Sweden’s power metal outfit, Axenstar, is back after five long years. Their last record, The Final Requiem came out in 2006, so fans have long been waiting on Aftermath, their fifth full length release. In the interim the band has replaced their drummer, one of their guitarists and their record label. Vocalist, keyboardist Magnus Winterwild has now added bass duties to his repertoire, at least for this record.

From the south of Germany, specifically from Freiburg derived formation "Frozen Infinity" has existed since 2001 and providing in "Fragments of I" from her debut album. The disc was produced in the Iguana Studios, where even among other things, Necrophagist, Unlight, Finsterforst, Fragments of Unbecoming or Dead Eyed Sleeper brought their sound to the ball.

Andre Abujamra, eccentric Brazilian composer and singer, former leader and founder of Karnak, author of award-winning soundtracks for Brazilian cinema, achieved the extraordinary new album" Mafaro "(in Swahili: Joy), strongly inspired by his recent experience Africa.

Anyone daunted by the expense of acquiring the 10-disc Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve may well have their prayers answered by this 2-CD distillation of the big box. It covers a wide stretch of material from Parker's career, going back to the first JATP concert in 1946 and stretching almost to the end of his Norman Granz period. ~ AllMusic