Undisputed rock legend Bruce Dickinson has released his brand new single, ‘Rain On The Graves’, accompanied by a thrilling video introducing Bruce’s live band, comprising guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bass-player Tanya O’Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria.
“Rain On The Graves” is the second single to be taken from Bruce Dickinson’s forthcoming solo album The Mandrake Project which will be released on March 1st, via BMG. Riding on a towering guitar riff, with dramatic keyboards and a commanding vocal performance, it was inspired by a rainy visit to Romantic poet William Wordsworth’s grave in the Lake District. The song grew into a rumination on the nature of mortality and the deal with the Devil that artists have come to feel themselves making ever since Robert Johnson proved it worthwhile back in the 1930s.
“I had the chorus lyric in my head since I visited Grasmere for a wedding back in 2012,” explains Bruce, “and it wasn’t difficult years later to create the rest of the song with so much rich imagery in my head!” It is a classic Dickinson/Roy Z collaboration; a catchy but heavy piece – full of melody but stripping out the spoken vocals of the verses in almost poetic fashion – maybe a further ode to the great wordsmith who inspired the title, somehow juxtaposed with music fit to raise the ghost of Robert Johnson at his metaphorical crossroads.
With a video shot entirely in a wintery Cornwall – again with Director Ryan Mackfall – we get to see Bruce the actor, a preacher no less, making his own deal with the Devil and dragging his ‘House Band from Hell’ into the bargain.
The follow up single to the hugely acclaimed track “Afterglow Of Ragnarok,” “Rain On The Graves” showcases the inventive, expansive and absorbing nature of The Mandrake Project.
Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, the album sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making. Created with co-writer and producer Roy Z, they have crafted one of the defining rock albums of 2024.
However, The Mandrake Project is not just an album. The comic book of the same name is a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius. Created by Bruce Dickinson, it is a collectable series of graphic novels scripted by Tony Lee (Dr Who), stunningly illustrated by Staz Johnson (2000AD) & with covers by industry heavyweight Bill Sienkiewicz for Z2 Comics, which will be released as 12 quarterly issues that will be collated into three annual graphic novels with the first coming at the end of 2024. The first individual episode was released in comic shops on January 17th & the special Collectors’ Edition sold out within 48 hours of release.
Bruce Dickinson and his phenomenal band will bring the music of The Mandrake Project to life with a major headline tour this spring and summer. A newly announced extra show in Wolverhampton at the re-furbished The Halls on May 16th will go on sale next week with presale details on www.themandrakeproject.com
Support in the U.K., Paris & Tilburg comes from New Zealand up & coming rockers, Black Smoke Trigger.
Bruce Dickinson – The Mandrake Project Tour
18th April – Diana Theater, Guadalajara, MEXICO
20th April – Pepsi Theatre, Mexico City, MEXICO
24th April – Live Curitiba, Curitiba, BRAZIL
25th April – Pepsi On Stage, Porto Alegre, BRAZIL
27th April – Opera Hall, Brasilia, BRAZIL
28th April – Arena Hall, Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL
30th April – Qualistage, Rio De Janeiro, BRAZIL
2nd May – Quinta Linda, Ribeirao Preto, BRAZIL
4th May – Vibra, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
16th May – The Halls, Wolverhampton, UK +
18th May – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, UK
19th May – O2 Academy, Manchester, UK
21st May – Arena, Swansea, UK
23rd May – Rock City, Nottingham, UK
24th May – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London, UK
26th May – L’Olympia, Paris, FRANCE
28th May – 013, Tilburg, HOLLAND
29th May – De Oosterport, Groningen, HOLLAND
1st June – Barba Negra, Budapest, HUNGARY
3rd June – Arenale Romane, Bucharest, ROMANIA
6th June – Mystic Festival, Gdansk, POLAND *
5-8th June – Sweden Rock Festival, Solvesborg, SWEDEN *
9th June – Rockefeller, Oslo, NORWAY
11th June – Grona Lund, Stockholm, SWEDEN
13th June – House Of Culture, Helsinki, FINLAND
14th June – Noblessner Foundry, Tallinn, ESTONIA
16th June – Huxleys Neue Welt, Berlin, GERMANY
17th June – Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg, GERMANY
19 – 22nd June – Copenhell, Copenhagen, DENMARK *
21st June – Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel, BELGIUM *
22nd June – Summerside Festival, Grenchen, SWITZERLAND *
24th June – Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar, Mannheim, GERMANY *
25th June – Circus Krone, Munich, GERMANY
26th – 29th June – Resurrection Festival, Galicia, SPAIN *+
27-30th June – Hellfest, Clisson, FRANCE *
30th June – Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette, LUXEMBOURG
3-6th July – Rockharz Open Air, Ballenstedt, GERMANY *
5th July – Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Rock In Roma, Rome, ITALY *
6th July – Bassano Del Grappa, Metal Park, Vincenza, ITALY *
9th July – E-Werk, Koln, GERMANY
11th – 14th July – Masters Of Rock Festival, Vizovice, Czech Republic *+
13th July – Hala, Zagreb, CROATIA
16th July – Kolodrum Arena, Sofia, BULGARIA
19th July – Kucukciftlik Park, Istanbul, TURKEY
21st July – Release, Athens, GREECE *
* – festival performance
+ – new date added
For more information regarding the tour click here
For more information on the comic series click here
The Mandrake Project will be Dickinson’s seventh solo album. It will be released via BMG worldwide on multiple formats.
The Mandrake Project – tracklisting
Afterglow Of Ragnarok (05.45)
Many Doors To Hell (04.48)
Rain On The Graves (05.05)
Resurrection Men (06.24)
Fingers In The Wounds (03.39)
Eternity Has Failed (06.59)
Mistress Of Mercy (05.08)
Face In The Mirror (04.08)
Shadow Of The Gods (07.02)
Sonata (Immortal Beloved) (09.51)
Obsessed with all things horror, video games, comics and vinyl, Dylan has been surrounded by all things geek culture since birth. Along with writing for Icon Versus Icon he’s also the co-host for the year long Christmas podcast, “Christmas 365”.
“No wimps. No False Metal.”
