"Brave New World" is the twelfth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 May 2000. It was the band's first studio release following the return of lead singer Bruce Dickinson, who had left in 1993, and guitarist Adrian Smith, who departed in 1990. It was also the first Iron Maiden studio album recorded as a six-piece, with Janick Gers remaining in the lineup. The album's artwork and title reference the novel "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley. The upper half of the cover was created by Derek Riggs, while the bottom half was produced by digital artist Steve Stone. Singles released from the album include "The Wicker Man" and "Out of the Silent Planet," with the promotional radio version of "The Wicker Man" featuring additional vocals in the chorus. Most of the album's songs were written before the 1998–1999 Ed Hunter Tour and recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris. It was produced by Kevin Shirley and marked the band's first studio recording done live in the studio. Some tracks, including "The Nomad," "Dream of Mirrors," and "The Mercenary," were originally written for the 1998 album "Virtual XI." Former vocalist Blaze Bayley has claimed to have contributed lyrics to "Dream of Mirrors," though he was not credited. Steve Harris indicated that work on "Blood Brothers" had begun during that period but was completed later. The "Brave New World Tour" supported the album, with the Rock in Rio performance recorded and released as a live album and vi