{{about|the album by Bruce Dickinson|the band|Mandrake Project}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = The Mandrake Project | type = studio | artist = Bruce Dickinson | cover = The Mandrake Project.jpg | alt = | released = 1 March 2024 | recorded = 2019–2023 | studio = Doom Room (Los Angeles) | genre = Heavy metal, hard rock | length = 58:49 | label = BMG | producer = Roy Z | prev_title = Tyranny of Souls | prev_year = 2005 | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Singles | name = The Mandrake Project | type = studio | single1 = Afterglow of Ragnarok | single1date = 30 November 2023 | single2 = Rain on the Graves | single2date = 25 January 2024 | single3 = Resurrection Men | single3date = 26 July 2024 }} }} {{Album ratings | MC = 72/100<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-mandrake-project/bruce-dickinson|title=Reviews for The Mandrake Project by Bruce Dickinson|website=Metacritic|access-date=October 26, 2025}}</ref> | rev1 = ''Blabbermouth'' | rev1score = 9/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/reviews/the-mandrake-project|title=BRUCE DICKINSON - The Mandrake Project|website=Blabbermouth.net|last=Lawson|first=Dom|access-date=October 26, 2025}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Classic Rock'' | rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project|title=From lonely female vampires who long for death to a reworking of an Iron Maiden classic, The Mandrake Project proves that Bruce Dickinson really can do anything|website=Classic Rock|last=Jones|first=Damian|date=1 March 2024|access-date=26 October 2025}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Kerrang!'' | rev3score = 4/5<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project|title=Album review: Bruce Dickinson – The Mandrake Project|website=Kerrang!|last=Ruskell|first=Nick|date=February 29, 2024|access-date=October 26, 2025}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Metal Hammer'' | rev4score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/bruce-dickinson-mandrake-project-review|title="The Mandrake Project flies by but still feels like an epic journey": Bruce Dickinson's first solo album in almost 20 years is a resounding triumph|website=Metal Hammer|last=Chantler|first=Chris|date=26 February 2024|access-date=26 October 2025}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Metal Injection'' | rev5score = 9/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project|title=Album Review: BRUCE DICKINSON - The Mandrake Project|website=Metal Injection|last=Blum|first=Jordan|date=February 26, 2024|access-date=October 26, 2025}}</ref> | rev6 = ''MetalSucks'' | rev6score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/03/07/review-bruce-dickinson-goes-through-the-motions-on-the-mandrake-project/|title=Review: Bruce Dickinson Goes Through the Motions On The Mandrake Project|website=MetalSucks|last=DeLorean|first=C.C.|date=March 7, 2024|access-date=October 26, 2025}}</ref> | rev7 = ''PopMatters'' | rev7score = 7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/bruce-dickinson-mandrake-project-review|title=Metal’s Bruce Dickinson Remains Vital on ‘The Mandrake Project’|website=PopMatters|last=Webb|first=Peter Thomas|date=12 March 2024|access-date=26 October 2025}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Record Collector'' | rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>An album which is surely his most innovative and creative yet. Heavy but easily accessible. [Feb 2024, p.101]</ref> | rev9 = ''Uncut'' | rev9score = 6/10<ref>Its themes are plainly evident in the earworm metal stomp of "Many Doors To Hell" and gothic menace of "Fingers In The Wounds", although more subdued (but equally sombre) hues inform the portentous, piano-led power ballad "Shadow Of The Gods". [Mar 2024, p.25]</ref> }}
'''''The Mandrake Project''''' is the seventh studio album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released on 1 March 2024 through BMG Rights Management. The songwriting on the album was split between Roy Z and Dickinson.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-02 |title=Bruce Dickinson Explains How 'The Mandrake Project' Grew Into Much More Than Just An Album |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/bruce-dickinson-explains-how-the-mandrake-project-grew-into-much-more-than-just-an-album |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Blabbermouth.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barrios |first=Joel |date=2023-10-10 |title=Bruce Dickinson: "The Mandrake Project Is Much More Than Music" |url=https://metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project-is-much-more-than-music |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}</ref> This is Dickinson's first solo album in nearly two decades since 2005's ''Tyranny of Souls'', marking the longest gap between two studio albums in his solo career. The artist announced a worldwide promotional tour of the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/bruce-dickinson-announces-two-new-touring-band-members-and-a-one-off-warm-up-show-for-the-mandrake-project |title=Bruce Dickinson band 2024|publisher= ironmaiden.com |date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}</ref> The album was announced on 1 December 2023 simultaneously alongside its first single, a companion comic book series to be published the following year, and tour dates for the UK and Europe throughout Spring and Summer 2024.<ref name=":0" /> The album marks the final collaboration between Dickinson and Roy Z.
==Concept and comics== Part of the original announcement for the album explained that it would be a narrative concept album accompanied by a 12-issue comic book series published by Z2 Comics. The story was written by Dickinson, scripted for the comics by Tony Lee and illustrated by Staz Johnson. The announcement stated that the full story would be "a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themandrakeproject.com/issue-2-of-the-mandrake-project-comic-out-now/|title=Comic the Mandrake Project|publisher= themandrakeproject.com |date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}</ref> Dickinson would later say the original intent was only the comic, but he grew ambitious and added a related album. Conception of the album begun in 2014 under the title ''If Eternity Should Fail'', with Dickinson writing songs alongside producer Roy Z. Once Iron Maiden bassist and main composer Steve Harris heard the demo for the planned title track "If Eternity Should Fail", he asked Dickinson to bring it to the band's new album, ''The Book of Souls''. After doing so, Dickinson decided he would not feature the song as the album's centrepiece,<ref name=89fm>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQLmzEDkZnc|publisher=89 FM|title=BRUCE DICKINSON - Entrevista 89}}</ref> eventually reworking it into "Eternity Has Failed", featuring different music and slightly different lyrics.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://metalinjection.net/news/bruce-dickinson-explains-why-iron-maidens-eternity-has-failed-is-actually-a-cover-of-his-solo-song|title=The Mandrake Project album: the songs|publisher= metalinjection.net |date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}</ref> Dickinson would leave the project aside for seven years given he underwent a cancer treatment and toured with Iron Maiden, reviving it during the COVID-19 pandemic, renaming it ''The Mandrake Project'' and deciding to keep a few of the already composed songs like "Shadows of the Gods" mostly unchanged. One of the tracks, "Sonata (Immortal Beloved)", was even older than the initial concept, emerging from a short instrumental based on ''Moonlight Sonata'' that Z recorded after watching ''Immortal Beloved'', to which Dickinson quickly improvised some lyrics. During production, Dickinson's wife Leana found the demo, liked it and encouraged him to include the song in the album.<ref name=89fm/>
The first single released to promote ''The Mandrake Project'' was "Afterglow of Ragnarok" on 30 November 2023. The song was released digitally and as a 7" vinyl single in a gatefold sleeve, which included an 8-page prequel comic inside. The B-side of the single featured Dickinson's original solo demo of "If Eternity Should Fail".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Afterglow of Ragnarok – the first single|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/new-single-afterglow-of-ragnarok-out-dec-1st-european-tour-announced|access-date=2024-01-26|date=2024-01-26|website=ironmaiden.com|archive-date=14 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114140223/https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/new-single-afterglow-of-ragnarok-out-dec-1st-european-tour-announced|url-status=dead}}</ref>
"Rain on the Graves" was the second single from the album, released on 25 January by BMG Records and accompanied by a music video similar to the first single. The song features a guitar riff, keyboard sections and a narrative vocal performance. The song was inspired by Dickinson's visit to the grave of Romantic poet William Wordsworth in the Lake District.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rain on the Graves – the first single|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/bruce-s-new-track-rain-on-the-graves-is-out-now|access-date=2024-01-26|date=2024-01-26|website=ironmaiden.com}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Editions and packaging== The album was released in various configurations on both CD and vinyl LP, as well as digitally on all major streaming and download platforms. The CD version had two main configurations on release. The standard CD came in a three-panel full-color cardboard sleeve with a 20-page booklet inside the first panel, containing lyrics and production details. A limited-edition version of this included a lenticular cover, which is loose and not glued to the front of the actual case. This edition was exclusive to Walmart in the US and HMV in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project-album-coming-march-1-2024|title=Bruce Dickinson solo album|publisher=.ironmaiden.com |date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}</ref>
A deluxe limited edition of the CD came in a 7" hardback book which contained a preview of the album's companion comic book series. The CD was in a cardboard pouch inside the book, and the book came in a slipcase. The lyrics booklet from the standard CD was also included. The slipcase had the same cover art as the standard CD, while the book had exclusive cover art by comic book artist Bill Sienkiewicz. Some copies pre-ordered from Dickinson's official online store included a signed photo inside the book. The vinyl LP version came on standard black vinyl, with a limited-edition version on blue vinyl and including an exclusive 'M' stencil. Copies of the black vinyl pre-ordered from Dickinson's official online store came with a signed art card.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/bruce-s-new-track-rain-on-the-graves-is-out-now|title=Bruce's new track|publisher=ironmaiden.com|date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ===Year-end lists=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ {{sronly|Select year-end rankings}} ! scope="col"| Publication/critic ! scope="col"| Accolade ! scope="col"| Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" |''Rolling Stone'' | Top Metal Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |5 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rolling Stone Magazine staff |first= |date=2024-12-21 |title= Best Metal Albums of 2024 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-metal-albums-2024-1235189635/kerry-king-2-1235189637/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=rollingstone.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''The Metal Voice'' | Top Metal Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |2 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Metal Voice staff |first= |date=2024-12-21 |title= Best Metal Albums of 2024 |url= https://www.themetalvoice.com/post/bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project-number-2-the-metal-voice-best-metal-albums-of-2024|access-date=2024-12-21 |website=themetalvoice.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Loudwire'' | Best Metal Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |9 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Loudwire staff |first= |date=2024-12-21 |title= Best Metal Albums of 2024 |url=https://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-2024-ranked/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=loudwire.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Metal Hammer'' | Best Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |5 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metal Hammer staff |first= |date=2024-12-21 |title= Best Albums of 2024 |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/metal-hammer-name-blood-incantation-130551518.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFu4_CEEQIQFVYPr5t1xEAKpDLPdplm7nOwfvtxmwGhDUadcbD5xNRpo4I2NVAtVf0i-st4Lr7AK6lE-iaLmtp6CTvXWTWsKuMyGeJz1bPex-ae4QI5snXnGD60zUM1BjbnuJk5FL7un1dJZ_Drky4ovLYxogF-F5bpqj1t7yvTo|access-date=2024-12-21 |website=metalhammer.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Classic Rock'' | Best Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |4 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Classic Rockstaff |first= |date=2024-12-21 |title= Best Albums of 2024 |url= https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/classic-rock-magazine-s-best-rock-albums-of-2024/ar-AA1vmVwL|access-date=2024-12-21 |website=msn.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Brave Words'' | Best Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |2 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brave Words staff |first= |date=2024-12-29 |title= Albums of 2024 |url=https://bravewords.com/news/bravepicks-2024-bruce-dickinson-s-the-mandrake-project-2 |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=bravewords.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Something Else Reviews'' | Best Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |3 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://somethingelsereviews.com/2025/01/10/judas-priest-bruce-dickinson-sebastian-bach-best-of-2024/|date=2025-01-10 |title= Best Albums of 2024 |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=somethingelsereviews.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Metal Rules'' | Best Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |4 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metal-rules.com/2025/01/25/best-metal-albums-of-2024/ |date=2025-01-30 |title= Best Albums of 2024 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=metal-rules.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |}
==Track listing== {{track listing | headline = ''The Mandrake Project'' track listing |total_length = 58:44 |title1 = Afterglow of Ragnarok |writer1 = Bruce Dickinson, Roy Z |length1 = 5:45 |title2 = Many Doors to Hell |writer2 = Dickinson, Z |length2 = 4:48 |title3 = Rain on the Graves |writer3 = Dickinson |length3 = 5:05 |title4 = Resurrection Men |writer4 = Dickinson, Z |length4 = 6:24 |title5 = Fingers in the Wounds |writer5 = Dickinson, Z |length5 = 3:39 |title6 = Eternity Has Failed |writer6 = Dickinson |length6 = 6:59 |title7 = Mistress of Mercy |writer7 = Dickinson |length7 = 5:08 |title8 = Face in the Mirror |writer8 = Dickinson |length8 = 4:08 |title9 = Shadow of the Gods |writer9 = Dickinson, Z |length9 = 7:02 |title10 = Sonata (Immortal Beloved) |writer10 = Dickinson, Z |length10 = 9:51 }}
==Personnel== '''Musicians'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ironmaiden.com/news/article/bruce-dickinson-the-mandrake-project-album-coming-march-1-2024|title=Bruce Dickinson solo album|publisher=.ironmaiden.com |date=2024-06-01|access-date=2024-06-01}}</ref> *Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 8), bongo drums (4), additional keyboards (6, 7), percussion (6) *Roy Z – guitars, bass, additional keyboards *Dave Moreno – drums *Giuseppe Iampieri aka. Maestro Mistheria – keyboards *Chris Declercq – guitar solo (track 3) *Gus G – guitar solo (track 6) *Sergio Cuadros – woodwinds (track 6)
'''Technical''' *Roy Z – production, mixing, engineering *Brendan Duffey – mastering, mixing, engineering *Roger Ramirez – mixing (track 1), engineering (1) *Addasi Addasi – engineering *Alonso Herrera – engineering *Christian Cummings – engineering *Dave Moreno – engineering *Idriss Nadi – engineering *Michael Harris – engineering *Frank Gibson – engineering (track 1) *Denis Caribaux – engineering (track 7) *Bruce Buchhalter – mixing assistance (track 1)
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sronly|Chart performance}} ! scope="col"| Chart (2024–2025) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 11 March 2024|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1775|page=6|date=11 March 2024}}</ref> | 59 |- {{album chart|Austria|1|M|url=https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/oe3austriatop40longplay/|title=Album Chart 10/2024|work=oe3.orf.at|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=13 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|4|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=10 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|8|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=10 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Croatia|28|date=2024 11|rowheader=true|refname="cr"|access-date=19 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Czech|87|year=2024|week=10|rowheader=true|refname="cz"|access-date=11 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|6|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Finland|2|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|France|10|M|url=http://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?semaine=10?&annee=2024&categorie=Top%20Albums|title=Top Albums (Week 10, 2024)|publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Germany|1|id=531103|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=8 March 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.gr/charts_en.html|title=Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 09/2025|publisher=IFPI Greece|access-date=5 March 2025|lang=el|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305093410/https://www.ifpi.gr/charts_el.html|archive-date=5 March 2025|url-status=dead}}</ref> | 5 |- {{album chart|Hungary|19|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|year=2024|week=10|rowheader=true|access-date=14 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Ireland|78|M|url=http://www.irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Albums|title=Irish Albums Chart: 8 March 2024|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/archivio-classifiche-settimanali/archivio-classifiche-per-settimana/?tipo=2&anno=2024&settimana=10|title=Album – Classifica settimanale WK 10 (dal 01.03.2024 al 07.03.2024)|publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana|language=it|access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref> | 14 |- {{album chart|Poland2|3|date=01.03.2024–07.03.2024|rowheader=true|access-date=14 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Portugal|5|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=13 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|2|date=20240308|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Spain|7|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=12 March 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/54?dspy=2024&dspp=10|title=Veckolista Album, vecka 10|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref> | 1 |- {{album chart|Switzerland|2|artist=Bruce Dickinson|album=The Mandrake Project|rowheader=true|access-date=10 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|UK2|3|date=20240308|rowheader=true|access-date=8 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|1|date=20240308|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKRock|1|date=20240308|rowheader=true|access-date=9 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|176|artist=Bruce Dickinson|rowheader=true|access-date=12 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|30|artist=Bruce Dickinson|rowheader=true|access-date=12 March 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardHardRock|9|artist=Bruce Dickinson|rowheader=true|access-date=12 March 2024}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Bruce Dickinson}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mandrake Project}} Category:2024 albums Category:Bruce Dickinson albums Category:Albums produced by Roy Z