Brave New World

1	The Wicker Man 4:35
2	Ghost of the Navigator 6:50
3	Brave New World 6:18
4	Blood Brothers 7:14
5	The Mercenary 4:42
6	Dream of Mirrors 9:21
7	The Fallen Angel 4:00
8	The Nomad 9:05
9	Out of the Silent Planet 6:25
10	The Thin Line Between Love and Hate 8:27

Barnes & Noble

When Bruce Dickinson quit Iron Maiden to go solo eight years ago, many thought the band would break up. Bassist, songwriter, and founding member Steve Harris soldiered on with replacement vocalist Blayze Bayley for two albums and several tours, but much of the magic was gone. Then, in 1999, metal dreams came true when Dickinson rejoined the band for a greatest-hits tour. Guitarist Adrian Smith also returned, swelling the Maiden guitar army to three axe grinders. BRAVE NEW WORLD hearkens back to such classic semi-concept albums as POWERSLAVE and SOMEWHERE IN TIME. The long songs (most over six minutes) tell tales of swords, sorcery, and future worlds in chaos. The patented Iron Maiden harmony guitar leads soar atop the galloping rhythm section of Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. There are even some (uh-oh) keyboards and symphonic sections, but they are, thankfully, not overbearing. Bruce's air-raid siren pipes have lost none of their power, and he delivers every word with conviction. Some might turn their pierced noses up at Iron Maiden, but the fans who have patiently waited for this return will love it. Up the Irons! Chris MacDermott

All Music Guide

The return of Iron Maiden's "classic" Dickinson/Harris/Murray/Smith/McBrain lineup (plus third guitarist Janick Gers) in 1999 led to an incredibly successful world tour that saw the New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends commanding stages with the same unmitigated power and authority as they had during their mid-'80s heyday. But the question remained as to whether the reconstituted group would be able to carry this momentum into a studio setting and recapture the songwriting chops of its glory years. This question made Brave New World one of the most highly anticipated metal releases of 2000, and thankfully, the eventual answer to that question was a resounding "YES!" In fact, the album pretty much picked up right where the "classic" lineup had left off on 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: with a faithful rediscovery of Iron Maiden's best-loved sonic aesthetic and compositional quirks, updated only insofar as was necessary to measure up to new-millennium recording standards. In every other respect (and much like Seventh Son of a Seventh Son), Brave New World's meticulously orchestrated three-guitar attack still allowed for a greater sense of space than early Maiden albums (as well as the use of subtle keyboard textures in a supporting role), while boasting a beefier, in-your-face mix à la Piece of Mind or Powerslave. The remarkable pipes of singer Bruce Dickinson actually seemed to have benefited from a less grueling touring schedule over the previous decade, and his renewed songwriting partnership with bassist Steve Harris (and other assorted bandmembers) yielded several new Maiden live standards such as punchy first single, "The Wicker Man," and the positively anthemic title track. Also worthy of special mention were Harris' emotional solo copyright, "Blood Brothers," Adrian Smith's distinctive solo licks throughout "The Fallen Angel," and six-string stalwart Dave Murray's Arabian-flavored contributions to "The Nomad." These highlights notwithstanding, a more lucid appraisal revealed that Brave New World was no Number of the Beast, once the initial euphoria died down. But as comeback albums go, its excellence was undeniable, and announced not only Iron Maiden's triumphant return, but an important turning point in heavy metal's long, arduous climb back to respectability after years of critical abuse. Eduardo Rivadavia