The original lineup of Asia is back with a new album called Omega, and depending on what part of the world you live in, you can find it for sale between April 16 (in Finland of all places) and May 4 (in the United States).

That's really the cover art to Omega to the right. I'm not going to lie: I hope the songs are better than the artwork. I have faith in the boys.

It seems like only yesterday that drummer Carl Palmer told me that "the world isn't waiting for another Asia album." [Listen to that interview again here.] And now we have their second new release since Palmer reunited with Geoff Downes, John Wetton and Steve Howe.

Frontiers Records has even released the first single from Omega and is letting people download it from their official site.

• Geoff Downes is on Twitter!
• Steve Howe's other band, some outfit called Yes, is touring this summer with Peter Frampton. That seems like an odd combination.
• If you're a big Carl Palmer fan AND live in Germany, you're in luck. He has some solo tour stops planned for the Fatherland.