_{Canadian metal band Traveler released their self-titled, debut album through Gates of Hell Records on 22nd February. The band initially started as a side project for guitarist Matt Ries and they first came to my notice last summer when they did a split-release demo with Finnish band Coronary. The success of that and an earlier demo led to the recording of a full length album. The track “Behind The Iron” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 22nd February.}

_{Italian symphonic metal band Rhapsody of Fire released their latest album “The Eighth Mountain” through AFM Records on 22nd February. This is the first album to feature new vocalist Giacomo Voli who joined the band in 2016, following the departure of Fabio Lione after more than twenty years as the frontman. Lione had recorded all eleven previous Rhapsody of Fire studio albums. The single “Rain of Fury” was included on the NI Rocks A-Z Show on 5th February and I’ll be including the latest single “Master of Peace” on the Friday NI Rocks Show next week.}

_{“Volume 1” is the great debut album from West Bound that was released on 22nd February by Frontiers Music. The band was formed by singer Chas West and guitarist Roy Z. West also fronts Resurrection Kings and in the past has sung for bands such as Lynch Mob and Bonham. Roy Z has recorded albums with Bruce Dickinson, Rob Rock and Rob Halford as well as his own band Tribe of Gypsies. The single “Never Surrender” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 21st December and you can expect to hear more from them on the Shows soon.}