Released in 2024, The Mandrake Project Bruce Dickinson 's triumphant return after 19 years without releasing new music. The tour, of the same name as the album, also marks the vocalist's return to the stage as a solo artist after more than two decades.
Last Saturday, the 4th, the final show of Iron Maiden of Brazil took place in São Paulo, at Vibra, having previously performed in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and Ribeirão Preto, with shows that marked his time on national soil.
To kick off the evening, the Brazilian progressive metal band Noturnall began their opening performance at 8:45 PM. Coming from a performance at the second edition of Summer Breeze Brasil, Thiago Bianchi (vocals), Victor Franco (guitar), Saulo “Xakol” (bass), and Henrique Pucci (drums) took to the stage.
Right from the start, it's clear how technically skilled the band is. Delivering a spectacular light show that flashes frenetically to the rhythm of the drums, they put on a great performance.
With high points, the band delivered a powerful show, featuring heavy metal, with the bass lines being a major highlight, very well crafted and which, combined with the pulsating drums, created an atmosphere of power.
It was a very loud show that, overall, didn't excite the audience, despite being applauded after each song. Even so, they didn't let it get them down, in a fast-paced performance.
Another key element in Noturnall delivering a good show was the guitarist, who performed solos with skill.
Despite this, after a few songs, the performance can become a little tiring, even though it's short — less than an hour.
There was a break between the opening act and the main show, but at 10:11 PM, Dickinson began her performance in São Paulo.
Accompanied by Tanya O'Callaghan (bass), Dave Moreno (drums), Chris Declercq (guitar) Philip Naslund (guitar) and Mistheria (keyboards), the vocalist had already explained that he would not play the new album in its entirety .
Featuring a series of classics from his solo career, the first song the band played was "Accident Of Birth," from the album of the same name, released in 2005. Within minutes of the performance, it was already possible to see the Brazilian people's love for the musician. The audience enthusiastically sang along to the song's chorus.
Without a pause between songs, “Abduction” from Tyranny Of Souls (2005) followed. “Laughing In the Hiding Bush” from Balls To Picasso (1994) also made the performance a good thing — given the small number of songs from that album on the setlist.
As expected, the first song from The Mandrake Project was "Afterglow Of Ragnarok," which features one of Dickinson's best vocals on the new record, along with a powerful guitar riff that becomes even more potent live.
Very well received by the public, “Chemical Wedding”, from The Chemical Wedding (1998), has great keyboards and Dickinson's voice sounds flawless.
Another great track from the vocalist's new material is "Many Doors to Hell," which features a melodic solo, and once again, he unleashes his voice and shows why he is known as one of the greatest vocalists in metal history.
This is something important to highlight. Bruce Dickinson maintains his surprisingly healthy voice, hitting high notes and delivering a performance full of highlights, in addition to having made a beautiful choice of songs to be played.
Whenever possible, the audience chanted the famous songs in homage to the vocalist, already characteristic of Brazilian fans.
Also from The Chemical Wedding , “Gates Of Urizen” features a measured pace, with calmer vocals, in which Dickinson also demonstrates total control and skill, contrasting with the chorus section, when he hits high notes in a melodic way.
The fact is: if he were to do a show with only songs from The Mandrake Project , it would be a high-level performance, and proof of that is "Resurrection Men," which creates an atmosphere before the vocalist begins his part, in a performative way.
Another track from the album that gives the tour its name, but this time, "Rain On The Graves," features excellent bass lines, with keyboards playing a key role in creating the atmosphere the song evokes.
Choosing to create a setlist with four songs from the album was one of the best decisions; this way, a good number of classic songs were maintained while still making room for new ones that have great potential to become historic.
A drum solo that got the crowd going preceded the cover of "Frankenstein," originally by The Edgar Winter Group . Although very well performed, the instrumental track sounds a little out of place compared to the rest of the songs being played.
Returning to their own compositions, they played "The Alchemist," which features a great chorus, before the crowd favorite "Tears of the Dragon," the only other addition to the setlist from Balls To Picasso .
The ballad, although slower, is so powerful that it leads the audience to sing along in unison with the vocalist.
The introductory part of "Darkside of Aquarius" is already easily recognizable, and it was responsible for ending the show before the encore.
Returning to the stage, the band performed "Navigate the Seas of the Sun" by Tyranny Of Souls . Another beautiful ballad, but this time the track is more mellow and also features a great guitar solo.
As the night drew to a close, "Book Of Thel" came as a total explosion that definitely energized the audience, making them jump.
After introducing the band, the group led by Bruce Dickinson played "The Tower" and concluded their tour in Brazil.
What is most impressive about the performance is precisely the vocalist. He demonstrates total mastery of his voice, with moments where he unleashes it in an experienced and melodic way, and others where he holds back, singing more softly.
Bruce Dickinson's backing band also doesn't disappoint. Dynamic on stage, they demonstrate a deep understanding of what they're playing and perform a crucial role in ensuring the show is of the high standard it is.
Our contributor Leca Suzuki was also at the show and captured the evening. Check out our exclusive photo gallery below.
