If we want to put it in a single phrase, I guess you can say that the time was right for Iron Maiden to return with a bang. Having Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith back into the picture surely got the hype in motion, and the well-attended gigs to support the "Ed Hunter" compilation offered strong evidence that the whole 3-guitar thing could work out quite fine after all. Besides, the whole environment around them was very favourable for such a reunion: the dreary 1990s were gone at last, the whole "metal is dead" bullshit was finally vanishing for good, and some nice-sounding newcomers (Arch Enemy, Edguy, Opeth, Nightwish, In Flames, Pain of Salvation, Hammerfall etc) seemed strong contenders able to explore new and exciting avenues to the scene. It was all about having some strong legends to lead the way - and if good old Maiden could shake off their "Virtual XI" fiasco and come up with some genuinely interesting music, there would be no one and anything to block their way back to the top. Thinking back, I can clearly remember how people were excited about a new Iron Maiden album back in early 2000, and not only that: people were actually expectant for it, wishing for it to be the kickass comeback we all knew it could be - and that we all felt the world desperately needed, though perhaps we weren't 100% conscious of that at the time. It was almost like that decisive game of the season, when your favorite player is about to perform the penalty kick or free throw that will give your team the victory - c'mon dude, don't let us down, you can do it. And, luckily for all of us metalheads, Iron Maiden did it.
With that said, it's at least a bit curious to point out that I, personally, don't think that "Brave New World" stood the test of time unscathed: in fact, I tend to consider it to be a somewhat flawed record as a whole, with some significant filler going on, and surely not the world-beating monster it clearly seemed to be when it first came out. It's still pretty good of course, and I really like it anyway, but perhaps its immense success was something of a self-fulfilling prophecy: so desperately we wanted it to be great, and such was the welcoming feeling towards it, that its (many) qualities were instantly praised to the heavens and beyond, while its (few, but significant) shortcomings were collectively overlooked for the time being. One of my pet theories about Iron Maiden is that Steve Harris and the boys are the band with the best timing in the universe: they were at the right place, at the exact right time, and they were there more than once. In fact, I would draw an imaginary line uniting "Brave New World" to "The Number of the Beast" way back in 1982: I don't think neither should be ranked among the best records ever (and they're surely not the 10-out-of-10 listening experiences people often say they are), but both were launched upon a heavy metal environment that was desperately in need of them, and both carried messages that were extremely important for the metal scene moving forward. "The Number of the Beast" told the world that, if you have the songs and the attitude, you don't need to sell out to sell stadiums - and "Brave New World" came to reassure us that metal was, is and forever shall be the coolest thing in our lives, and that it damn sure will never die. Well, maybe when the human race is hopelessly extinct and the planet Earth becomes but a charred piece of rock orbiting an ever-expanding Sun, but I'm sure you undersand what I mean.
Well, let's talk about what's good with the album first. Maybe the most important thing about "Brave New World" is that the songs are back for good - and let's face it, the recent memory left by "Virtual XI" was truly worrisome, with a few moments bordering on self-parody. Fortunately, "Brave New World" starts with a banger, and you don't need more than the first few seconds of "The Wicker Man" to know Iron Maiden are back, and Adrian Smith is back with them. OK, the main riff may sound a bit too much like Judas Priest's "Running Wild" if you listen to it closely, but remember what I said about people being slightly lenient with Maiden back in 2000? No one cared, and I don't think anyone should have bothered really, as the tune brings to the table everything we were thirsty for: great guitar interplay, driving basslines, nice lyrics, soaring vocals, a memorable chorus and even the obligatory oh-oh-oh-OH! chanting for people to sing along live. We all had missed Bruce Dickinson's singing, that's for sure, but perhaps Adrian Smith's songwriting was an even more glaring absence on previous records, and have him back was no less than glorious. I know, he would only contribute one other song to the proceedings (the tongue-in-cheek, delightful fun of "The Fallen Angel"), but he wrote the song that, as soon as we all pushed play, told us that everything would be fine, so all credit to the man where is due.
"The Wicker Man" is perhaps my favorite on the album, but it is followed by another truly exciting cut in the shape of "Ghost of the Navigator" - a track that really shows the whole 3-guitar thing at its more daring and adventurous, not to mention the truly powerful delivery of Mr. Dickinson as the crooner. By the way, if we're to point some individual performances here, the vocalist definitely is the one to be lauded: he sings beautifully throughout, and there's a newfound sense of confidence (almost swagger, in a good sense) on his voice, like he knew how important it was to deliver a good record and was all up for the challenge. Thriving under pressure is one of Dickinson's well known strenghts, and here he thrives indeed, giving what would arguably be one of the best performances of his life. Maybe "Blood Brothers" is the song that shows it in the most positive light: a truly beautiful piece of songwriting by Steve Harris, this tune about the bassist's recently-deceased father gains a different layer of meaning with Dickinson's delivery, turning into a tale about camaradery and how the bonds among people are what gives life a meaning after all. Amazing really, and it's no wonder it frequently makes into the band's setlists to this day. Apart from this trio (and the briefly mentioned "The Fallen Angel", which is quite a scorcher as well), "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate" is also worthy of a positive mention - actually, is a kick-ass hard/heavy rocker for the ages, and could easily be ranked among the most overlooked gems ever penned by the band (though the wisdom of employing such a long, guitar-doodling outro can be easily called into question). No less than five truly memorable tracks out of ten, that's not bad at all. The production is pretty decent throughout, successfully capturing the live-in-studio vibe the band wanted to create, so you can count an extra thumbs-up on that too.
But now comes the time to mention the album's weak spots. After a mostly very successful start (the title-track, though not the most memorable song Maiden have ever written, is pefectly listenable and brings some delightful guitar interplay to the table), "The Mercenary" comes as the first real letdown here, a song that starts with some heavy-hitting promises but fails to fulfill itself due to an uninteresting, anticlimatic "show them no fear, show them no pain" chorus. As it transpires, Iron Maiden didn't have as much time to write songs as they would have probably liked, therefore some ideas from the "Virtual XI" sessions were reworked in order to complete enough material for a full-lenght release. Now, one seriously has to wonder if the leftovers from the band's least enjoyable album are really the place to go when you trying to create a career-defining comeback effort, but there you have it. Not only "The Mercenary", but also "Dream of Mirrors" and "The Nomad" are tunes who were originally written (and left incomplete) during the "Virtual XI" cycle - something that is not at all surprisingly, as these are undeniably a few steps behind the rest in terms of quality. "Dream of Mirrors" is not a bad song to be fair, with a slow-building atmosphere that works well enough if the listener is willing to give it time - but it's a bloated tune that overstays its welcome if we're to be honest here, a near 10-minute mammoth that could easily have been 2 or 3 minutes shorter (and more interesting) with some skilled, sober-minded editing job. And don't get me started on "The Nomad", a supposedly epic tale of some wise man wandering in the desert that turns out to be little more than a selection of Maiden clichés poorly arranged together to resemble a proper song. "Out of the Silent Planet" is definitely a better song than the aforementioned trio, but I can't help but feeling that it starts quite strong (with a delightful, semi-psychedelic opening) and loses steam halfway through, ultimately being a decent filler that goes a bit overlong.
As I said, it's puzzling that a record regarded by so many as a late-period classic will show itself as a flawed, unpolished artifact under some more strict scrutiny. If we could push aside any context, maybe "Brave New World" would be regarded as little more than a decent late-period effort from a band that, though far from their prime, still have a few tricks under their sleeves; in the real world, however, this is one of the defining moments in Iron Maiden's career, a record much loved by most of their fans and a significant landmark for the metal scene as a whole! Remember what I said about being at the right place etc? I must admit I struggled a little with just how I would rate this record after all - but I guess it would be something of a smart-ass move to pretend I wasn't there when it first came out, and to pretend I didn't love it to death like all the others back then, which is to say that attempting to review it just like any other record would definitely be a non-starter. Any metal fan must listen to it, and any metal fan should have a copy, even if only as an act of gratitude towards a band we will all be forever indebted to. Once again, Maiden has come to save the day, and I can surely cut them some slack like anybody else. It was a time for major renewal for Iron Maiden as we all know, and the tour to promote "Brave New World" was a resounding success, restablishing the band's reputation as one of the most exciting live bands in metal. It would also result in a truly enjoyable live album recorded here in Brazil, but more on the subject very soon...
Bruce Dickinson (V), Dave Murray (G), Adrian Smith (G), Janick Gers (G), Steve Harris (B), Nicko McBrain (D).
01. The Wicker Man (Smith, Harris, Dickinson) 4:35
02. Ghost of the Navigator (Gers, Dickinson, Harris) 6:50
03. Brave New World (Murray, Harris, Dickinson) 6:18
04. Blood Brothers (Harris) 7:14
05. The Mercenary (Gers, Harris) 4:42
06. Dream of Mirrors (Gers, Harris) 9:21
07. The Fallen Angel (Smith, Harris) 4:00
08. The Nomad (Murray, Harris) 9:06
09. Out of the Silent Planet (Gers, Dickinson, Harris) 6:25
10. The Thin Line Between Love & Hate (Murray, Harris) 8:26
Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!
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