IRON MAIDEN - Brave New World


Praise the Beast! Bruce is back. Yes, Mr Dickinson, the voice that defined these hard rock legends for the greater part of their career is once again lending his excellent voice to their undisputed trademark sound. And from the word go you know you’re treading familiar (and very welcome) ground. Not in a re-hash sort of way, but more of a reminder of those cool days of yore. The tunes parade forth thickly and as catchy as always. Guitarist Janick Gers who replaced Adrian Smith a bunch of albums back didn’t get the boot when Ade returned. So now you have three guitarists, Dave Murray completing the trio of axemen, backed by the ever consistent Nicko McBrain on drums (who seemed to have given his style a bit more of a modern edge). Ah, yes, and then there’s Bruce. What a voice. Produced by Kevin Shirley of
Aerosmith and Springbok Nude Girls fame, he doesn’t over-ham the sound, but goes for that basic, bare knuckle approach, lending them their well known identity in stead of souping it up to compete with the new Slipknot / Incubus / Rammstein generation. Good old fashioned hard stuff.

5 / A
- Paul Blom

 

6 - Volcanic
5 - Blistering
4 - Hot
3 - Smolder
2 - Room Temp.
1 - Fizzled
0 - Extinguished

A - Multiple Listening Potential
B - Deserves Another Spin
C - Once Should Suffice