Maybe it's because TOS is chock full of dynamics and crunch. The guitars drive the record as much as Bruce's halcyon voice and that seems to be the key to success (at least for me and others like me that do not equate Bruce with the Pope [e.g. the issue of infallibility]). Maybe it's simply because this is heavy. The guitars are heavier than those I generally associate with Bruce and company, whether solo or in Maiden.

Regardless of other considerations, fans of Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden (if there can be two disparate groups) will find lots to like here. The trademark vocals are there. Classic Metal licks and shredding leads are everywhere. The bass, not easily discerned, is nonetheless present and the drumming is more than adequate for the task. No one is reinventing the wheel but Roy Z's production is crystal clear as per usual.

While the song titles generally made me wince, especially when announced prior to the album's release -- after all, "soul", "of the sun" and "devil" appear twice each on a total of 10 tracks -- Bruce repeatedly refers to space in about half of these songs. A nod to the founding of his passion for flight (you do know he's a pilot, don'tcha?) is given in "Kill Devil Hill" while more typical Metal fare rounds out the remainder of the album.

Bottom line, this is nothing new. However, I can listen to this where I typically find something disagreeable with other albums on which Bruce sings. Basically, I was pleasantly surprised. Will I check out the back catalog? Probably not. Should you if you haven't already? Maybe so. Standout tracks include the very-Judas Priest sounding "Soul Intruders" (think Painkiller) and the perhaps Testament- or Halford-inspired "Abduction". The title track is both modern and vintage at once. Solid.

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 43.34