English heavy metal band Iron Maiden has ended their six-year musical haitus with the release of their new single “The Writing On The Wall.” The song has been released with an animated 3D music video.

“The Writing On The Wall” writers and producers Adrian Smith (guitarist), Bruce Dickinson (lead singer), Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris (bassist and founding member), have teamed up with former Pixar executives Mark Andrews and Andrew Gordon and the London animation studio BlinkInk. Together, the team created the widely anticipated YouTube video premiere that features a new 3D incarnation of Eddie, the band’s iconic mascot.

About the production, Dickinson said, “I had a pretty clear idea of the concept to accompany the song and when I met Mark and Andrew, on Zoom, it quickly became clear we were all very much on the same wavelength, and this was reinforced with the addition of Nicos and his young BlinkInk team. Our weekly team Zoom meetings were then usually both highly creative and a lot of fun! I’m very proud of the way the video turned out, it’s more like a mini-film really. I knew it was going to work out as soon as Mark brought my treatment to life with his incredible storyboards – I thought we could make something very special together. I think we did and hope our fans will agree. In fact it’s pretty much created by Maiden fans!!”

The video begins with a group of vultures circling a man, who holds a poster with the phrase “Belshazzar’s Feast,” as he dies in the desert and is greeted by a cloaked figure. More cloaked figures join him riding motorcycles, and together they cross the desert with the intent to vanquish a “political adversary,” in this case assumed to be the U.S. President. The video plays out in a dramatic battle where the riders, and consequently the common folk that have been shut out by those more favored, come out victorious. Check it out:

This release has come after weeks of speculation from rock and metal fans after posters were spotted at the Download Pilot Festival that featured an image with the title “Belshazzar’s Feast,” which is not only a reference to the story of the writing on the wall from chapter five in the Book of Daniel in the Bible, but also refers to a more modern phrase meaning that an obvious event is imminent. This can be assumed to mean the music release, though In the case of the song’s lyrics, the “writing on the wall” is depicted as the riders’ defeat of the evil empire.

Dickinson had worn a shirt with the same image during a Sky TV News segment, furthering curiosity.

In June, Iron Maiden’s mobile game “Legacy Of The Beast” announced an in-game collaboration with metal band Lacuna Coil, introducing a new character and side quest that involves Lacuna Coil’s 2019 album Black Anima. Iron Maiden is set to appear in the 2022 UK Download Festival next June alongside bands such as Kiss, Korn and Rise Against.