Tyranny of Souls

Bruce Dickinson has been one of (if not the) leading voice of heavy metal -- possessing one of the genre's most instantly recognizable singing styles (there's a reason why they used to call him 'the Air Raid Siren'). Reuniting with Iron Maiden in the late '90s, Dickinson's solo career took a back seat as a result of non-stop recording and gigging. But with Maiden taking a break after their tour in support of Dance of Death wrapped up, Dickinson was finally left with enough time to work on his first solo recording in seven years. Hooking up once more with co-collaborator, guitarist, and producer Roy Z, Tyranny of Souls signals Dickinson's solo return. Expectedly, Dickinson's Maiden roots run deep, and quite a few songs resemble the style of his full-time band -- especially "Mars Within" and "Power of the Sun." But there are other times where Dickinson injects styles that wouldn't fit on a Maiden record -- a piano breakdown in "Kill Devil Hill" and the acoustic guitar- and voice-driven ditty, "Navigate the Seas of the Sun." Also, it must be said that Dickinson's voice is as strong as ever -- years of road and studio work have not diminished his skills in the slightest. Tyranny of Souls will satisfy the appetites of most Maiden fans until their next album appears.