THE ROAD OF BONES

The Road of Bones: When Progressive Rock Grabs You Without Warning 😁

I'll be honest: I wasn't a fan of progressive rock at all. For me, the genre evoked endless songs, endless technical solos, and sometimes obscure concepts. I liked rock, yes, but it was more direct, raw, and effective. My musical world revolved around more classic vibes: grunge, alternative rock, a few touches of metal, and a fair bit of Britpop. So when, one evening while browsing YouTube, the algorithm decided to suggest a track called "The Road of Bones," I wasn't expecting anything. Especially not such a monumental musical slap in the face.

The track starts slowly, like a sonic fog settling in. A dark, almost cinematic atmosphere. Then Peter Nicholls's voice arrives, calm, deep, and perfectly controlled. There's a constant tension in the first few minutes, as if something was about to explode, and that's exactly what happens. The song picks up steam, the drums become more prominent, the keyboards soar, the guitars cut through the silence... and then, without warning, I found myself completely drawn in.

This self-titled track introduced me to much more than just a band: it opened the doors to a musical universe I'd always dismissed without ever giving it a real chance. So I dove headfirst into the entire album, The Road of Bones, released in 2014. And, without exaggeration, I think it's one of the most coherent and memorable records I've heard in the last ten years.

This isn't IQ's first attempt: they've been a pillar of British progressive rock since the '80s. But here, everything is modernized, sharpened, and aimed at a balance between musical complexity and emotional accessibility. Prog is never an excuse to dwell on anything: each track has a thoughtful structure, well-crafted crescendos, and above all, a unique atmosphere.

Take "From the Outside In," the album's opener. It's a song that, in another context, could have passed for an excellent alternative rock track?except that each arrangement, each build-up is mind-blowingly subtle. The guitars are rough, but never overwhelming. The layers of keyboards add dramatic depth. And always that voice, both fragile and powerful, guiding us through the meandering sound.

Then come tracks like "Without Walls"?over 19 minutes of music??and I swear I never looked at my watch. As a radio-friendly fan, I found myself living every second, every transition, every silence with passion. It's not a song: it's a journey, a story. Pink Floyd springs to mind, of course, but also Marillion, Steven Wilson, or even certain concept albums by Muse or Radiohead. Except that here, IQ imposes his own style, elegant and tense, almost theatrical.

What moved me about this album was the emotional power of the melodies. Far from being coldly technical, the tracks on The Road of Bones are inhabited. There's something human, melancholic, sometimes desperate, that constantly surfaces. Even in the most daring instrumental passages, we feel a narrative thread, a desire to make us live an experience, not just to demonstrate musical expertise.

And the craziest thing is that this accidental discovery led me to listen to the rest of their discography: Subterranea, Frequency, The Seventh House, Dark Matter, Ever? Each album has its own color, its own atmosphere, its own cult tracks. But The Road of Bones remains, for me, that ideal gateway: dark, intense, accessible without being simplistic. It's the album that reconciled me with prog, that even made me want to discover more, to understand the roots of this genre and its modern evolutions.

Today, I find myself recommending IQ to my friends who listen to Tool, Porcupine Tree, or even Arctic Monkeys. Because this album transcends labels. It's not just for prog purists. It speaks to anyone who loves well-crafted, sincere, and vibrant music. To those who want songs that take their time but never lose focus. To those who, like me, thought prog rock was "not for them."

And today, the icing on the cake, I have the opportunity to see them live in Paris. IQ will be at the Casino de Paris on September 26 and 27, 2025, as part of ProgRockFest, for an exceptional weekend where they will play tracks from The Road of Bones, as well as their newly released album, Dominion. Needless to say, this concert has a very special flavor for me: that of the meeting between an unexpected discovery and a growing passion. If you like music that transports you, that tells a story, that dares to be intense without sacrificing melody, don't miss this chance to see them live. I never thought I'd say this, but this progressive rock band has completely changed my vision of music. And I plan to experience it live, surrounded by other curious souls.

All this to say that this album should, in my opinion, be much higher in this ranking which reflects the lack of notoriety of a group which is nevertheless exceptional and which has delighted us for more than 40 years!

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