“Cheated Death” is the fifth album from American band Against The Grain, but their first with Ripple Music, and it was released on 9th February. As I’ve said before, I’m not a big fan of genre labels being assigned to bands, and it seems Against The Grain might be of the same mind as the music ‘press’ seem to have problems labelling them. I’m sure someone will come up with a label to cover a hybrid of speed-metal, punk, rock, doom and thrash! On their Facebook page the band refer to it as “gear-shifting rock ‘n’ roll”. Whatever you want to call it, I like it! The title track “Cheated Death” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 2nd February.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "Cheated Death" by AGAINST THE GRAIN
“Conqueror’s Oath” is the second album from American metal band Visigoth and it was released on 9th February through Metal Blade Records. The band has a sound that is instantly agreeable – blending influences from the classic NWOBHM scene and the US Power Metal scene. I included the track “Warrior Queen” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 2nd February and then “Steel and Silver” on the Show on 16th February.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "Conqueror's Oath" by VISIGOTH
A few years ago I posted a succession of recommendations for albums by Chicago-based bands. I can’t recall as many recently, so this one is perhaps overdue. The Outfit hail from Chicago and they released their self-titled debut album through Pavement Music on 2nd February. It came to us via our friends at Palmer Turner Overdrive and I played the lead-off single “Soldier Boy” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 26th January.
Sons of Apollo, the new supergroup featuring Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Jeff Scott Soto, Billy Sheehan and Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal have announced European tour dates that see them coming to Belfast to play at Limelight 1 on Tuesday 3rd July. Tickets are on sale this Thursday 22nd February at 9am from usual outlets. Press release below via SD Entertainment. The band have also just released their latest video for the track “Alive” from their debut album “Psychotic Symphony”.
Read more: NEWS UPDATE - SONS OF APOLLO Announce Belfast Show in July