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Timothy S. Griffin

Iron Maiden share "Speed of Light" from upcoming double album 'The Book of Souls' (listen)

by Andrew Sacher

photo: Iron Maiden in Austin in 2013 (more by Tim Griffin)
Iron Maiden

Heavy metal legends Iron Maiden are one of the rare bands who never stopped making good records, decades removed from what’s most universally considered their classic period. We’re now 35 years out from their debut album, and from the sounds of brand new single “Speed of Light” it looks like that trend is not ending. “Speed of Light” isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it sounds refreshing as hell. And with countless younger bands aping older metal, how do you complain about a song this good from a band who helped write the book on this kind of stuff? Listen below.

“Speed of Light” will appear on the band’s upcoming sixteenth album, The Book of Souls, which will also be their first double album. It’s also the band’s first album since Bruce Dickinson was sadly diagnosed with cancer. The album drops September 4. Artwork and tracklist below.

Iron Maiden

Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. If Eternity Should Fail (Dickinson) 8:28
2. Speed Of Light (Smith/ Dickinson) 5:01
3. The Great Unknown (Smith/ Harris) 6:37
4. The Red And The Black (Harris) 13:33
5. When The River Runs Deep (Smith/ Harris) 5:52
6. The Book Of Souls (Gers/ Harris) 10:27

Disc 2
7. Death Or Glory (Smith/ Dickinson) 5:13
8. Shadows Of The Valley (Gers/ Harris) 7:32
9. Tears Of A Clown (Smith/ Harris) 4:59
10. The Man Of Sorrows (Murray/ Harris) 6:28
11. Empire Of The Clouds (Dickinson) 18:01