«The Book of Souls» came out in 2015, five years after Iron Maiden’s previous record. It is the first double album in the band’s history and came out at a difficult time: Bruce Dickinson had just emerged victorious from his battle with cancer, and this development gave the release even greater significance.
«Speed of Light» was the first single and immediately drew attention, with its sound recalling old, clean heavy metal. The album has many strong tracks: «If Eternity Should Fail» opens the record with Bruce’s voice in very good shape, while «The Red and the Black» was considered by critics among the best on the record, with a refrain that sticks easily.
«The Great Unknown», «Death or Glory» and «The Man of Sorrows» also stand out. Two songs, «Tears of a Clown» and «The Man of Sorrows», are dedicated to Robin Williams, who passed away in 2014, and are considered a beautiful tribute to his memory.
The track that made the biggest impression is «Empire of the Clouds», which lasts about eighteen minutes and is the longest song Iron Maiden ever wrote. Its story concerns an airship, and despite its long duration, critics agree that it does not become boring: it is epic, cleverly written and closes the record in the best way.
«The Book of Souls» received very good reviews and was considered among the best albums of 2015, with a rating of 9 out of 10 from Metal Temple. It is one more proof that Iron Maiden can write long songs after so many years, with Bruce Dickinson continuing in his solo work too to show his form.
See also: Bruce Dickinson: «The new solo album is heavy as hell» and Nicko McBrain talks about 50 years of history
