Browsing through the latest Uncut magazine I happened upon an advert for BRUCE DICKINSON’s latest CD ‘Tyranny of Souls’. More surprising to this reviewer than the full page prominence of the ad was the fact that Bruce had already released 6 solo studio albums, the last one ‘The Chemical Wedding’ coming out some 7 years ago. I’d been aware of his literary aspirations as well as his penchant for flying and the Tory party (is he related to Gary Numan?) but had not realised just how prolific his solo releases had been outside of Iron Maiden.
Fans of “The Air Raid Siren” will no doubt be pleased to learn that the diminutive one is in fine voice on his latest rock opus. It truly is a unique and remarkable larynx that Bruce possesses, in all probability capable of flooring inner city tenement blocks at the drop of a hat when cranked up to full throttle. With the album’s emphasis on William Blake imagery and its preoccupation with Hell, its environs and its many minions there’s little in the lyrics department that will amaze listeners: certainly no time for luurve and the human condition for Brucie when apocalypse beckons.
Fortunately compensation for cliché comes in the form of the music itself. Bruce and co-writer Roy Z have come up with an old fashioned heavy metal/rock album that doesn’t stray too far from the Iron Maiden blueprint but nonetheless scores highly for its melodic qualities and its ballsy delivery. Nothing new in itself but it’s blessed relief from the angst-ridden and often tune-free music of the current batch of Nu-Metalists and other permutations who seem more concerned with visual shock tactics and MTV rotation. Indeed the sheer pomp and Wagnerian swagger of ‘Tyranny of Souls’ and the complete lack of irony in offering such preposterous grandstanding makes the whole effort a welcome diversion from the insularity and humdrum ambition of most other bands.
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Alongside the Maiden patented head bangers such as ‘Abduction’, ‘Soul Intruders’ and ‘Power of The Sun’ are more atmospheric and complex heavy rock numbers such as ‘Kill Devil Hill’ and ‘River of No Return’. There’s even room for a daftly titled acoustic ballad called ‘Navigate the Seas of The Sun’. Best of all is the track ‘Devil On A Hog’ (nothing daft about that title then) with its bruising Sabbath riff and Bruce tackling the Beelzebub role with relish: “I’m not the shy retiring kind / Like a supernova for the blind / I used to sit at God’s right hand / But I quit that job to do one night stands”: there’s also the added bonus of the sound of motorbikes revving up. ‘Believel’ even starts briefly like some old Bauhaus/Cure track before conforming to type.
Of course ‘Tyranny of Souls’ is complete nonsense from start to finish but it’s all the more appealing for it.
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