Diagnosis is an extended play (EP) by British rock band the Wildhearts. Recorded at Treehouse Studio in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, it was produced by Jim Pinder and released on 4 October 2019 by Graphite Records. The EP features five new recordings alongside title track "Diagnosis", which is taken from the band's ninth studio album Renaissance Men, released earlier in 2019. Diagnosis reached number 25 on the UK Albums Chart and number 9 on the Scottish Albums Chart.
Background Following the release of their ninth studio album Renaissance Men, the Wildhearts announced that they would be releasing the "mini-album" Diagnosis, featuring the track of the same name alongside five new tracks. Physical editions of the album feature an inner sleeve comic strip illustrated by Hunt Emerson, with whom the band had worked on the artwork of their 1993 debut album Earth vs the Wildhearts. The EP was promoted on the Renaissance Men Tour Part 2, beginning the day after its release. Recordings from this tour were featured on the 2020 live album 30 Year Itch.
Reception Commercial Diagnosis registered at number 25 on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached number 2 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, number 4 on the UK Independent Albums Chart, number 6 on the UK Vinyl Albums Chart, number 9 on the Scottish Albums, and number 11 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.
Critical
Reviewing the EP for Classic Rock magazine, Essi Berelin described Diagnosis as "a second wave of joyous noise" following the release of Renaissance Men earlier in the year. Berelin noted that the five new tracks are "almost all cut from the same sonic cloth as Renaissance Men, though crushing closer "LOCAC" could easily be a lost effort from Endless, Nameless". In the same publication's review of Renaissance Men, Neil Jeffries selected "Diagnosis" as the best song on the album.
Track listing
Personnel
The Wildhearts Ginger Wildheart – lead vocals, guitar CJ Wildheart – guitar, backing vocals Danny McCormack – bass, backing vocals Ritch Battersby – drums, backing vocals Additional musicians Jez Dennis – backing vocals Ross Bannister – backing vocals Rosie O'Hara – backing vocals Lewis Wild – backing vocals
Additional personnel Jim Pinder – production, engineering, mixing Dan Jeffery – additional engineering, backing vocals Carl Bown – mixing Dave Draper – mastering Anthony "H" Haylock – cover artwork Hunt Emerson – sleeve artwork Shirlaine Forrest – photography
Charts + Chart performance for DiagnosisChart (2019)PeakpositionScottish Albums (OCC) 9UK Albums (OCC) 25UK Album Downloads (OCC) 11UK Album Sales (OCC) 9UK Independent Albums (OCC) 4UK Physical Albums (OCC) 9UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) 2UK Vinyl Albums (OCC) 6
References
External links