Having decided not to pursue the direction explored on Skunkworks, Accident of Birth – seen as a triumphant return to form – was released a little over a year later. It feels like a celebration of what makes metal and Bruce Dickinson so enthralling. With Adrian Smith added to his band and the collaboration with Roy Z continuing, he produced the best album that he (or Iron Maiden) had released since Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. Throughout Accident of Birth, Smith and Roy Z combined in an exceptional variety of intricate and beguiling riffs and Dickinson’s vocal performance stands proudly with anything in his career. There is a theatricality (in the best sense of the word) to his deliver that imbues the album with a sense of grandeur, making each song not just a track but a story unto itself. The use of cello and violin on Taking The Queen, Man of Sorrows and Arc of Space add a stunning elegance to their arrangement and the quieter moments of the album are just as alluring as any of the incendiary faster paced tracks – the guitar solo on Taking The Queen is simple breathtaking. Soaring solos, perfect production values and as an album that is musically both reflective and forward looking, it still stands as one of Dickinson’s two undisputed masterpieces.