BRUCE DICKINSON – More Balls To Picasso

In 1994, Bruce Dickinson stepped out from behind Iron Maiden’s iconic shadow to prove he was more than just the voice of metal’s most enduring band. Balls to Picasso, his second solo album, showed fans a different side—experimental, soulful, and surprisingly introspective. It was his first full collaboration with guitarist/producer Roy Z and Tribe of Gypsies, marking the start of a fruitful creative partnership. With tracks like “Tears of the Dragon” and “Shoot All the Clowns,” Dickinson forged his own artistic identity while laying the groundwork for future solo classics.

Fast forward 30 years, and Dickinson is once again painting outside the lines. More Balls to Picasso isn’t just a remaster—it’s a full-scale remix and reinvention, loaded with newly recorded parts, cinematic additions, and a fresh sonic mix that aims to modernize the album for a new era. The result is a fascinating, if uneven, listening experience.

What’s New Under the Hood

According to Bruce, this project stemmed from his work remixing his catalog into Dolby Atmos. “I had a nagging desire to revisit and reinvent the record,” he says. “So putting more balls into Balls… was a labor of love.”

This updated version features new guitar work from Philip Naslund (supplementing Roy Z’s originals), orchestration by Brazilian composer Antonio Teoli—including indigenous Amazonian instruments on “Gods of War”—and a horn section on “Shoot All the Clowns” performed by students from Berklee College of Music. It was all mixed by Brendan Duffey (of The Mandrake Project fame), with input from original producer Shay Baby.

There’s a lot to appreciate here. Vocals, drums, and bass now sound significantly more powerful and defined in the mix. Dickinson’s voice cuts through with clarity and conviction. The rhythm section grooves harder, with a heavier and more immediate presence. On “Cyclops,” the remix adds industrial textures that recall Nine Inch Nails—a bold move that actually works.

But the guitar sound? That’s where things start to unravel.

Roy Z’s original playing—full of nuance and character—is frequently buried under modern, compressed tones that sound more like amp simulators than real tube amps. In some tracks, like “1000 Points of Light,” the new overdubs overpower the mix and crowd out Bruce’s vocal lines. Worse, the guitar tone often feels artificial and clipped—robbing the songs of their original organic crunch.

And then there’s the reverb—lots of reverb. At times, the album feels like it’s swimming in it, diluting the punch and presence that made the original mix so visceral. The orchestral remake of “Tears of the Dragon” is lush and dramatic, but it trades emotional intimacy for cinematic bombast. The original’s stripped-back arrangement had a haunting vulnerability that’s lost in this new version.

That said, not all is lost. The two unreleased live-in-the-studio tracks—“Gods of War” and “Shoot All the Clowns”—are absolute bangers. They sound raw, alive, and full of the kind of unfiltered energy that can’t be recreated in post. These bonus cuts are arguably the best part of the whole release.

Final Notes

More Balls to Picasso is a fascinating, sometimes frustrating revisitation of one of Bruce Dickinson’s most pivotal solo releases. There are clear wins—the improved clarity in rhythm sections, the energy of the live bonus tracks, and the fresh arrangement ideas on songs like “Cyclops.” For longtime fans and collectors, the album offers new angles on familiar material, and for newcomers, it may even serve as a gateway into Bruce’s solo career.

But for purists, the modern polish comes with a cost. Overbearing reverb, clipped guitar tones, and some heavy-handed remix choices can leave parts of the album feeling overwrought.

Still, there’s something to admire in Bruce’s willingness to experiment with his own legacy. He isn’t just polishing a relic—he’s repainting it, flaws and all. And if nothing else, More Balls to Picasso succeeds in one major way: it drives you back to the original masterpiece for another listen. And maybe that’s exactly what it was meant to do.

Lineup

• Bruce Dickinson – vocals
• Roy Z – guitar
• Eddie Casillas – bass guitar
• David Ingraham – drums
• Doug Van Booven – percussion
• Dean Ortega – vocals
• Mario Aguilar – percussion on “Shoot All the Clowns”

Additional musicians

• Dickie Fliszar – drums on “Tears of the Dragon”
• Richard Baker – keyboards and programming

Production

• Shay Baby – producer, mixing

“More Balls to Picasso”

• Philip Naslund
• Adassi Addasi
• Antonio Teoli

More Balls To Picasso – Tracklist

1. Cyclops
2. Hell No
3. Gods of War
4. 1000 Points of Light
5. Laughing in the Hiding Bush
6. Change of Heart
7. Shoot All the Clowns
8. Fire
9. Sacred Cowboys
10. Tears of the Dragon
11. Gods of War (Live in the Studio)*
12. Shoot All the Clowns (Live in the Studio)*

* Previously unreleased