Brave New World is the twelfth studio album by Iron Maiden, released on May 29, 2000. It was their first studio release since the return of longtime lead singer Bruce Dickinson (who left in 1993) and guitarist Adrian Smith (who left in 1990) in 1999, as well as the band’s first studio recording as a six-piece, as Janick Gers, who replaced Smith in 1990, remained with the band.
The album artwork and title song are references to the novel of the same name written by Aldous Huxley. The upper half of the artwork was created by Derek Riggs, with the bottom half by digital artist Steve Stone. The songs The Wicker Man and Out of the Silent Planet were both released as singles. The promotional radio release of The Wicker Man featured extra vocals in the chorus not present in any other versions of the song.
The Brave New World Tour was the tour in support of the album, during which the show at Rock in Rio was recorded and later released as a live album and video. Brave New World peaked at No. 7 in the UK Albums Chart, and has since been certified Gold. In the United States, it debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200, and registered over 307,000 sales on the Nielsen SoundScan system in 2008.
Tracklist:
- The Wicker Man
- Ghost of the Navigator
- Brave New World
- Blood Brothers
- The Mercenary
- Dream of Mirrors
- The Fallen Angel
- The Nomad
- Out of the Silent Planet
- The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Iron Maiden
Bruce Dickinson: vocals
Dave Murray: guitars
Janick Gers: guitars
Adrian Smith: guitars
Steve Harris: bass, keyboards
Nicko McBrain: drums
Additional personnel
Kevin Shirley: production, engineering, mixing
Steve Harris: co-production
Denis Caribaux: second engineer
Nicolas Meyer: assistant engineer
Rory Romano: assistant engineer
Jeff Bova: orchestration on “Blood Brothers” and “The Nomad”
George Marino: mastering
Derek Riggs: sleeve illustration
Steve Stone: sleeve illustration
Peacock: sleeve design, sleeve concept
Dean Karr: photography
Rod Smallwood: management
Andy Taylor: management
Merck Mercuriadis: management