Since forming in 1981, IQ have established themselves as a veritable British prog institution. They’ve kept working consistently, their annual Christmas shows have become semi-legendary, and they retain a firm and ever-enthusiastic fanbase.
They could not, however, be accused of being overly prolific, averaging one album every five years. Dominion follows 2019’s substantial double Resistance, offering a more accessible and digestible prospect with a shorter running time, although it’s definitely a case of quality over quantity.
Epic opener The Unknown Door is presented as a four-part suite. Ushered in by a measured, stately synth fanfare, a clarion call in the near distance, and Neville Chamberlain’s announcement of the declaration of war from 1939 low in the mix, the first four minutes of first part Faint Equations is a graceful, reflective prologue that subtly nudges up the dynamic by way of carefully constructed keyboard layers, sparse vocal and gentle guitar.
The pace picks up considerably when Many And More Still crashes in and everything becomes more urgent, more insistent. It embraces a repeated Morse code-like figure, there’s brief guitar and organ soloing, and a good couple of minutes where neo-prog meets power metal. It slips into strident odd time signature motifs before collapsing under its own weight in a bout of organised chaos.
The third section, An Orbital Plane, provides a palate cleanser of acoustic guitar – utilised by six-stringer Mike Holmes far more than is usual for an IQ album – and then builds with layers of spooky keyboards and a lightly funky rhythm section into a big, bold crescendo. The final section, Dream Stronger, returns to themes from the very beginning of the track, now retooled to produce a soaring, triumphant denouement.
Of note almost immediately in The Unknown Door and throughout the album is the quality of Peter Nicholls’ voice. As the singer himself has admitted, his vocals could be somewhat jarring and overwrought in the early years. But his control, and his approach to constructing melodies, have developed over the years – and it’s very noticeable on Dominion.
He sounds very much more at ease with his singing and delivery. This is a smoother, more fulsome and more assured Nicholls than many may expect. While his lyrics provide a certain latitude for the listener to find meanings of their own, he seems to be channelling some decidedly personal, even intimate experiences and reflections at points here.
The delicate and bittersweet One Of Us, for example, features just acoustic guitar and voice with the merest wash of keyboards, in a song that has the feel of a Paul McCartney ballad. It seems to speak of a treasured yet failed relationship.
The initially elegant and yearning final track, Never Land, also captures elements of loss, the value of memories and the weight of grief; and it surely isn’t coincidental that Nicholls’ mother passed away just a few months before recording began. Rather than surrender to despondency, it builds into an exultant declaration.
There are themes that appear in various guises throughout the album, however. From the observation that ‘Beside the life that’s lived in, others pass by’ in No Dominion, the questioning of alternatives in the towering and majestic Far From Here and the grasping to deal with loss in Never Land, Nicholls appears to be emphasising the importance of taking control of our lives wherever and however we can.
In the exploration of possibilities previously overlooked or dismissed, and ultimately taking dominion over ourselves and the imprint we leave behind us, there is real positivity. Some of the darkness and bleakness that IQ are sometimes known for still lurks – but Dominion offers alternatives of both light and hope.
Simply listening to the changing keyboard arrangements and textures is a journey in itself
With Holmes producing this time around, the album has a terrific richness and depth. It also has an excellently-curated range of sounds, especially from Neil Durrant’s keyboards, which run the gamut from skittering sequenced figures to slabs of organ loveliness; from transportive synth strings to dramatic rumbling growls and much more besides; often in cleverly contrasting layers. Simply listening to the changing keyboard arrangements and textures throughout the album is a journey in itself.
It isn’t the most experimental album in the IQ canon, and it never strays too far from the templates the band have established over the years. However, it is a potent and affecting addition to their catalogue, which demonstrates great maturity – a group of musicians who have a precise understanding of their strengths and quirks. Absolutely worth the wait.
Dominion is on sale now via Giant Electric Pea.