Bruce Dickinson has announced the new single “Afterglow of Ragnarok”, which is part of his solo album The Mandrake Project, for release on December 1st.
Speaking about the choice of music, Dickinson commented: “It was important to set the tone for the project with this track. True to the title, it’s a heavy song and there’s a great riff driving it… but there’s also a real melody in the chorus that shows the light and shadow that the rest of the album brings… and wait until you see the video!”
The singer will also release a comic book that, according to a statement released to the press, is "a dark and adult story of power, abuse and the struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius."
The comic book was created by Bruce Dickinson, written by Tony Lee , and illustrated by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics. The series features 12 episodes that are collected into three comic book stories and will be released in 2024.
More details about The Mandrake Project will be revealed at the opening of CCXP23, the Brazilian Comic-Con event taking place in São Paulo, where Dickinson will be a speaker.
The musician also announced a world tour that will include Brazilian cities between April and May. A total of 7 cities have been announced so far: Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, Ribeirão Preto, and São Paulo. Learn more here.
The Mandrake Project is Bruce Dickinson's seventh solo album and also his first in 19 years. The album was produced in collaboration with Bruce's longtime producer and musical collaborator, Roy Z. "Roy Z and I have been planning, writing and recording for years, and I'm very excited for people to finally hear it," Dickinson commented in a press release.
“I’m even more excited about the prospect of hitting the road with this incredible band we’ve put together, to bring this project to life. We’re planning to do as many shows as we can, in as many places as possible, for as many people as we can reach! The Mandrake Project really is… Well, all will be revealed soon!”