Bruce Dickinson has explained why his solo material is heavier than the music his band Iron Maiden make.
Talking to Idaho radio station 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick, the singer, who uses more downtuning and fewer guitar harmonies in his solo career, explains that all-out heaviness doesn’t fit “the kind of soundscape” that Maiden founder, bassist and principal composer Steve Harris likes.
He also notes that Harris’ writing pulls more influence from prog rock, although he too includes elements of the genre in his music from time to time.
“Maiden, stylistically, obviously, there’s a lot of influence from Steve in everything,” Dickinson explains (via Blabbermouth). “And whilst it’s sometimes heavy, it’s sometimes proggy and things like that.
“So, with me, I do go down the prog route sometimes, but I love that kind of bone-crushing sort of detuned… I mean, there’s a lot of heaviness now in the air, which Maiden doesn’t really take advantage of, ’cause I’m not sure necessarily it fits the kind of soundscape that Steve likes.”
The singer is quick to add that he doesn’t let his greater emphasis on heaviness become a restriction.
“It’s like having a painter with an unlimited palette,” he continues. “You run the risk, of course, of spreading yourself a bit thin, but that’s a risk worth taking because you’re supposed to be an artist.”
Dickinson released his seventh solo album, The Mandrake Project, last year via BMG. In July, he put out a remix of his 1994 album Balls To Picasso, with more emphasis on the guitar tracks.
Earlier this month, talking exclusively to Metal Hammer, the singer revealed that work on his eighth album is well underway and that he’s targeting a 2027 release. He also said that Harris, having overheard the material, is a big fan.
“I was playing the demos to the team, the management, because I’ve got it on a little tablet,” Dickinson told us. “So I said, ‘You want to hear some new stuff?’
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
Iron Maiden recently completed the European leg of their 50th-anniversary tour, Run For Your Lives, which saw them play material from their first nine albums. More dates are expected to be announced soon, with the tour set to extend into 2026.
