•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
The best solo album produced by Dickinson is undoubtedly "The Chemical Wedding". Released in 1998, while the Maiden were creating "Virtual XI", this album offers us various musical insights from different genres.
Let me start by saying that it has little to do with an Iron Maiden album, besides the "faithful" Adrian Smith on guitar, supported by Roy Z on rhythm guitar, Eddie Casillas on bass (amazing!!) and David Ingraham on drums. "The Chemical Wedding" possesses the spirit of "Brave New World", some fantasy hints present in "Virtual XI" (like some Epic choirs) and almost all the choruses in the manner of Harris & Co.
Yes, because the sixth work of the great Bruce is an album where musical insights quite different from them are present. We can find pure heavy metal in "Machine Mean", “King in Crimson” and in the title track (in my opinion the most beautiful song on the album). In "Book of Thel" there is an almost horror and sad atmosphere, romanticism, very similar to the "narrated" piece present in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". However, this atmosphere is interrupted by an almost hard rock solo, very Led Zeppelin I would say. We also find riffs that lean towards trash-metal, as in "Trumpets of Jericho" and in "Killing Floor". In "Jerusalem", Dickinson seems to narrate the initial sung part, reminding me of some songs by Blind Guardian.
Regarding the musicians, I would say that the "sacred monster", who shouted "SCREAM OF BRAZIL!!!", always manages to thrill the listener. The voice is deeper than usual, but the high notes are signed Iron Maiden! The bassist, Casillas, is the one who surprised me the most, not only for his skill, but especially for how he manages to interpret some bass lines (which are very beautiful by the way) in Harris's manner... he may not be Steve, but he knows his stuff, this guy!
In general, the line-up is very tight and creates a very interesting sound... a great piece of work! An album not to be missed and that I recommend, not only for metal and Maiden lovers... but for those who want to explore new musical frontiers. Don't miss it!!!
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
The Chemical Wedding stands out as Bruce Dickinson’s best solo album, blending heavy metal with hard rock, fantasy, and thrash influences. It features skilled musicians including Adrian Smith and Roy Z. Dickinson's deep yet powerful vocals shine throughout. The album offers a unique sound distinct from Iron Maiden but with familiar epic elements. Highly recommended for metal fans and those seeking musical exploration.
Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson is an English singer best known as the lead vocalist of Iron Maiden, with a substantial solo career spanning hard rock and heavy metal releases.13 Reviews
Other reviews
By carloirons
"The album is a kind of concept album with the subject being the life of the English painter William Blake; the dark, grim, and enveloping lyrics wonderfully reflect Blake’s way of living and painting."
"The Alchemist concludes the album in great style: the highlight of the entire album is the chorus of ‘Chemical Wedding’ sung sweetly, almost whispering."
