The Land of New Hope is the first full-length album by Timo Tolkki's metal opera project Avalon. The album was released on May 17, 2013 in Europe and May 21, 2013 in the US. According to Tolkki "I sort of rediscovered myself musically in the process of making this album. I wrote the story first and started composing the music after that. My aim was to write memorable songs with good melodies that would support the story...On this album you will find a lot of different dynamics...with some songs that are fully orchestrated and sound very very big."

Judas Priest celebrate 40 years of heavy metal dominance with Epitaph. Filmed at London's Hammersmith Apollo on the closing night of their last ever world tour in May 2012, it features 23 electrifying live versions of at least one song from each of the band's 14 classic albums.

The latest LAZULI album is a video registration of a recording session over at their home studio, 'L'Abeille Rode'. Bonus tracks include concert fragments from the NOTP and the Prog Festival in Germany and France, plus some tracks from an acoustic session. True, Lazuli did not change their formula, so you know what to expect. But what you get, is great. Excellent French progressive rock.