Blaze Bayley
Silicon Messiah

After the discussed and controversial break experienced between 1994 and 1999 with Iron Maiden, Blaze Bayley, the vocalist with long sideburns, decided to form a band to achieve one of his objectives: to create a solo career worthy of note. A move born especially from the desire to change the minds of those who had labeled him as a poor singer after hearing him with the aforementioned band. The years of "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI" were a period in which Bayley felt a storm of criticism raining down on him, more or less rightly so.

Silicon Messiah, released in 2000 therefore sounds like a gauntlet thrown down to those who never accepted him as a singer. After listening to the album, I must honestly say that I have changed my mind: he might not have the vocal range of Kiske or the power and personality of Dickinson, but Blaze has put in a good dose of willpower and especially passion. Surrounding himself with musicians unknown to me but quite valid (Steve Wray and John Slater on guitars, Rob Naylor on bass, and Jeff Singer on drums), Bayley struck a deal with SPV and gave birth to a solidly tough and well-played heavy metal album.

Blaze Bayley demonstrates that he has well assimilated the Maiden experience and from them has nevertheless understood several things: some echoes (albeit fleeting) can also be traced in this Silicon Messiah. A work that starts off on a strong foot with the splendid "Ghost in the Machine", a powerful and compelling piece thanks also to an excellent refrain. "Evolution" also proves to be valid, and the two guitarists make their mark with a continuous succession of riffs and solos, though the latter are nothing extraordinary. The title track and especially "Born as a Stranger" confirm again the excellent vibe of this album, which by focusing on classicism loses certainly in originality but gains in compositional strength. Scrolling through the album, you can hear other excellent pieces of classic heavy metal like "Identity" and particularly the closing "Stare at the Sun", which presents itself as the most intricate song: a slow start on which Blaze's voice settles, then continuing with well-constructed verses and chorus. An episode that concludes a work I never would have expected before listening to it.

The singer from Birmingham shows us with Silicon Messiah, his first studio album with the new lineup, a character that is the same as in the Maiden years but inevitably different. It is clear from the start his greater compositional freedom, but especially the lesser pressure that translates to greater expressiveness. Moreover, in this way, he has been able to create vocal lines more suited to his timbre.

I know that probably many of you will still be prejudiced against this album, but I invite you to give it a listen nonetheless. It won’t be anything transcendental, but in my view, this time he has hit the mark. So much so that I've decided to get the subsequent ones as well...

1. "Ghost In The Machine" (4:20)
2. "Evolution" (4:55)
3. "Silicon Messiah" (5:13)
4. "Born As A Stranger" (5:54)
5. "The Hunger" (7:06)
6. "The Brave" (4:05)
7. "Identity" (5:26)
8. "Reach For The Horizon" (4:31)
9. "The Launch" (2:53)
10. "Stare At The Sun" (7:47)