Good day!
We have reached the twelfth edition of Ryan Ranks, and with that, we arrive at 2000’s Brave New World album. The most important update since 1998’s Virtual XI is that both Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith have thankfully returned to the fold, while Blaze Bayley was relieved of his vocal duties.
Despite golden-era guitarist Smith’s reunion with the band, Janick Gers got to stick around. As such, Iron Maiden became a sextet with three guitarists, adding extra dimension to their sound and compositions.
The resulting album, while bloated and containing some forgettable tracks, still has some bangers and is a definite step in the right direction after the last two albums.
COVER ART
It’s a tale of two halves, as the top Eddie illustration was completed by longtime Maiden artist Derek Riggs in one of his final contributions to the band for reasons I’ll get into later (at least until Flight 666), while the dystopian futuristic city was created by digital artist Steve Stone. It’s a solid entry in the pantheon, but not an all-timer or anything.
10. The Fallen Angel
The shortest track on the album at a lithe four minutes, “Fallen Angel” is about Lucifer and the battle of good vs. evil. Maiden seems to really enjoy going to that “good vs. evil” well; almost as much as they like to write songs about war.
“Angel” is decently energetic and doesn’t overstay its welcome. However, it’s probably one of the least memorable songs on the album.
9. The Nomad
Steve Harris and Dave Murray definitely shot for epic when they penned “Nomad”. Harris mentioned they were going for a Lawrence of Arabia-type vibe with this one. While it’s definitely a sprawling odyssey of a track, it doesn’t hit the same highs as others of that ilk, like “Alexander the Great” and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. It does feel a bit of a slog at times. It also doesn’t stand out as grandiose when it’s on an album stuffed with longer, more memorable tracks.
That said, there’s some rock-solid instrumentation throughout and Bruce’s vocals nicely carry things along.
8. The Thin Line Between Love & Hate
Of all the album closers Iron Maiden had, this is certainly one of them. Shockingly, not based on the 1996 comedy-thriller starring Martin Lawrence, “Thin Line” examines humankind’s autonomy to choose either a life of good or a life of evil. Again, Maiden sources from the “morality” well.
There’s some interesting vocal harmonies, crunchy riffs, and steady percussion, but it’s another one on the album that goes longer than it really needs to at nearly eight and a half minutes. It does slow down to a melodic closing, which at least makes for some interesting tonal contrast, but it’s still not exactly essential listening.
7. Dream of Mirrors
This is, again, overlong by an absurd degree and even more repetitive than some of the other songs I discussed earlier, but I still quite like “Dream of Mirrors”. Maybe it’s the vocal performance. Maybe it’s the themes that explore the mysterious nature of dreams. Maybe it’s the ethereal feel of the music and lyrics, some of the latter apparently being written by an uncredited Blaze Bayley. In any case, I find myself coming back to this one quite often.
6. The Mercenary
This isn’t the most complex or essential Maiden song you’ll listen to, but it’s (allegedly) about Predator, and that rules. I also appreciate that it’s breezy, relatively straightforward, and doesn’t let up in the four minutes and forty-two seconds runtime. The charging guitars are the highlight here, especially the blistering solo, and the lyrics do an excellent job of crafting the scene.
5. Blood Brothers
Penned by Steve Harris in tribute to his then-recently departed father, “Blood Brothers” is a sentimental, pleasing track that deals with life and what comes after. It is somewhat long, sure, but it’s quite enjoyable and doesn’t drag like other songs can. The music is well-composed, the instrumentation sets the table appropriately, and Dickinson’s vocals have the right peaks and valleys to convey the story.
Performances of “Blood Brothers” over the years have been dedicated to Ronnie James Dio, who passed in 2010, as well as to victims of disasters. It is also often dedicated to the fans themselves, illustrating the bond between them and the band.
Also, I got to hear (and poorly sing along with) this one live, so it has a bit of sentimental value for me.
4. Brave New World
Taking its name and overall inspiration from Aldous Huxley‘s dystopian novel, the title track is a rather nice piece of music. I really enjoy the deliberate, melodic opening portion, and the killer solos catapult this one near the top of the rankings. Bruce also does an excellent job on vocals.
Some say that the chorus is boring and repetitive, but I still find myself bobbing my head and singing along, and isn’t that what matters? This was another live favourite over the years, and I can understand why. Despite the subject matter, it’s a solid vibe.
3. Out of the Silent Planet
Influenced by the 1956 science fiction film, Forbidden Planet and the 1938 C.S. Lewis novel that shares the name with this song, “Out of the Silent Planet” stands out because the music sounds appropriately “science fiction-y”. The guitars convey a sense of danger, similar to the impending doom in “Forbidden Planet”.
It does go a bit long for the story it has to tell, but I still REALLY like this one. It’s a strong vocal performance from Dickinson, and the unique instrumentation makes it a mainstay on my playlists.
2. The Wicker Man
Based on the 1973 British horror film (and, sadly, not the 2006 Nicolas Cage remake), this opening track was also the first single released to feature all the players in the classic-era lineup since 1989’s “Infinite Dreams”. “Wicker Man” was a statement piece, and that statement was a very John Wick-like “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back”.
Maiden comes out of the gates fast with a ferocious opening riff and dynamic vocals that expertly blend Dickinson’s early ’90s snarl with his trademark air raid siren delivery. The track continues with frantic guitarwork, driving percussion, and an awesome solo.
Above right is the rejected artwork that Derek Riggs had offered for the single. This was the last piece he did for several years, as he found the band hard to work with.
Instead, Maiden went with a rare picture of the band themselves for the front cover, getting ready to set the titular man of wicker alight. I guess they wanted to show the fans the most up-to-date iteration of the band.
Honestly, this cover from the 12” picture disc LP kicks WAY more ass.
1. Ghost of the Navigator
I may catch some flak for putting this as #1 over “Wicker Man” as that song is beloved among the Maiden fanbase, but this is MY list. “Ghost of the Navigator” has always been a favourite of mine. The lyrics and instrumentation, in particular, do an excellent job of painting
a picture of a haunting nautical scene.
The intro absolutely drips with atmosphere, then things REALLY pick up with the riffs. The guitars, bass, and drums absolutely rip, and Bruce sells the everloving hell out of this one with his singing. It feels like a true epic; even more so than songs at twice the length. This is one of the more underrated Iron Maiden classics out there.
More of Ryan Ranks coming soon to CGCM Rock Radio/Website: Ryan Ranks
