Review Summary: One of the best metal albums of the late 90's.
Despite his solo career, Bruce Dickinson has always and always will be known as the singer of Iron Maiden. Even though his solo career never elevated to heights that Maiden reached, Dickinson is a force to be reckoned with. While his first solo album 'Tattooed Millionaire', was released in 1990, it received lukewarm reviews but charted reasonably on the UK album charts. It's successor 'Balls to Picasso', shared a similar fate. At that point, fans and critics didn't really know what to make of Dickinson's new musical direction, or whether to take him seriously. Music fans in general didn't seem bothered, while some Maiden fans were more optimistic. 1996 saw the release of 'Skunkworks', which displayed flashes of brilliance and finally, delivering a consistent and cohesive album. While it wasn't his definitive album just yet, it was quite enjoyable and it indicated that Dickinson had a load of potential to do something huge. In 1997, 'Accident of Birth' was released and critically, it was his most successful album to date. This album kick-started his solo career so to speak and Dickinson was back to what he was good at. Tracks like 'Freak' and the title track got fans banging their head, little did they know what would floor them the following year.
July 1998, a month when the likes of Robbie Williams and Simply Red dominated the UK albums chart. Six months prior to that, Dickinson starts work on his fifth studio album and first concept album. Former Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith once again contributes to this album, while contributing to Accident of Birth the year before. Released the same month, Dickinson returned with his strongest and most impressive album to date, entitled 'The Chemical Wedding'. First thing you notice about this album is, it's heavier than anything he's ever released before. Both Adrian and guitarist Roy Z, used bass guitar strings which had a profound effect on the album's sound. The atmosphere on this album is quite mystic and has a unique production and vibe to it. Dickinson's performance on this album is quite simply put, amazing. He executes the vocals with such precision and power while he takes you on an eerie journey based on William Blake and Alchemy. Throughout his career in Maiden, Dickinson has always been an inspired lyricist, touching on subjects such as war and religion. Lyrics on this album are quite powerful and give you a bit of insight to Blake and his poetry. Also a reference to the bible is present here, in the story of the trumpets of Jericho.
Album opener 'King in Crimson', is a perfect way to kick of the album with it's crushing riffs, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. It's a very heavy song and maintains a mid-paced speed throughout it's duration. Drummer David Ingraham makes for a solid drummer and carries the album very well, while bassist Eddie Casillas, keeps the flow of the album fluent and consistent. The album as a whole is very heavy but there are softer, melodic moments. 'Jerusalem', 'Gates of Urizen' and 'The Alchemist' are quite mellow and beautiful, demonstrating there are no boundaries that can't be crossed or no inspirations that can't be tapped. The most intense moments are present in the intro of demonic track 'Killing Floor', or the main riff of 'Book of Thel'. Book of Thel is a strong contender for best song on the album and is a primary highlight to what this album is all about. It features a stunning chorus and impressive solos from both Adrian and Roy. The title track itself is thoroughly epic and Bruce sings his heart out. It features yet another soaring chorus and is one of the more memorable tracks present on the album. Flaws are few, the album gets a bit repetitive towards the end and some tracks stand out more than others.
Anyone who's a fan of Bruce, must have this masterpiece in your collection. It's easily Dickinson's best solo album and is an excellent example of quality metal. There are enough piledrivers on this album to satisfy any demanding metal-head. Every Maiden fan deserves to have this juggernaut of an album among their cd collection. One of the best metal albums of the late 90's.
