#dave ingraham

Accident of Birth was heralded as a return to form for Bruce Dickinson after the alt-metal and grunge overtures of Balls to Picasso and Skunkworks, but not all of the once and future Iron Maiden frontman’s fourth solo album was entirely nostalgic.  In fact, it opened with something that not only married all of his previous sounds, but also nudged towards the avenues Dickinson would soon travel on The Chemical Wedding: “Freak” had the level of craftsmanship one would expect, and Bruce’s voice soared like 1986, but Roy Z.’s guitars were almost nu metal in their downtuned sound (indeed, this very attribute made the song impossible to perform live), Adrian Smith was similarly more rhythmic in his playing, Dave Ingraham’s phenomenal drumming was in pocket and didn’t at all attempt to replicate Nicko McBrain, and there was just an overall air of mystery to the proceedings, as opposed to more direct numbers like “Road to Hell” and “Accident of Birth”.  So “Freak” was both trad- and alt-metal, and uniquely Bruce Dickinson, and as a result was vital in not only resetting the man’s career, but also giving him a distinct musical identity.

The decision to take “Return of the King” out of The Chemical Wedding’s running sequence was a wise one, as it did not fit in at all with the album’s sonic textures and themes.  If anything, it would’ve made much more sense on either Accident of Birth or Tyranny of Souls, both of which were less overtly conceptual.  All the same, the song was yet another Bruce Dickinson solo gem that emerged during his late ‘90s hot streak: from the underrated Skunkworks all the way to the moment he returned to Iron Maiden, the man could do no wrong, leading two shit-hot bands to the creative if not commercial promised land.  And “Return of the King” found Dickinson, Roy Z., Adrian Smith and the phenomenal Dave Ingraham effortlessly roaring away, riding a chugging riff and lethal groove to its logical conclusion.  In many ways, it all seemed so obvious, and yet Bruce was the only one even attempting a song that was creative, metallic and pleasurable all at once, and it went a long way in explaining just why he was and still is one of metal’s 4 or 5 greatest icons.

Accident of Birth wasn’t just Bruce Dickinson recommitting himself to metal, but also recommitting himself to a specific kind of metal: up to that point, his solo career had consisted of one lighthearted hard rock record, one attempt at alternative metal, and a post-grunge space rock effort.  But the man’s fourth solo LP signified his desire to not only play no-frills heavy metal, but specifically the type of metal that made him famous the world over.  And although the presence of Adrian Smith was rather overstated (he only co-wrote 3 songs on the record), Accident of Birth did indeed have both the fleetness of attack and melodic flourishes of the Iron Maiden discography circa 1983-1988. Specifically, “The Magician” had the driving momentum of Piece of Mind, the gang choruses of “Heaven Can Wait”, and the ringleader bellowing that defined Dickinson’s first tenure with Maiden.  It was all there in plain sight, and if the song perhaps felt overly comfortable for both the singer and his audience, it was also so firmly in his wheelhouse that one couldn’t help but rock out and shout along. And although The Chemical Wedding was ultimately a superior record, it was songs like “The Magician” that helped one of metal’s greatest voices re-center himself and begin his return to full glory.

* Long Live Rock Archive

* Long Live Rock Archive

GHX Rear Entrance, Louisville, Colorado //  Dave Ingraham