Brave New World

Brave New World is a memorable restart on which both Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith return at once and Iron Maiden opens a new chapter. The thick harmony woven by three guitars — Murray, Smith and Gers — and Dickinson’s powerful singing transform the band’s landscape. The radiance of old is fully revived. From the powerful drive of the opening single “The Wicker Man” and the dramatic development of “Ghost of the Navigator” to the grand title track “Brave New World” and the fine ballad-like “Blood Brothers,” every song boasts high polish. Even in long pieces, it keeps the grand narrative to the end without breaking the melody, while a catchy song like “Out of the Silent Planet” also shines. Its great significance lies in not merely reproducing the appeal of old but loftily presenting the band’s next era with more mature playing. The sonic thickness three guitars bring became a great weapon of late Maiden. Not stopping at a mere comeback, becoming a reference point for the golden era that followed, it is a powerful, moving masterpiece.