_{A regular feature highlighting some of the best album releases each month. I don’t do album “reviews” – this is simply a personal recommendation to check out an album - just a few words about the albums that appeal to me and about the artists releasing them. These will also be albums from which I’ll have been playing tracks on the Friday NI Rocks Shows recently. This month it includes albums from Screaming Eagles, Iron Savior, Edge of Forever, King’s Crown, Kardang, Zhiva, Doro and Overland.}

 

_{SCREAMING EAGLES – “High Class Rock n’ Roll” - 6^th Oct}

_{Like all the other fans of local band Screaming Eagles, I’d been awaiting the release of their third album for quite a few years. “High Class Rock n Roll” finalised arrived on 6^th October – my pre-ordered vinyl copy arrived a couple of weeks later. Screaming Eagles tracks have featured heavily on the Shows since the first album was released in 2012 and four tracks from the latest album have appeared on the Friday NI Rocks Show already. The first single “Thunder and Lightning” has featured three times – in June, July and September whilst the title track was played on 8^th Sept, “Cry Baby” on 6^th Oct and “Better Days” on 20^th Oct.}

 

_{The Screaming Eagles released their debut album “From the Flames” in late 2012, not long after they formed. That was followed by the “Save Me” EP and the album “Stand Up and Be Counted” in 2015 and then “Live at Bonfest” in 2018. The band’s line-up has remained constant throughout with Chris Fry on vocals, Adrian McAleenan on guitar, Ryan Lilly on bass and Kyle Cruikshank on drums. The guys did an e-mail interview for me in 2013 and Adrian and Kyle were guests on the Show in July 2015 -}

_{June 2013 - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/1237-ni-rocks-interview-with-the-screaming-eagles}

 _{July 2015 - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/2067-ni-rocks-interview-with-screaming-eagles-july-2015}

 

_{Website - https://screamingeaglesrock.com/}

 

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_{IRON SAVIOR – “Firestar” – AFM Records 6^th Oct}

_{“Firestar” is the fourteenth studio album from German power metal band Iron Savior and it was released on 6^th October by AFM Records. The track “Firestar” was featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show in August and also on the NI Rocks A-Z Show on 4^th Sept. “Together as One” was included on the Friday Show on 20^th Oct.}

 

_{Iron Savior was formed in 1996 by vocalist and guitarist Piet Sielck and he is the only original band member remaining, although bass player Jan-Sören Eckert joined shortly after, in 1997, and has remained with the band apart from a period between 2003-2011. They are joined by guitarist Joachim ‘Piesel’ Küstner and drummer Patrick Klose. Singer-guitarist Kai Hansen was also part of the initial line-up until 2001.}

 

_{The band’s debut, self titled album was released in 1997 and it, along with subsequent albums, told the story of a space craft called Iron Savior.}

 

_{Website - https://iron-savior.com/}

 

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_{EDGE OF FOREVER – “Ritual” – Frontiers 13^th Oct}

_{Edge of Forever released their sixth album, “Ritual”, through Frontiers Music on 13^th October. This is their third album since reforming in 2019. The track “Where Are You?” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 7^th Sept and “Freeing My Will” on 20^th Oct.}

 

_{The band formed in Italy in 2003 and their first two albums, released in 2004 and 2005 featured Bob Harris from Axe on vocals. By the time that the third album, “Another Paradise”, was released in 2009 keyboard player Alessandro Del Vecchio had taken over on vocals.}

 

_{It was another ten years before the band returned with “Native Soul” and a new line up that featured Del Vecchio, guitarist Aldo Lonobile, drummer Marco Do Salvia and bass player Nik Mazzucconi. That line-up has remained intact for “Seminole” in 2022 and the new album “Ritual”.}

 

_{Website - https://www.edgeofforever.it/}

 

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_{KING’S CROWN – “Closer to the Truth” – Frontiers 13^th Oct}

_{“Closer to the Truth” is the debut album from King’s Crown and it was released on 13^th October by Frontiers Music. The band is largely Swedish, but has an English singer. The track “Down Below” was featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 8^th September, followed by “Still Alive” on 20^th October.}

 

_{King’s Crown was formed by Swedish guitarist Martin Kronlund who had previously played with bands such as Gypsy Rose, Lover Under Cover and Dogface. He recruited singer Lee Small (Shy, Sweet, Lionheart, Atack etc), keyboard player Anders Skoog, bass player Berra Holmgren and drummer Pontus Engborg.}

 

_{Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kingscrowntheband}

 

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_{KARDANG – “Rizky Biznizz” – Kardang Music 20^th Oct}

_{“Rizky Biznizz” is the second album from Norwegian band Kardang and it was released on their own label on 20^th October. The track “Change of Heart” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 20^th October, whilst “Don’t Let Me Drive” was included on the NI Rocks A-Z Show on 25^th October.}

 

_{Kardang features Chris Williams on vocals, Boogie Silver and Jonkis on guitars, Terry Hammer on bass and Freddy on drums. The band released their debut album “We Ain’t Dead Yet” in 2022.}

 

_{Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kardangofficial}

 

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_{ZHIVA – “Into The Eye of the Storm” – Pride & Joy Music 20^th Oct}

_{Swedish band Zhiva released their fourth album, “Into The Eye of the Storm” through Pride & Joy Music on 20^th October. It has actually been seventeen years since the band released their last album and at that time they were known as Shiva. The track “Breaking The Chains” was featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 20^th October.}

 

_{Shiva was formed by singer Anette Johansson and guitarist Mats Edström in 2002 and a self-titled debut album was released the same year. That was followed by two more albums in 2004 and 2006 before the band went into hiatus. They reformed in 2016 as Zhiva and released a new EP.}

 

_{In the new line-up, Johansson and Edström are joined by guitarist Patrik Svärd, bass player Nilo Kovacic, keyboard player Thomas Olsén and drummer Fredrik Eriksson.}

 

_{Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057238099036}

 

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_{DORO – “Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud” – Nuclear Blast Records 27^th Oct}

_{Metal legend Doro celebrates 40 years in the music industry with the release of a new album called “Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud”, through Nuclear Blast Records on 27^th October. I had pre-ordered the limited edition, double vinyl picture disc version. So far, five tracks from the album have featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show – “Time for Justice” (in June), “Living After Midnight” featuring Rob Halford (in August), “Bond Unending” featuring Sammy Amara (in September), “Children of the Dawn” (on 13th Oct) and “Total Eclipse of the Heart” featuring Rob Halford (on 27th Oct).}

 

_{Doro started her career with Warlock, releasing four albums between 1984 and 1987. For legal reasons she had to start releasing music under her own name and since 1989 she has released fourteen studio albums as well as a number of live and best-of albums.}

 

_{The new album features guest vocal appearances from Rob Halford and Sammy Amara. The musicians are drummer Johnny Dee, guitarists Bas Maas and Bill Hudson and bass player Stefan Herkenhoff.}

 

_{Doro was a guest on the Friday NI Rocks Show in 2019 - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/3684-ni-rocks-interview-with-doro}

 

_{Website - https://doromusic.de/}

 

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_{OVERLAND – “S.I.X” – Escape Music 28^th Oct}

_{“S.I.X” is, as the title might suggest, the sixth album from FM frontman Steve Overland’s side project Overland. All six albums have been released through Escape Music with the latest being released on 28^th October. I had pre-ordered the limited edition, yellow flame, double vinyl version. The track “I Hear Your Voice” was featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 13^th October.}

 

_{Steve Overland has released albums fronting many bands or projects including Wildlife, FM, Shadowman, Groundbreaker, Lonerider and Kings of Mercia.The first of the Overland albums was released in 2008 and he has worked with many different artists over the course of the six albums. I recorded an interview with Steve in 2014 when the third album “Epic” was released - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/1454-ni-rocks-interview-with-steve-overland-of-fm}

 

_{On “S.I.X”, Steve’s main song writing and musical partner is Robert Säll from W.E.T.; who he also worked with on the two Groundbreaker albums in 2018 and 2021. The other musicians are drummer Bob Richards (who also plays on the Atack album being released by Escape Music in November) and bass player Chris Cliff.}

 

_{Website - http://www.steveoverland.com/}