IRON MAIDEN — Brave New World (review)

IRON MAIDEN — Brave New World album cover

Album · 2000 · Heavy Metal

5/5 · 2011-08-08
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Brave New World is the twelfth album by UK heavy metal act Iron Maiden. Released in 2000 Brave New World sees Iron Maiden entering the new millennium with a reunion with singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith, who both return to the Iron Maiden fold after lengthy absences. Bruce replaces Blaze Bayley, the man who replaced him, while Smith’s replacement Janick Gers remains a member of the band, making Brave New World the first album to feature the band as a six-piece. The entirety of the so called classic line-up of Iron Maiden is a part of this record with the addition of Gers, and after the poor Virtual XI from 1998, things could really only be looking up for the band.

‘Looking up’ however is the understatement of the century as Brave New World sees Iron Maiden coming back with a bang. The sound is completely revitalised to the point that Brave New World is right up there at the same levels of greatness as the classics from the 80’s. The typical Maiden sound is intact and still vital in today’s heavy metal scene, but Brave New World goes beyond that as once again Iron Maiden begins to move into the heady realm of the progressive, as they once did with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Brave New World is not as openly progressive metal as some of the band’s releases, especially the ones that follow Brave New World, but the flavours are beginning to come out with this album, especially with the lengthier tracks such as Blood Brothers, Dream of Mirrors and The Nomad, all of which stand as some of the band’s best songs.

What makes the album even better though is the aspect of variety that it offers the listening. On its predecessor Virtual XI the longer tracks were what made it a poor album as they were drawn out and repetitive, but nothing as such happens here which results in something musically epic. Variation continues to play elsewhere though with the presence of shorter tracks such as the opening The Wicker Man and The Mercenary, which represent the side of the band that does rocking ‘single material’ style songs, but manage to be no less powerful than the epics or other gems such as the title track and a personal favourite, Ghost of the Navigator. The return of Bruce Dickinson is most welcome within the band’s sound, as are the writing talents that he and Adrian Smith bring to the table. With band leader Steve Harris and guitarists Dave Murray and Janick Gers also contributing material to the album Iron Maiden stands once again as a powerful force in heavy metal.

After an inconsistent run of albums during the 90’s Iron Maiden returns to form in true style with Brave New World, and this is easily the first really great Iron Maiden release since Seventh Son of a Seventh Son twelve years beforehand. What makes it even better in a way is that it’s the first of a string of albums every bit as good as their 80’s material, and with no weak track amongst its number, I’d even say it’s better than many of them. An absolutely essential album for any self-respecting Iron Maiden fan of any description.

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven, scored at 9.5/10)