Firmly established as a solo artist, Bruce Dickinson could easily have settled into a cosy routine of pumping out sparky hard rock albums every couple of years, and keeping his still vast fanbase happy. Instead, he took a far more daring route, embracing the cutting edge alt-rock sound of the mid-’90s and conjuring the dark, gritty 'Skunkworks' album in 1996. Named in tribute to the alias used by US aerospace titan Lockheed’s Advanced Development Programs, the source of many legendary aircraft designs, 'Skunkworks' was originally to be the name of Bruce’s new band, but after concerns that the absence of the singer’s name would limit the new project’s potential, it became the album’s title. Produced by underground rock legend Jack Endino, 'Skunkworks' has stood the test of time incredibly well, Bruce’s harnessing of less traditional heavy tropes, the vibrant performances of his young cohorts, and a generous sprinkling of sci-fi imagery, combining to thrilling effect, particularly on album highlights ‘Space Race’, ‘Back From The Edge’ and ‘Inside The Machine’.