_{Local band Maverick release their second album “Big Red” on 26th August and have just unveiled a video for the first single from that album. “Asylum” features guest appearances from guitarist Kane Roberts and The Poodles lead singer Jakob Samuel. I arranged to have a chat with Maverick’s lead singer David Balfour to talk about the new album and the band. You can hear that interview and four tracks from the new album on the Friday NI Rocks Show that was broadcast on 5th August. The Show is available now via the On Demand Player - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/hosts/ni-rocks-friday-rock-show.html (the Show uploaded on 3rd Aug).}

_{American band Apollo Under Fire release their self-titled debut album on 12th August after signing with the EMP Management/Label Group which is headed by David Ellefson of Megadeth. Reading the press release that came from our friends at Rock n Growl Promotions it was clear that this was going to be an album that drew a great deal from the band’s spirituality and soul. Listening to the album what strikes me though are the strong lyrics and some really powerful guitar riffs. I played the track “Gotta Believe” on the NI Rocks A-Z Show on 26th June.}

_{“The Memories Uninvited” is the sixth album from Tennessee band One Less Reason and it is released through lead singer Cris Brown’s own label Tattooed Millionaire Records on 19th August. I must admit that I wasn’t overly familiar with One Less Reason prior to the release of this album. When our friends at New Ocean Media contacted me and provided the lead-off single “Where Were You” for airplay I was rather impressed though. (That track was played on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 22nd July.) When I got a chance to listen to the rest of “The Memories Uninvited” there was no doubt that this was an album that people needed to check-out.}