 |
|
October 12, 2008 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
BRUCE DICKINSON - Tyranny Of Souls
Sanctuary (2005) |
8/10 |
|
|
|
|
|
01. Mars Within (Intro)
02. Abduction
03. Soul Intruders
04. Kill Devil Hill
05. Navigate The Seas Of The Sun
06. River Of No Return
07. Power Of The Sun
08. Devil On A Hog
09. Believil
10. A Tyranny Of Souls
|
|
We all know who Bruce Dickinson is, but for those who haven't followed his solo career, it began in 1997 with "Accident Of Birth". Well, actually, "Accident Of Birth" was Dickinson's fourth solo album, but it's the first album that was any good. It marked a triumphant return to metal, and showed that Dickinson was capable of releasing albums that could compare to his early works with MAIDEN.
Now that fans and critics have jumped on the Bruce Dickinson bandwagon, I'm reading a lot of comments like, "His solo albums are way better than Dance of Death!" Metalheads tend to have a "this-vs.-that" attitude (MAIDEN vs. PRIEST, MEGADETH vs. METALLICA, Butter vs. Margerine), but I'll proudly say that I've enjoyed both Dickinson's solo work and his work with the reunited MAIDEN. I'm also in the minority when I say that I prefer the classic metal feel of 1997's comeback opus "Accident Of Birth" to the sludgy modernness of "The Chemical Wedding". Don't get me wrong though: both albums belong in every metalhead's collection.
Given the seven year delay between "Tyranny Of Souls" and "The Chemical Wedding", I expected a lot more new ideas. It's almost as if these tracks were leftovers from "The Chemical Wedding" and put on the backburner when MAIDEN reunited. There's little by way of growth, though given the strength of his previous albums, Dickinson probably thought it was easier to go sideways instead of up. Overall, the choruses on this album aren't very imaginative, many of which work only because the vocals are doubled up, or because it's Bruce Dickinson singing. The production focuses on making the guitars sound heavy and modern, and it seems that producer Roy Z goes out of his way to distance Dickinson's solo work from the MAIDEN songs that made him famous.
Although the album doesn't live up to my personal expectations, "Tyranny Of Souls" is still a solid album with plenty of highlights. The first full-song, "Abducted", raised my expectations a little too high. The lead guitars under the chorus and the harmonics at 2:15 nod heavily to the old school. "Soul Intruders" is more of what we've come to expect, with a chorus that reminds me of "Starchildren" from "Accident Of Birth". For the most part, the album continues down this safe path. Highlights include "Kill Devil Hill", with powerful verses that actually build up to something stronger, and "Devil On A Hog": an inspired rock and roll song. It's refreshing to hear a DICKINSON song about motorcycle riding ("Leave my rivals in the dirt / I've seen your world and I got the shirt"). The track exudes a nostalgic warmth that even I can feel, and I was born in '82. Near the end of the album, things hit the skids.
"Believil" is an ominous slow piece, but is killed by a weak chorus that's underscored by a radio-metal riff. The final track, "Tyranny Of Souls" starts out as slow, boring doom, and if Roy Z turned up the leads in the chorus, it would sound a lot more interesting. Dickinson adds some vocal fire later on, but not enough to make the song worthwhile.
I would recommend both "Accident Of Birth" and "The Chemical Wedding" over "Tyranny Of Souls". The predecessors were such strong releases that I find myself disappointed with "Tyranny Of Souls", an album that's disappointingly solid, that's sadly just great. "Tyranny Of Souls" rules, but just not with an iron fist.
|
|
|
|
