Two 'technical prog' epics from 1974.

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"The Ikon," released on the record that came out in October 1974, and "The Gates of Delirium," from the album released in November of the same year, are both brilliant epics. In fact, they are both masterpieces. Which one do you like better?

Utopia "The Ikon"

Here are some features for your reference: Utopia consisted of six top-notch musicians; three of them played keyboards. Do you enjoy bubbling, spacey synthesisers in fast-paced, ring-modulated parts? What about explosive, crunchy drumming, some of the best ever fiery guitar solos, and stunning vocal harmonies? "The Ikon" has everything we could possibly need. One of the few real epic masterpieces to come out of the subgenre of 'technical' prog. 
Rock critics were quick to criticise "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" upon its release in the autumn of 1974, calling it pretentious, haughty, overindulgent, and other such adjectives, probably mostly due to the 30-minute-long "The Ikon." However, it's astounding how nicely "The Ikon" functions in the constellation of technical prog-rock created for you to get laid back and enjoy it. "The Ikon," in my opinion, is an epic song that truly elevates Todd Rundgren to the pantheon of prog gods without discounting the other extraordinarily skilled members of Utopia. His insane guitar playing, his kind, inviting voice, and the fact that he composed and directed this enormous, amazingly intricate epic song.

Yes "The Gates of Delirium"

Steve Howe's guitar work is the best in the entire 'technical' prog canon of the mid-to-late 1970s, hands down. No other guitarist can convey the variety of moods and tones like Steve can in even a single song like "The Gates of Delirium" from the 1974 Yes album "Relayer." There are scalar runs that sting, pyrotechnics that dive-bomb, leads with cosmic sustain, and the most exquisite slide guitar tones ever heard. As Wakeman steps down from the keyboard, Patrick Moraz takes over and rips off amazing synthesiser solos that push the band past its prior symphonic towards 'technical' prog. 
Meanwhile, Chris Squire and Alan White provide what may be the best rhythm section performance ever. Musically speaking, this 22-minute song consists of an instrumental that depicts the combat and an opening vocal portion. The last part is titled "Soon" and is a mellow, comforting plea for hope and peace. Jon's singing is sublime, and that portion actually predicted his collaborative work with Vangelis. "Soon," an incredibly beautiful section, magically adorns the whole epic, and it was eventually edited into the album's single.

Edited by Moyan - April 29 2024 at 19:06

Poll Question: Which one do you like better?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Utopia "The Ikon"	9	[25.00%]
Yes "The Gates of Delirium"	27	[75.00%]
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