In 1994, Sarajevo was a city enduring a lengthy and brutal siege. With civilians in the cross-fire and an uneasy UN presence in the country, two UN personnel came up with the idea of inviting Bruce Dickinson to play a concert to entertain the huddled masses. As unlikely as the concept seemed, Bruce and his band agreed, braving conditions that few in Western Europe have seen or experienced since the days of the second World War to deliver a concert in the heart of the shattered city. Whilst some might question the wisdom of such a venture, one thing that the 95-minute documentary, to which this CD acts as the soundtrack, does very well is to capture the remarkable emotion and, yes, hope that Bruce’s appearance in the war-torn capital instilled. At the people of Sarajevo’s darkest hour, here was a rock star unafraid to face the danger alongside his fans, and you can feel, even from interviews conducted years later, that this was a moment, amidst all the carnage, that allowed the participants a glimpse of humanity. It is a testament to the unifying, redemptive power of music and the film, reviewed elsewhere, is essential viewing.
Although no record of the full concert exists, a rock documentary needs a soundtrack, and this accompanying compilation draws together a mix of fan favourites and rarities covering a considerable amount of Bruce’s career. As an added incentive, the booklet contains a lengthy interview with Chris Dale which gives considerable detail on how Bruce Dickinson and his band truly risked life and limb for their art. It’s a nice addition to the package and the selection of songs on offer, although all previously released, are well-chosen to soundtrack a film that does not shy away from showing the horrors of the Sarajevo siege.
Covering the majority of Bruce’s output (‘Tattooed millionaire’ is, strangely, ignored), the disc kicks off with a trio of tracks from 1994’s ‘Balls to Picasso’. Opening with the subtle ‘change of heart’, we also get the restrained beauty of ‘tears of the dragon’, a wistful highlight of the album that sees Bruce delivering a powerful vocal performance over a backing that has much in common with Maiden’s more prog-infused output. Things get heavier with the crushing ‘Gods of war’, a track that pairs Dave Ingraham’s tribal drums with Roy Z’s chunky guitars to grand effect. 1997’s ‘Accident of birth’ is represented with four songs, the first of which being the awesome ‘Darkside of Aquarius’ (featuring guitars from Maiden mainstay Adrian Smith) before we jump forward to the acoustic-led prog of ‘navigate the seas of the sun’ from 2005’s ‘Tyranny of souls’ album. Bruce doesn’t keep us stargazing for too long, however, and it’s back to ‘Accident of Birth’ for a blisteringly heavy and aptly-titled ‘road to hell’. It’s neatly followed by the elegant acoustic strum of ‘Arc of space’ and the haunting ‘Omega’, two tracks that showcase the depth and power of Bruce’s song-writing and which do a fine job of reminding the listener exactly why ‘Accident of Birth’ is considered to be one of his finest works. Two more tracks from Tyranny of souls’ follow. ‘River of no return, with its skittering electronica and dirty riffing giving off an eighties stadium vibe that feels at odds with the other material on offer here. Nonetheless, it’s a strangely addictive track, and Bruce’s gift for crafting melodies that linger remains unparalleled in hard rock. In contrast, the searing lead harmonies of ‘power of the sun’ get the adrenalin flowing as Roy Z lays down a ferocious backdrop over which Bruce can unleash his trademark wail.
Only two tracks appear to represent the Jack Endino-produced ‘Skunkworks’, an album that saw Bruce steadfastly refute the notion that heavy metal was all he could do. Only ‘strange death in paradise’ is drawn from the album itself, and although the track does not sound out of place, you can feel Bruce and his band eschewing the blistering twin-guitar assaults and vocal histrionics for a darker approach that slots in neatly alongside mid-period soundgarden. An unfairly dismissed album, ‘Skunkworks’ showed that Bruce had an intuitive grasp of the alternative scene and ‘strange death in paradise’ also serves as a reminder that Alex Dickson provided a fine foil to Bruce in the absence of Z. From the Skunkworks ‘Live EP’, ‘Inertia’ is a track that seems to lyrically chart Bruce’s experiences in Sarajevo. Grounded in a stark reality , it is a powerful song and one that perfectly sums up the overall vibe of the soundtrack. Disappointingly, ‘Chemical Wedding’ (Bruce’s heaviest outing) is represented in only one track (and a bonus track at that), in the form of ‘acoustic song’. It’s a lovely piece that fits the rather subdued mood of the track-listing, but ‘Chemical Wedding’ is such an exceptional album that it’s hard not to wish for more. The album concludes with another bonus track, this time from ‘Tyranny of souls’, in the form of ‘Eternal’, an epic close that feels tailor made for the end credits with its impassioned vocal performance and synth orchestration.
Offering up thematically, rather than musically, heavy songs for a thematically heavy film, ‘Scream for me Sarajevo’ is an interesting, frequently haunting ride through Bruce’s back catalogue. The performances are exemplary (but then you knew that already), and the compilation serves as an ideal companion to a film that shows the lengths to which Bruce will go for his art and for his fans. Not as essential as the movie, given it contains material that has all been previously released, it is, nonetheless, a thoughtful soundtrack that evokes the drama of the film. 7
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