In an interview with Charlie Kendall’s Metalshop, Bruce Dickinson revealed his plans for a new solo album. After the highly successful 2024 release The Mandrake Project, things can now continue with fresh energy – but despite the drive and numerous demos, the road to a finished album is still long.
A rough target date of 2027 has been mentioned for the release and an accompanying tour, but the recording schedule is already more concrete. From January to April 2026, there’s a window in which Bruce Dickinson apparently has time alongside his activities as Iron Maiden frontman.
In the conversation, he explains:
“We’re going in the studio in January next year to record the album with Brendan Duffey, who remixed ‘Balls To Picasso’ and did an amazing job. So we go in the studio with him in January, and we are looking to release the album in ’27… The amazing band that is gonna record the new record with me is gonna be the same band that toured in Europe with me, and it’s gonna be the same band that’s gonna tour with me in 2027 when we release the new record. Or at least that’s the idea anyway, to release a new record.”
The singer also goes into how many creative ideas have already flowed into the album; there will definitely be no shortage of material.
Accordingly, we’ll still need a bit of patience before the first results from the studio can be heard. In the meantime, you can watch the complete interview here:
Bruce Dickinson, Stjepan Juras (Paul Di’Anno’s Manager), Paul Di’Anno
Stjepan Juras, Paul Di’Anno‘s manager, just reported on a significant event in Iron Maiden and heavy metal history, “When we thought that nothing could surprise us anymore in the heavy metal world, tonight’s ‘miracle’ in Zagreb proved us all wrong. Paul Di’Anno and Bruce Dickinson met for the first time and had a friendly chat right in Zagreb. By coincidence, Bruce is promoting his new album ‘The Mandrake Project’ in Zagreb on tour on July 13, and on the same day, after Bruce’s show, Paul Di’Anno had a live promotion and signing session for his first album with the Paul Di’Annos’ Warhorse project. This was an exceptional opportunity for the two icons of heavy metal music and the legendary singers of the band Iron Maiden to meet for the first time after almost half a century. This is an exceptional night for the entire Iron Maiden community and for metal fans around the world, because it shows that Iron Maiden and everyone who was in that band, is one big family.”
In the book ‘666 Days with the Beast’, Stjepan described all the key moments of Paul’s recovery and new life, including the meeting with Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson. A special limited edition of this book can be ordered exclusively at http://www.maidencroatia.com/666days
Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse recently announced that their self-titled debut album will be released worldwide on July 19th via BraveWords Records.
Preorder Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse, with LIMITED EDITION SIGNED CARD (333 copies only): https://smarturl.it/Warhorse
Watch HERE – Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse – Here Comes The Night (Official Video)
Praise for the Warhorse album:
One of the best records for the summer. – The Metal Mag
A good metal album marking the return of one of the genre’s legends. Welcome back, Paul Di’Anno! – Roppongi Rocks
(Paul Di’Anno)… he can without a doubt still deliver. – Hard Rock Info
In Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse self-titled debut, the survivor, the entertainer and the voice of a multitude of respectable groups and music opinions, returns with a vengeance. – Liverpool Sound and Vision
Photos: Violeta Juras and MarKo Alvarado
Tracklisting:
Warhorse (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
Get Get Ready (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
Go (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
Stop The War (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
The Doubt Within (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
Here Comes The Night (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
Tequila (Chuck Rio)
Forever Bound (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
Precious (Martin L. Gore)
Going Home (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
Produced and Arranged by Pupi and Madiraca
Warhorse: Paul Di´Anno – Vocals Hrvoje Madiraca – Guitars Ante Pupačić Pupi – Guitars
Guest Musicians: Becky Baldwin (Bass Guitar on songs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9) Petar Šantić (Drums on songs: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), (Bass guitar on song 10) Joe Lazarus (Drums on song 1) Andro Banovac (Backing Vocals on songs: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) Danijel Stojan (Drums on song 5) Nikolina Belan (Backing Vocals on song 9)
Recorded in Studio Pupi Except Drums in Studio Deva, and drums in song Warhorse – Barnyard Studio
Mix: A. P. Pupi
Mastering: Dado Marušić Deva Except Going Home and The Doubt Within- Ante Pupačić Pupi Photography: Dado Marušić Deva Except Madiraca´s b/w by Nikola Brnaba
Album Cover Art / Logo Design: J.M. Navigator
About Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse: The core of the band and founders are Paul Di’Anno, vocals, Hrvoje Madiraca, guitar and Ante Pupačić Pupi, guitar.
Paul Andrews, a British singer better known by his stage name Paul Di’Anno, his nearly half-century-long career began explosively with Iron Maiden, when with the EP ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’, and the albums ‘Iron Maiden’ and ‘Killers ‘ forever cemented the foundations of heavy metal. With timeless hits like ‘Iron Maiden’, ‘Remember Tomorrow’, ‘Running Free’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Killers’, ‘Wratchild’, Murders in the Rue Morgue’, ‘Purgatory’ etc., they influenced numerous musicians and bands and were responsible for the creation or development of many subgenres in metal music.
Paul is known as one of the most productive singers, who has a huge number of albums and other releases behind him, either as a solo artist or a member of bands such as Gogmagog, Di’Anno’s Battlezone, Praying Mantis, Killers, Rockfellas, Architects of Chaoz or Warhorse. In all his incarnations, Paul always knew how to find a way to the fans, with numerous hits, uncompromising singing, which is confirmed by his successful career and furious live shows around the world.
For the last eight years, Paul faced serious health problems that almost ended his career, but thanks to his loyal fans, friends, Iron Maiden and his strong will to overcome the disease, Paul is on a big world tour again, and he recorded a new album with the Paul D’Anno’s Warhorse band, which will be released in mid-2024 for BraveWords Records, a new label, which is also an integral part of one of the most strongest brands in heavy metal music.
This icon of heavy metal with the heart of a punk rock rebel never spared himself in his life, but he always gave everything for music and fans, which is why they have followed him faithfully for almost fifty years.
Warhorse is the original band/project of Paul Di’Anno. The first idea of forming a band arose in December 2021, when Paul and guitarist Hrvoje Madiraca met in Zagreb, Croatia. The formation and naming of this project happened simultaneously with the writing and recording of new songs, which were started immediately after Paul and Hrvoje joined hands and thus formed the band. Warhorse independently released the DVD single ‘Stop the War’ in a limited edition of 666 copies and sold it out in just a few days. This was followed by the fantastic ‘Stop the War’ lyrics video, which delighted fans around the world. The Warhorse project gathered fantastic guest musicians on some songs, and a video will be filmed for almost every song on the album. The core of the band itself is the three ‘horsemen’ Paul Di’Anno – vocals, Hrvoje Madiraca – guitars and Ante Pupačić Pupi – Guitars. Fans at Warhorse live shows can expect a live explosion, musical virtuosos and a top stage attraction. Paul Di’Anno in the stadium edition, would be the most appropriate description. Warhorse is a parallel band to his classic ‘Paul Di’Anno’ line-up and unlike his standard set list, Warhorse concerts will abound with Warhorse songs, with the addition of Iron Maiden classics and special, unexpected covers chosen by Paul Di’Anno.
Bruce Dickinson and his exceptional band have successfully started their major headline 2024 tour, bringing the songs from his seventh, critically acclaimed solo album The Mandrake Project (#1 in Germany & Sweden and many other EU top 5 chart positions) to life all over Europe after a phenomenal launch in Los Angeles’ legendary Whisky a Go Go in April. The live band now consists of two guitarists – Philip Naslund and Chris Declercq – as well as drummer Dave Moreno, bassist Tanya O’Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria, and live reviews for the first shows in the UK are full of praise for the highly energetic performances and outstanding quality of the shows, with e.g. The Guardian commending Bruce’s skills as “an extraordinarily charismatic performer” and his “thrilling and propulsive” voice as well as “his celebrated band”.
And this euphoria is not only felt by the audience – fans and critics alike – but also shared by Bruce Dickinson and the whole band, as he underlines: “It’s been 15 shows since we launched the tour at the Whisky in LA and we’re all dialled in as a band! We’ve chucked in a couple of extra tunes, and people are freaking out about them. It’s really interesting with the crowd – you can tell they’re like, ‘wow!’ They’re appreciating the band and this music as an excuse for virtuosos to go mental and show off. We’re having a blast on stage, and the whole idea was to give everybody room to be themselves. We did two weeks in rehearsals but after five days I was like, ‘we should do a gig now!’. And we’re loving it, every night!” Sounds like this is definitely not gonna be less than one for the history books!
Some of the remaining EU shows of the extensive The Mandrake Project Tour are already sold out – with the rest rapidly running out of tickets. Fans should make sure to not miss out and secure their tickets while they last.
28th May – 013, Tilburg, HOLLAND 29th May – De Oosterpoort, Groningen, HOLLAND (SOLD OUT)
1st June – Barba Negra, Budapest, HUNGARY 3rd June – Arenale Romane, Bucharest, ROMANIA 6th June – Mystic Festival, Gdansk, POLAND * 5th – 8th June – Sweden Rock Festival, Solvesborg, SWEDEN * 9th June – Rockefeller, Oslo, NORWAY (SOLD OUT) 11th June – Grona Lund, Stockholm, SWEDEN 13th June – House Of Culture, Helsinki, FINLAND (SOLD OUT) 14th June – Noblessner Foundry, Tallinn, ESTONIA 16th June – Huxleys Neue Welt, Berlin, GERMANY (SOLD OUT) 17th June – Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg, GERMANY (SOLD OUT) 19th – 22nd June – Copenhell, Copenhagen, DENMARK * 21st June – Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel, BELGIUM * 22nd June – Summerside Festival, Grenchen, SWITZERLAND * 24th June – Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar, Mannheim, GERMANY * 25th June – Circus Krone, Munich, GERMANY (SOLD OUT) 26th – 29th June – Resurrection Festival, Galicia, SPAIN * 27th – 30th June – Hellfest, Clisson, FRANCE * 30th June – Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette, LUXEMBOURG (SOLD OUT)
3th July – Rockharz Open Air, Ballenstedt, GERMANY * (SOLD OUT) 5th July – Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Rock In Roma, Rome, ITALY * 6th July – Bassano Del Grappa, Metal Park, Vincenza, ITALY * 9th July – Palladium, Koln, GERMANY 11th – 14th July – Masters Of Rock Festival, Vizovice, CZECH REPUBLIC * 13th July – Hala, Zagreb, CROATIA 16th July – Kolodrum Arena, Sofia, BULGARIA 19th July – Kucukciftlik Park, Istanbul, TURKEY 21st July – Release, Athens, GREECE *
The 30 years anniversary edition of ROCKHARZ in July 2023, celebrated by fans and press, was a complete success. While the event was still in full swing, two headliners – Hammerfall and Kreator – were already confirmed in addition to the first strong dozen of acts for the 31st edition of the friendly open air festival from July 03 to 06, 2024, at the Ballenstedt airfield in the Harz Mountains. The fans reacted promptly: after less than six weeks, ROCKHARZ 2024 officially announced “sold out” in mid-August. So much trust is being rewarded, for instance with the next big highlight for all the lucky ones who secured a ticket right away – Bruce Dickinson!
The Iron Maiden mastermind will celebrate his recently announced album The Mandrake Project exclusively under the Devil’s Wall (a famous landmark of the Harz region and a place of pilgrimage for ROCKHARZ visitors) as part of the only festival show of the year in Germany. Organizer Thorsten “Buddy” Kohlrausch is proud and happy about this very special announcement: “For many years we have been hoping to be able to present such a legendary artist as BRUCE DICKINSON on the ROCKHARZ stages one day. Now this dream comes true! And not only that! We will be the only festival in Germany where Bruce will perform with THE MANDRAKE PROJECT. Thanks to the universe for this unique opportunity and this accolade for our festival!”
But it keeps getting better: at the same time, four more highlights have been confirmed for next year with Amaranthe, Callejon, Benediction and Kanonenfieber – and that’s not all; more bands, including some main acts, will be announced soon.
And there is hope for all those who don’t have a ticket yet, because since last Friday, Oct. 20, the ROCKHARZ online store is open. The clou: On this day, the last ticket returns will be posted in the store – and being quick might very well pay off! Because for all late-comers this will probably be the last chance to get a ticket for ROCKHARZ 2024 after all.
All confirmed acts for ROCKHARZ 2024 as of today: BRUCE DICKINSON (“THE MANDRAKE PROJECT” Exclusive Festival Show Germany 2024), AMARANTHE, AMORPHIS, BENEDICTION, CALLEJON, D’ARTAGNAN, DIRKSCHNEIDER, HAMMERFALL, HATEBREED, HELDMASCHINE, KANONENFIEBER, KREATOR, LORDI, OOMPH!, ORDEN OGAN, PARASITE INC., RAGE, SCHANDMAUL, SOILWORK, THE HALO EFFECT, UNEARTH, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, and many more.
Bruce Dickinson to continue working on solo album after his spoken word tour. Dickinson said this during the question-and-answer portion of his March 23, 2022 spoken-word show at MTelus in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As reported by The Metal Voice video below.
During the Q and A he said, “It’s been something like 14 years since the last solo album. So the problem is when I did the last chunk of writing for the solo album before the Book of Souls Tour, obviously. In 2015 we made the album (Iron Maiden Book of Souls). 2016 I had Cancer, 2017 we played catch up to all the stuff we did before. Then 2018-2019. Then this stupid pandemic decided to ruin it up, so there was nothing we could do then. So now we are revisiting it and when I get done with these spoken word shows I’m going back to LA and we are working on it three weeks and then I’m working with Maiden. Roy Z will be working on the instrumental parts. The eventually hopefully this year or next year we should have it finished. When it goes out that is another question.”
Bruce will hit the road with Iron Maiden for a new North American “Legacy Of The Beast” tour in September 2022.
“I think a lot of us can find ourselves in toxic environments that we eventually learn to call home,” says singer Griffin Dickinson. “It’s easy to get comfy in a bad place yet simultaneously very difficult to make the choice to leave those bad places when the threat of the unknown is so daunting. This song is about taking your life into your own hands, knowing your worth, and making those life-changing decisions that are terrifying yet liberating in equal measure.”
Shvpes’ latest album Greater Than is available now via Search & Destroy/Spinefarm Records. Get it here.
Witness the band perform their previous single “Hot Head” under, let’s say, compromising conditions here.
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