Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson to work on first solo album in 17 years
He's joining forces with Roy Z once again
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson says he already has a "bunch of material" for his first solo album since 2005’s ‘Tyranny of Souls.’
Dickinson recently had a chat with Loudwire to promote the upcoming North American leg of his spoken word tour when he was asked if he plans to join forces with guitarist and producer Roy Z again on a new solo record.
Roy Z – real name Roy Ramirez – played guitar on Dickinson’s 1994 album ‘Balls to Picasso’ before producing and performing multiple instruments on his last three solo albums, ‘Accident at Birth’ (1997), ‘The Chemical Wedding’ (1998) and ‘Tyranny of Souls.’
Commenting on his upcoming plans, Dickinson said: "When I get to the end of the one-man show in the end of March, I've got about three weeks pulling my feels somewhere — I might lie down in a darkened room for a couple of days and recover from the tour and then put my singing head on and go and have a chat with Roy.”
He continued: "We've already got a bunch of material — demos and everything — but we need to organise it a bit more properly and be a bit more serious about it.
"(We have to) maybe write a few more tunes and then basically leave it down to Roy. He can go off and start doing backing tracks and things like that."
Reflecting on working remotely with Roy Z, Dickinson added: "Obviously, I'm going to be going out on tour with Maiden (in 2022), but we made ‘Tyranny of Souls’ that way.
“'Tyranny of Souls' was done kind of remotely — I wasn't physically present when some of the backing tracks were done, but he sent me the backtracks and I listened to them and, some of them, I wrote the words to the backtracks. Mixing and matching like that sometimes gets great results."
After an enforced three-year gap due to the coronavirus pandemic, Iron Maiden’s Legacy of the Beast World Tour reconvenes in Zagreb, Croatia on Sunday 22nd May and includes a headline performance at Download Festival on Saturday 11th June.
36 rock and heavy metal albums to look forward to in 2022:
Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – ‘4’
Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators fourth studio album, the aptly entitled '4', comes out on Friday 11th February 2022 via Gibson Records. Boasting the Planet Rock playlisted anthem 'The River Is Rising', '4' was recorded at the fabled RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Brandi Carlile), and it saw Slash and co. lay down the tracks live in the studio, including guitar solos and vocals - a first for the group.
Saxon – ‘Carpe Diem’
Barnsley metal heroes Saxon unleash their 23rd studio album 'Carpe Diem' on Friday 4th February 2022 via Silver Lining Music. Saxon's first album of original material since 2018's chart-denting 'Thunderbolt', the 10-track 'Carpe Diem' was produced by Saxon frontman Biff Byford and Judas Priest axeman Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire. Byford says of 'Carpe Diem': "I do think it's a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the Covid period."
Beth Hart – ‘A Tribute To Led Zeppelin’
Blues powerhouse vocalist Beth Hart will release her nine-track Led Zeppelin covers album, 'A Tribute To Led Zeppelin', on Friday 25th February 2022 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group. Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance), the album features Hart's reworkings of Led Zep classics including 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Good Times Bad Times', 'Kashmir', 'Black Dog' and 'Whole Lotta Love.' Hart says that recording the album during the pandemic was somewhat therapeutic, explaining: "This Zeppelin album allowed me to get all my rage out, and for that, I'm really grateful."
Scorpions – ‘Rock Believer’
German hard rock bastions Scorpions will release album no.19, 'Rock Believer', on Friday 25th February 2022. The follow-up to 2015's 'Return to Forever' was recorded in Scorpions' hometown of Hanover during the coronavirus pandemic. "The album was written and recorded in the Scorpions DNA with core Schenker/Meine compositions," says singer Klaus Meine. "We recorded the album as a band live in one room, like we did in the 80s." The album features the single 'Peacemaker', which has been a mainstay on Planet Rock's playlist since early November.
Stone Broken – ‘Revelation’
Walsall rockers Stone Broken will return with their third studio album 'Revelation' on Friday 15th April 2022. Featuring 11 tracks including the lead single and title track 'Revelation', the follow-up to 2018's chart-denting 'Ain't Always Easy' was produced by Dan Weller of progressive rock act SikTh. Frontman Rich Moss says of working with Dan Weller: "I believe that together we have produced something that me and the rest of the guys in the band are super, super proud of and we can't wait for you guys to hear it."
Rammstein – TBA
Fans of German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein had to wait a decade for the release of their untitled album in 2019, however their new record looks like it's set to arrive very soon. With their mind-blowing Stadium Tour put on hold until 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rammstein have used the downtime to decamp to La Fabrique Studios in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and work on new material. In March keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz confirmed they have a new record in the bag. "The fact that we couldn't perform live increased our creativity," Flake told Motor.de. "We had more time to think of new things and less distraction. As a result, we recorded an album that we hadn't planned on."
Magnum – ‘The Monster Roars’
British hard rockers Magnum are kickstarting the year in fine style by releasing their 22nd studio album 'The Monster Roars' on Friday 14th January 2022. Produced by guitarist Tony Clarkin, 'The Monster Roars' features 12 tracks including the lead singles 'I Won't Let You Down' and 'No Steppin' Stones.' Alongside the regular album, Magnum are releasing a limited box set with three extra bonus tracks - a new version of 1988 song 'Days of No Trust', a remastered version of debut single 'Sweets For My Sweet' from 1975, and a previously unreleased track from the same era.
Jethro Tull – ‘The Zealot Gene’
Progressive rock veterans Jethro Tull release their new studio album 'The Zealot Gene' via their new label home of InsideOutMusic/Sony Music in early 2022. 'The Zealot Gene' is Jethro Tull's first album since 'The Jethro Tull Christmas Album' way back in 2003 and their first record of original material this millennium – their 20th album 'J-Tull Dot Com' was released in 1999.
Kris Barras Band – ‘Death Valley Paradise’
Kris Barras Band will release their new studio album 'Death Valley Paradise' on Friday 4th March 2022 via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group. Featuring 11 songs including the epic singles 'Dead Horses' and 'My Parade', 'Death Valley Paradise' was produced by Dan Weller and it sees Kris Barras and co. embrace heavier musical realms. "In my teens, I was pretty much only listening to hard rock and metal so it feels completely natural and free," Kris Barras says of the new direction. "More than ever, this album is me on an LP. I do think I've gone a little bit darker and deeper on it. Writing songs about topics I haven't done before."
Megadeth – ‘The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead’
Megadeth's 16th studio album 'The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead' will be unleashed in spring 2022. Dave Mustaine says the not-so-cheery title references various plagues that have blighted mankind throughout time: "A broader, more historical scope of the diseases that have plagued humankind throughout time, 'The Sick The Dying... and The Dead' covers the current virus, swine flu, and other epidemics from centuries past." The album doesn't feature long-time bassist David Ellefson who was fired from the band in May 2021 a few weeks after explicit messages and video footage involving the musician was leaked on social media.
Marillion – ‘An Hour Before It’s Dark’
Marillion will release their new studio album 'An Hour Before It's Dark' on Friday 4th March 2022 via earMUSIC. Just like its predecessor, September 2016's Top 5 album 'F--- Everyone and Run (F E A R)', 'An Hour Before It's Dark' was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios near Bath. Singer Steve 'h' Hogarth says that although the album deals with many weighty issues, 'An Hour Before It's Dark' is ultimately an upbeat record. "Despite the seemingly bleak contemplations across this album - the virus, our mortality, medical science, care, AND Leonard Cohen (ha ha) - the overall feeling of the music is surprisingly upbeat," says Hogarth. "I think the band are as on form as they ever were really, and the addition of Choir Noir has added another new soul and colour to things." The album was preceded by the nine-and-a-half-minute epic 'Be Hard On Yourself' in November.
Ozzy Osbourne – TBA
Although he's been unable to tour due to the pandemic and various health setbacks, Ozzy Osbourne has been more active in the studio recently than he has been for decades. Hot on the heels of his February 2020 album 'Ordinary Man', Osbourne has been working once again with producer Andrew Watt on album no.13 throughout the pandemic. There are guests aplenty on the record too including Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins, Metallica's Robert Trujillo, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith and, of course, Osbourne's frequent collaborator Zakk Wylde.
Halestorm – TBA
Lzzy Hale has revealed that Halestorm have finished work on their first album since July 2018's 'Vicious.' In a November interview with US radio station 105.7 The Point, Hale lavished the album with praise, saying: "This album is absolutely a banger. It's on eleven. We have really just kind of exceeded all of the energy that has come before on these albums, both technically, music-wise, vocally, drum, lyric-wise. I think because of the roller-coaster ride when we were making this record, and just through the pandemic and all the different phases of that, we just kind of looked at each other, like, if the future is unknown and we don't know whether we're actually going to be out and playing these things, everything has to be, like I said, at eleven. It's Halestorm elevated."
Black Star Riders – TBA
In September, Black Star Riders dropped the devastating news that guitarist and founder Scott Gorham had stepped down from the band after eight years and four studio albums. The good news, however, was that the newly trimmed down four-piece BSR - Ricky Warwick (vocals, guitars) alongside Robbie Crane (bass, vocals), Christian Martucci (lead guitars, backing vocals) and Zak St. John (drums) – were cracking on with their fifth album with producer Jay Ruston. In a video update in December 2021, Ricky Warwick said the album is "sounding epic." Fingers crossed it sees the light of day in 2022!
Nita Strauss – TBA
Phenomenally talented guitarist Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper, The Iron Maidens) is preparing to unleash her second studio album in 2022 via Sumerian Records. Strauss' instrumental debut 'Controlled Chaos' was met with widespread acclaim upon its release in 2018, and the follow-up record will see her expand her musical palette with six instrumentals and six songs featuring guest vocalists. The first taster for the record, the pulsating and riff-heavy David Draiman collaboration 'Dead Inside', was unleashed in October and hints at truly great things to come from album no.2.
Alter Bridge – TBA
The unstoppable Myles Kennedy has already released a solo album in 2021 (the brilliant 'The Ides of March') and he's got the Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators' new album '4' coming up in February, while Mark Tremonti has recently unleashed the Tremonti album 'Marching in Time.' Despite their band members' various other ventures, Alter Bridge are primed to hit the studio this spring to start laying down their seventh album. "I think me and Myles will just get together and compare demos and hopefully be ready by April," Tremonti told Metal Talk in December. "We're working as hard as we can to get there. It's kind of a short turnaround in between solo records and Alter Bridge records." We can't wait!
Ghost – TBA
Ghost leader Tobias Forge says the follow-up album to 2018's 'Prequelle' is a concept record of sorts based on the "unescapable fails and falls of empires." Forge says he's had the idea for eight years and it's partially inspired by the book 'The Rule Of Empires: Those Who Built Them, Those Who Endured Them, And Why They Always Fall' by Timothy Parsons. On 31st October, Ghost premiered the rip-roaring tune 'Hunter's Moon' from the movie Halloween Kills. It's unclear whether the track will appear on album no.5 or it's a standalone release.
Shinedown – TBA
On New Year's Day 2022, Shinedown took to Instagram to tease their first new album since 2018's 'Attention Attention.' Alongside a 42-second video of cryptic symbols and bizarre music, Shinedown wrote: "So it begins... 😈 #nowiknowmyabcs… Do you? #SD7." Commenting on the album's themes, singer Brent Smith said in December: "Going through everything that the world went through last year, and we wrote the majority of the record last year, and this year, we couldn't turn a blind eye to everything that was going on. And we talk on this record, and we express on this record — we're not trying to dance around certain subject matter. We're trying to be very honest and very real. In a lot of ways, this is a very humanitarian record."
Tony Martin – ‘Thorns’
Former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin releases 'Thorns', his first solo album in 13 years, on 14th January 2022. Musicians that appear on the 11-track record include Scott McClellan (who helped write the album), Danny "Danté" Needham (Venom), Magnus Rosén (Hammerfall) and Greg Smith (Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Blue Öyster Cult). Martin says of 'Thorns': "It's got several surprises that will lift people's eyebrows, I am sure. Largely but not entirely based around the riffs of Scott McClellan, new to the world scene, he has proved to be a worthy partner in crime for this release... I was able to make some great songs out of the riffs he was coming up with, which is very similar in the writing sense to that which I experienced with Tony Iommi. Different sound and style, but the riffing talent that someone like Scott has is very cool. It is diverse, melodic, powerful, thought-provoking and of a standard high as ever I have worked on."
Elles Bailey – ‘Shining in the Half Light'
Featuring the Planet Rock playlisted anthems 'Cheats and Liars' and 'Sunshine City' plus darkly mesmeric new single 'Stones', Elles Bailey's new album 'Shining in the Half Light' is due to land in 2022. Recorded at Middle Farm Studios in Devon with producer Dan Weller, Bailey says the album is "inspired by those who spread love in a time of heartbreak, happiness in a time of fear and connection in a time of loneliness."
Those Damn Crows – TBA
Fresh from their triumphant headline slot at Planet Rockstock, Bridgend's prodigal sons Those Damn Crows took to social media in the run up to Christmas to tease their third studio album. The band commenced recording the new record on 3rd December and just over two weeks later, they revealed all the vocals and guitars were in the can. They wrote: "We know every band says it, but we could not be more excited for you to hear these new songs."
Red Hot Chili Peppers – TBA
In an October 2021 interview with Rolling Stone coinciding with the announcement of Red Hot Chili Peppers' global stadium tour, drummer Chad Smith confirmed that the band's 12th studio album was "almost done." The record will be RHCP's first long-player with iconic guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's 'Stadium Arcadium'. He rejoined the band after a decade away in 2019. Commenting on the album's sound, Chad Smith said: "Look, John hasn't been in our group in 10 years. That's a long time. So of course, it's going to sound different, but it's gonna sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it's different and new, and to me that's great… We really like it and we're proud of it and it has to start there."
GUN – ‘The Calton Songs’
GUN's eighth studio album 'The Calton Songs' is scheduled to be released in March 2022. The album features revamped versions of GUN songs from their 33-year back catalogue including debut single 'Better Days', which was re-released in December. The semi acoustic new version of 'Better Days' was recorded at Morsecode Studios in Glasgow and boasts backing vocals from Beverley Skeete, who has previously worked with The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd amongst many others.
Sammy Hagar & The Circle – ‘These Crazy Times’
The eponymous Sammy Hagar and his Circle band mates Jason Bonham (drums), Michael Anthony (bass) and Vic Johnson (guitars) have finished work on their second studio album, tentatively titled 'These Crazy Times'. The record was recorded with the Grammy Award winning Dave Cobb in Nashville and it's Sammy Hagar & The Circle's first album of wholly original material. "It's not a country record," Hagar said in October "(Dave Cobb is) a great producer. He's a rock guy to the bone. He just happens to produce Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile. Rival Sons, he produces that band too. Anyway, he's a great producer. We went in and did a whole new record with The Circle. And it's so badass, I just can't wait to get it out."
Skid Row – TBA
The New Jersey rockers are working on their new album in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Halestorm) for a tentative 2022 release. It's currently unclear whether the album will be the long gestating Chapter Three of Skid Row's 'United World Rebellion' album series – a trilogy album series they kicked off with late singer Johnny Solinger in 2013 and 2014 – or a new standalone release. Set to feature the vocal talents of their new vocalist ZP Theart, Skid Row have vowed that it will be a full-length record unlike its two predecessors. Enthusing about the new album, bassist Rachel Bolan said: "We're cranking on all eight cylinders. We've got great songs we're happy with. We've got a killer producer, making a killer record. We love our label (earMUSIC)."
Steve Vai – ‘Inviolate’
Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai returns with his new studio album 'Inviolate' on 28th January 2022. Featuring nine songs including 'Little Pretty' and 'Teeth of the Hydra' (which features playing on Vai's bonkers new "steampunk" Hydra guitar), Steve Vai says 'Inviolate' contains "very honest music" and it's far removed from some of his previous records. "Because a lot of my records, they're long and there's a lot of concepts and playing around with stories. This one has none of that," Vai explains. "This is nine pretty dense all-instrumental compositions that I wanted to capture and record so I could get out there and play them live for people."
Eddie Vedder – ‘Earthling’
Not to be confused with the David Bowie album of the same name, Eddie Vedder's first solo album in 11 years, 'Earthling', will see the light of day on Friday 11th February 2022. Produced by the Grammy Award winning Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne), the album features the songs 'The Haves' and the Tom Petty-esque heartlands rock anthem 'Long Way.'
Porcupine Tree – ‘Closure/Continuation’
Forward thinking progressive rockers Porcupine Tree release their first new album in 13 years, 'Closure/Continuation', on Friday 24th June 2022. Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison have already given us a tantalising taster for the seven-track record, the eight minute opus 'Harridan', and we can expect more genre defying brilliance from the trio when 'Closure/Continuation' lands in the summer. "Harridan and a few of the other new songs have been in play since shortly after the release of The Incident," Porcupine Tree said. "They initially lived on a hard drive in a slowly growing computer file marked PT2012, later renamed PT2015, PT2018, and so on. There were times when we even forgot they were there, and times when they nagged us to finish them to see where they would take us. Listening to the finished pieces, it was clear that this wasn't like any of our work outside of the band - the combined DNA of the people behind the music meant these tracks were forming what was undeniably, unmistakably, obviously a Porcupine Tree record."
Bernie Marsden – TBA
Whitesnake legend Bernie Marsden will release the third instalment of his 'Inspirations' album series in 2022. Released back in July, the first album in the series (and Marsden's first solo album in seven years) entitled 'Kings' paid homage to three of his blues heroes; Albert King, B.B. King and Freddie King. The November 2021 follow-up 'Chess' contained songs released on the fabled Chicago imprint Chess Records. It's currently unclear what the next instalment will be, but if 'Kings' and 'Chess' are anything to go by, it's bound to be a corker.
Slipknot – TBA
Having unleashed their critically acclaimed and chart-topping sixth album 'We Are Not Your Kind' in August 2019, Iowan masked metallers Slipknot have been working on album no.7 during the pandemic. The first fruits of their labours surfaced in November, the typically blistering and ferocious song 'The Chapeltown Rag'. The track is partially inspired by the bungled police investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper murders in the late 1970s and into 1980, and it takes its name from the Leeds suburb of Chapeltown, which was a stalking ground for Peter Sutcliffe. Slipknot percussionist Shawn 'Clown' Crahan has boldly described Slipknot's new record as "God's music."
Tony Iommi – ‘TBA’
Okay, this is a tenuous one, but fresh from releasing his blistering instrumental track 'Scent of Dark' (and accompanying cologne) in November, we're hoping his first song in a decade paves the way for a full-length album from Tony Iommi. The heavy metal torchbearer has made no secret of the fact he has an abundance of riffs laid down in his musical arsenal, and he remarked in the autumn: "I've got so many riffs; it would be great to do more instrumental and soundtrack work." If the hypothetical album scales the same heights as 'Scent of Dark', we're in for a doom-tastic treat.
Anthrax – TBA
Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante revealed last summer the legendary thrash metal band were eyeing up a 2022 release date for their 12th studio album, which will be the follow-up to 2016's 'For All Kings.' A few months later, singer Joey Belladonna said he "can't wait" to commence work on the new record and explained that Anthrax take longer to release albums than some bands as they're perfectionists at heart. "There's so much going on to the songs, we just want it to be really, really hot and heavy and strong and everything," he said.
Metallica – ‘TBA’
It's already been six years since the release of Metallica's last effort 'Hardwired... to Self-Destruct' and drummer Lars Ulrich said way back in November 2020 they were a month into "pretty serious writing" on their 11th studio album. Last September, Ulrich gave a fresh update, saying: "We're engaged. And we are creating at some level. It's way too early to talk about a record or a timeline or anything. But we're staying busy. And it's exciting to just think of the possibilities. Right now, we're so rejuvenated and just ready to get back in."
Fozzy – ‘Boombox’
Chris Jericho and co.'s first album in five years, 'Boombox', will see the light of day on Friday 15th April 2022 via Mascot Label Group. Featuring the singles 'Nowhere to Run' and 'Sane', the record was once again produced by frequent collaborator Johnny Andrews. Typically understated, Chris Jericho said of the record: "I firmly believe this is the third best album of our entire career!! (Of course I think it's our best…but I always wanted to hear a band say that). So crank the volume and hold the Boombox up to your earholes!! It's gonna be a wild ride."
Clutch – TBA
Maryland rock behemoths Clutch revealed in November that they'd finished tracking their 13th studio album – the follow-up to 2018's 'Book of Bad Decisions.' The first taster of the record surfaced in September when the band debuted excellent new song 'Boss Metal Zone' (named after the popular distortion pedals) live. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Clutch have vowed that the as-yet-untitled album will explore "different" musical realms.
Bruce Dickinson - TBA
In a January 2022 interview with Loudwire, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson said he's planning to join forces with frequent collaborator Roy Z in the spring to work on his first new album since 2005's 'Tyranny of Souls.' Bruce said: "We've already got a bunch of material — demos and everything — but we need to organise it a bit more properly and be a bit more serious about it. (We have to) maybe write a few more tunes and then basically leave it down to Roy. He can go off and start doing backing tracks and things like that."