FREQUENCY

Eagerly awaited and a bit disappointing. No where NEAR Dark Matter despite what By-Tor thinks. IF and it's a big IF, IQ had made the Frequency track 10 to 15 minutes LONGER and explored the brilliant riffs and guitar/ synths that this track showcases it may have pulled this new CD out of the doldrums. FREQUENCY is as good as ANYTHING that IQ have done, BUT ITS TOO SHORT, what about the rest of the CD? Life support is only good in the Instrumental part. Stronger than Friction is better but as with a lot of the CD this track seems to be listless, Closer and One fatal mistake are fillers. Ryker Skies is more interesting but never seems to get off the ground! The Province is promising and is nearer the IQ standard we have come to expect. I think that Orford's writing ability was MISSED severely, this could be the beginning of the end of IQ if they just rely on IQ diehards to buy any further CD's that they produce. This album gets a THREE from me but ONLY because of the FREQUENCY track, which is bloody marvellous.