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**IQ - The Road of Bones: A Masterclass in Progressive Grandeur**

When discussing IQ's towering discography, most prog aficionados will point to "Subterranea" as their magnum opus – and rightfully so. That 1997 double album stands as one of progressive rock's finest achievements of the modern era, a conceptual tour de force that cemented the band's reputation as torch-bearers for intelligent, emotionally resonant prog. But while "Subterranea" may wear the crown, "The Road of Bones" proves that IQ's creative well runs deeper than many realize, delivering a collection of songs that showcase the band firing on all cylinders nearly four decades into their career.

Released in 2014, "The Road of Bones" arrived at a fascinating juncture for IQ. The band had weathered the storm of Peter Nicholls' temporary departure in the early 2000s (when he briefly left to focus on family), and his return had reinvigorated their sound considerably. The preceding albums "Frequency" and "The Wake" had already demonstrated that the classic lineup – Nicholls, guitarist Mike Holmes, keyboardist Martin Orford, bassist John Jowitt, and drummer Paul Cook – had lost none of their chemistry. If anything, they'd gained the kind of seasoned perspective that only comes with surviving the music industry's various upheavals while maintaining artistic integrity.

The album opens with the sprawling title track, a 19-minute epic that immediately announces IQ's ambitious intentions. Built around a haunting central motif that weaves through multiple movements, "The Road of Bones" showcases everything that makes this band special: Nicholls' soaring, emotionally charged vocals; Holmes' tasteful guitar work that favors melody over showboating; and Orford's keyboard textures that add both grandeur and intimacy. The song's narrative, dealing with themes of historical tragedy and human resilience, provides the perfect vehicle for IQ's brand of thinking person's prog.

Musically, IQ has always occupied a unique space in the progressive rock landscape. While their contemporaries in the neo-prog movement often leaned heavily into Genesis and Yes worship, IQ developed a more distinctive voice that incorporated elements of art rock, symphonic prog, and even subtle touches of post-punk energy. "The Road of Bones" finds them refining this approach to near-perfection, creating music that feels both timeless and utterly contemporary.

"Knucklehead" stands as perhaps the album's most immediately accessible track, featuring a driving rhythm and one of Nicholls' most memorable vocal performances. The song demonstrates IQ's ability to craft prog that doesn't sacrifice hooks for complexity – a balance many bands struggle to achieve. Meanwhile, "Stay Down" explores darker territory with its brooding atmosphere and intricate instrumental interplay, while "Alampandria" offers a more delicate, introspective moment that allows the band's subtler qualities to shine.

The album's production, handled by the band themselves, strikes an ideal balance between clarity and warmth. Every instrument occupies its own sonic space without sacrificing the cohesive whole, allowing listeners to discover new details with each listen – a hallmark of great progressive rock.

What makes "The Road of Bones" particularly impressive is how it represents both continuity and evolution for IQ. The band's core strengths remain intact – their gift for memorable melodies, their sophisticated yet never overwrought arrangements, and their ability to tackle weighty themes without pretension. Yet there's also a sense of renewed purpose here, as if the band recognized they still had important things to say and the skills to say them compellingly.

In the broader context of IQ's career, "The Road of Bones" serves as a reminder of why they've endured when so many of their peers have faded. From their early days in the 1980s underground scene through their major label flirtation and eventual return to independence, IQ has consistently prioritized songcraft over trends. While the progressive rock world has seen waves of technical wizardry and retro revival, IQ has quietly continued doing what they do best: creating emotionally resonant music that rewards both casual listening and deep analysis.

Today, "The Road of Bones" stands as perhaps their most cohesive statement since "Subterranea," proof that great progressive rock doesn't require constant reinvention – sometimes it just requires master craftsmen doing what they do best. In an era when many veteran bands coast on past glories, IQ continues to push