The Book Of Souls

About

"The Book of Souls" is the sixteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 4 September 2015. It is their first double studio album released on CD and their longest studio album, with a total running time of 92 minutes and 11 second. Its release and supporting tour were delayed to allow vocalist Bruce Dickinson time to recover from treatment for a cancerous tumour in early 2015. It is also the band's first studio album released on Parlophone following the end of their long association with EMI Record. The album was produced by Kevin Shirley and recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris between September and December 2014, a studio previously used by the band for the recording of "Brave New World". Additional finishing work was completed in early 2015. The band wrote and recorded much of the material in the studio, resulting in a more immediate and live-oriented sound compared with earlier album. The album was released by Parlophone in most territorie, while in the United States it was issued by Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG following corporate acquisitions involving EMI, Sanctuary and BMG. The first single, "Speed of Light", was released with an accompanying music video on 14 August 2015 and made available digitally and as a limited CD single through Best Buy in the United State. The album also includes "Empire of the Clouds", an 18-minute composition that became the band's longest recorded song. It was later released as a single for Record Store Day in 2016. Although not a concept album, its lyrics and imagery frequently reference themes of the soul and mortality, reflected in its cover artwork created by Mark Wilkinson, which depicts the band's mascot Eddie in a Mayan-inspired setting. The album cover and visual concept draw on Mayan cultural motif, with bassist Steve Harris noting thematic connections to beliefs about the afterlife. The band consulted Mayanist scholar Simon Martin to ensure historical and linguistic accuracy in certain visual and textual element. The artwork was also informed by the film "Apocalypto". The cover marks the first use since 1995 of the band's original logotype on a studio album release. The album was announced in June 2015 along with its title, artwork and track listing. It is Iron Maiden's first studio album not released by EMI after both EMI and Parlophone became part of Warner Music Group. In the United State, it was released under Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG. The album title and thematic content were inspired in part by reflections on mortality, with Harris stating that such themes became more prominent as the band members aged. Writing and recording took place under an accelerated and less pre-planned process than on previous album. Guitarist Janick Gers stated that the band entered the studio with partial ideas and developed songs during recording session. Adrian Smith described this approach as intense but productive, while Harris noted that members contributed material independently, resulting in a wide range of idea. Drummer Nicko McBrain did not receive writing credits on the album, while all other members contributed to composition. Several track, including "Shadows of the Valley", "Death or Glory", "Speed of Light" and "If Eternity Should Fail", were among the earliest composed. "If Eternity Should Fail" was originally written by Dickinson for a solo project before being adapted for the band. "Speed of Light" and "Death or Glory" were intended as shorter, more direct songs reminiscent of earlier singles such as "2 Minutes to Midnight" and "Can I Play with Madness". "Death or Glory" is lyrically based on First World War aviation. One of the most notable composition, "Empire of the Clouds", is based on the 1930 R101 airship disaster and features Dickinson performing piano, marking a first for the band. The track was largely developed by Dickinson during the recording proce, with the band later adding instrumentation around his piano performance. It replaced "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" as Iron Maiden's longest song. Another track, "Tears of a Clown", co-written by Harris and Smith, was inspired by comedian Robin Williams and his death in 2014. The album was delayed to September 2015 in part due to Dickinson's medical treatment, and the supporting world tour was postponed until early 2016 to allow his recovery. The subsequent tour covered multiple continent, including Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia. Musically, "The Book of Souls" is characterised by extended song structures and a mix of progressive and traditional heavy metal element. Harris did not contribute to all compositions as he had on several previous album, partly due to personal circumstances during the writing period. The album includes two tracks written solely by Dickinson, marking a rare instance in the band's later catalogue. Upon release, the album reached number one in 24 countries and performed strongly in additional territories without official chart system. It became Iron Maiden's fifth UK number-one album, selling over 60,000 units in its first week in the United Kingdom. In the United State, it reached number four on the Billboard 200, matching the band's previous highest chart position, with first-week sales of approximately 74,000 copie. By January 2016, it had sold over 148,000 copies in the United State. Critical reception was generally favourable, with aggregated reviews indicating a positive consensu. Several publications praised its ambition, production and musicianship, while some critics noted its length and pacing as drawback. "Empire of the Clouds" received particular attention, with reviewers describing it as one of the album's standout tracks and noting its orchestral and narrative qualitie. Other lengthy composition, including "The Red and the Black" and the title track, received mixed assessment, with some critics praising their scope and others criticising their duration and structure. .

via Last.fm

The Clerk says

Start your shelf to read the full take →