Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden has shared a teaser for the song “Afterglow of Ragnarok,” the lead single from his upcoming solo album, The Mandrake Project (arriving sometime in 2024). He has also added a run of 2024 UK/European tour dates in support of the LP.

The teaser is only 27 seconds long and appears to be a snippet of a chorus refrain, with Dickinson busting out a rare growl for the titular phrase: “Afterglow of Ragnarok!” We can already deduce that the song has a epic metal sound, a la Iron Maiden, with surging guitars and prominent synths.

The full track will be available on December 1st in 7″ vinyl form accompanied by an eight-page “prequel” comic and a B-side featuring Dickinson’s demo for the Iron Maiden track “If Eternity Should Fail” (originally released on 2015’s The Book of Souls). Per a press release, the single is meant to introduce the conceptual narrative for The Mandrake Project, which will be “a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius.”

“It was important to set the tone of the project with this track,” Dickinson stated in the press release. “As befitting its title, it’s a heavy song and there’s a great big riff driving it…but there’s also a real melody in the chorus that displays the light and shade that the rest of the album brings… and just wait until you see the video!”

In addition to the music, the narrative will also be explored via three graphic novel supplements that were created by Dickinson, scripted by Tony Lee, and illustrated by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics. The series features 12 episodes that will be collected in the graphic novels, which will be launched in 2024 following the eight-page prequel in December.

Fans can expect more details on The Mandrake Project when Dickinson appears as the keynote speaker on the opening day of CCXP23, Brazil’s Comic-Con event in Sao Paulo, on November 30th.

In addition to the single teaser, Dickinson has also revealed a new set of UK/European tour dates in support of the album, following the previously announced run of Central and South American dates in April/May. The singer’s touring band will feature guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bassist Tanya O’Callaghan, and keyboardist Mistheria. You can tickets here.

The 7″ vinyl of “Afterglow of Ragnarok” can be pre-ordered via The Mandrake Project website. Stream the teaser and see the full list of Dickinson’s tour dates below.

“Afterglow of Ragnarok” Artwork: