Chosen by Monk

The Uber Rock Approved stampIt’s a new era here at the Über Rock Singles Club as we move to opening on a daily basis, albeit only for the length of a single song… yes, each and every day we’re going to be choosing one song, either just released or sent into the Überverse within the previous week, to share with you, our beloved and faithful readers. As ever, we will be concentrating on independent releases by up-and-coming, often unsigned artists (although that doesn’t mean to say we’ll be ignoring potentially landmark releases from those capable of filling arenas…)

Our second guests are from right here in our own backyard – well, sort of – as they are symphonic power metallers Whiteabbey, founded by Stormzone gutiarist Steve Moore and Dutch diva Tamara Bouwhuis in a collaboration that has been transcending the apparently soon-to-be-defunct Irish Sea border since before the dissolution of devolution here in Norn Iron, and to a lot more positive effect on the mindsets of those stuck in the middle of all the shenanigans.

With the band’s line-up now augmented by Moore’s longtime band mate and collaborator Graham McNulty (who previously featured as the narrator on last year’s Snow White-themed ‘Trilogy’ EP) on bass, the band today want us to just hold them as they deliver their take on the Maria Mena pop hit, the second single to serve as a taster for their forthcoming new album. ‘Words That Form The Key‘, due to be released via Metalopolis Records at the end of this month.

The song may not be familiar to many ÜR readers, as it didn’t make much of an impact outside Mena’s native Norway, but Whiteabbey – who take their name from an otherwise nondescript and relatively sleepy former village on the northern outskirts of Belfast – give a suitably OTT makeover, which showcase’s both Moore’s fretboard wizardry and Bouwhuis’ stratospheric sonics.

Hope you enjoyed that. We’ll be back tomorrow with another selection. See y’all then.

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