Bruce Dickinson released the first single from his new album. “Afterglow Of Ragnarok” came with a music video that premiered at CCXP on Thursday night, the 30th, in São Paulo.
The track is part of the solo album The Mandrake Project, scheduled for release on March 1, 2024. Recorded largely at the Doom Room in Los Angeles, with Roy Z acting as guitarist and bassist, The Mandrake Project was completed by keyboardist Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno , both also present on Bruce's last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls , in 2005.
Bruce previously described the lead single, “Afterglow Of Ragnarok”, as “a heavy song with 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”.
Directed by award-winning director Ryan Mackfall , written by Bruce Dickinson and acclaimed British writer Tony Lee , the film introduces Dr. Necropolis, the main protagonist of The Mandrake Project.
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.
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!”
