ALBUM REVIEW: Never, Neverland – Unto Others
Straddling the border between Oregon and Washington, in the northwest corner of the USA, lies the city of Portland. Nestled in a dramatic landscape with the white topped peak of Mount Hood dominating the skyline, it is the perfect backdrop for crafting thought-provoking, emotive and heavy albums. This has been the case for UNTO OTHERS; since bursting on to the scene in 2018 with their stunning EP Don’t Waste Your Time, the Portland quartet have gone from strength to strength with their unique, hard-hitting brand of gothic heavy rock gaining them rapid popularity. Now they return with their highly anticipated third studio album Never, Neverland.
After spending some time in the abyss in a post-pandemic haze, UNTO OTHERS have come out the other side stronger, more resolute and with a new lease on life. Never, Neverland sees the band take a new direction; it channels the pressure, burn out and anxiety that Gabriel Franco (vocals, guitar) was feeling post name change – UNTO OTHERS were formerly known as IDLE HANDS, they changed names due to IDLE HANDS being trademarked in 2014 – and the drive for people to know the band as UNTO OTHERS. This exhaustion and frustration of this laid the foundations for Never, Neverland, the band’s most diverse work to date.
The album is equal parts grit and softness, in essence it is where UNTO OTHERS are more than one trick ponies and show a different side to themselves. Never, Neverland differentiates itself from the band’s previous albums Mana (2019) and Strength (2021) with its more prevalent nods to goth rock pioneers THE CURE and more relaxed feel, one that comes with collaboration. Franco was the driving force behind the band’s previous work, but this time around he loosened the reins and let Brandon Hill (bass, backing vocals), Sebastian Silva (guitars) and Colin Vranizan (drums) have more creative input – and it shows.
Never, Neverland is 16 beguiling tracks hewn out of the bedrock of heavy metal, goth rock and punk, but it also delves into the classic British sounds of THE CURE and THE SMITHS to take on a more emotive tone. It shows a softer side to UNTO OTHERS that we’ve not heard before. Songs such as Angel Of The Night, Time Goes On and title track Never, Neverland take on a power ballad feel, albeit a goth rock one. There is also a concerted effort to build more dynamic atmospheres, something that began to be established on the album’s predecessor Strength.
Ultimately, Never, Neverland is a gloriously gothic album that harkens back to the halcyon days in the 1980s/90s where “goth” really took off. Franco’s poetic lyrics and distinct operatic vocal delivery channel his frustrations and anxieties as well as weaving vivid stories that cover visceral topics that make you think. The contrast between Hill’s backing vocals and Franco’s leads also gives the album an extra depth previously unheard on an UNTO OTHERS album. This is demonstrated incredibly well on Suicide Today.
The album opens up with Butterfly, an undisputed goth metal banger that has a distinctly TYPE O NEGATIVE vibe. Packed with big riffs and intense synth atmospheres, it sets the tone for the rest of the album whilst informing you that this is unlike anything you’ve heard from the band before. Momma Likes The Door Closed is a fast-paced and gritty track with swirling guitar leads and rapid heavy metal riffs. This is followed by the ballad Angel Of The Night, a melancholic track that charts the sadness that love can cause, very Pictures Of You in tone. Suicide Today is one of the more powerful and thought-provoking tracks on the album, telling the stories of people going through difficulties, it feels like a poignant commentary on the pitfalls of modern society whilst being hopeful that people can make it through the darkness.
Sunshine is another THE CURE-esque song with a focus on creating a dreamlike atmosphere of layered guitar melodies and pop choruses. Glass Slipper is a flash in the pan interlude that leads into Fame which feels very 80s metal with anthemic chorus riffs and melancholic verses. When The Kids Get Caught channels that TYPE O vibe again; dark and disorientating, it encapsulates the darkness that Franco has experienced over the last few years. Flatline is a minute-and-a-half of bombastic riffing before the power ballad, CURE-esque Time Goes On. Cold World has a similar vibe and THE CURE influence is increasingly prevalent in this second half of the album but with an UNTO OTHERS twist. This is the same for the songs I Am The Light, Farewell and Raigeki. Hoops reincorporates the hard rock elements again and builds into a track of riffs and chants. Never, Neverland closes the album with one final flourish of emotion, dreamy guitars and dance inducing beats.
UNTO OTHERS have certainly shown that there is more to them than meets the eye on Never, Neverland: sixteen beautifully written songs that encapsulate all the band’s frustrations and anxieties. It feels like they’re on the cusp of something big and no doubt this album will be hailed as the catalyst for it.
Rating: 9/10
Never, Neverland is out now via Century Media Records.
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