You thought Seventh Son was a great album? I don't think you've seen enough yet. If Seventh Son of A Seventh Son was my favorite 80s Maiden album, then this is probably my favorite ever from Iron Maiden. They have truly started evolving since the 80s material, mostly for the better. This is the return of Bruce Dickinson and the addition of a sixth member of the band too. With those too variables, I don't think there's much that can be done to stop a wall from breaking.
Brave New World was released as the band's first album in the new millilium and expressed some ideas for a much more braver future in this millilium. In fact, Steve Harris actually painted the Eddie part(top half) and computer generated the futuristic London below, or so I hear anyway, and is some great symbolism for the old and new. This album includes 10 tracks at a grand total of somewhere over an hour. Trust me, it would be very unlikely that you'll hate it. I have noticed at least a fifth of my top 15 actually came from here, there were also some from the 80s albums and Seventh Son took president with the 80s period. This is a bit different from most of the previous ones due to more of a progressive metal approach(Steve Harris has a Getty Lee influence by the way). Bruce has a bit more of some vocal practice, assumingly from his solos, and likes to utilize some of them here too. The solos are alot faster and harder to keep up here and shows that Adrian and Dave seem to have also uped their anti in guitar shredding along with their new buddy. Really the one thing I see as a problem at all is the lack of atmosphere. See, here's what I've noticed, in many of the previous albums, whether with synths or not, they have made what seems more of a proper atmosphere, one that especially fits Bruce, Paul or Blaze's voice. In this one, with the exception of s few, it is kind if absent and maybe a little jarring. Some of my favorite tracks are Blood Brothers for it's slow demeanor and the inclusion of an orchestra, Ghost of The Navigator, for the epic journey portrayal, The Nomad for the Powerslave-esque throwback, Dream Of Mirrors for it's slow, calming demeanor and it being the longest track on here and Brave New World for having a bit of progressive side to it as well as that solo. The light track, Dream of Mirrors, is probably my favorite by the way.
I give this a 9.9/10. I am the Grim Reaper, signing off.