Recording for Iron Maiden began over two years ago. With the release date of Senjutsu in September, the band released a video of Bruce Dickinson , Steve Harris , and producer Kevin Shirley in the studio.
Maiden's seventeenth studio album was recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France, in early 2019. At the time, the band took a break from the Legacy of the Beast . “We finished the creative process, rehearsed the songs, finished the compositions – everything here in the studio,” Dickinson said. “It’s been a very, very good experience. For me, it’s a better album than Book of Souls , I really think so.”
Shirley, the band's producer since Brave New World (2000), agrees. “I’ve been working with the band for 10 years and I think this is probably the best we’ve done. I know people say this all the time, but the songs are explosive,” he agreed. “The songs are challenging and the performances are frighteningly good.”
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Praising the quality and "relaxing" energy of the studio, Harris said that the band "never knows" what they're going to do until the moment they start recording. "It's a representation of where we are," he commented.
In the images, the vocalist was using crutches after rupturing his Achilles tendon, an injury that required surgery , the use of an immobilizing boot for a month, and physical therapy for recovery. "Twenty-four hours after the operation, I was in the studio, singing, with my leg the size of a balloon," he told Kerrang! in an interview .
Senjutsu was revealed to the public after a mysterious announcement and several clues that led fans to the premiere of the single "The Writing on The Wall" on July 15th , and then revealed the cover, tracklist, title, and release date of the album .
READ ALSO: Iron Maiden: 19 hidden references in the music video for “The Writing On The Wall”
