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Reviews
Bruce Dickinson: Accident of birth
05/10/09 || Global Domination
If this was a fucken accident, I’d like to have another two or three just like this happen, and not fucken soon enough! “Accident of Birth”, my most esteemed readers, started the actual rebirth of Bruce Dickinson into a powerful creative force in heavy metal. The renaissance period that would reach immortality’s heights one record later started here and believe me, there’s nothing accidental about it.
As I’ve said before, Bruce’s first three are decent albums, with some definite highs and lows, and one of these days I’ll eventually get to them and explain myself in a more specific manner. Let’s say we all agree on this and move on. After the experimental “Skunkworks” though, two very important things happened: talented axeman and producer Roy Z joined Bruce again, and brought his bandmates Eddie Casillas and Dave Ingraham over from hard rock outfit “Tribe of Gypsies” to become part of Bruce’s project once more. Secondly, guitar god Adrian Smith decided to come back to the metal world and collaborate with his old friend of all those golden years of Maiden fame. A most welcome turn of events, I must point out. Now Bruce had a proper supporting cast behind him once again, with two excellent guitar players and songwriters to boot!
A great album had to be the result, and they didn’t fucken disappoint. I do know there are some malcontents that do not agree with my views, and award this record less importance than what most of the rest universally agree on. In deference to those granny-shaggers and sheep-fuckers I’ll point out there are a couple of weak tunes on “Accident of Birth” and a throw-away interlude, and overall the record is not as utterly brilliant as “The Chemical Wedding”, which are also the reasons why I don’t make this one a Class 666 by the way. I could, we have that much fucken power over here at GD, but I’m nothing but fucken fair. In any case, “Accident of Birth” is still one of the best heavy metal records of the decade, and that is a fucken fact.
On to the songs themselves, where do I start? The slower, emotional epics it is: “Taking the Queen”, fucken hair-rising and beautifully esoteric, “Man of Sorrows” full of despair and sadness indeed, and dreamy, hopeful “Omega”. Fucken brilliant work indeed! These songs are all ace work, with magnificent melodic nuances, plenty of strings and inspired acoustic guitar passages and Bruce’s singing in a brooding and thoughtful mood that works out wonderfully. On the downside, “Arc of Space” is the only average one of that bunch, a bit too derivative of the previous songs for my taste.
As for the hard-hitting metal anthems, fuck me silly! We got plenty of those in here too! “Freak”, “Starchildren”, “Darkside of Aquarius”, The Road to Hell”, “Accident of Birth” and “Welcome to the Pit” are all excellent songs, which showcase the sinister, slightly mad and ironic side that makes Bruce’s solo work so distinctive for me. These tracks have a balance between aggression, character and melody that makes them some of the best Bruce has ever written. Highly enjoyable stuff for me, easy to please fuck that I am non-withstanding!
These song rock fucken hard, with Adrian and Roy Z spitting riffs and solos of the highest quality all over, too many to fucken mention! The rhythm section of Casillas and Ingraham also shines, driving the songs forward with the required oomph and groove. Bruce’s vocals are outstanding as usual, as he was right around here hitting what must be the greatest form of his career. Reminiscent of the “Seventh Son…” years, but with darker inflexions and nuances added to his delivery to complement the obscure motives of his lyrics, which once again are pretty interesting and catchy. The production of Roy Z deserves special mention too, as being pretty much fucken flawless and perfectly balanced. Also, the cover is fucken hilariously burlesque and the artwork outstanding, keeping in character with the feel of the record quite well.
In the end, “Accident of Birth” is a sign of extraordinary things to come, a big fucken warning sign to the metal world, announcing Bruce was hitting a rich vein of inspiration, the return of Adrian Smith and the emergence of Roy Z as one of the very best producers and guitar players of the genre. Global domination was on the air again for Bruce, after all this time, and he unquestionably capitalized on this creative hot streak hugely when “The Chemical Wedding” came out not long after our subject. As I said before, “Accident of Birth” doesn’t quite reach the heights its successor achieved, yet on its own it qualifies as an exhilarating effort which I dare say started the gradual revitalization of a stale genre. Hats off to Bruce and his pals, for keeping the heavy metal flag flying high during a barren decade such as the 90’s were. You can’t go wrong here, ladies and gentlemen, be assured that within “Accident of Birth” there are to be found some of the finest songs you’ll ever enjoy if heavy metal is yer thing.
- Information
- Released: 1997
- Label: CMC International
- Website: www.screamforme.com
- Band
- Bruce Dickinson: vocals
- Roy Z: guitars
- Adrian Smith: guitars
- Eddie Casillas: bass
- David Ingraham: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Freak
- 02. Toltec 7 Arrival
- 03. Starchildren
- 04. Taking the Queen
- 05. Darkside of Aquarius
- 06. Road to Hell
- 07. Man of Sorrows
- 08. Accident of Birth
- 09. The Magician
- 10. Welcome to the Pit
- 11. Omega
- 12. Arc of Space
- 13. The Ghost of Cain (bonus track)