Bruce - Mandrake Project released!

[Dinosaur David B]

https://www.youtube.com/@BruceDickinsonYT/videos

My god, he sings his ass off on every track! 
 

Gonna take some time to digest, but it sounds pretty awesome to me!
 
 
 

[Stitsel]

It is pretty awesome.....! I YT'd it today while at work & while I couldn't always concentrate on it, what I could enjoy sounded great. Like DDave says, a lot to absorb here, but I can say right off the bat it strikes me as killer, whereas these days it sometimes takes me a few listens in before something new slowly grows on me....not this one I'm happy to report!

Also, of course the Deluxe Edition arrived today & hoo boy is it a killer package. Somewhere in between a full size LP & a CD size wise, I wasn't expecting this at all. I bought the version with the book & it comes in a nice slipcase style cover with the goods inside.Totally worth the extra $10 or whatever it was. 

[TravisW]

I waited for the record to show up, so I'm right about the middle of the first listen through. Man, Bruce sounds really good on this. I'm absolutely loving "Mistress of Mercy" right now. 

[Stitsel]

Cool interview here

https://www.loudersound.com/features/ro ... -dickinson
 

[Dinosaur David B]

[Haffner]

A couple of songs are growing on me.

My wife is very impressed, is listening every day (she's a huge fan of all eras IM).

[Dinosaur David B]

I've only gotten through one listen so far, but I liked it. I think, because it's a concept album, it's probably less immediate than his past albums, but I have a feeling it will grow on me quickly. 

[TravisW]

One thing a buddy of mine and I both noted is that it seems a bit like you took the Best of Bruce Dickinson, put it in a bowl, stirred in a couple new ingredients, and made something new out of it; meaning that it isn't a METAL record, but a record that has a good bit of metal on it. There are a lot of rock, hard rock, and other influences that come through and I absolutely love that.

[Dinosaur David B]

One thing a buddy of mine and I both noted is that it seems a bit like you took the Best of Bruce Dickinson, put it in a bowl, stirred in a couple new ingredients, and made something new out of it; meaning that it isn't a METAL record, but a record that has a good bit of metal on it. There are a lot of rock, hard rock, and other influences that come through and I absolutely love that.

 

Yeah, the album isn't as straight metal as AoB or CW. And again, I think that's partially because it's a concept album. There is, in fact, and underlying keyboard pad sound that seems to be on every track. It glues the songs together sonically (and I guess thematically), but I'm not sure I love it. It can come off a touch overblown, because everything is grandiose here, but again, it's a concept album. The saving grace, though, is that the songs are full of great, sing-songy hooks and choruses in the Bruce tradition. I believe those hooks will worm their way into your brain and stick on repeated listens. Just not as immediately as on the past Bruce/Roy Z albums. 

Look, they tried to do something more ambitious this time. As an artist, I can't really knock that choice.  There's still plenty of heavy, riffy, guitar goodness here, and Bruce sings his ass off. I think all the important song elements are here for a real good album. I just think it's going to take longer to mine those elements out of the surrounding music that's -- dare I say -- a little more artsy/proggy arrangement-wise. 
 

[Dr Nick]

I've also had one proper listen, and I like it. Some bits I love. 

Strange hearing the re-done Eternity Has Failed, but I really like it. 

Need to spend time with it, but feeling good.