Reviewing Iron Maiden is almost entirely redundant. Any comments, no matter how constructive, complimentary or critical, will simply ping off their towering, concrete edifice of fan reverence and unwavering career solidity. They are a cultural touchstone, weathering forty years worth of shifting musical landscape without feeling a need to compromise or change their core ‘sound’ to fit any specific needs but their own.
The Book of Souls, their sixteenth studio album, is both the bands’ first double album, and their longest to date, clocking in at over an hour and a half. Whilst this may seem like a daunting prospect, from the very first moments of opener ‘If Eternity Should Fail’ fans will be put right at ease. Through the drama and cinematic overtones of the synth-led intro, Bruce Dickinson’s reverb drenched vocals come in, as operatic as ever, and lay the familiar foundations that we’ve come to know and love the Irons’ for.
The track takes you by the hand and guides you through the Maidens’ trademark galloping pace, harmonizing guitars and dramatic key changes. Steve Harris’s grunty bass lashes everything together, powering on through, always building towards the driving climax of noodling solos, before fading away to meandering guitar lines over a demonic spoken word section.
Opening with an eight minute track is a strong gambit, but Maiden are consummate song craftsmen, and hold your attention throughout. However, one of our only gripes with ‘The Book …’ is the overall song length. You won’t find any shorter, sharper barnstormers like perennial favourites ‘Aces High’, ‘The Trooper’ or ‘Run to the Hills’ here – the ‘shortest’ track ‘Tears Of A Clown’ is just shy of the five minute mark. This said, the longer average length of the songs gives the band a chance to stretch their legs, and exercise more of their dynamism.
‘The Great Unknown’ is a tension builder, reminiscent of ‘Passchendaele’, before exploding into a weighty, satisfying ‘chug’ and blazing, jangling guitars. ‘When The Rivers run Deep’ features a wonderfully sincere tonal change, and some of the most manic soloing we’ve seen from Murray, Smith and Gers. Things arguably begin to plateau at the beginning of Disc Two, with ‘Shadows Of The Valley’ and ‘Tears Of A Clown’ coming across a slightly less well rounded or realised than the previous numbers.
But all this is forgotten with the majestic one-two of ‘The Man Of Sorrows’ and ‘Empire Of The Clouds’. The former is a more considered, restrained track, ambling along with a growing sense of threat before morphing into the closest Maiden will get to prog; all lush texture and relaxed instrumental breaks. ‘Empire Of The Clouds’ is an eighteen minute opus, with fantastical lyrics about steampunk airships, martial snare rolls, delicate piano sections and a soaring, triumphant sensibility that more than lives up to its’ title.
While arguably not as immediately accessible as their previous canon, ‘The Book Of Souls’ is an encapsulation of where Maiden are right now. It’s arguably not a vital, ‘must have’ record, but it’s by no means one that should be chucked aside as merely ‘one for the fans’. Rewarding the careful listener but not contemptuous of the more casual, this is yet more undeniable proof of Iron Maiden’s unshakable place at the very top of metal godhood.
