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IQ - Frequency review



Reviewer:
7.5

34 users:
8.29
Band: IQ
Album: Frequency
Release date: February 2009


01. Frequency
02. Life Support
03. Stronger Than Friction
04. One Fatal Misake
05. Ryker Skies
06. The Province
07. Closer

With Marillion, and Pendragon, IQ is one of the leaders of the 2nd wave of British progressive bands (after Pink Floyd, Yes and Genesis, the fathers of the genre which started their career some years before them). Founded in 1982 , IQ never became popular like Marillion but managed to found a real solid fan-base and, above everything else, a really respectful aura. IQ is still active nowadays, and "Frequency" is their last album. As a fan of Progressive Rock and Metal, I recommend this beautiful and tender album. You should have a look at it if you like this kind of music, some songs really deserve all your attention.

There are seven songs on "Frequency", and as you can guess, they're all long in general (from 5 minutes to 14). Three of them at least, (the first three ones actually) are really beautiful and deep. My favorite one is probably "Frequency" with its excellent melancholic and hypnotic line of piano/keyboards but of course like all the other songs on the album, there is a real evolution from the beginning to the end. This is Prog Rock after all, "Frequency" is absolutely not a linear album and all the songs have a progression with different passages: calm, melancholic, atmospheric, etc? On the other hand if the beginning of the album is really catchy, the end is a bit more calm and peaceful. This is really varied with long songs like "The Province" but all in all, this is not so good, complex and Progressive of course but a bit long and boring with time.

When you have to talk about IQ, you cannot talk about some musical deficiency. All the guys are musical maestros, and all know (that's really visible with this band and I like it) how to give emotions through their music. Nobody will have the right to say that IQ performance on "Frequency" is monotonous, this is beautiful with a real spirit; you'll feel it for sure.

"Frequency" is a good release but lacks a bit of energy maybe. Also, there are songs which are better than other ones and if it can be logical on a side, this is a bit surprising to be really attracted at the beginning and start to forget what you're listening to in the end? "Frequency" remains a good album, the fans of classic Progressive Rock like the fans of Ayreon or Porcupine Tree should have a look at it. This is maybe not dark (for a basic lambda metalhead) but melancholic and damnly beautiful. Who know maybe that you'll fall in love with IQ through this release!


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 8
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 23.07.2009




Comments

Comments: 5   Visited by: 112 users
24.07.2009 - 04:08
Talvi

Prog rock died at the year 1975. Everything after that is neo prog, and bad by definition.
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26.07.2009 - 23:16
JohnDoe
Account deleted
Written by Talvi on 24.07.2009 at 04:08

Prog rock died at the year 1975. Everything after that is neo prog, and bad by definition.


wow, that's a pretty harsh statement. The nowadays prog rock is influenced by what was going on in the 70s, but i'm glad it still exists. Try to listen to some Anglagard, Anekdoten,Trespass, Parallel Mind, Glass Hammer, The Tangent, Presto Ballet, Beardfish to name a few, prog ain't dead.

As for the last IQ album, it's one of the best releases I've heard this year, this album is one of their best works IMO.
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27.07.2009 - 13:31
Talvi

Written by Guest on 26.07.2009 at 23:16

Written by Talvi on 24.07.2009 at 04:08

Prog rock died at the year 1975. Everything after that is neo prog, and bad by definition.


wow, that's a pretty harsh statement. The nowadays prog rock is influenced by what was going on in the 70s, but i'm glad it still exists. Try to listen to some Anglagard, Anekdoten,Trespass, Parallel Mind, Glass Hammer, The Tangent, Presto Ballet, Beardfish to name a few, prog ain't dead.

As for the last IQ album, it's one of the best releases I've heard this year, this album is one of their best works IMO.


If I say that it's because I heard those kind of bands. I'll stick with Harmonium, Maneige, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Area and Jethro Tull any day.
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http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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30.07.2009 - 20:47
JohnDoe
Account deleted
Written by Talvi on 27.07.2009 at 13:31

Written by Guest on 26.07.2009 at 23:16

Written by Talvi on 24.07.2009 at 04:08

Prog rock died at the year 1975. Everything after that is neo prog, and bad by definition.


wow, that's a pretty harsh statement. The nowadays prog rock is influenced by what was going on in the 70s, but i'm glad it still exists. Try to listen to some Anglagard, Anekdoten,Trespass, Parallel Mind, Glass Hammer, The Tangent, Presto Ballet, Beardfish to name a few, prog ain't dead.

As for the last IQ album, it's one of the best releases I've heard this year, this album is one of their best works IMO.


If I say that it's because I heard those kind of bands. I'll stick with Harmonium, Maneige, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Area and Jethro Tull any day.


What do you mean by "those kind of bands"? 70s progressive rock is my favourite kind of music, I make no secret about that, but still...prog-rock died in 75? That's a radical statement and to think everything that came after that is just bad is incorrect (for lack of a better word). Or at least I would consider 1977 the year prog rock "died".

Throughout the years prog-rock reinvented itself, started all over, sometimes with inspiring music, sometimes not. The success of the neo-prog genre in the 80s is easy to explain - bands such as Marillion, IQ, Pendragon and their followers filled a void. A lot of the 70s prog rock heroes had either split up or made their music commercial in the 80s (Genesis, Yes, even Jethro Tull, ELP and their side projects, Camel, even Rush), so neo-prog although massively influenced by 70s symphonic prog, satisfied prog rock listeners - with the exception of purists and elitists .

The best of prog rock was released before 77 or 75 (as you say), but still there's been a lot of interesting music throughout the years IMO.
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26.10.2020 - 18:58
Metren
Dreadrealm
Written by Talvi on 24.07.2009 at 04:08

Prog rock died at the year 1975. Everything after that is neo prog, and bad by definition.


To be fair, you need to have a really high IQ to appreciate this band.
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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