Iron Maiden: Bruce Dickinson (vocals); Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Jannick Gers (guitar); Steve Harris (bass); Nicko McBrain (drums).

Recorded at Sarm Studios (West), London, England.

Thirteen proves to be quite the lucky number for Iron Maiden as DANCE OF DEATH, the 2003 studio offering by these metal legends, picks up where BRAVE NEW WORLD, its predecessor and first album reuniting Bruce Dickinson with the band, left off. In keeping with Maiden's penchant for looking to history and literature for inspiration, songs like the eight-minute plus "Paschendale," with its light use of strings and intriguing time changes, is based on a historic World War I battle. Likewise "Montsegur," a song soaked in soaring leads and a galloping rhythm follows a similar path as an ode to the Cathars, a French religious sect that established its own civilization in the Middle Ages. To be sure, there's more than enough Dark Age-inspired drama in the shape of the supernatural title cut and stampeding "New Frontier," but this U.K. sextet throws a true curve by way of "Journeyman," a closing cut shrouded in strings and acoustic guitar that's every bit as moving as anything else on DANCE OF DEATH.

Q (10/03, p.108) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...'Wildest Dreams' is a fiery opener and 'Paschendale' a mighty epic....There's still nobody who does blood and thunder quite like Iron Maiden.."