The Mandrake Project

''The Mandrake Project'' is the seventh studio album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released on 1 March 2024 through BMG Rights Management. The songwriting on the album was split between Roy Z and Dickinson. This is Dickinson's first solo album in nearly two decades since 2005's '' Tyranny of Souls'', marking the longest gap between two studio albums in his solo career. The artist announced a worldwide promotional tour of the album.

The album was announced on 1 December 2023 simultaneously alongside its first single, a companion comic book series to be published the following year, and tour dates for the UK and Europe throughout Spring and Summer 2024.

Concept and comics

Part of the original announcement for the album explained that it would be a narrative concept album accompanied by a 12-issue comic book series published by Z2 Comics. The story was written by Dickinson, scripted for the comics by Tony Lee and illustrated by Staz Johnson. The announcement stated that the full story would be "a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius."

Songs

The first single released to promote ''The Mandrake Project'' was "Afterglow of Ragnarok" on 30 November 2023. The song was released digitally and as a 7" vinyl single in a gatefold sleeve, which included an 8-page prequel comic inside. The B-side of the single featured Dickinson's original solo demo of the Iron Maiden song "If Eternity Should Fail" from the 2015 album The Book of Souls.

"Rain on the Graves" was the second single from the album, released on 25 January by BMG Records and accompanied by a music video similar to the first single. The song features a guitar riff, keyboard sections and a narrative vocal performance. The song was inspired by the Iron Maiden frontman's visit to the grave of Romantic poet William Wordsworth in the Lake District.

"Eternity Has Failed" is a new version of "If Eternity Should Fail" with different music and slightly different lyrics.

Editions and packaging

The album was released in various configurations on both CD and vinyl LP, as well as digitally on all major streaming and download platforms. The CD version had two main configurations on release. The standard CD came in a three-panel full-color cardboard sleeve with a 20-page booklet inside the first panel, containing lyrics and production details. A limited edition version of this included a lenticular cover, which is loose and not glued to the front of the actual case. This edition was exclusive to Walmart in the US and HMV in the UK.

A deluxe limited edition of the CD came in a 7" hardback book which contained a preview of the album's companion comic book series. The CD was in a cardboard pouch inside the book, and the book came in a slipcase. The lyrics booklet from the standard CD was also included. The slipcase had the same cover art as the standard CD, while the book had exclusive cover art by comic book artist Bill Sienkiewicz. Some copies pre-ordered from Dickinson's official online store included a signed photo inside the book. The vinyl LP version came on standard black vinyl, with a limited edition version on blue vinyl and including an exclusive 'M' stencil. Copies of the black vinyl pre-ordered from Dickinson's official online store came with a signed art card.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians
*Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 8), bongo drums (4), additional keyboards (6, 7), percussion (6)
* Roy Z – bass, guitar
* Dave Moreno – drums
*Giuseppe Iampieri aka. Maestro Mistheria – keyboards
*Chris Declercq – solo guitar (track 3)
* Gus G – solo guitar (track 6)
*Sergio Cuadros – woodwinds (track 6)

Technical
*Roy Z – production, mixing, engineering
*Brendan Duffey – mastering, mixing, engineering
*Roger Ramirez – mixing (track 1), engineering (1)
*Addasi Addasi – engineering
*Alonso Herrera – engineering
*Christian Cummings – engineering
*Dave Moreno – engineering
*Idriss Nadi – engineering
*Michael Harris – engineering
*Frank Gibson – engineering (track 1)
*Denis Caribaux – engineering (track 7)
*Bruce Buchhalter – mixing assistance (track 1)

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mandrake Project
2024 albums
Bruce Dickinson albums
Albums produced by Roy Z