Summary

The Book of Arseholes is the sixteenth studio album by Iron Maiden, released on 4 September 2015. It is their first double studio album, and their longest to date, with a total length of 92 minutes.

The album's release was delayed so that vocalist Bruce Dickinson could recover from treatment for a cancerous tumour found on his tongue.

Produced by Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris, the album was recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, where they had previously recorded Brave New World.

The cover art was created by Mark Wilkinson, who had previously designed the cover for the Donington '92 remaster and the The Wicker Man single.

Iron Maiden 2015

Iron Maiden 2015

Artwork from The Book of Souls

Click a thumbnail to open the full-size image

TitleLabelCat#FormatCountryYear
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564602550CDRussia2015
The Book Of SoulsBMG538151402CDUS2015
The Book Of Souls = 魂の書~ザ・ブック・オブ・ソウルズ~ParlophoneWPCR-16856/7CDJapan2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564-60892-4CDArgentina2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of Souls = 魂の書 ~ザ・ブック・オブ・ソウルズ~ParlophoneWPCR-16750/1CDJapan2015
The Book Of SoulsBMG Recorded MusicnoneFileUS2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophoneWPCR-16750/1CDJapan2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDEurope2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDUK2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone (2)0825646089246CDRussia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophonenoneCDrEurope2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246Cassette2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089208Vinyl 12"Europe2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564602550CDRussia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2-089246Cassette2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophonenoneFileEurope2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDChile2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564602550CDRussia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089239CDEurope2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDColombia2015
The Book Of SoulsBMGnoneFileUS2015
The Book Of SoulsWarner Music JapanWPCR-16856/7CDr2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDIndia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564-60892-4CDTaiwan2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of SoulsBMG4050538153514, 538153511Vinyl 12"US2015
The Book Of SoulsBMG4050538151381, 538151382CDUS2015
The Book Of SoulsSanctuarynoneFile2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophonenoneFile2015
The Book Of SoulsBMG538151382CDUS2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564608924CDSouth Africa2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089259Cassette2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone 0825646089246CDIndonesia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophonenoneCDr2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone (2)0825646089246CDRussia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564608924CDAustralia2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2-089246CDCanada2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone2564-60892-4CDArgentina2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDMexico2015
The Book Of SoulsParlophone9029597303Box SetAustralia2016
The Book Of SoulsParlophone16SC0066CDItaly2016
The Book Of Souls - Brazil Tour 2016Parlophone0825646089246CDBrazil2016
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0190295567583CDBrazil2019
The Book Of SoulsSanctuary538442382CDUS2019
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0190295567583CDEurope2019
The Book Of SoulsParlophoneWPCR-18276/7CDJapan2019
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0190295567583CDBrazil2019
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0190295567583CDBrazil2021
The Book Of SoulsAudio Cassette Recording StudioACRS 160-83CassetteEurope2025
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089259Cassette
The Book Of SoulsParlophone0825646089246CDBrazil

Data: discogs.com · fetched 2026-05-28

Track Listings

Disk One

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.If Eternity Should FailDickinson8:28
2.Speed of LightSmith, Dickinson5:01
3.The Great UnknownSmith, Harris6:37
4.The Red and the BlackHarris13:33
5.When the River Runs DeepSmith, Harris5:52
6.The Book of SoulsGers, Harris10:27

Total length: 49:50

Disk Two

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7.Death or GlorySmith, Dickinson5:13
8.Shadows of the ValleyGers, Harris7:32
9.Tears of a ClownSmith, Harris4:59
10.The Man of SorrowsMurray, Harris6:28
11.Empire of the CloudsDickinson18:01

Total length: 42:37

Line-up

Bruce Dickinson – vocals, piano on 'Empire of the Clouds'

Dave Murray – guitars

Adrian Smith – guitars

Janick Gers – guitars

Steve Harris – bass, production, keyboards

Nicko McBrain – drums