"Empire of the Clouds", at 18 minutes in length, is Iron Maiden's longest song to date, overtaking "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" from their 1984 album, Powerslave. The track tells the story of the British R101 airship, which crashed in northern France on 5 October 1930 during its maiden voyage. The song was written entirely by the band's lead vocalist, Bruce Dickinson.
Dickinson largely composed "Empire of the Clouds" during The Book of Souls' recording sessions at Guillaume Tell Studios, Paris. According to one of the group's guitarists, Adrian Smith, Dickinson "was working on it for about a month on his own" in a sound-proof booth. The track features Dickinson's debut on piano, as he used the studio's Steinway grand piano to write the song, although he used a keyboard on the actual recording, thereby making it easier to edit out his mistakes.
REVIEW: Bruce Dickinson - "Afterglow of Ragnarok" (2023 single)
BRUCE DICKINSON – “Afterglow of Ragnarok” (2023 BMG 7″ single)
In 2024 we will be graced by a new Bruce Dickinson platter, his first solo album since Tyranny of Souls in 2005. He’s back with Roy Z, and a forthcoming concept album called The Mandrake Project. This single is billed as a “prequel”. It comes with a beautiful, full colour comic book insert, installed in the middle of the gatefold. …