Local band Maverick release their second album, entitled “Big Red”, on 26th August with a launch gig being held in The Limelight in Belfast the following day. The follow up to the 2014 debut “Quid Pro Quo” is released through Metalapolis records. The lead-off single “Asylum” which features guest vocals from Jakob Samuel from The Poodles and a guitar solo from former Alice Cooper guitarist Kane Roberts was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 15th July. Maverick’s lead singer David Balfour was my guest on the Show on 5th August when we played 4 tracks from the new album. Check out the interview with David here - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/2785-ni-rocks-interview-with-david-balfour-from-maverick.html
Souls of Tide are a Norwegian band who release their debut album “Join The Circus” through Mighty Music (part of the Target Group) on 26th August. I played the lead-off single “She’s Dead” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 17th June and again on 19th August. That is undoubtedly the best of the 9 tracks on the album, but the others are worth checking out too.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "Join The Circus" by SOULS OF TIDE
“Illuminator” is the latest album from Cage9, the band founded in Panama but now based in California, and it was released on 3rd June through David Ellefson’s EMP label. A official European release on 12th August was dealt with by our friends at Rock n Growl Promotions. To many the band’s tracks might best be known for being featured in video games, as WWE entrance themes or as movie soundtracks. They performed Stone Cold Steve Austin’s intro “Unbreakable” and their cover of “The Dukes of Hazzard” theme song was used in trailers for the 2005 movie. The track “Everything You Love Will Someday Die” is included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 19th August.
I discovered American band Stitched Up Heart on YouTube last year just after they signed with Another Century and released the video for “Finally Free”. That led me to order their excellent debut album “Never Alone” on Pledgemusic and I’ve been playing tracks from it on the NI Rocks Show quite frequently over the last few months. I arranged to speak to lead singer Mixi along with drummer Decker via Skype on 4th August, whilst they were on tour in Virginia Beach. You can listen to what they had to say along with 4 tracks from the album on the Friday NI Rocks Show that was broadcast on 12th August. That Show is available from our On Demand Player -
Read more: NI ROCKS Interview with MIXI & DECKER from STITCHED UP HEART