Iron Maiden gives the melody and the voice of Bruce Dickinson space in the new work ★★★★☆

June was the month of the old rock heroes. They came to our parks, festivals and football stadiums with their trucks full of show stuff, pretending they were in the prime of their artistic life. Which, of course, usually wasn’t the case.

But unlike the Eagles, Eric Clapton and Guns N’ Roses for example, Iron Maiden is certainly still vital and even urgent because the band still, very dutifully, releases solid new work. The founders of the new British heavy metal, who took the world by storm from the late 1970s, released the handsome double album Senjutsu out, with songs that really ushered in a new phase of the band’s life. Iron Maiden has calmed down and gives the always strong guitar melodies even more space. Singer Bruce Dickinson is finally allowed to explore his lower vocal registers.

How does that turn out live, you wonder. And in the steaming Gelredome you have to quickly conclude on Monday: pretty good.

Fortunately, the show in the nearly sold-out stadium starts with such a beautiful new song from the latest album, which also says everything about Iron Maiden’s musical development. The title track Senjutsu is built around hollow, march-like drums designed to create a Japanese samurai atmosphere. It is actually a song without a chorus – or as one long chorus, depending on how you listen to it – but in the Gelredome it sounds beautiful. The sound is just okay; the no less than three guitars orbiting around each other are sharp as a katana (samurai sword). And even more gratifying: Bruce Dickinson’s voice, who has been hit hard in recent years, partly due to a serious illness, is in good shape. Also because the reverberation is excellent: compliments for the sound technology.

The next brand new song, The Writing on the Wall, also sounds as clear as a fresh mountain stream, especially thanks to a beautiful solo by guitarist Dave Murray. What are we going to experience here?

Iron Maiden understands of course that the audience wants to hear and especially see hits. After the opening numbers in a Japanese setting, new sets are moved onto the stage, as in an old-fashioned frame theatre. The number Flight of Icarusfrom the plate Piece of Mindis breathtakingly beautiful, with a giant silver angel hovering above the band.

Then a glorious final sprint begins, with the biggest metal hits from the catalog. Of course Iron Maiden also floats on the oeuvre from the best years, but sound in this blazing form Hallowed Be Thy Name and The Number of the Beast like they just rolled off the drawing board. If we judge this show by Iron Maiden as the best possible implementation of their own classical music work, then it could hardly be better, according to the stadium-wide audience who sing along. The fresh performance of the new repertoire makes the metal party complete. That we could still experience this.