British progressive metallers Threshold will release their new album, For The Journey, on September 19 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2012's March Of Progress was produced at Thin Ice Studios in England by Threshold members Karl Groom (guitars) and Richard West (keyboards) and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox in Finland.

Commented West: "For The Journey is one of our strongest albums and one of the most enjoyable to make. I've probably heard it a thousand times during the recording process, but now that's it's over, I still can't stop listening to it!"

Just a couple of "smaller" items to post here: One, Aeon Zen released the video for "Unite," the first single from their new album Ephemera. You can watch the video here. [Kinda funny, the South Park inspired parts... not sure really what the rest is about exactly other than it's an obviously beleagered IT person] ...... Secondly, Big Elf released the video for "Control Freak," a track from their latest album Into The Maelstrom, which can be viewed here [and dedicated by me to all the control freaks in my life ;-) - ed.]....

As alluded to in our Lion Music item... We've reported it before, but, as Mistheria asks: "are you aware of the Vivaldi Metal Project? This is a new project of mine in collaboration with the bass player and composer Alberto Rigoni. We are going to rearrange Vivaldi's masterpiece 'The Four Seasons' in a Metal version with an amazing ALL-METAL-STAR lineup! The project will feature amazing musicians from all the world: Mark Boals, Mike LePond, John Macaluso, Joe Stump, Neil Zaza, Tommy Denander, to name a few already announced.

"We launched a fundraising campaign and part of the income raised will be donated to Lega del Filo d'Oro which helps deaf-blind children since 45 years.

Last Thursday, Lion Music announced (sans the corny headling) that they have just signed Colombian guitarist Nicolas Waldo, who will release his debut album Master Of The Universe featuring keyboard virtuoso Mistheria (Bruce Dickinson, Mark Boals, Rob Rock, Book of Reflections etc) on August 15. [The new signing part... and......].

Available July 15 Via Retro Futurst Records

Lazer/Wulf, the Georgia-based prog trio, are streaming their debut full-length, The Beast Of Left And Right (July 15, Retro Futurist), via The AV Club (www.avclub.com/article/stream-brain-twisting-palindromic-album-prog-metal-206640).

The Beast Of Left And Right was written as a palindrome; that is, it is the same backwards and forwards with two distinct halves, Left and Right. For instance, the first song on the album, "Choose Again," uses the exact same chords, riffs and drum tracks as the final song on the album, "Mutual End" but one is major and the other is minor. As the band explains it, "The idea is that either way you choose, Left or Right, the paths are the same."

Progressive/fusion trio, Trioscapes, will release their sophomore album on August 19th via Metal Blade Records. To capture the raw and dynamic mood the band has become accustomed to at their live shows, Trioscapes enlisted the expertise of Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business in Greensboro, NC to record Digital Dream Sequence. Those studio facilities offered the band the flexibility to track individually, or as an entire band, which was done for certain parts on the album. Dan Briggs (bass, Between the Buried and Me), Walter Fancourt (tenor saxophone/flute), and Matt Lynch (drums/percussion) formed the trio in the summer of 2011.

Describing MoeTar is no easy feat. In fact, the task is as challenging as the band's music itself. A simplistic and accurate statement could be "MoeTar sounds like the Beatles + Frank Zappa + XTC on Acid." You could also try to peg MoeTar to a list of genres, but who the hell knows what a prog-pop-fusion-avant fusion band sounds like anyway?

On Entropy Of The Century, MoeTar expands its palette even further. The band understands the power of pop to deliver a message that sticks, but unlike most pop, uses the full breadth of the musical language to convey that message.

In a post/email on July 9, Grey Lady Down announced: "Hi all! Sorry we've been quiet lately. We are still in the process of trying to track down that elusive new singer, but in the meantime, you have a chance to see us live in August! We will be playing outside the Brasenose Arms for the Fringe of the wonderful Cropredy Festival in rural north Oxfordshire on Saturday August 9th at noon precisely. The gig is free of charge.

Touchstone Release Their First Ever 3-Disc DVD With Limited Edition Signed Oceans EP

Further to the release of their fourth studio album, Oceans Of Time which entered the official UK Rock chart at No.24 in autumn 2013, British progressive rock quintet Touchstone are proud to announce the release of their first official live DVD: Touchstone - Live Inside Outside (3 Disc DVD/CD Edition)

The first few releases/distributions from Musea were announced on July 8, and their offerings start with The Lost Generation, the new project from Diaries Of A Hero's bass player Matteo Bevilacqua. The British musician takes a step away from his heavy-metal background and explores different musical paths, following the footsteps of bands such as Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Pain Of Salvation and the softer side of Opeth. Recorded in the Sciolze hills, Italy, the self-titled first album (Musea Parallèle, 2014) examines various themes focusing mainly on the conditions the youth are living in, and the overall tension that peeked in the 2011 London Riots.

The Canadian Metallers from Omega Crom have revealed today [July 8] the full details for their new studio album. The 10-track album will be titled Beyond Control and has a release date set for August 08, 2014!

Omega Crom is a ripping Metal band based out of Vancouver B.C. who bring to the stage Progressive Power Metal and elements of aggressive Shred and Thrash. This heavy band takes a note from Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian making its metal the stuff of legend. The music is forged into a primary directive to move the listener and take you on a journey of highs and lows. Feeling everything from adrenalized battle rush to sonorous dreamscapes and alien time schemes.

Over the last 18 months, alternative metal band, We Are The Catalyst are fast establishing themselves as one of Europe's most exciting musical talents. Their initial EP, Panem Et Circenses, was released to critical and fan acclaim alike and saw the band's first two videos aired in over 20 countries. Additionally a number of tracks from both the EP and the new album have found their way on to numerous soundtracks for movies due for release later this year and through 2015.

Tomorrow by We Are The Catalyst :: Being Number One by We Are The Catalyst

While there was certainly far less speculation (if any) than with which team LeBron James was going to sign a contract, the ink is now dry on with which label Osada Vida is going to (re)sign. Of course, Metal Mind didn't make that comparative statement, as what they said on July 8 was: Metal Mind Productions is proud to announce the release of the fifth full-length album by Osada Vida, one of the most interesting Polish bands on the prog-rock/metal scene. Their new, yet untitled material will be released in Autumn 2014.

We are proud and excited to announce the signing of Dutch band Minor Giant to the Festival Music / F2 Music label, and the release of their excellent debut solo album On The Road, which came out on 30 June 2014.

The CD features the music and lyrics written by keyboard player Rindert Lammers and is loosely a concept about the different roads people take in life. Main influences on this album include Neal Morse, Frost*, Transatlantic and Camel, and the album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Gerben Klazinga (Knight Area). Vocals were recorded by Collin Leijenaar (Affector, ex-Neal Morse Band).

Electronic, Rock, Progressive, Space, Jazz, Ambient, Ethno, Instrumental, Jam, they call it ‘Trance-Continental Music‘. Z means ‘he is alive‘ in Greek. Cantarella is the poison used by the Borgias in medieval Italy, it gave its victims a 'sweet death.' You can also find it in Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet.

The experienced musicians from Northern Germany have played together since 2012. Jann Fiebelkorn (bass) and Burkhard Freiberg (guitars) were active in local cover bands (June, Tuesday). Marcator (guitars, electronics, vocals) was also a member of different bands before he concentrated more and more on work in his Foolswood Studio and released 13 CDs on the Prudence label as musician and producer.