “Eternity Has Failed” takes over as one of the highlights of the album. It’s worth noting that the song now has longer solo parts consisting of both a guitar solo and a keyboard solo. So it differs a bit from the version we’re familiar with from Iron Maiden. “Mistress of Mercy” has a typical Roy Z riff, and this could easily have been included on an album like “Balls to Picasso.” “Face in the Mirror” is the album’s ballad. A quiet, beautiful song beautifully sung by Dickinson. Thoughts drift to “Navigate the Seas of the Sun.” Perhaps not as good a song, as the latter is one of Dickinson’s finest songs, but not far off. “Shadow of the Gods” starts quietly but takes a dark and heavy turn midway through the song. While the last part of the song is majestic. The closing track, “Sonata (Immortal Beloved)”, is perhaps “The Mandrake Project’s” most special and artistic piece. This is a quiet song with a lot of drama. It’s also the album’s longest song at almost ten minutes, which also means the longest song of all Dickinson’s solo songs. Bruce sings absolutely fantastically on this one, and it’s a truly beautiful conclusion to “The Mandrake Project”.
As an album, “The Mandrake Project” is strong in every possible way. Each song has its own distinctive character and belongs here. Although the album isn’t one hundred percent a concept album, it’s not far off and can be read more about in a longer comic book that can be purchased. The wait for almost 20 years is over, and it’s delightful to conclude that it has also been worth it. “The Mandrake Project” is one of Dickinson’s strongest albums and can be equated with the two fantastic albums from the late 90s; “Accident of Birth” and “The Chemical Wedding.” It doesn’t get any better, and fans of Bruce Dickinson have nothing to fear.
Released March 1st, 2024 on BMG.
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