John McMurtrie |
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and jazz , while infusing the sound with multi-instrumentalist Skinner ’ s acumen for Afropop . The London Contemporary Orchestra adds hazy strings to the title cut ’ s breezy tropicália . Yorke ’ s untethered falsetto conveys a sense of wariness during the closing piano ballad “ You Know Me !,” suspicious when confronted by someone who presents himself as familiar but is too unproven to be trusted . The singer protects himself by hiding within layers and cushions of Greenwood ’ s lush orchestral strings .
– Jeff Elbel
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BRUCE DICKINSON The Mandrake Project
( BMG )
Bruce Dickinson ’ s long-gestating The Mandrake Project is the Iron Maiden frontman ’ s first solo album since 2005 ’ s Tyranny of Souls . Dickinson makes up for lost time with an ambitious and immersive multimedia presentation bridging music , video , and comic books . Longtime musical collaborator and Tribe of Gypsies guitarist Roy “ Z ” Ramirez joins Dickinson to create a song cycle with gothic metal trappings . The intertwined comic book and sonic ingredients mutually enhance each other but are not directly related as a clear-cut story and soundtrack . The initial single , “ Afterglow of Ragnarök ,” is a galloping , heavy rocker driven by Ramirez ’
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muscular riff and Dave Moreno ’ s thundering beat . Dickinson elevates and illuminates the song with a soaring chorus melody , pairing darkness and light in a balance that weaves through much of The Mandrake Project . As Moreno ’ s bombastic drumming and Ramirez ’ spine-tingling solo drive the song to its peak , Dickinson ’ s dramatic vocal reaches operatic heights . In the song , the soul of Dr . Necropolis ’ is tormented by the all-seeing eyes of eternity . In “ Many Doors to Hell ,” a shadowy force tempts Dr . Necropolis on his unholy quest for forbidden knowledge and power with secrets from the throne of damnation . The brooding and bone-crunching blues of “ Rain on the Graves ” was inspired by Dickinson ’ s visit to the resting place of 19th century “ The Prelude ” poet William Wordsworth . The verse follows the eager Dr . Necropolis to a churchyard , where he arrives as a thief posing as a penitent disciple . Recalling the tale of Robert Johnson at the crossroads , Necropolis makes a dubious deal with Old Scratch . Dickinson has cited Johnny Cash as an influence on the song ’ s deeper vocal range and narrative storytelling . Dickinson ’ s lupine howl returns to split the stormy skies during the song ’ s chorus , augmented by Maestro Mistheria ’ s symphonic keyboard arrangement . While Roy Z ’ s virtuoso guitar crosses the stereo spectrum with tandem solos , Dickinson turns in a cackling performance as an eerily gleeful devil . The |
Bruce Dickinson , and his band
Mandrake Project will appeal to fans of heavy rock and prog-metal acts with vivid storytelling elements a la Queensryche , Dream Theatre , or Dio . “ Resurrection Man ” adapts the sort of power-chord prog that filled Rush ’ s swan song concept album Clockwork Angels and adds the heavy sludge of doubletracked riffing a la Black Sabbath , with the twist of a twanging “ Ghost Riders in the Sky ” -styled cowpunk breakdown at the song ’ s bridge echoing alt-rockers Concrete Blonde . Mistheria ’ s sweeping orchestration and Ramirez ’ slashing guitars introduce “ Finger in the Wounds .” The song references
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the biblical tale of doubting disciple Thomas , who refused to believe his master had returned unless he could personally touch the scars from Christ ’ s crucifixion . In Dickinson ’ s story , even that firsthand experience isn ’ t enough to justify belief . Outside , the centurions are still gambling for the condemned messiah ’ s garments . Swirling violins , finger cymbals , and dervish percussion give the song ’ s instrumental break a Middle Eastern flair . There are certainly enough threads to Dickinson ’ s main gig to draw and hold Iron Maiden fans . In fact , The Mandrake Project includes “ Eternity Has Failed ,” an interpola- |