THE SEVENTH HOUSE

Well, after Ever and Subterrenea I thought we had their best works but there's a very interesting dark horse here with this The Seventh House release. When reviewing Ever I said IQ wasn't really my favourite band despite my being a neo fan. But I can already reveal this is going to be a third 4 star effort by this band so that isn't really bad is it ? On the other hand there have also been quite a few disappointments as well for me so my statement was at least a bit true. It's obviously top or flop with this band, at least for me.

It's already obvious with the very first seconds of this album with the track The Wrong Side of Weird that we are dealing with something special here. Great first notes by Orford bringing me in the right mood for a very positive review. Rest of this very atmospheric song proves to be a terrific effort in the end. What a composition this is ! (4,5*)

Next up is Erosian, also starting in great atmosphere developping into a ballad it seems, a bit of a mystic one before after two minutes the rougher edge of IQ is setting in making it a versatile song alternatingly quiet and almost prog metal like, a side I hardly ever heard by IQ. Interesting song (3,75*).

Third song is the title track, another unbelievable composition. What a wonderful epical track (4,75*). As usual the music is written by the band and the lyrics by lead singer Peter Nicholls and they must have been in ultimate top form when writing this album. This can compete with the best parts of Subterrenea, my favourite IQ-album of all time.

Zero Hour starts a bit like Erosian but instead of becoming an almost heavy track like that song this one stays more calm and quiet with an intersting feature like nice saxophone playing followed by Holmes at his best. Another lovely song keeping the level of the album very high (3,75*).

Shooting Angels is the mellowest of the album, another one with great atmospherical effects and equal nice sax like on the previous track. Still my least favourite of the six songs (3,5*).

Guiding Light is a very worthy closer of a terrific album by IQ. The first 3,5 minutes are mellow but then the band performs a great finale with alternating guitar and key efforts also accompanied by great drumming by Cook (4,25*).

4 stars easily (4,2) for this great effort and not to be missed by any IQ-fan or even general neoprogger.