Finnish band Shiraz Lane recently released their second album, “Carnival Days” through Frontiers Music. The band features Hannes Kelt on vocals, Jani Laine on lead guitar, Miki Kalske on rhythm guitar, Joel Alex on bass and Ana Willman on drums. I’d posted a recommendation for the band’s first album back in April 2016 and the second album is definitely worth checking out – http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/3317-ni-rocks-recommends-qcarnival-daysq-by-shiraz-lane.html . To find out a little more about the band and the album I arranged to get some questions answered via e-mail. My thanks to Ana for taking the time to respond and to Gary for organising things.
Read more: NI ROCKS Interview with ANA WILLMAN from SHIRAZ LANE
Frontiers Music has an excellent reputation for releasing albums from some of the big names of rock from the 80’s and 90’s. However, they also have an ever growing collection of great young bands on their roster. One of those bands is Animal Drive from Croatia. The band released their debut album “Bite!” through Frontiers on 23rd February and I posted a recommendation for it recently – http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/3315-ni-rocks-recommends-qbiteq-by-animal-drive.html . The lead singer of the band is Dino Jelusic, a former Junior Eurovision Song Contest winner who recently joined the ranks of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I was really impressed with the band’s debut album, and as I didn’t know too much about them, I arranged an interview with Dino via e-mail to answer a few questions and find out more about him and the band. These questions and answers can be read below.
Read more: NI ROCKS Interview with DINO JELUSIC from ANIMAL DRIVE
Blaze Bayley was my guest on the Friday NI Rocks Show in March 2017 when he talked in depth about the album “Endure and Survive”; the second part of the “Infinite Entanglement” trilogy - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/3074-ni-rocks-interview-with-blaze-bayley.html . A year later, the final part of that trilogy, “The Redemption of William Black”, was released through Blaze’s own label on 2nd March. Once again, Blaze will be touring to support the release of his new album and he’ll be returning to the Diamond Rock Club in Ahoghill on 29th September. I included the track “Are You Here” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 16th March.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "The Redemption of William Black" by BLAZE BAYLEY
“Ain’t Always Easy” is the second album from English band Stone Broken and it was released on 2nd March by Spinefarm Records. This is their first album with Spinefarm as “All In Time” was self-released back in January 2016. Since then the band has been on the rise and I’m looking forward to seeing them supporting Buckcherry in Belfast in June. Ahead of the release of the album, I played the single “Worth Fighting For” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 10th November and “Heartbeat Away” on the Show on 19th January and 9th February. The track “I Believe” is included on the Show this week.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "Ain't Always Easy" by STONE BROKEN