The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[porcacultor]

How did the song titles get me more excited? Again? This keeps happening!

[DoctorAction]

In the second listen. Very solid. Great chorus. Looking forward to the rest!

[cramx3]

What a crap cover.

I'd be curious to know what that coin means, but I can't imagine the meaning saves it from being a crap cover.

[Stadler]

I dug that, and I'm not usually a fan of pre-releases over the inter webs.

[WardySI]

As an opening song think this will definitely work better as an album track...

K so could be slightly generic by Bruce's past standards, but I think that comes down to the modern metal production being too smooth around the edges Bruce sounding a little buried and whatnot but it's a great start to what should prove to be an interesting album.  I do hope the songs don't get too caught up and lost in the concept but keen as f*ck for the album (took me a minute to decide but while not Chemical or Tyranny, I don't hate that cover artwork?).


Glad to see fans of the underrated Skunkworks and Picasso and I'll forever and a day be shouting praise for both Chemical and Accident Of Birth which are forever flip flopping for my #1 Bruce album, blasting Darkside of Aquarius into The Tower is often the perfect quick short fix when time is limited...

I think I had Bruce solo somewhere in or close to my Top10 bands/artists over on the Top25 countdown we just did so yeah, there's that!

Anyway gonna be hugely impatient for this record to drop

[TAC]

I was thinking of Skunkworks while listening to this song.

[DoctorAction]

I have no issue at all with the cover.

Accident Of Birth had a fucking terrible cover. Whilst CW wasn't crap, the cover is not aesthetically pleasing to me at all. Tyranny was the best of the metal three. Reasonable vibe.

This is visually balanced and intriguing so, yeah.

[wolfking]

I was thinking of Skunkworks while listening to this song.

You mean as in, 'I wish I were listening to Skunkworks instead of this''

[MinistroRaven]

Walmart exclusive
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bruce-Dickinson-The-Mandrake-Project-Limited-Edition-Walmart-Exclusive-Autographed-Print-and-Stencil-Heavy-Metal-2-LP/5195359990?from=/search

[nick_z]

I was thinking of Skunkworks while listening to this song.

You mean as in, 'I wish I were listening to Skunkworks instead of this''

Can't say I disagree 

I'm very excited about the album, but I was slightly underwhelmed by the single, at least after a couple of listens

[Mladen]

You guys scared me as if this song were some sort of an abomination, but it was actually pretty good. I like the riffs, the chorus is probably the highlight, and it's also cool to see Bruce is obsessed with Blake as usual. The voice is a bit low in the mix, which shouldn't be the case with a song where the voice is the main draw.

[ProfessorPeart]

I went to preorder the Deluxe Book edition from Bruce's US store as the price was decent and then when I got to shipping they wanted over $20 just to ship. So it was a US Store in currency only and not in location.

Today, I saw Amazon has the Deluxe up for preorder for $31.99 so I pulled the trigger there. I miss out on an autographed thing or something, but not spending $20+ on shipping.

[Stadler]

I went to preorder the Deluxe Book edition from Bruce's US store as the price was decent and then when I got to shipping they wanted over $20 just to ship. So it was a US Store in currency only and not in location.

Today, I saw Amazon has the Deluxe up for preorder for $31.99 so I pulled the trigger there. I miss out on an autographed thing or something, but not spending $20+ on shipping.

LP or CD?

[cramx3]

Walmart exclusive
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bruce-Dickinson-The-Mandrake-Project-Limited-Edition-Walmart-Exclusive-Autographed-Print-and-Stencil-Heavy-Metal-2-LP/5195359990?from=/search

I actually bought this  I don't even collect Vinyl, but seemed cool.  I'll buy the digital download of the album on release and hold onto this.

[ProfessorPeart]

I went to preorder the Deluxe Book edition from Bruce's US store as the price was decent and then when I got to shipping they wanted over $20 just to ship. So it was a US Store in currency only and not in location.

Today, I saw Amazon has the Deluxe up for preorder for $31.99 so I pulled the trigger there. I miss out on an autographed thing or something, but not spending $20+ on shipping.

LP or CD?

CD

https://www.amazon.com/Mandrake-Project-Bruce-Dickinson/dp/B0CP8N4G2H/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3R2BZDMGXIJU2&keywords=bruce+dickinson&qid=1701794891&s=music&sprefix=%2Cpopular%2C355&sr=1-2

[TAC]

The single CD will be fine for me. I don’t need the comic book.

[wolfking]

The single CD will be fine for me. I don’t need the comic book.

Yeah same.  I really have interest in a comic book. 

[ProfessorPeart]

The single CD will be fine for me. I don’t need the comic book.

Yeah same.  I really have interest in a comic book. 

Well, if you really have interest you should pick it up then. 

[Mladen]

Hey, give wolfking a break. He's been too busy coming up with hints for the album cover game. 

[wolfking]

Bah.  I just woke up and was typing on my phone without any corrective eyewear. 

[DoctorAction]

I like comics but don't need one based on a record or band (Maiden just published a Piece Of Mind one too)

[cramx3]

I'm not going to shit on the comic, I think the idea is to buy something collectable more so than to necessarily enjoy the comic. 

Funny enough, I bought a Kamelot Silverthorn special edition album that came with a small short story book inside that I bought with the idea that I would read it.  I realized in September I had never even taken it out of the plastic  My point being, some people are buying this for the uniqueness and collective parts than what the actual content is.

That LP Minostro shared comes with a signed print, which is why I bought it even though I don't have a record player or any intent on collecting vinyl.  It seems like a cool collectable to me. I may not even open it.

[devieira73]

https://www.magentamusik.de/iron-maiden-woa-konzert-vod
Some live footage from Wacken.

[The Curious Orange]

What a crap cover.

I'd be curious to know what that coin means, but I can't imagine the meaning saves it from being a crap cover.

Literally - "Stopped by Death, Not Imprisonment" - basically "Death Before Prison"

[cramx3]

What a crap cover.

I'd be curious to know what that coin means, but I can't imagine the meaning saves it from being a crap cover.

Literally - "Stopped by Death, Not Imprisonment" - basically "Death Before Prison"

thanks, but meh 

[TAC]

Happy 67th Birthday, Dave Murray!
That guy doesn’t age.

[wolfking]

Happy 67th Birthday, Dave Murray!
That guy doesn’t age.

I remembered this yesterday but forgot to post.  Yeah wow, 67!  Still going so strong. 

[cramx3]

New Bruce solo single!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE4xNUB2Q5E

[TAC]

New Bruce solo single!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE4xNUB2Q5E

I like it!

Has a real Deep Purple feel to me.

[cramx3]

Yeah now that I listened, I enjoy this quite a bit! 

[MirrorMask]

Weird almost spoken verses, awesome chorus, over the top cheesy (one of those situations where cheesy is a compliment) video. I love how he's evidently having so much fun in doing these videos. He must have loved every minute of posing as a well dressed gentleman and acting in a mini movie 

While I do like the song, I hope once the album is out we'll all be thinking "why didn't he pick any other of these 4-5 far better songs as a second single?"

[nick_z]

Yep, some Deep Purple vibes in there...

Two songs in, I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed. It feels a bit...plodding...overall. The production is kinda lifeless, so there's that too (I mean, I appreciate it's not one of those modern, super-loud ones, but I don't love the sound itself).

Of course I'm reserving judgement for when the whole thing is out, but I was expecting to be a little more excited. It doesn't help that I just revisited Accident of Birth a couple of days ago, I suppose 

[TAC]

I've only listened to each song once, but I feel like I like this one better than the first one, but I liked the first one.

I think this song has major grower potential, and I'm actually even more looking forward to this album now.

[wolfking]

That song was a lot better than the first.  A bit different which is cool.  Although, Bruce is pushing on that chorus and his vocals are a bit grating IMO.  I think it should have been half a step lower in key.  It was distracting for me.

[WardySI]

Yep, some Deep Purple vibes in there...

Two songs in, I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed. It feels a bit...plodding...overall. The production is kinda lifeless, so there's that too (I mean, I appreciate it's not one of those modern, super-loud ones, but I don't love the sound itself).

Of course I'm reserving judgement for when the whole thing is out, but I was expecting to be a little more excited. It doesn't help that I just revisited Accident of Birth a couple of days ago, I suppose 

+1

100% my thoughts also, right down to the sound, expecting to be a little more excited and having revisited Accident Of Birth again recently (not unusual  ).

Let's hope we do a 180 on albums release...