EVER

"Ever" from 1993, the fifth studio album by the English prog band IQ, marks the return of singer Peter Nicholls to the fold. This made many people very happy at the time, and the addition of John Jowitt as the band's new bassist also brought much joy. It should be noted, however, that this lineup had already contributed to the second "SI Magazine Compilation Disc" earlier that year. N.T.O.C. Resistance is a decent track, but it can't compare to the brilliant material on "Ever".

The more than ten-minute opening track, The Darkest Hour, starts with a somersault before unfolding in true IQ style, dynamic and atmospheric with wonderfully transparent guitar work. Everything in this complex piece of neo-prog begs for the comparison to gymnastics to be extended further. The Darkest Hour comes across like a perfectly executed floor routine. It is elegant and graceful, athletic and controlled, with Nicholls' warm, biting vocals as the standard-bearer. Try not to understand his lyrics. Does he even have it all figured out himself? The harmonies with Martin Orford, woven through the vocal block like a silk thread, are very beautiful and familiar. It's immediately apparent that IQ has struck gold with Jowitt, especially in combination with Paul Cook's passionate drumming. The creativity the band shows in this track (and, without a doubt, throughout the album) is sky-high. The section with the bombastic guitar and bass riffs is particularly strong. The song has a surprising ending. Just when you expect a grand spectacle, IQ keeps it small with Orford on piano and a sensitive Nicholls.

This perfectly matches the mood of the following track, Fading Senses, at least for the first part. Here, too, we hear an enchanting mix of tasteful music and subdued beauty. The instrumental second part underscores the brilliant guitarist Mike Holmes' fondness for Steve Hackett.

"Ever" consists of only six tracks, and in my opinion, it touches the heavens a few times. Those who know IQ know that the band is capable of this, and with that confidence, you can approach this album blindly. Such a heavenly moment is found in the epic Further Away, and you know it. From the moment the drums break loose, there's no stopping it. Martin Orford delivers an absolutely fantastic synth solo. When the mood calms down afterward, it's Mike Holmes' turn to raise his fingers to the sky.

It gets even more interesting. In my opinion, Leap Of Faith is not only the highlight of the album, but I dare say it belongs to the best neo-prog songs ever. Sure, the guitar solo is insanely good, but that's not all. The framing the band gives to this solo is equally brilliant. The beautiful ballad Came Down flows from this guitar solo, and midway through the album, there's also room for the uptempo Out Of Nowhere. This makes "Ever" an album that superbly combines variety and depth.

At the time of writing this review, "Ever" has been on the shelves for thirty years. It seems that the marriage between Nicholls and the band will last for many years to come, and that is something to be very grateful for.

Originally posted on www.progenrock.com

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to Ligeia9@
• Report this review (#3085945)
• Buy IQ music online with PA partners
• Show all IQ MP3/Stream
• Go to IQ page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Ever page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for IQ related discussions