Speaking with Australia's Wall Of Sound for his new solo album, The Mandrake Project, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson discussed his creative process for the record and revealed that some of the songs are 20 years old.
Dickinson: "The last track, 'Sonata (Immortal Beloved)', which is a 10-minute almost ambient thing, leaves a lot of people quite affected at the end of that song, which is great. But people go, 'Oh, that’s amazing. You must have written that song because of your problems with this or that.' But no, actually, I wrote that song 25 years ago and I’d actually even forgotten that we’d done it."
“There was an idea to do a project called The Three Tremors, which was going to be me, Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio doing an album together and then going out on tour. Well, that never happened, cause Ronnie unfortunately passed away. The idea was maybe to get Geoff Tate involved... that kind of didn’t work out. But in the meantime, we were busy trying to write songs that would feature three singers. When the project didn’t happen, we’d done two of them, one was 'Tyranny Of Souls'. And basically the same thing happened with 'Shadow Of The Gods'. So when the heavy riff happens 2/3 of the way through the tune they all go that sounds like vintage (Judas) Priest, well, guess who’s supposed to be singing that bit..."
Read more here, watch the full interview below.
Across ten inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z, have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, The Mandrake Project sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.
Recorded largely at LA’s Doom Room with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist, the lineup for The Mandrake Project was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce’s last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls, in 2005.
The Mandrake Project is Dickinson’s seventh solo album. It will be released via BMG worldwide on multiple formats. Pre-order here.
The Mandrake Project tracklisting
"Afterglow Of Ragnarok"
"Many Doors To Hell"
"Rain On The Graves"
"Resurrection Men"
"Fingers In The Wounds"
"Eternity Has Failed"
"Mistress Of Mercy"
"Face In The Mirror"
"Shadow Of The Gods"
"Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"
"Afterglow Of Ragnarok" video:
Bruce Dickinson and his phenomenal band will bring the music of The Mandrake Project to life with a major headline tour next spring and summer.
The Mandrake Project tour dates:
April
18 - Diana Theater - Guadalajara, Mexico
20 - Pepsi Theatre - Mexico City, Mexico
24 - Live Curitiba - Curitiba, Brazil
25 - Pepsi On Stage - Porto Alegre, Brazil
27 - Opera Hall - Brasilia, Brazil
28 - Arena Hall - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
30- Qualistage - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
May
2 - Quinta Linda - Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
4 - Vibra - Sao Paulo, Brazil
18 - Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow, UK
19 - O2 Academy - Manchester, UK
21 - Arena - Swansea, UK
23 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
24 - O2 Forum Kentish Town - London, UK
26 - L’Olympia - Paris, France
28 - 013 - Tilburg, Holland
29 - De Oosterport - Groningen, Holland
June
1 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
3 - Arenale Romane - Bucharest, Romania
5-8 - Mystic Festival - Gdansk, Poland *
5-8 - Sweden Rock Festival - Solvesborg, Sweden *
9 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
11 - Grona Lund - Stockholm, Sweden
13 - House Of Culture - Helsinki, Finland
14 - Noblessner Foundry - Tallinn, Estonia
16 - Huxleys Neue Welt - Berlin, Germany
17 - Grosse Freiheit 36 - Hamburg, Germany
19-22 - Copenhell - Copenhagen, Denmark *
22 - Summerside Festival - Grenchen, Switzerland *
24 - Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar - Mannheim, Germany *
25 - Circus Krone - Munich, Germany
27-30 - Hellfest - Clisson, France *
30 - Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
July
3-6 - Rockharz Open Air - Ballenstedt, Germany *
5 - Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Rock In Rome - Rome, Italy *
6 - Bassano Del Grappa, Metal Park - Vincenza, Italy *
9 - E-Werk - Koln, Germany
13 - Hala - Zagreb, Croatia
16 - Kolodrum Arena - Sofia, Bulgaria
19 - Kucukciftlik Park - Istanbul, Turkey
21 - Plateia Nerou - Athens, Greece (supporting Judas Priest)
* - festival performance
Bruce Dickinson’s touring band features guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bass-player Tanya O’Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria. For more information regarding the tour click here.
