BLAZE BAYLEY – Damaged Strange Different and Live

The ever-reliable and inspiring Blaze Bayley never ceases to amaze me, nor does he ever deliver a lukewarm or lackluster performance, which is perfectly illustrated by this sharp and potent 9-track live document of his that is set for release in early July.

With that strong and powerful voice of his not to mention a killer lineup of musicians, we are treated to five songs from the stately War Within Me opus (2021) – one of his finest outputs to date – and four epic classics from the Iron Maiden years, namely the catchy ‘Lord of the Flies’, the two brooding towers of melancholy entitled ‘Fortunes of War’ and ‘Judgment of Heaven’, and finally, the moving and beautiful ‘Como Estais Amigos’. Although the fierce and uplifting ‘Pull Yourself Up’ and the dark, rousing ‘Fortunes of War’ are my two favorite tracks on the disc and stand out due to them possessing that little extra something, there is absolutely nothing on Damaged Strange Different and Live that lacks spirit, punch, or the ability to stir the heavy metal senses.

Raw, honest, and one fantastic listening experience, Blaze once again shows us how things are supposed to be done.