DIAGONAL

4.5 stars. This might be my favourite of the band's four studio albums. I always felt that Britain's DIAGONAL were psychedelic based, and this album shows them embracing that side of their sound in a big way. They have incorporated much more in the way of spacey sounds, kosmische and post rock. No less than four of the guys add synths. And this has always been a large six piece band with many of them being multi-instrumentalists. I love that this is 36 1/2 minutes long, over five tracks. They kept the title simple, consciously thinking of SOFT MACHINE doing the same.

I have to give a shout out to Cobbler Records for the very attractive package we get here. Alex Crispin recorded and mixed this record. And this was a surprise that they followed the previous album "Arc" from 2019 so quickly. There guys usually take their time between albums. But they wanted to keep the momentum going and so started the sessions for "4" only a year after the sessions for "Arc". The results speak for themselves.

"Amon" is a reference to AMON DUUL II, again a conscious step into kosmische music. Crispin is on bass and vocals here, and the two guitarists are prominent. But it's the sax that is the wild card when it comes to this band. It adds so much not only to this recording, but of course all of their albums. The organ leads after the guitars step back, and Luke Foster our very talented drummer takes care of that. He adds electric piano on another track. It turns very spacey late to end it with the synths dominating.

I really like the next track "Chroma" . It's one of two instrumental tracks, and shows the band's interest in jazz with the sax having it's way. Crispin not only does his usual bass and vocals stuff, he adds electric piano and synths. Those wordless vocals just hit the spot with me, so into this sound. A lot of depth here and mid-paced. "Spinning Array" is very psychedelic sounding and quite catchy with the vocals being prominent. The sax player adds a Chinese wind instrument along with flute. A rare song where he's not playing sax. The band says this song is the connection with the previous album "Arc".

"Stellate" is quite dense and sax led. The guitar lights it up after 2 1/2 minutes. That density is scaled way back by the 4 minute mark or so as the rhythm section impresses big time. Guitar is back at 5 minutes. So good. Finally we get the closer "Totem" an almost 12 minute piece that builds slowly. Love the wordless vocals here. That build ends around 5 minutes as they change it up. Vocals and guitar get their spotlight as this plays out in what feels like a jam.

Right now I have this in my top five for 2021. I have liked every thing I have heard from this band. This might be my favourite. The "Live At Roadburn" needs a mention as well.

DIAGONAL released their self titled album back in 2008 and followed that up with a lot of live gigging. This "Roadburn Live" album is an important document as to how incredible this band was in a live setting. Recorded in April of 2008 this seven piece band was on fire. Sax player Nick Whittaker commented "I remember that was one of the shows where everything just clicked. We were playing live a lot at that time and you can really hear how tight we were in both the written and improvised sections. We'd recorded the debut a few months earlier and we were so confident with the songs and how to get the most out of them on stage."

If you don't have their first two albums you really need to check them out. They are very different from each other though. This is such a talented band with Alex Crispin leading the way on keyboards and vocals. Essentially we have two guitarists, two keyboardists, bass, drums and sax. As far as the keyboards go, Crispin plays farfisa organ while Ross Hasek adds synths. This is a 43 minute album that contains the whole debut album less the over 7 minute "Deathwatch" which was replaced with the previously unreleased "Heavy Language" at almost 7 minutes. This recording is archival, not being released until 2022 and it was mixed and mastered by Alex Crispin.

The love for this one was immediate, not so surprisingly given my appreciation for their debut. They combined the first two songs from that debut "Semi Permeable Menbrain" and "Child Of The Thundercloud" for an awesome 20 minute ride to get us started. Man, I am so into the vocals and sound here. The closer "Pact" at almost 11 minutes is just about as good. If the two shorter pieces were more my thing I'm going 5 stars. But they aren't. They are both shorter at 7 and 5 minutes but both are also fairly abrasive with that guitar style. I even thought of Italians GARDEN WALL when I first heard "Cannon Misfire". Both are good, but not great.

Luke Foster needs to be mentioned on drums along with his rhythm partner Daniel Pomlett on bass. I'm sure this show would have been talked about for months. The added sax along with the farfisa and vocals would have made this band's sound somewhat unique at the Roadburn festival. And this is a very 70's sounding performance. Easily 4 stars.

4 To Made A Diagonal

Diagonal 4 album that offers a blend of progressive rock, free jazz, space-rock, reflecting the band's maturity since their debut. Released in 2021, it feels like a natural continuation from their previous album, Arc. The album showcases their ability to evolve while keeping the warmth and nostalgia of the '70s prog sound.

At just 37 minutes, 4 is tight and focused, avoiding the excesses that can sometimes weigh down progressive music. Tracks like "Stellate" bring a heavier, guitar-driven sound, while "Chroma" delivers jazzy saxophone solos. "Totem" closes the album with a dreamy, spacey vibe, offering a peaceful resolution to the experience.

The balance between different musical worlds?rock, jazz, and psychedelia?is tastefully executed, though at times the album feels a little disparate, with some musical ideas not fully integrated. However, this doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment, as each track stands out with its unique identity.

The band's change in personnel, including Alex Crispin shifting to synth and bass, adds a fresh layer to their sound. The inclusion of more synths and additional guitar work makes the album feel spacious, with tracks like "Amon" paying homage to space rock pioneers Amon Düül II.

4 is a great listen that blends technical skill with musical restraint. Diagonal has crafted an album that, is both fun and enjoyable, leaving listeners eager for what they'll explore next.

Diagonal Cross At Roadburn 2008

Diagonal Live recording from 2008 but released in 2022 it is great example of the great live sound of this band, Diagonal plays a 70's kind of Jazz-Prog- Canterbury avant-garde and psychedelic rock. the bands plays great live and it is a great journey to listen. Diagonal's musicianship stood out for its intricate compositions, driven by a mix of mellotrons, guitars, and saxophones.

Always leading by Alex Crispín who sings and plays keyboards also mix the record. The band showcased their ability to switch effortlessly between time signatures and moods, creating a sound that was both hypnotic and energetic. Tracks like "Semi Permeable Men-Brain" left the crowd in awe, with swirling guitar solos and impressive interplay between instruments. Their music felt as if it was constantly evolving, never staying in one place too long, but still maintaining a cohesive and captivating structure.

A standout moment was when the band unleashed a lengthy instrumental jam, where each member seemed to push their instrument to its limits. The saxophone solos, in particular, soared over the dense layers of sound, adding an unexpected but welcome avant-garde edge to their performance. The audience was visibly entranced, caught between the band's relentless energy and the calm moments that gave just enough breathing room before plunging back into their intricate compositions.

Overall, Diagonal's performance at Roadburn was a highlight for fans of progressive music, showing that they were not just a band reviving old sounds, but one pushing boundaries with modern creativity.

Diagonal had a quick turnaround between this album and their previous release, 2019's Arc. Compare that timeline to the five-year gap between their self-titled debut and their sophomore album, or to the seven-year hiatus following that. Needless to say, I'm glad they're putting out music at a brisker pace than they have in the past

I'm also glad that 4 is an improvement over Arc. Arc wasn't bad by any means, but good chunks of it felt unfocused or needlessly drawn-out. On this new release, the band sounds energized and full of new ideas, and that musical vigor shines through in the five compositions present here.

"Amon" opens the album with a fuzzy, jangly guitar line before the rest of the band joins in. Overall, 4 features more prominent guitar than past releases, and that tonal shift pays dividends here. As is typical for Diagonal, jazz plays a big role on this track. The rhythmic backbone is funky, and the inclusion of congas adds a fun textural element. The middle part of the song is mellower and more meditative, featuring a Canterbury-influenced organ solo and some pretty guitarwork. The song's closing is slow and deliberate, and it fades into an astral soundscape for its final minute.

The opening guitar arpeggio of "Chroma" nearly feels like the lead-in to some early '90s tech death cut, but Diagonal aren't making that massive of a sound change. Jazzy sax and percussion gently propel this instrumental, and wordless vocals are deployed subtly. This is the weakest track on the album, being a fairly straightforward jazz-rock cut, but it's still enjoyable.

"Spinning Array" follows by opening with a relaxed, funky rhythm section. The slowly-enunciated vocals  and rich guitar and keyboard tones add an almost ritualistic feel. A Chinese flute (hulusi) brings an exotic and haunting air to this track. There's a certain gravity to this song which is well-served by its slow flow and rich atmospherics.

A simple drum beat serves as the opening to "Stellate" before fuzzed-out guitar and throbbing, wobbling bass burst into the soundscape. This instrumental cut began life as what the band describes as a "controlled jam," and that genesis is evident in the way this song progresses. Elements of space rock are most evident here in the effects-laden guitar and intergalactic intensity of the soloing. In the song's second half, bass and woodwinds take the lead momentarily until guitar once more ascends to the forefront with a searing solo.

4 ends on its longest track, the 12-minute "Totem". Its opening moments are dreamy and floating. Echoing guitar lines unfurl slowly, establishing an unhurried mood. Instrumental elements are repeated as they accrue, adding lushness and depth to an idyllic setting. Around this song's midway point, the band coalesces into a folky verse, reminiscent of moments on More and Meddle. Much like in the song's first half, this part of "Totem" swells slowly. The song closes on a stellar guitar solo which starts life as long, languorous notes but builds in intensity across multiple minutes.

4 represents a shift in Diagonal's overall sound. It's more guitar-centric and draws more directly from space rock and krautrock influences. But it's a shift which suits them well. I'm hoping on future releases they can even more fully-integrate their jazz and Canterbury roots with this new direction. As it stands, though, Diagonal's fourth album is a strong entry in their discography.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/10/11/album-review-diagonal-4/

Diagonal's 2008 self-titled debut is one of the strongest progressive rock records of the '00s. And the '00s were the best decade for progressive rock since the '70s, so that's saying something. It was an enthralling blend of folk, prog, jazz, and Canterbury sounds presented with a fresh and modern energy. Their 2012 follow-up saw the band going almost fully instrumental after a personnel shake-up, much to their detriment. Alex Crispin's vocals were one of my favorite elements of their debut, being far more soulful than most other vocalists in the genre.

I wasn't even aware Diagonal were still together?it had been seven years since their last album. So, it was a pleasant surprise when I learned about their forthcoming third album, Arc. I was even happier when I listened to the first pre-release song and found they'd decided to reintroduce vocals to their music. The jazz influences on Arc loom large, in both the rhythms and the textures. The drumming is deft and often light, while organ and electric piano tend to be the lead instruments.

"9-Green" opens the album with a funky conga rhythm and shimmering organ. The bassline is jerky and impactful, yet it somehow facilitates a smooth, flowing atmosphere. The song's second half consists largely of a guitar solo over an increasingly intense backdrop.

"The Spectrum Explodes" is a more forceful piece of music than I would have expected from these guys. It's not often that guitar is the primary instrument in a Diagonal song, and paired with the propulsive drumming, it makes for an immediately engaging listen. Organ and sax manage to imbue no small amount of jazz flavor into this hard rocker. The second half of this song sees the band shift into a weird, technical riff reminiscent of math rock topped by an airy synth solo.

The title track is probably my favorite on the album. Fuzzy guitar and electric piano share the lead on the smooth verses, while the chorus features an odd riff that adds a sinister subtext. The gentle "Celestia" is a suiting album-closer, ending everything on a light, hopeful-sounding note.

This album isn't without its flaws, though. The eight-minute "Citadel" drags on and on and on with little development. The lethargic tempo is not helped  by the extended bouts of drowsy soloing, and the two-note organ line underpinning the whole song grows tiresome. "The Vital" suffers from almost identical ills. Despite being seven-and-a-half minutes, there's almost no development. It languishes in jazzy, atmospheric torpor for its full runtime?breathy sax bleats float over droning organ and noodling bass improvisations. Diagonal have proven themselves very good at including jazz elements in their music, but these songs demonstrate such elements are best paired with dynamism.

I'm glad Diagonal are back, and I hope they have an uptick in productivity?I don't want to have them be on Tool's or Änglagård's recording schedule. However, I hope they also temper some of their more long-winded, drone-flavored tendencies. Their jazzy, Canterbury-style prog is an uncommon subgenre I'd love to hear more of from modern acts.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/09/30/album-review-diagonal-arc/

This is definitely an album you will want to add to your collection of contemporary retro prog. It captures the vibes of many eclectic prog bands of the from the late 60's early 70's era, such as: ELP, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, etc.

Does it push open a new frontier for the genre? The short answer is no. This album is a reverent nod to their predecessors and will definitely soothe the nostalgic needs of generation brought up on this particular palette of prog.

Audio production is standard, so any of you audiophiles looking for ear biscuits, I suggest you look somewhere else.

The compositions are great for the most part, but at times it lacks to keep the listener on a continuous ride. For example in my favorite track "Child of the Thundercloud" has you listen through a build up with the main vocal melody up until there is a studio produced crescendo, which ostensible punctuated the end of the song. However, in the midst of the rumbling things begin to ramp up again with a riff that felt kind of tagged onto the end of the piece, for no discernible reason other than either: They had an extra riff they wanted to use; they wanted to make the piece longer; they were worried that the piece didn't have enough Umph. Were this riff a standalone track, maybe it would make more sense, but from a composition point of view, it poorly executed development.

The vocalist is a complete pleasure to listen to. On the track "Deathwatch," you hear this very dissonant melody that almost twists you into a pretzel before quickly resolving the tension. This kind of gentle giant-esque dissonance has mostly been discarded by contemporary prog bands due to its impracticality and lack of appeal, so kudos for experimenting with that.

"Pact," one of the better compositions in the album, has a long ambient section in the middle that doesn't feel forced. It places you in a trance before a forgettable stereo guitar harmonies fill the space with some Pink Floyd-esque vocal swells.

If you played this album alongside other prog albums from that era, I don't think I would notice much of a difference, other than a slightly better audio production. Which is both the advantage and disadvantage of this album. For anyone looking for a reverent piece of eclectic retro prog, this is your guy, but if you're hoping to hear something that pushes the genre to new frontiers, keep looking.

The young lads from Brighton present a strong 70's prog inspired record proving that they have listened to enough works before creating theirs. There are pretty imaginative instrumental moments with various including brass section but mainly, it's keyboards and guitar playing that set the timestamp. The album is crunchy, easy to consume for a person used to prog and eager to get more of the traditional prog, on the other hand, it's hard to say what this band unique contribution to prog is based on. Vocals are the weakest element here but they are used sparsely. I want to highlight the good sound and aura of this band and hope that the band will pull of a more original and detail-oriented album in the future. A decent debut, nevertheless.

Review #4: 4

It's normal to be surprised at how little known a record that deserves so much more recognition can be, but this... completely blew me away. 4, Diagonal's fourth release (a bit obvious), is an eclectic prog album that fuses instruments like saxophone, percussion and complements them with pleasant vocals and rhythms that transport us to the 60's (adding some psychedelia and groove along the way).

Throughout the whole album different and interesting rhythmic breaks can be noted. The excellent saxophone does not go unnoticed in most of the songs, with melodies as soft as they are delicious. We also find influences in R&B Funk and Soul, for example at the beginning of "Spinning", with that bass and drums of the style accompanying, which then passes to a choral voice that in my opinion, is excellent.

Certainly there is also an air of CAN style Kautrock that many will notice, this is noticeable on "Stellate". The album ends with "Totem", my favourite track on the album, and a dreamy arpeggio melody that is progressively complemented by an angelic choir, saxophones, tambourines, etc (adding a spectacular guitar solo in the last few minutes).

Amon: 5/5

Chroma 4/5

Spinning Array 5/5

Stellate 4/5

Totem 4.5/5

5 stars, 9/10. Believe me, you must give this little gem a chance. It is so epic.

Two years passed after "Arc" and thirteen after their eponymous debut album. Regarding its fourth release, DIAGONAL wanted to keep it simple by introducing their last opus "4" as SOFT MACHINE and LED ZEPELLIN at their time. You don't change a winning team by taking over the same troop made up of the same six musicians. Formed in 2006, they started on stage in 2008 by hitting directly in the wood during like a seasoned and informed formation. Their music is inspired as always by the old guard, but without the dust on the shoulders, with this faculty to be able to apprehend practically all the styles and to diffuse richly appreciated compositions. Even if the structures evolve by focusing a little more on the guitars, the trends do not change and remain resolutely in a modernized psychelic of the sixties, completed by jazz / rock, post / rock space / rock accents with tints of krautrock and a hint of stoner. Some influences can be mentioned: GONG, HAWKIND, RIDE, THE SOFT MACHINE, RÖYKSOPP ... The cover is soberly illustrated and gives off a minimalist aspect, with a square in its center revealing a paradoxical optical illusion. We can all the same regret the somewhat short duration of the recording culminating at 36 minutes, the most succinct of their discography. Let's see more closely if the perfidious albion will be able to forget the new taxes collected by the postman ...

"Amon" is a tribute to the German group AMON DÜÜL II. This piece starts off strong with a slightly ramshackle guitar playing alone in stoner mode, taken up by a flamboyant sax and rhythmic as rarely heard. This introduction reminds me of a step forward with a voice that resolutely monopolizes the atmosphere and the scene, evoking a kind of intoxication traversing the great rock road which will only stop at the end of a fabulous road. trip. It's terribly catchy and jubilant, I love it! The continuation will be done by successive declinations and progressive decelerations to end on the electronic atmosphere and to extinguish, with for intermediary a bass / well cadenced drums, an omnipresent sax tuning to a voice which reminds me of that of the singer from NEKTAR, and synths galore. Licked melodies and arrangements which are in my opinion what is best done in the genre, a song which tends to become legendary! (10/10)

With "Chroma" DIAGONAL shows us his interest in jazz, this jazz which merges with modernized choirs like RÔYKSOPP on brassy and woody Latin rhythms with a Luke FOSTER who brushes his drums like a jazzman (8.5 / 10). "Spinning Array" opens with a funky rhythm section followed by syncopated vocals like RIDE, a post / rock alternative rock band. Long guitar lines, a synthetic bagpipe evoking the Scottish moors and intense and multicolored flutes will shine these monotonous but deep songs (8/10). "Stellate" is a pure space / rock product that burns through and through. With a sax which gives the [%*!#] to a vibrating guitar trying to pass above this haughty and noisy brass. The battle hardens, the guitar regains control by dint of perseverance not to let go until the end. A bass with stoner sensations will restore the six-stringed impulse like a rocket launched into space. By rolling your eyes to the sky, you will be able to perceive a guitar consuming a thousand lights and reach the high galactic spheres (9/10).

"Totem" begins with a monotonous and repetitive five-note guitar, generated by voices without words and a sax without much presence in a dreamy and vaporous atmosphere. A change takes place at 5:00 with a small pop melody nicely interpreted and accompanied by an electric jaw harp that ignites until more thirsty to finish in total dissonance like RIDE (9/10). DIAGONAL is overflowing with new ideas and has just taken a new turn by refocusing on the guitar to be more openly inspired by the influences of space / rock or even krautrock. "4" is an enthusiastic album which transmits and transmits an irresistibly contagious energy even if there is nothing to throw away, this opus could have been the album of the year if the five tracks had been of the same size as "Amon ". This title alone is worth the purchase of the vinyl.