BLAZE BAYLEY – War Within Me (2021

In 2021, Blaze Bayley released one of his finest solo albums, War Within Me.  It was his 10th studio album and somehow it was also his best, rivaling his work with the inimitable Iron Maiden.  It is also his most Maiden-esque, though heavier.  Blaze fails to fall into lyrical cliches and presents a series of cutting riffs, elevating this album to apex predator status.

Opening with a blitzkrieg of battering drums and lightning fast riffing, the title track “War Within Me” is exactly what it sounds like.  It is a battle for the mind!  “Never give up, I won’t back down!” howls Blaze, singing as strongly as he did 30 years ago.  “War within me, every day I fight!”  What an opening!  A mission statement from Blaze, with ribbons of guitars ensnared with cannon-blasts of beats.

Blaze takes us from the battle of the mind to the Battle of Britain of World War II.  The RAF No. 303 squadron is the subject of “303”.  Of course, this is a subject Blaze is familiar with, since Iron Maiden targeted the Battle of Britain with their own “Aces High”, one of Blaze’s top ten Maiden songs that he didn’t sing on.  Like the opening track, this one too blasts forth with the throttle locked on full.  Importantly, Blaze maintains a firm lock on vocal melodies and guitar harmonies.  It’s very Maiden-esque, but cranked.

Blaze wisely slows things down on the third track, “Warrior”, one of the man’s very best songs of his whole career, before he speeds up once again.  The guitar breaks are very Maiden-esque, perhaps even more like Bruce Dickinson’s latter-day solo work with Roy Z.  This is tasty metal, sprinkled with explosive guitar spark.  “I can be a warrior, with courage to rise up again!” growls Blaze like he means it.  Along similar inspirational lines is “Pull Yourself Up”, a grinder that takes the tempo back a notch or two.  The chorus on this one will eventually work its way into your skull like a drill.  One of the riffs is very much like present day Maiden.  The lyrics are obviously very personal to Blaze, with lines like “They said I could not sing.”  This is something you see from those who don’t know.

Stop doubting yourself,
Questioning yourself,
Stop hating yourself,
To believe in yourself.
Control my own thoughts,
Control my own mind,
They said I could not sing,
Come and sing with me!

“Witches Night” is one that takes a few listens to sink in.  Once it does, the chorus sticks.  The acoustic guitar segments add texture to the album, and again there’s a late Maiden quality to it.  Then, “18 Nights” also takes a listen or three to hit properly.  This is a simple tale of a South American tour – flights and earthquakes, oh my!  “Evacuate to higher ground!” warns Blaze.  “Stop the show!”  A blazing winner – pardon the pun.

War Within Me has a semi-conceptual segment that I call the “scientist trilogy”.  There are three parts:  “The Dream of Alan Turing” about AI, “The Power of Nikola Tesla” about free energy, and “The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking” regarding his survival against the odds.  “They only gave him three years to live, but Hawking defied them!”  This track is all about not listening to those who say there is no hope.  “They don’t know everything!” bellows Blaze.  All three songs are excellent, each one different, but all three possessing a mighty Maiden-esque strength, heavier than that band but with similar flavours.  Brilliant choruses on all three.

Appropriately, the album concludes with a ballad called “Every Storm Ends”.  It’s about overcoming, which Blaze has certainly done.  With War Within Me, Blaze has topped everything he released before under his own name.  Not bad after 35 years making music.

4.5/5 stars