“Steve was so paranoid that someone would leak it onto the internet, and probably with some justification”: The Iron Maiden album that was “locked in a vault” for two years
Iron Maiden completed recording their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, in 2019, but delayed its release for two years because of the pandemic. The band kept the finished record secured on a laptop, reflecting concern that it could be leaked online before an appropriate release could be planned.
The delay left singer Bruce Dickinson frustrated as touring and promotional plans were repeatedly cancelled or postponed. By 2021, as the band prepared to unveil the album, Dickinson and guitarist Janick Gers discussed the long wait behind what was presented as one of Iron Maiden’s most ambitious releases.
- Iron Maiden recorded Senjutsu in 2019 but released it two years later.
- Pandemic disruption delayed the album’s launch and related plans.
- The finished record was tightly guarded against potential online leaks.