BRUCE DICKINSON · The Mandrake Project | BLACK 2LP

Black double vinyl in gatefold cover.

Background information about 'The Mandrake Project'

There are few voices in heavy metal that carry the weight of history quite like Bruce Dickinson's. With The Mandrake Project, the Iron Maiden frontman delivers his seventh solo album and arguably his most personal and conceptually ambitious work to date. It's not just a collection of songs – it's a sprawling, darkly theatrical journey that blends Dickinson's signature operatic power with progressive rock influences, gothic storytelling, and a surprising amount of emotional vulnerability.

From the opening riff of the title track, you know you're in for something different. The Mandrake Project isn't trying to sound like Iron Maiden, and that's exactly its strength. Songs like "Afterglow of Ragnarok" and "Rain on the Dead" showcase a man who has nothing left to prove and everything to say. The production is crisp, the musicianship is stellar (special shoutout to guitarist Roy Z, who co-wrote and produced), and Dickinson's voice – still astonishing at this stage of his career – soars, snarls, and whispers with a theatricality that only he can pull off. The album tells a dark narrative about power, identity, and the shadows we carry, wrapped in riffs that range from crushing to contemplative. This is not background music. This is a record that demands your full attention.

For fans of:
Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, Dio, Queensryche

Track listing

LP 1:
A1. Afterglow of Ragnarok
A2. Many Doors to Hell
B1. Rain on the Dead
B2. Resurrection Men
B3. Fingers in the Wounds

LP 2:
C1. Eternity Has Failed
C2. Mistress of the Desert
C3. The Alchemist
D1. Shadow of the Gods
D2. Sonata (Immortal Beloved)
D3. The Mandrake Project

Manufacturer: Universal Music GmbH, Mühlenstraße 25, 10243 Berlin, Germany, Contact: umusic.com