IQ
Iq- "Dominion"

With their brand new album, IQ returns to shine after 6 years since their last record.

The new work is titled "Dominion" and represents an exhilarating synthesis of their career, now in its 43rd year of activity. Indeed, the new album offers an excellent mix of futuristic, tense, unsettling, yet also romantic and laid-back atmospheres (as in the greatest classic prog rock tradition). Overall, the tone of the album is more uplifting compared to its closest predecessors: "Resistance" and "The Road of Bones." Several factors contribute to making the new record superior to its two predecessors: the very good cohesion of the songs, the extremely inspired and decisive contribution of keyboardist Neil Durant, and the greatest vocal performance in Peter Nicholls' career! Given the age and the many years of career, it seems absurd, but he himself says: <<In this album, I sing as I have always wanted to sing>>.

Following in the footsteps of the legendary LP "Tales from The Lush Attic" (1983), "Dominion" also opens gloriously with a magnificent opener lasting over 22 minutes. The new suite is titled "The Unknown Door" and incorporates 3 guitar solos and as many synth solos, allowing the keyboardist to rise to the levels of the illustrious former member Martin Ordford. Without hesitation, I dare say that this track could be a contender to enter the top 10 of IQ's repertoire!

After such majesty, the album manages to maintain high quality, albeit with a piece of just 3 and a half minutes like "One of Us." In my opinion, a rare example of a successful ballad produced by the group (on par with "Speak my Name" contained in the 1997 album "Subterranea").

Following is the turn of the beautiful single "No Dominion," with its elegant and cadenced pace, enriched towards the end by a masterful electric guitar solo.

"Far From Here" is the most innovative and biting piece of the album. Unsettling in its intro, almost prog/metal in its central part, and finally romantic and touching in its finale. It is the definitive consecration of the keyboardist who completely dominates the scene in this piece with futuristic atmospheres and with no less than 2 solos. At the same time, the drummer also delivers a great performance, and in the last part of the track, there's room for a wonderful guitar solo.

The album concludes with "Never Land." A classic closing piece, in the style of "Closer" (2009). The track is beautiful but certainly does not reach the heights of "Guiding Light" which closed their 2000 record. In this album, it can be considered the "less beautiful" piece (although this indicates the rather high average level of this new album).

With Dominion, IQ reasserts their status as legends on the 21st-century prog rock scene. Rating for the album? It would be 4.5 stars, but I round up to 5 because, given the times, I don't feel like denying the maximum score to such a work.

Welcome back, guys! ❤️