I've always had a special place in my heart for IQ. Back in the '80s when I first became aware of all the interesting bands coming out of England during the "New Wave Of Progressive Rock" era, I had placed IQ 2nd in line only to Marillion (Pallas was 3rd, Twelfth Night was 4th, etc., etc., etc.). Most of these '80's bands have gone through many changes in style and personel through the years, or have unfortunately dissolved. Sadly enough, Marillion (after the departure of Fish) quickly turned into a band I no longer recognized, nor do I care to listen to them much these days, especially the material they released since the mid-90s. Sadly, the excitement I once felt for them is long gone. It disappeared, never to return, when they turned their backs on "progressive rock" in favor of bland, slow-paced, ambient background music.Thankfully, the same cannot be said when it comes to IQ. I stuck with this band through thick and thin (even somewhat enjoyed the Paul Menel years) and my stalwartness paid off in spades when, just as I abandoned the notion that Marillion would ever return to the progressive rock fold, IQ amazingly began to flourish beyond my wildest dreams. Indeed, since the EVER album appeared in 1993, more than 20 years ago, I have never once been disappointed by the music these guys have produced. Since EVER, not a single IQ album have I rated lower than 4.5, which is rare. I had my fingers crossed after the 5-Star DARK MATTER album, praying it wouldn't be the band's high-water mark, especially after I learned of personel changes within the group. But I need not have feared. FREQUENCY, although not quite the perfect collection of tracks in my eyes, was close, still earning a 4.5-Star rating from me. And now, along comes THE ROAD OF BONES, and I find myself gleefully rating it with a full 5 stars!The 11 tracks on this 2-CD set (many of them lengthy) are crammed with emotion, with ever-changing moods and tempo shifts, terrific musicianship, interesting melodies, and complicated arrangements, just what I have come to expect on every IQ release since EVER. This is neo-progressive rock at its finest, and considering this band has been around for more than 30 years, long after most other groups have called it quits or, like Marillion, Yes, Genesis, and countless others, have become shadows of their former selves, IQ continues producing nearly perfect 4.5- and 5-Star albums loaded with rich ideas, lush production and, darn it, excitement. Their song-writing chops that have not flagged or wavered in the least. Commendable!So with both IQ and Magenta (my other current favorite band) still riding strong and proudly carrying the torch of classic neo-progressive rock, it's nothing short of an embarrassment of riches for the progressive rock world. May IQ continue on for many, many more releases!