“Afterburner” is the new album from Indian metal band Kryptos and it was released via AFM Records on 21st June. This is the fifth album from the band since they formed twenty years ago. Over those years the band has been at the forefront of the Indian metal scene and they were one of the first metal bands from that country to sign with a major label or tour Europe. I played the album’s title track on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 5th July.
Girlschool have had an iconic status in the British rock and metal scene for over forty years and world-wide recognition as one of the most long-running female bands in history. Guitarist Jackie ‘Jax’ Chambers has been part of Girlschool now for twenty years and I spoke to her via Skype on 11th July to chat about the band ahead of their headline shows in Dublin and Belfast on 18th and 19th July and at the Disturbance Festival in Letterkenny on 20th July.
In addition to talking about Girlschool and picking some of their tracks to play we also chatted about Jackie’s other band, Syteria, and we play one of their tracks.
The interview was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 19th July – that Show is now available from our MixCloud page - https://www.mixcloud.com/NIRocks/interview-with-jax-chambers-from-girlschool-and-syteria-on-the-friday-ni-rocks-show-19th-july-2019/
Read more: NI ROCKS Interview with JACKIE CHAMBERS from GIRLSCHOOL
“Return To Eden” is the third and final part of Timo Tolkki’s metal opera Avalon and it was released on 14th June by Frontiers Music. The former Stratovarius guitarist had revealed the Avalon project back in 2013 and the three albums released have featured a number of high profile singers and musicians. I included the track “Promises” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 3rd May and the NI Rocks A-Z Show on 11th June, whilst “Hear My Call” was part of the Friday NI Rocks Show on 24th May.
Read more: NI ROCKS Recommends "Return To Eden" by TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON
Back in 2015 I posted an interview with Chilean singer Caterina Nix that we had completed by e-mail following the release of the first album from Chaos Magic. Almost four years later we’ve recorded an interview to mark the release of the second Chaos Magic album “Furyborn”. The album was released by Frontiers Music on 14th June and includes guest appearances by Rainbow frontman Ronnie Romero and Tom Englund from Evergrey.
Caterina chats about the recording of the latest album, future plans for Chaos Magic, working with Timo Tolkki, the growing position of women in rock and metal and more. We also play four tracks from the new album.
The interview can be heard on the Friday NI Rocks Show from 12th July 2019 - available from our MixCloud page - https://www.micloud.com/NIRocks/interview-with-caterina-nix-from-chaos-magic-on-the-friday-ni-rocks-show-12th-july/
Read more: NI ROCKS Interview with CATERINA NIX from CHAOS MAGIC (2019)