My Diligence - Sun Rose (New Full Album) Rising up from the streets of Brussels, My Diligence is a band that in recent years have come to transcend rock in their native Belgium with a skill and ease reminiscent of their transatlantic peers. For fans already in the know, the progressive rock aplomb of established acts like Torche, Helmet and Elder resonate wildly in their sound. Big, bold and high in intensity, the Belgian trio deliver a non-stop, ass kicking brand of no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll that scorches the sky, while leveling the playing field. Progressive, yes, but relatively succinct: the nine songs on Sun Rose clock in between the two- and five-minute ranges, never outstaying their welcome. “Resentful” opens the show in hypnotic fashion, and you can immediately hear the influences mentioned above. A slow groove beneath a simple riff drives the song, with effects-laden vocals and a simple yet effective arrangement lulling us into its spell.
It’s a captivating opener, and the trio waste no time bludgeoning us with the next track, “Hunt the Hunter,” which attacks us in blistering 4/4 time, again dropping a superb riff and vocals heavily influenced by Torche-slightly distorted, but melodically catchy. In fact, much of this song and others wear Torche influences proudly on their sleeves, almost but not quite to the point of aping that band. ‘Backstabber’ shoves a melodic Prog element through the overwhelming swell with the delicacy of Yes entering a rottweiler’s jaws. The might of the pulverising, Karnivool-esque rhythms is offset by harmonies and leadwork: a delight that’s as delicious as salt and pepper chicken, delivered with the intensity of being force-fed said takeaway by the Krays. As the title suggests, ‘An Asteroid Arrow’ offers a stellar trip through an eighties landscape, the post-Rock power of Then Jerico anchoring the pouting lips of Duran Duran at their finest: that weight glorious and unfathomable.
‘Flying Poney’ does just that: Get Up Kids meets Dookie-era Green Day, and the diverse nature of this remarkable trio takes another twist, not tethering itself to any particular genre but giving a deafening representation of their own tastes, by their own hand. ‘Lecter’s Song’ throws a similar tangent, this time with Black-Punk leads ploughing shards into a thickened Grunge atmosphere. The band’s well-reputed Torche influence kicks in here but so much thicker, heavier than the more noted outfit. Sailor’s lead guitar, once melodic, then slices through monstrous riffs and rhythms with a euphoric explosion, enough to raise the dead for one last, angst-ridden teenage party.
‘So Pretty So Cruel’ continues this melodic battery, but with a ‘Pretty In Pink’ sensibility which brings that cheesy pubescence into a thrilling maturity. Closing duet ‘Serpentine’ and ‘Unreal’, meanwhile, epitomise the immediacy and attractiveness of My Diligence: crushing yet deft rhythms showered in shimmering, wailing emotion, firing in and out with the energy and control of a child genius. This kind of music should be unimportant bubblegum, but the fulminating essence of Sun Rose could make it a genre-spanning joy that will be discussed for years.
