So one of Britain's greatest bands has announced its latest album. Annoyingly it's in the can already but we won't get to hear it until early September. The album is called A Matter of Life or Death, continuing Maiden's history of naming songs/albums after classic movies/books.

The album was recorded with producer Kevin Shirley at Sarm West Studios in London. Shirley has been the nob-twiddler on the last two Iron Maiden albums. From beginning to end the whole process took two months, something of a record for the band.

The tracklisting for A Matter of Life or Death is as follows:

1. Different Worlds (Smith/Harris) 4.17
2. These Colours Don't Run (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 6.52
3. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 8.44
4. The Pilgrim (Gers/Harris) 5.07
5. The Longest Day (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 7.48
6. Out Of the Shadows (Dickinson/Harris) 5.36
7. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (Murray/Harris) 7.21
8. For The Greater Good of God (Harris) 9.24
9. Lord Of Light (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 7.23
10. The Legacy (Gers/Harris) 9.20

"I think in many ways this has been the easiest album in terms of recording that we've ever done," said Steve Harris. "The whole process of writing through to recording was very natural. I think in terms of the material we've also pushed our boundaries yet again and I think it will please our fans but also really surprise a lot of people as well. The sound we've managed to get is very powerful for a Maiden record and all of us have pushed ourselves in our own ways to create something that we're all immensely proud of and I think working as quickly as we did with Kevin really was part of that process. We simply can't wait to take this out on the road. We've played some great shows and had a lot fun recently introducing some of our older songs to a new generation of fans. However for us personally we're incredibly excited about getting out and performing these new tracks."

"This album has to be our best since working with Kevin," continued Bruce Dickinson. "There is such a wide scope of musicianship on this album and in parts this album is truly epic. I thought with the likes of Paschendale from the last studio album that we could only hope to surpass that but having now heard the album back as well as sitting with a few select people and hearing their reactions as well I truly believe we have managed it. Every one of us has put everything into this record and it's really paid off. However we've had such fun making it that it's almost difficult to believe what we've managed to achieve in the time it took."

So that's a good reason to be excited about September then.