Throwback: 10 Best Metal Albums Of 2000
3. Iron Maiden - "Brave New World"
The return of Bruce Dickinson to Iron Maiden after a seven-year break saw the band churn out their twelfth studio release in total in the form of "Brave New World."
Granted, Iron Maiden have always made albums that sound decidedly alike, but "Brave New World" just hits differently. Perhaps it's opening track The Wicker Man that incites excitement and represents a rejuvenation of their sound. More likely though, it's the fact that Bruce Dickinson had that seven-year break before he realised he needed to return to the roots of his success, and rejoined Iron Maiden, marking this as their first release since his return, and it received a hugely warm reception from fans at the time.
The drivel the band released under Blaze Bayley saw fans dropping like flies, and loyalty to the band wavering. As proven by their standing in today's metal community though, and headlining festivals around the globe even now, Bruce's return was absolutely the saving grace for Iron Maiden. "Brave New World" as an album solidified old school metal purists' belief that Iron Maiden are the greatest band on the planet.
As comeback albums go, this is easily one of the strongest in the genre, although certainly no "Number of the Beast."