Nicko McBrain, Iron Maiden's drummer since 1982, has said he would be "delighted" to record with the band again despite stepping down from touring in December 2024. The 74-year-old, who suffered a mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack) in January 2023 that left him with lasting mobility issues, has been replaced on stage by Simon Dawson but remains the band's official drummer. His willingness to return for a future studio album, should Iron Maiden follow up 2021's Senjutsu, offers fans hope that he could still contribute creatively even though live performance is no longer possible for him.

McBrain told Metal Hammer that any new material would need to be "more simple", citing 1986 singles Stranger In A Strange Land and Wasted Years as the kind of song he could manage. He also revealed he was due to have cataract surgery on the day he suffered the stroke, calling it fortunate that it happened before rather than during anaesthesia, and said he retained only around 70% feeling in his hand during his final Future Past tour shows, forcing him to adapt parts such as the drum fill on The Trooper.