DOMINION

IQ's latest studio album seems to me to be another concept album meditation on death; they've had past form with this, of course, what with The Wake and Ever following such ideas. (For that matter, the cover art seems to be a wry reference to the bootleg version of Nine In a Pond Is Hear, what with the "opening up something to reveal a sunset inside" motif.) The title seems to exist as counterbalance to one of the song titles, "No Dominion", which seems to be a nod to the much-used quote "Death shall have no dominion" and so on, and there's a strong fatalistic streak to much of the lyrics.

But then again, isn't that same as it ever was? The intro to the epic opening track, The Unknown Door, extracts a radio broadcast of the declaration of World War II, which feels like it's touching on both the use of historic wartime radio announcements on Frequency and the World War I themes of The Seventh House; Dark Matter's Harvest of Souls played on the afterlife theme too. The fact is that IQ do have a set of ideas and motifs they like to loop back to from time to time - especially when Peter Nicholls is on vocals - and they're looping it again this time around.

But restating your ideas can be a good thing: it allows you to refine them, add nuance, proclaim what you still believe all the stronger whilst jettisoning that which no longer rings true. Musically speaking, this feels like a significant advance in IQ's sound, adding a layer of production polish and compositional subtlety over and above their already high standards. Though once The Unknown Door really kicks into high gear there's no doubt they're still square in the neo-prog realm which is their true dominion, they're also playing up to classic prog motifs and retro stylings less than ever.

But this isn't a Nomzamo or Are You Sitting Comfortably situation where they've decided to go more commercial - the song lengths are all wrong for that approach, for one thing - so much as it is a case where they're confident enough in who they are and what their sound is that they can basically do as they wish and it all manages to sound IQ because it's IQ doing it in an IQ fashion; in other words, it's another prog classic, but not because they're following a 1980s neo-prog playbook but because it's IQ doing it, and even if IQ sucker you into thinking they're going to make it straightforward momentarily they soon work in a way to do something fresh with it.

Neil Durant's work on keyboard deserves particular notice here, dialling relying less on flashy complexity (though there's not an absence of that) and more on continuing the "cinematic" spin to things I'd noted he'd added to Resistance. Some moments of this wrangle from his modern electronics the sort of stateliness you associated with old-time church organs, putting me in mind at points of moments in Yes's work like Awaken, and on that note a case can certainly be made that this may be the IQ work where the Genesis influence on their sound is least apparent and the Yes influence comes to the fore like never before.

It might be the biggest update to their sound since Subterranea, and finds them producing something which will simultaneously give rich enjoyment to long-term fans but is less reliant on their classic 1980s sound or nostalgia for prog's golden age than ever before. As far as I'm concerned, prog's new golden age is "whenever Dominion is playing". This may well be down to a commitment to quality control - reportedly, whilst the gang had enough new material to make this one a double album, they took the single album approach with it, letting us have the cream of the crop whilst the rest gets held back for further polish and refinement. If that's so, then there's every reason to have confidence they'll pull off a blinder with the remainder too.

British NeoProg band IQ is back with their 16th studio album release since they formed in the early 1980s. It is amazing to me that four of the band's original quintet of membership return/remain . . . after 43+ years!

1. "The Unknown Door" (22:33) herald-like horns open this one before static-treated television (or radio) clips from old WW II British broadcasts float across the background. Then Peter Nicholls enters using the same voice to perform another lyric using the exact same melodic formula he's used for 40 years. The heraldry horns continue with Neil Durant's typical synth strings chord washes for a bit before other computer-generated (or -enhanced) instruments start to come out of their enclaves. This feels like an opening scene to a Disney film--like Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King--where the villagers or jungle animals all start to appear and congregate while the protagonist introduces the audience to the feel and look (new innovative wonders of animation) of the film. Finally, at 4:40 we have full introduction and, by the middle of the sixth minute, full display of all of the personnel and tricks that the producers/artists have. The thick bass and bass pedals are cool, the Hammond and drums nice (though, of course, quite stereotypic in their "requisite" presence) and the bouncing synth chords are nice while a slightly different, slightly more engaged Peter Nicholls continues his storytelling (of the British bravery and tragedy in the Second World War). At 8:38 the band launches into a protracted heavy prog power section (action and passion, Lads!) intended, I think, to represent the courageous, unbridled energy and resolve of the oppressed Brits in the face of Hitler's war machine. The changes in instrumental sounds are effective--and would be moreso had they thought to change the sound effects on Paul Cook's drums, but, alas! they remain the same as they were throughout the first half of the song. At the end of the thirteenth minute the action/onslaught ends, leaving a quiet patch in which to look over the post-battle wreckage through the morning mist. There are those distant herald horns again (or fox hunt horns). At the 15-minute mark, enter a nice strumming, two-chord David Gilmour "Dogs"-duplicate acoustic guitar motif to create the next passage for the band to build around--and for Peter to continue his narrative--which leads up to a majestic church organ breakout that definitely conjures up the royal monarchy and all that represents. This only serves as a bridge to the next section of impassioned performances from all five of the quintet. And here we here Mike Holmes' lead guitar for what feels like the first time but then, one phrase "spoken" and it's gone: receded back into the maelstrom of thick sound. But this, too, soon ends as the simple keyboard synth "grass" supports Peter's introduction to his summation--before the "I think it's gonna work out fine" GENESIS "Supper's Ready"-like dénouement of the moralistic conclusion of his story in the final two and a half minutes. Of course the song ends with the Regina Britannia church organ, but the effect of nationalistic pride chest-puffing is somewhat diminished by the pastoral guitar, synth strings chord wash, and statement of the song's title in Peter's last pronunciations. (I'm quite surprised that the heraldic horns failed to make a final appearance!) (40.333/45) 2. "One of Us" (3:10) nice Paul McCartney-like acoustic guitar play opens this, setting down the balnket over which Peter Nicholls will sing his "Blackbird" like vocal. Too bad for the entry of the synth wash chords at the one-minute mark: the guitar and voice duet was fully sufficient. Nice work Mike and Peter! More of this! (8.875/10)

3. "No Dominion" (6:25) bombast and the familiar instrumental sound palette we all know and, supposedly, love from 1976-77 GENESIS albums, A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering. while Peter Nicholls sings about something in the same monotone and ploddingly-pace vocal delivery as . . . always! The ending of the song is quite odd as instead of a buildup to a long instrumental passage with its crescendo and (more) bombast--as it definitely feels as if its going--it just fades out. Mid-phrase. As if the engineer, producer, or band said, "No! No! Enough of this!" and then slid down the volume paddles on the console of the soundboard! Since I don't hear lyrics (they're just another instrument in a song's weave), I can't comment or critique the song based on message, but in terms of exciting, refreshing, or innovative music? There is none here. (8.6667/10)

4. "Far from Here" (12:44) a construct that very quickly lost my attention--receded into the background as "another one of those." The sonic landscape is too thick and murky, the drumming too proscribed and rote, the main chord progressions too homogenous, and the few solos or individual performance breakouts too mashed up within the confines of the wall of sounds' overall murk. And Peter Nicholls melody choices are too borrowed (I hear so much of Jon Anderson's Yes vocal melodies in this song). Even the plaintive piano-based finale is just . . . dull. There is nothing I can store or retrieve from this song for future recalll--nothing that even remotely draws to want to try to do so. Before I can even ruminate if I could do this better--what changes I might make--I have to back up and realize that I would never even deign to give my time such a project. (21/25)

5. "Never Land" (8:16) I like the simplicity and near-spaciousness of the opening four minutes of this. Then the [&*!#] flies: watered down post-Hackett Genesis, gnarled and scuffed by distortion, overly-thick synth walls, and unnecessary bombast. At the same time, I do find myself, for some as-yet undetermined reason, inexplicably sympathetic to this one: the overall effect of the simplistic, straightforward "pop" chord progressions has an endearing emotional effect on me--one that is quite reminiscent of the way PREFAB SPROUT's "Desire As" has always held me under its spell. Thus, despite my inclination to negate this as a standout representative of progressive rock music, I like it! It makes me feel good! (18/20)

Total Time 53:08

Several reviewers have been commenting on the "new" sound or "reinvention" of IQ for this album, but I hear none of this; Dominion is nothing but more of the same solid, well-engineered NeoProg that the band have been turning out over the last fifteen years. I am so glad the band chose to not publish a two album release--with their now-usual "Bonus Disc" of unfinished, unpolished, second-rate cast-offs. 53 minutes of my time spent with this stuff is quite enough; in the past (and with many of today's NeoProg, RetroProg, and "Symphonic" bands [I'm referring to bands like The Flower Kings, Glass Hammer, Antony Kalugin, and Transatlantic here--not to mention all the "all-star" albums coming from Italian artists]), I've dreaded having to wade through the muck and dross of 70 to 140 minutes of music--especially when it never really presents anything new or exciting, so, thank you, IQ, for that small mercy. Despite its merciful length of 53 minutes, I had to spend some time with this album in order to accurately and record my sincere reactions and form my opinions. The problem with me reviewing any IQ release is the fact that I am disenchanted with the repetitious to the brink of monotony presentation of the same limited sound palette over the band's 43 years and, worse, the total and invariable predictability of Peter Nicholls' singing. The lyrics may change but the melodies and presentation is the same, nearly exactly the same, in every single song he's ever participated on. In the end, I do not hear any deviation from the band's formulae. (And I admit: Why should they? It has worked for a long time; the band has a very loyal and enthusiastic following. I am just not one of them.)

B/four stars; another solid and fairly consistent display of NeoProg mastery from one of the sub-genres' oldest and most consistent artists.

IQ are back with their third studio album in just over a decade, with the same line-up for all three, four of whom who played on 'Tales From The Lush Attic' all the way back in 1983. Michael Holmes has been the only constant through the band's career, but there was a stable line-up from 'Ever' to 'Dark Matter', and it is only the one album after that period, 'Frequency', which truly failed to shine, not bad for a band with the longevity of this one. Peter Nicholls (lead & backing vocals), Michael Holmes (guitars), Tim Esau (bass, bass pedals), and Paul Cook (drums, percussion) along with "newbie" Neil Durant (keyboards) may not be the most prolific, but arguably their output has been the most dynamic and consistent of the band's career. This is not a group who are going through the motions but instead are releasing some of their most important and fascinating music yet.

When I reviewed their last album, 2019's 'Resistance' I said that one of the things that truly stood out for me was the confidence of the band, particularly that of Paul Cook, and here we see that being taken to yet another level. Opener "The Unknown Door", which is the longest song on the album (and one of their longest ever) at 22 minutes, tells you everything you need to know about this IQ. Paul can be hard-hitting, blasting around the kit, or providing emphasis by sitting on his hands and doing nothing, Tim provides complexity with his hands and stability with his feet, Neil has long ago moved away from being compared to Martin Orford and has created his own niche in the band with banks of sounds and a happy understanding of the relationship between overplaying and providing support, while Michael can be bombastic and loud or picking an acoustic. There are multiple layers, the threads interweaving and combining the sounds into a majestic whole, and then at the front is the irrepressible Peter Nicholls. To me he has always been as important to IQ as Geoff Mann was to Twelfth Night, or Fish to Marillion. Yes, each band has released highly enjoyable albums without those frontmen, but were they true to the essence? I think not.

This is not an album from people heading gently into older age but instead is a band who still have something to prove, proudly progressive, moving forward. It is a band working together, with little in the way of flashiness as instead this feels like a collective release with everyone knowing their place in the pantheon and what they need to achieve. Consequently, it is a release which I loved the very first time I played it, and it has grown on me even more with the repeated listenings. There is a presence, a dynamic here which is difficult to explain, a majesty which only comes from a band still on the top of their game after more than four decades.

This may well be their finest release since 'Subterranea', not something I say lightly at all. Essential.

Iconic British prog band IQ returns with a new album in 2025, the plainly titled 'Dominion', which happens to be their first single-disc set since 2009, after their two massive double albums released the previous decade. This new album is definitely informed by and expands upon the hard-hitting and melodramatic neo-progressive rock style developed on their previous two releases, as the band delves further into this dark direction of their music, with all the ominous interludes, scorchingly heavy passages and gorgeous vocal harmonies. But unlike the riff-heavy 'Resistance', the band's 2025 offering is a moodier, more atmospheric work that dares to play with a lot of ambient and quiet passages, much to the listener's surprise. And with just five tracks in rotation, 'Dominion' may feel a little more confined compared to the band's recent double albums, whose strength lied in the vast exploration of doomy soundscapes and cathartic mood shifts.

This release, however, is more nuanced and vulnerable, and represents all the things that IQ stand for - the labyrinthian prog-epic, in the face of the opening track 'The Unknown Door' is the most fulfilling and expansive piece on the album with its dazzling twenty-two minutes of playtime, a powerful composition that lures you in with its unconditional beauty in the opening notes, soon transformed into a swiveling dance of technical playing, with the ominous synths and the pointy jabs of the bass guitar, working the ground for Mike Holmes who comes in with a massive verse just before mid-song. Excellent all throughout, this is a really fine entry point for the album, which moves on to the tranquil 'One of Us', here working more as an interlude before 'No Dominion', a more atmospheric song replete with dramaticism and suspense, transitioning into the 12-minute suite 'Far From Here', another very interesting track, with its darker atmosphere and march-like drum patterns; here the band interpolate their heavy tendencies with their usual eclecticism. Closing track 'Never Land' is slow, lush and tame, perhaps bookmarking the album with its tender notes, as the ones we had heard in the beginning of 'The Unknown Door'. The vocal work of Peter Nicholls is always impressive, and with 'Dominion' he delivers one of his richest and most emotive performances, which is probably also valid for Mike Holmes and Neil Durant, both having a very strong presence all over, and delivering some of the finest leads on an IQ album. All in all, this is a really great new album that treads upon the darker, moodier path of 'The Road of Bones' and 'Resistance', this time with a greater focus and emotional intensity.