The Brazilian heavy rock band Kappa Crucis is in the studio recording its second full-length album – a follow-up to their acclaimed debut “Jewel Box” from 2009.

Osada Vida, one of the most interesting Polish bands on the contemporary prog-rock scene, released their first live DVD earlier this month. Titled “Where the Devils Live”, the DVD features the recording of the band’s live performance at the Wyspianski Theater in Katowice, Poland in November 2011.

“ME 2.0”, the third studio album by Ordinary Brainwash was released on June 4th.

“White Tones”, the debut album by the Polish alternative rock band Minerals, has been released (a few days ago). The album contains 12 tracks and is applied to fans of Radiohead and Coldplay.

The official release date for the DVD/CD sets by Erik Norlander / The Galactive Collective, namely "Definitive Edition" and "Live in Gettysburg", is August 6th, 2012. In 2009 keyboardist Erik Norlander went into the studio with a new set of virtuoso musicians to record re-imaginings of his favorite instrumental compositions as a project called The Galactic Collective. In 2010 Erik released a preview of the project on CD-R through Chian Productions in Ohio. In 2011, Erik took the project on the road and recorded the results. Now in 2012, we finally have the complete document of Erik's massive undertaking in two remarkable releases, one in studio, and the other on stage. Each title includes a video DVD and two audio CDs released by Erik's company Think Tank Media in partnership with UK prog giant Gonzo Multimedia. All discs are replicated - not CD-R or DVD-R - and each contains deluxe, full-color 5x7" booklets with extensive liner notes written by those directly involved with the project.

“Magic Mirror” is the second volume of composer Marty Regan's series of “Selected Works for Japanese Instruments”, featuring a collection of works composed for traditional Japanese instrumentation with a Western-trained ear. Through the combination of his traditional classical education and intensive studies of Japanese music and culture, Regan explores the cross-cultural exchange between Eastern and Western traditions, blending the two into a dynamic sound that pushes the Japanese instruments to the very brink of their musical boundaries.

“Essays and Sketches” are Works by American composer Newton D Strandberg (1921-2001), featuring performances by orchestras and ensembles from around the globe. The four pieces on this recording serve as an astute collection of Standberg's output as a composer. More than a musical release alone, “Essays and Sketches” serves as a retrospective of Strandberg's prolific career, housing a collection of writings, visual art, scores, and more, all compiled by Strandberg's peers, students, and admirers from Sam Houston State University.