Blaze Bayley - Infinite Entanglement

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Infinite Entangled Maiden Factor

I’ve been screaming for years how it’s a sin that Blaze Bayley isn’t bigger and the Metal World should be ashamed of themselves and here I go again, I’ll briefly recap I think 'The X Factor' is one of Iron Maiden’s best albums and Blaze’s solo output since being ousted out of Maiden has been criminally under rated.

Right, 'Infinite Entanglement' is Blaze’s seventh full length solo album and his first since 2012’s 'The King of Metal' he’s put out an acoustic EP, a greatest hits package with some new songs and a live DVD since then. This is a concept album which deals with a Phillip K Dick style theme of machine and man. It sees Blaze return to Science Fiction a theme he dealt with on his first two albums 'Silicon Messiah' and 'Tenth Dimension' before turning his lyrics more introspective and personal.

The album works on two levels it works as both a concept album, the story flows nicely and the songs stand on their own separately which is a hard balance to find. It’s by far the best album Blaze has put out since 'Promise and Terror' and the biggest contributing factor to this is that he has a great backing band again.

The band he has is a from Absolva who evolved from Fury UK who toured supporting Blaze years previously, that and the fact the band have been touring as his backing band for the last couple of years the group have obviously formed a bond and are not just hired guns like on 'The King of Metal' which a few highlights aside was ultimately his weakest album.

Tracks like 'A thousand Years' and 'Stars are Burning' see Blaze back at his best. One thing he has always excelled at is writing a memorable and anthemic chorus and the chorus to 'Calling you Home' will ring in your head for days. Thomas Zwijen who played on 'The King of Metal' and the acoustic EP 'Russian Holiday' returns on the beautiful acoustic 'What will Come' which is accompanied by wonderful violin playing by Anne Bakker.

All in all forget his past, this is a classic Heavy Metal album and which deserves the attention of traditional metal fans and yes it does stand up against Iron Maiden especially if you are of the opinion their later stuff is too Prog-gy and you want something in that vein but a bit more  straight forward.

In Blaze’s own catalog I still say 'Silicon Messiah' is his classic and 'The man who would not Die' and 'Promise and Terror' were his masterpieces but this sits just behind those three, he seems to be on a role with the concept because it’s looking like this will be a trilogy. Go check this album out folks!.

Review by Joe Denby 

Check Out! the Video for the title Track 'Infinite Entanglement​' Below...