_{“Breaking The Surface” is the second album from Danish band Meridian and it was released on 16th September via Mighty Music (part of the Target Group). I must admit that I’m not familiar with their 2013 debut album “Metallurgy”; but the new album is definitely worth checking out. I played the lead-off single from the album called “City of Holy War” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 1st July and again on 16th September.}

_{The band formed in 2005/06 with the aim of delivering “classical heavy metal with power and melody” and released a couple of EPs over the next couple of years before starting work on their debut album in 2011, signing with Might Music for its release in 2013. There were a few different guitar players over the years, but the bass, drum and vocalist slots have remained constant throughout.}

_{Meridian are Lars Märker on vocals, Martin J Anderson and Marco Angioni on guitars, Peter Bruun on bass and Klaus Agerbo on drums. However, Angioni is a recent replacement for Steffan Pederson who plays guitar on the album. The two guitarists certainly get plenty of opportunity to display their skills throughout the album.}

_{There are just 8 tracks on “Breaking The Surface” and all of them are worthy of a mention, so I’m not going to try and highlight 3 or 4. However, it is worth saying something about the track “The Bravest Face” which was originally written in 2008 about Klaus Agerbo’s nephews fight with leukemia. It was later released as a digital single in 2014 following his death - as a fundraiser for the Danish Cancer Foundation.}

_{For more info check out the band’s website - http://www.meridianband.dk/}

_{About “NI Rocks Recommends”}

_{The simple idea behind “NI Rocks Recommends” is to acknowledge and promote some of the great music being submitted to Rock Radio NI. I'll not be giving marks or ratings or analyzing the tracks in great detail; just telling you something about the artist and the album. It’s a personal recommendation to go check something out, not a traditional “review”!}

_{My musical tastes cover most things rock; from the not too melodic to the not too heavy. The albums that I’ll be recommending are those that you’ll hear me playing tracks from on my shows on Rock Radio NI.}

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