For Week Ending:
1 March 2024

Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project (2024)

[Heavy Metal]

After a 19 year wait Bruce Dickinson finally unveiled his latest solo album, a concept album loosely based (is any concept album ever not loose in its storyline?) on wacky characters like Dr. Necropolis and Professor Lazarus. The story isn't clear from the album itself (you need to read the comic book series to understand it), but the album is better for it anyway, as each song stands alone nicely on its own merit. The album is big and bold - as you'd expect from the front man of Iron Maiden - but also takes some mellower unexpected twists along the way. From the hooky riff and fist punching chorus of 'Afterglow Of Ragnarok' the album signals its intent as something brash, and second single 'Rain On The Graves' has some sweet Deep Purple undertones driving it. 'Resurrection Men' sounds like the theme tune to a modern spaghetti western with its twanging guitar, and the newer (older?) version of 'Eternity Has Failed' has more punch than its Iron Maiden counterpart, probably due to its looseness. The album's big ballad, "Face In The Mirror', feels somewhat undercooked, and doesn't really hit the mark of feeling like the anthem it should be. The second ballad 'Shadow Of The Gods' suffers a similar fate, but has a lot more punch when it builds to its heavier ending. Epic closer 'Sonata (Immortal Beloved)' sends off the album wonderfully with its grandeur. It would be a shame if the world had to wait 19 more years before it hears anything solo from Bruce again, as this is the sort of music the heavy music world needs more of.

Arist Information
Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Dickinson has performed in the band across two stints, from 1981 to 1993 and from 1999 to the present day. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stage presence. Dickinson began his career in music fronting small pub bands in the 1970s while attending school in Sheffield and university in London. In 1979, he joined British new wave heavy metal band Samson, with whom he gained some popularity under the stage name "Bruce Bruce" and performed on two studio records. He left Samson in 1981 to join Iron Maiden, replacing Paul Di'Anno, and debuted on their 1982 album 'The Number of the Beast'. During his first tenure in the band, they issued a series of U.S. and U.K. platinum and gold albums in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Release Information
'The Mandrake Project' is the seventh studio album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Nearly five years in production, this is Dickinson's first solo album in nineteen years since 2005's 'Tyranny of Souls', marking the longest gap between two studio albums in his solo career.

Regurgitator - Regurgitator (1994)

[Alternative Rock]

Slightly different approach on this review as I am reviewing 2 E.P.'s that are so close in their content, a single release would be epic. Regurgitator's 'Regurgitator' (1994) and 'New' (1995). As you can see, released within 12 months of each other. If you listened to the 'Regurgitator' (The Hamburger) release and was turned off then I can understand why. It is essentially cluster-phuck of songs with each song being as out there or even more so than the previous one. I'd like to take you through track by track as I have spent a lot of time with these E.P.'s. Full of samples, questionable song topics, including a quite alternative use for an empty bucket of KFC in the opening track of the S/T, through to some 2-3 min Alt Rock classics, both E.P.'s end before you get a chance to catch your breath. Band lead Quan has been a questionable character but he plays a mean guitar. While I think he brings most of the weird, his main man, partner in crime and bassist Ben encourages this approach. You can imagine these guys in their garage laughing crazy at what they have written. Re the songs themselves over both E.P.'s highlights for me are immense. There are 5 tracks also on 'New'. If I were to pick 1 song as a favourite of the two I will pick 'Hang Up' from the S/T. Has a cool but disturbing sample behind some fast passed rock. In the middle, there are some extremely cool breakdowns which I love and can listen to again and again. Since these two E.P.'s, which lead to Big Day Out festival appearances, they quickly grew a following and have a built a successful career. While the music they release these days is not as weird/quirky as their E.P.'s, I cannot deny that they nudged their way into Australia's Alternative Rock scene in the mid to late 90's, which is a credit to them.

Arist Information
Regurgitator are an Australian alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, formed in late 1993 by Quan Yeomans on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards; Ben Ely on bass guitar, keyboards and vocals; and Martin Lee on drums. Their second album, 'Unit' was certified triple platinum and won five categories at the ARIA Music Awards of 1998.

Release Information
'Regurgitator' (also known as 'Hamburger') is the debut E.P. by Regurgitator. The E.P. peaked at number 45 on the ARIA singles chart.