Subterranea (album)

Untitled

Subterranea is a double album by British neo-progressive rock band IQ, which was released in 1997.

Story

The following was taken from an article on the Dutch Progressive Rock Page.

Subterranea is about a guy who's been the subject of an experiment. He's been held captive, almost like sensory deprivation, throughout his whole life and he doesn't have any contact with the outside world (Provider). At the end of Provider there's this grating sound, which is where he escapes or is let loose. Actually, it's not quite clear of the subject really escapes or is let out on purpose, as part of the experiment. Band members have given various explanations. Martin: "As part of the experiment after all the sensory deprivation, he's let loose in the outside world. So he goes of into the outside world, all the time being monitored by these people.". Let's assume that it was indeed an intentional release. The central character doesn't know why he is imprisoned. He doesn't know why he's released and he is exposed to all this sensory overload, all these sights and sounds and smells and stuff that he's never experienced before. He has to digest all these things (cars, buildings, television, etc) in one overwelming sensation (Subterranea). After some hard times among homeless and hobo's (Sleepless Incidental) he gets involved with a religious cult who try to take him in, because they see him as being easy prey. They try to give his live meaning because he doesn't know what the hell is going on, but he refuses to be converted by them (Failsafe).

He meets a girl - this is probably 'Maya', who is mentioned several times at the end of the album - and falls in love with her. He has a deep friendship/romance with this person (Speak My Name) but in the end she is taken away from him (Tunnel Vision). According to some explanations she is killed by the people who held him prisoner. There's a lot of anger at that point and than he realises that he's being followed. All the time he's being watched and he manages to get hold of this person. And he kills him, because he's so pissed off, but not before he forces him to reveal the name of the man who is responsible for his misery (Mockenrue) (Infernal Chorus). He just can't handle it all so he retreats into his own mind, which is basically what King of Fools is all about. Then there's a period of quiet reflection, The Sense in Sanity, where he tries to work out what's happening, and a big rush back to reality with State of Mine.

On the second disc of the album he comes to realise that he's part of some form of experiment. That he's been kept in away for some reason, so he needs to know why that's happened. At a certain point he takes on a 'disguise' to be able to find out what's behind all of this (Capricorn). Along the way he also realises that life in the outside world is much harder than his earlier, controlled life (Unsolid Ground). As the story moves on, he realises that he's not the only victim of the experiment (Somewhere in Time); there are others who all carry the same mark, the strange symbol which is a recurring theme on the CD sleeve; the square IQ logo. Noticed the tattoo on the arm of the man on the Sleepless Incidental page ? Mockenrue's victims decide to team up and take revenge (High Waters), but their captors being rather good at this are too clever for them, they herd them all into an old building and set fire to it in an attempt to destroy the evidence (The Narrow Margin). In a dramatic confrontation he meets the person responsible for locking him away. In the final scene, the central character is the only survivor and he kind of resigns himself to going back into the same isolation where he started, so the whole thing comes full circle. Whereas the album starts with him being on his own and not knowing why he's there or what's going on. The album ends with him at peace with himself because he's experienced, himself, so many terrible things and he wants to be alone again. So he returns to a place of isolation, which isn't specified.

Track listing

Disc 1

1. "Overture" – 4:38
2. "Provider" – 1:36
3. "Subterranea" – 5:53
4. "Sleepless Incidental" – 6:23
5. "Failsafe" – 8:57
6. "Speak My Name" – 3:35
7. "Tunnel Vision" – 7:24
8. "Infernal Chorus" – 5:10
9. "King of Fools" – 2:02
10. "The Sense in Sanity" – 4:48
11. "State of Mine" – 1:59

Disc 2

1. "Laid Low" – 1:29
2. "Breathtaker" – 6:04
3. "Capricorn" – 5:16
4. "The Other Side" – 2:22
5. "Unsolid Ground" – 5:04
6. "Somewhere in Time" – 7:11
7. "High Waters" – 2:43
8. "The Narrow Margin" – 20:00

Personnel

• Peter Nicholls / lead and backing vocals
• Mike Holmes / guitar, guitar synth
• John Jowitt / bass, backing vocals
• Martin Orford / keyboards, backing vocals
• Paul Cook / drums and percussion