There is still hope - as the Screaming Eagles prove once again

ROCK 'n' feckin' roll - it's in all our veins; metal is in our hearts but one prominent festival just jumped the shark in announcing emo-supremos Fall Out Boy as part of a line-up that has crossover act Linkin Park and Avenged Sevenfold.

That festival - Download - has a venerable tradition in the hard rock and metal world, with luminaries such as Rainbow, Maiden, Metallica etc having headlined it and drawn a diverse crowd to see such acts.

With a further headliner to be announced, plus another 100 or so other acts there is hope that more 'metallic' elements from the periodic table of rock may be announced, with a liberal sprinkling of hard rockin'.

For many this may mean choosing to go to more continental festivals, or more 'boutique' festivals such as Bloodstock or Hard Rock Hell...

Now speaking of Hard Rock Hell, you may, or may not be aware that local act, the Screaming Eagles, have won a spot to play there. And they have recently launched their first video for the track 'Rock 'n' Soul'. It is massively cheesy and delightful fun to accompany this stonking song. Watch it here - right now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SORRIftsmFE

And speaking of videos the Screaming Eagles are the latest Northern Ireland band to prove that just because we live in the far north western part of Europe, on an island that only has Iceland between us and the Atlantic stretch to the US of A, we can still compete with the so-called big boys of rock and metal. And that's because, unlike Download 2014, we rock!

Check out videos in these links from Sinocence, Trucker Diablo, Million$Reload to name but three and see what we mean!

When did Norn Iron become a metal mecca?

YOU just got to wonder when Norn Iron became a rock and metal mecca - was it something that someone said; did Rob Flynn's praise go on to some secret booking agent's hotline; did Lemmy say "Belfast? Nice town"; did someone notice that UFO keep coming back again and again; or is it just the fact that we produce so many shit hot bands that acts want to check us out.

Of course the cynical amongst you may argue that bands will look for a few extra quid either side of festival dates or UK tours, but to hell with you! We should just glory in the fact that so many bands are coming here.

Announced this week is a visit by Sepultura on August 12th just after their Bloodstock appearance. And don't forget this Tuesday, Lamb of God will be recovering from a soggy Download in the dry and sweaty environs of the Mandella Hall.

Unfortunately owing to circumstances beyond my control I can't be at Download but daughter is helping make up the Belfast metal numbers.

But if Lamb of God is a wee bit on the heavy side for ya, then Tuesday also sees Stormzone at the Limelight with a personage who goes by the name of Sebastian Bach, you may have heard of him in some wee act called Skid Row...

Ahh the summer, where blossoms bloom, where cold glasses of wine [Editor's Note: surely not wine? Beer or nothing!] sit awaiting imbibing and where Iced Earth will, somewhat ironically raise the temperature in August.

Oh I ncould witter on for years about this stuff, but with several albums and singles to review, is it enough to mention that Anthrax are playing hetre, so are Dragonforce, Alestorm, Y&T, Bowling for Soup and there are dozens of local gigs coming up too! Check out RockRadioni's gig guide for a pretty comprehensive listing!

MIllion hitting Download

The Northern Ireland contingent at Download has grown with Million Dollar Reload joining The Answer on the bill

Returning to their roots

Download appears to be returning to its roots as a mainly hard rock and metal festival. Latest acts to be confirmed are Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Add into the mix headliners Heaven and Hell and Slipknot, and a line -up already including Motley Crue, Korn, Dragonforce, and Devildriver signs are that there will be a harder line-up than it has been for many a year now. Granted The Prodigy and Pendulum are also going to be there on the weekend June 12-14, but that gives a chance for a break to the beer tent!

Heaven and Hell for Download

Strong indications are that Heaven And Hell will play this year's Download Festival, which happens from June 12-14 at Donington. Rumours are the band - albeit Sabbath without the monicker - will be appearing on the first day.

The Dio, Iommi, Butler, Appice combination will be releasing a new album beforehand.

Download fall-out

The headliners may be strange for Download 2008 (Californian pop punk Offspring; once great now novelty act Kiss, and Welsh fashionistas Lost Prophets) but the undercard is strong. (Motorhead, Judas Priest, HIM, In Flames, Coheed & Cambria etc)

At this time of year promoters try and scoop bands on periphery of Download (remember MH, KSE etc last year?).

So far the 2008 fall-out has been Children of Bodom in Dublin on June 11th, but more will be announced soon...watch this space! [well somebody has to!]