In the mid 1990s, Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley gained a brief few years of fame as the vocalist who replaced Bruce Dickinson in Iron Maiden. Bayley’s partnership with Maiden was short lived, and those albums tend to draw in a mixed reception from fans. Despite that, the experience did introduce him to a larger fanbase, and ever since he has pursued a solo career, releasing numerous albums. To this day, he remains active.
Infinite Entanglement is the latest studio album from Blaze Bayley, and his latest release of original material since 2012’s The King of Metal. How is the former Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden vocalist holding up all these years later, and is this an album worth adding to your collection?
I was not expecting to see another Blaze Bayley solo album, but Infinite Entanglement has ended up being one of the unexpected surprises in 2016. While I admit that I have not heard a good deal of his post-Maiden material, this record stands as truth that he is an underrated, powerful musician who needs to be seen as more than “that guy that used to be in Iron Maiden.”
Infinite Entanglement is a surprisingly solid record. The sound is largely modern driven, and hard and heavy throughout. Despite this, Bayley is not afraid to diversify his sound, showing off some slower and more progressive gems on the record as well. I have always admired Bayley for not clinging to his 15 minutes of fame with Iron Maiden; this album is radically different and shows this underrated vocalist continuing to push himself forward musically. It comes off as something of a concept album, with the occasional “spoken word” part to push things along. This element feels a bit campy at times, but at the end of the day it just adds to the experience.
You are going to find a lot to enjoy about Blaze Bayley’s latest studio album. Heavy, modern, and progressive at the same time, it is an unexpected surprise showing you that the former Maiden frontman is still pushing himself forward. An unexpected surprise, Infinite Entanglement comes recommended!