After seeing British heavy-metal- legends Iron Maiden live in 2008 on the incredible “Somewhere Back in Time” tour, and earlier this year on “The Final Frontier” tour, my expectations were very high for the band’s first new studio album in nearly 4 years.

After hearing a leaked copy of the album a few days before its official release, I was very surprised but by no means disappointed. On “The Final Frontier,” Maiden’s fifteenth studio album, the band has finally perfected the melding of progressive rock with their trademark brand of traditional heavy metal, which they have been attempting since 1995’s “The X Factor.”

Clocking in at nearly 77 minutes spread over ten tracks, Maiden continues their trend of ever-increasing average song lengths; but this time around they manage to cut repetition to a minimum. The album is full of surprising time changes and alterations of mood, yet taken as a whole it flows together quite seamlessly.

Highlights include opener “Satellite 15… The Final Frontier” (showcasing the band at their most experimental), “Isle of Avalon,” “The Talisman,” and the prerequisite Steve Harris-penned epic-album closer “When the Wild Wind Blows.”

Now 35 years into their career, Maiden manages to turn in a very solid effort, likely to appeal not only to heavy metal traditionalists, but also fans of progressive acts like Rush, and even mainstream hard rock fans. Although not on a par with magnificent 1980s high-water marks such as “Killers,” “Powerslave,” or “SSOASS,” “The Final Frontier” is still an excellent album: 4 out of 5 stars.