A lot can happen in 6 years, Diagonal burned brightly for two albums, getting them released through noted retro label Rise Above Records then seemingly disappeared into the ether that formed them. But now they are back from their intergalactic voyaging (or family commitments), with their collective headspace now back in the same place they holed themselves up in the studio and after a week of solid writing and recording they created their newest record the at times beautiful Arc. This new approach to writing which took them out of their day to day lives has made Arc probably the most organic release from the band as the Canterbury scene sounds, bleeding into jazz and more atmospheric textures than before.
This record sees founding bassist Dan Pomlett and organist/vocalist Alex Crispin return to the fold, as the organs take over with the lilting guitars, synths and even brass all getting their chance to shine. The renewed focus has meant that tracks such as The Spectrum Explodes with a post-rock insistence as Warning Flare comes from the realms of Tangerine Dream as the opener 9-Green is full of funk as the nods to Yes, Caravan and Soft Machine make this the most anthemic and hopeful Diagonal album of them all. No longer made just to be musically impressive Arc is Diagonal rediscovering their heart and soul. Welcome back gentlemen! 8/10
Tylor Dory Trio: Unsought Salvation (Self Released)
Formed by guitarist/singer Tylor Dory, this Canadian three piece will obviously draw comparisons with Canadian progressive rock legends Rush but TDT have a heavier song collection than Geddy, Alex and Neil which will place them in the conversation along with Porcupine Tree, Devin and even Opeth. Unsought Salvation is the band's second full length album and it's a very mature, melodic, modern progressive rock album, that showcases all he prog genre has to offer. All three members of the band are virtuosos as drummer Jonathan Webster and bassist Slava Fedossenko lock in guiding the musical movement along with bringing the heavier edge to the songs. Tylor himself handles acoustic and electrics along with the synths that layer these tracks, he also has a very wide vocal range that can be gritty and crack with passion at the top end of more anthemic tracks such as The Righteous And The Rest, but can also be melodic on numbers like the lilting, string-laden Glass Menagerie.
Tylor Dory Trio: Unsought Salvation (Self Released)
Formed by guitarist/singer Tylor Dory, this Canadian three piece will obviously draw comparisons with Canadian progressive rock legends Rush but TDT have a heavier song collection than Geddy, Alex and Neil which will place them in the conversation along with Porcupine Tree, Devin and even Opeth. Unsought Salvation is the band's second full length album and it's a very mature, melodic, modern progressive rock album, that showcases all he prog genre has to offer. All three members of the band are virtuosos as drummer Jonathan Webster and bassist Slava Fedossenko lock in guiding the musical movement along with bringing the heavier edge to the songs. Tylor himself handles acoustic and electrics along with the synths that layer these tracks, he also has a very wide vocal range that can be gritty and crack with passion at the top end of more anthemic tracks such as The Righteous And The Rest, but can also be melodic on numbers like the lilting, string-laden Glass Menagerie.
The Righteous And The Rest shifts through many phases as it segues into Comatose another anthemic song where Tylor's vocals shift into higher realms and this moulds into The Fallen Man which has pumping synths Muse would be proud of. There's a lot of different styles on this record (it is prog) but all the songs compliment each other with almost a theme in the sequence as the earlier tracks have a the pop-influenced as Dying Light is ballad that gives anther side to TDT's sound as does the excellent East Of Eden which sounds a lot like Coheed & Cambria with the massive chorus hook. As things progress though the tracks get darker and heavier, culminating with the epic final number that brings together all that has come before with some Opeth-like metal that even reaches to growled vocals. As 2019 draws to a close the goodies keep coming, this is one heck of present for prog fans just before the festive season. 8/10
Mistful: The Hive (Self Released)
Mistful are a Greek hard rock band from Athens fronted by the powerful vocals of Elenna Lawarea who is the key focus of this album as it's her voice that is the highest in the mix, but it is very impressive. Kicking off with the title track this second album, you immediately get the driving sound of Lacuna Coil as keyboard player Michalis adds his voice for a double vocal sound that comes back a few times throughout the record. Now they do lack the heaviness a little of Lacuna Coil sticking to the melodic rock style but they know how to write a ballad as Broken Again soars with some soulful sax, huge keys/orchestration swathes and Elenna in full voice, it's one of a few emotional songs on the album most of which are driven by the piano for maximum impact. There's bits of AOR on Hold Me and Stand On The Edge which are synth heavy again but when they do pick up the pace the rockers here are made to get the fist in your air which they do on Spectres Of Our Time. Bouncy melodic rock on one hand and tender ballads on the other The Hive has an odd duality but it's delivered slickly by these hard rockers. 7/10
Rusty River: Holy Basil Blues (Self Released)
A southern rock band from Seville, Holy Basil Blues is latest album from Rusty River. Despite being 1,000s of miles away from the Delta Rusty River have clad themselves in Paisley and Denim, gone down to the river and brought the music of Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and later acts like Free. I'm fact it's Free who they sound most like with a very strong blues vein to it as You brings hazy swamp riffs and loose solos, Right Back Here struts, the title track brings the country flavours adding banjo, as Mirage closes things out with more atmospheric themes. Rusty River are a band who bring blues and Southern rock together like so many others, after that NWOCR revival this decade they sit somewhere in the middle of the pack. 6/10
Mistful: The Hive (Self Released)
Mistful are a Greek hard rock band from Athens fronted by the powerful vocals of Elenna Lawarea who is the key focus of this album as it's her voice that is the highest in the mix, but it is very impressive. Kicking off with the title track this second album, you immediately get the driving sound of Lacuna Coil as keyboard player Michalis adds his voice for a double vocal sound that comes back a few times throughout the record. Now they do lack the heaviness a little of Lacuna Coil sticking to the melodic rock style but they know how to write a ballad as Broken Again soars with some soulful sax, huge keys/orchestration swathes and Elenna in full voice, it's one of a few emotional songs on the album most of which are driven by the piano for maximum impact. There's bits of AOR on Hold Me and Stand On The Edge which are synth heavy again but when they do pick up the pace the rockers here are made to get the fist in your air which they do on Spectres Of Our Time. Bouncy melodic rock on one hand and tender ballads on the other The Hive has an odd duality but it's delivered slickly by these hard rockers. 7/10
Rusty River: Holy Basil Blues (Self Released)
A southern rock band from Seville, Holy Basil Blues is latest album from Rusty River. Despite being 1,000s of miles away from the Delta Rusty River have clad themselves in Paisley and Denim, gone down to the river and brought the music of Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and later acts like Free. I'm fact it's Free who they sound most like with a very strong blues vein to it as You brings hazy swamp riffs and loose solos, Right Back Here struts, the title track brings the country flavours adding banjo, as Mirage closes things out with more atmospheric themes. Rusty River are a band who bring blues and Southern rock together like so many others, after that NWOCR revival this decade they sit somewhere in the middle of the pack. 6/10
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