2. Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding (1998)I am amazed that
no one guessed that this album was going to be in my Top 5. This album is the greatest album Iron Maiden never made. If you were to replace Bruce’s name with the Iron Maiden logo, this album would be to Maiden what Painkiller was to Judas Priest.
It is the quintessential metal album. It is incredibly heavy, yet it’s also incredibly melodic. It’s also very dense in conceptual meaning, having been inspired by the works of William Blake.
I could write a very big essay about why I love this album. In fact, I probably
should.
But I won't, or at least, not today. Because right now, more people need to check this album out and listen to its splendor. If you've never had the chance to listen to this album or put it off because of the notion that a Bruce solo album is inferior to Iron Maiden, prepare yourselves for a rude awakening and go listen to this album
right now.
The Book of Thel is opening...
Favorite Track: The whole thing, but The Book of Thel, The Alchemist, Jerusalem and Gates of Urizen are particular highlights.