Axis - Axis (1973) (Remastered, 2013)

Axis was formed in 1970 by Dimitris KATAKOUZINOS and Demis VISVIKIS, after they had hooked up as members of the backing band for Demis ROUSSOS (APHRODITE'S CHILD). They released three albums between 1971 and 1973. Their third album (their second self-titled album) brings the most interest to this site, as it is a mixture of heavy prog, canturbury jazz-rock, and pure fusion.
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The second album by this Greek band who lived in France. It's incredible diverse and features almost everything: heavy progressive, trad/free-form jazz, Crimson-like passages, experimental and atmospheric Tangerine Dream-like Mellotron-parts, Canterbury-like jazzy progressive and grandiose, symphonic parts with church-organ and choir.

The only thing that doesn't do much for me is the most far out free jazz on "Asymphonia". But the rest is GREAT! The opening track "Waiting a Long Time" is a great heavy-progressive track, and at the end the track suddenly turns into a part where it's played by a trad-jazz arrangement. And the album just continues to surprise the listener with unexcepted turns. "Sewers Down Inside" features Tangerine Dream-like flute-Mellotron and creates some great atmosphere.

"Materializing the Unlimited" sounds like a good Crimson-instrumental with great Mellotron. "Suspended Recipe", "Roads" and "The Planet Vavoura" are all more in a Canterbury progressive vein. Jazzy, but the band managed to give it a sound of their own by using the Mellotron on these passages (not very common in jazz-influenced progressive).

A great and VERY progressive album, but be aware that I've also seen this album listed as "Sewers Down Inside" and that their third (and non-progressive) album also was called "Axis".