If this January has left you feeling as miserable as Morrissey in, well, pretty much anywhere, don’t fret as Dr Blaze Bayley has the perfect remedy to cure your winter grumps (he earned his PHD at The Temple Of Rock, if you were wondering…). The former Tamworth Terror and reigning King Of Metal has a proverbial boatload of news to banish your blues, so let’s get started.

First up, Blaze has recently released a teaser of his February 23 released new solo LP Circle Of Stone and what a tasty treat it is too. Serving at the title track to his new full length and also its first single, ‘Circle Of Stone’ is a Mjolnir heavy slab of melodic metal driven by sky cracking guitars and powerhouse vocals. Also featuring a guest appearance from Wolf frontman Niklas Stalvind plus the addition of second guitarist Luke Appleton (who joins his brother and long time Blaze Bayley band member Christopher for an evergreen twin guitar attack) you can watch the video now on You Tube.

You can also pre order Circle Of Stone now on vinyl and CD via blazebayley.net. T-shirts are also available and Blaze has personally told us that they have been scientifically proven to make the wearer 100% more sexy, so get your orders in now for Valentine’s Day.

But c’mere, there’s more, as welly-clad comedian Jimmy Cricket might say. Blaze Bayley hits the road in a matter of days for a full on Irish tour that promises to bring more thunder than Odin’s baby boy.

Performing an Iron Maiden themed set dedicated to his time fronting the band between ‘94-’99, the shows from the most indomitable man in metal will rival Valhalla’s fabled banquet hall on a Friday night.

He’ll also play some songs culled from his critically acclaimed solo career (his most recent record War Within Me was one of this Hot Press scribe’s favourites of ‘21) and perhaps the odd Wolfsbane tune too (AKA his should’ve been massive “other” band) if you ask him nicely.

Here’s those all important dates for the diary and as is customary at all Blaze shows, there will be a free meet and greet too, so bring your copies of Massive Noise Injection et al to get signed.

• Skylite Room, Warrenpoint – Feb 3
• Bogan’s, Omagh – Feb 4
• Voodoo, Belfast – Feb 7 (sold out)
• Whelan’s, Dublin – Feb 8 (tickets running low)
• Dolan’s, Limerick – Feb 9
• Fred Zeppelin’s, Cork – Feb 10 and 11 (both sold out)

Tickets are on sale now and support on all dates is from Absolva.

For more details visit SDEentertainment.co.uk and blazebayley.net.

2024 is another busy one for the indefatigable SD Entertainment and they’ve got shows from Bullet Boys, Craig Charles, FM, Geoff Tate and more at various venues across Ireland. Visit their website for further information.