We nearly lost Blaze Bayley last
year following a heart attack in March. He underwent a quadruple bypass surgery
and is now fully recovered. I, for one, am very grateful that he’s still among
us and continues to make awesome metal. His latest album, Circle of Stone, was completed just before his heart attack. The former
Iron Maiden frontman shows no signs of slowing down with his latest album. It’s
been almost three years since his last record, the excellent War Within Me. Once again, Blaze is
backed by melodic metal band Absolva and also gets a hand from an eclectic mix
of collaborators. So, how does his latest opus fare? Read on to find out!
Circle
of Stone makes perfect usage of the two sides of a record. Side A
features six unconnected songs touching upon various themes, while Side B is
more of a mini concept album of six songs, focusing on a forgotten tribe and a
search for the truth in the heart of the circle of stones. “Mind Reader” blows the
doors open with a bang, giving us a short, catchy tune. The Blade Runner-inspired “Tears in Rain” features
a cool riff worthy of Blaze’s best songs. “Rage”, the second single, draws
inspiration from Welsh folklore. A powerful song about the
consequences of impulsive rage. “The Year Beyond This Year” is a terrific song
about resilience and is one of my favourites. “Ghost in the Bottle” is a gem of
a song about making the best of what you have and pushing forward. “The Broken
Man” is an introspective tune featuring a softer side of Blaze with superb
guitars. Side B begins with “The Call of the Ancestors”, a magnificent
instrumental with bag pipes. The title track and first single follows, and it’s
one of the very best songs of the album. A classic Blaze tune with guest vocals
from Swedish metal band Wolf’s singer Niklas Stalvind. “Absence” is a kick-ass
track with fiery guitars. “A Day of Reckoning”, a song about reclaiming what’s
yours, and “The Path of the Righteous Man” form a duo of standout tracks that
continues the tribe’s journey. The final song of the set, “Until We Meet Again”,
is a gorgeous acoustic love song and my favourite track. It features the lovely
Tammy-Rae Bois who duets with Blaze.
Blaze Bayley has really outdone
himself with Circle of Stone. It’s
another example of a singer who keeps reaching peaks we weren’t expecting when he
should well be past his prime by now. Blaze ages like a fine wine and his
vocals sound better than ever—to hear him sing those ‘90s-era Maiden songs live
is quite the experience as he performs them even better than in his heyday. He’s
just on another level here, sounding rejuvenated and delivering a profound
album that may very well be the finest of his entire career. Whether you’re a
fan of Blaze from his tenure as frontman in Maiden, have followed his prolific
solo career, or simply an old school metalhead, Circle of Stone hits all the right notes. Another strong contender
for the Album of the Year list.
Blaze Bayley’s Official Website: https://www.blazebayley.net
No comments:
Post a Comment