Band:	Bruce Dickinson
Album:	Skunkworks
Style:	Hard rock
Release date:	1996
Guest review by:	omne metallum

01. Space Race
02. Back From The Edge
03. Inertia
04. Faith
05. Solar Confinement
06. Dreamstate
07. I Will Not Accept The Truth
08. Inside The Machine
09. Headswitch
10. Meltdown
11. Octavia
12. Innerspace
13. Strange Death In Paradise

Any preconceived notions of what to expect from the (then ex) lead singer of Iron Maiden should left at the door; this is an album that puts a lot of sonic distance between him and his erstwhile bandmates. If you take this album for what it is, a collection of experimental alt-metal tracks created by a man with a point to prove, with a gang of young musicians willing to lend their talents to one of the best voices in metal; you will truly appreciate what you're hearing.

Where this album excels is when the music acts as a supporting cast to the singer; yes, they're very talented musicians and they show of these talents in spades, but make no mistake about it, Dickinson is the star of the show. Almost as a reaction to the creative stifling he felt in Iron Maiden, he purposefully explores areas of his voice that were once deemed off limits. As cathartic to him as it is enjoyable to the listener, Dickinson shows why he is considered one of the best singers of all time. This teamwork is what pushes tracks like "Back From The Edge", "Inside The Machine" and "Faith" to heights that could rival his past (and future) work.

The production of grunge luminary Jack Endino fits the shift in sound the music was written to accomplish. Balancing all the elements contained within, it maintains the moodiness yet allows the instruments to sound bouncy. The bass work of Chris Dale is the secret weapon of this album, offering interesting riffs and rhythms that add the light to the darkness of the track; thankfully, Endino places it perfectly in the mix.

Sure, the album has it's flaws. "I Will Not Accept The Truth" and "IDreamstate" aim for broody and lumbering, but the only lumbering that gets done is when you inevitably fall asleep to them. Credit where credit is due though; when you wholesale shift your sound up, a few clunkers are to be expected, and this album has theirs.

While we could add a follow up to this album to the list of albums that need to be made, I would pause that thought and realize that this album was a product of circumstance, a bolt of lightning unlikely to strike twice, and make the most of what there is to be had here.