Writing and recording The Book of Souls

the album features 2 songs solely written vocalist bruce dickinson.

harris states many of songs written , recorded in studio, adding record s live feel . guitarist janick gers explains involved abandoning previous approach of spending several weeks writing , rehearsing, meant went studio outlines , finished writing songs in studio - learning them, rehearsing them, , putting them down @ once . according guitarist adrian smith, pressure created positive because snaps action . gers states each member brought in approximately hour of original music sessions, though might want use 15 minutes of , result being broad spectrum of musical ideas . of studio collaborations shirley, of album recorded live lots of first takes used added spontaneity.

shadows of valley , death or glory , speed of light , if eternity should fail first songs written album, last of which, according dickinson, written potential solo album , features band s first collective use of drop d tuning. smith states speed of light , death or glory 2 of small minority of tracks completed prior recording sessions, , mark first collaboration between smith , dickinson (without harris) since both members rejoined iron maiden in 1999. both tracks, smith , dickinson deliberately wrote shorter songs in attempt hark previous singles 2 minutes midnight (1984) , can play madness (1988). according dickinson, death or glory first world war triplanes.

unlike band s previous 2 albums, 2006 s matter of life , death , 2010 s final frontier, harris not receive writing credit of record s songs. because harris suffered 2 bereavements during writing stage ( old schoolfriend , member of family ) affected creative output. result more collaborative effort, members except drummer nicko mcbrain receiving writing credit. 1 of harris contributions, tears of clown , co-wrote smith, praised dickinson favourite track book of souls , based on comedian robin williams depression , suicide in 2014.

the release s final song, empire of clouds , replaces rime of ancient mariner (from 1984 s powerslave), band s longest song @ 18 minutes in duration. track features dickinson on piano first time , based on 1930 r101 airship crash. according smith, dickinson spent of album s recording sessions alone writing song in soundproof glass box piano , completed assistance mcbrain. smith states challenge record dickinson laid down piano on own , band played along while following dickinson , shirley s instructions. record store day 2016, empire of clouds issued single on 16 april. along opener if eternity should fail , marks first iron maiden album since powerslave features 2 tracks written solely dickinson. first time since 1998 s virtual xi, final track wasn t written or co-written steve harris. book of souls second album in iron maiden s history (following somewhere in time) in harris has not written or co-written of released singles.

at 92 minutes in length, both longest iron maiden studio album , first double studio record. speaking running time, dickinson comments agreed each track such integral part of whole body of work if needed double album, double s going be!