Dance of Death

Dance of Death is the thirteenth album on which Iron Maiden draws a grand narrative using thick multi-guitar harmony, dynamic bass and Bruce Dickinson’s dramatic singing. Within the long songs, the scenes change dizzyingly, yet melody always functions as the overall axis. It is a record that pushes the post-reunion fullness further. From the speed of the opener “Wildest Dreams” and the catchy “Rainmaker” to the dramatic “No More Lies” and the grandeur of the epic “Paschendale,” depicting the First World War, the songs show varied faces, and the narrative of the title track “Dance of Death” is also striking. Within the valor, shadow and quiet coexist, and the band’s expression heads toward a wider emotional territory. Its significance lies in more deeply pursuing the appeal of the three-guitar lineup established on the previous Brave New World. Grand epics and hook-filled songs are placed in good balance. Again proving the fullness of post-reunion Iron Maiden, it is a dramatic, engaging record.