Review UNTO OTHERS “Never Neverland”

“Never, Neverland” is the title of the third full-length album by Untn Others, the band that started out as Idle Hands before morphing into Unto Others.

After a first EP was released in 2018, the band’s debut album “Mana” hit the shelves a year later. What started back then finds a glorious continuation with “Never, Neverland” and there are few things that have changed in the last few years. Unto Others’ latest release comes via Century Media, and none other than Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult) was at the helm when it came to the production of “Never, Neverland”.

After an intense post-pandemic tour and a few hiccups, Unto Others used the work on their third album as a catalyst. What began with fear and exhaustion ended in an album that is the best and most diverse in the band’s young history

Unto Others have created their own sound that immediately stands out from other bands. With the metallic intensity of bands like Type O Negative and the gothic vibe of Sisters Of Mercy, the four-piece from Portland has found and continues to reach fans in the metal world. The tour with Behemoth and Arch Enemy was a good example of this, while the tour with Paradise Lost shows the wide range of sounds that Unto Others have in their repertoire.

With all these influences in mind, the new album still sounds very well rounded. What holds the sometimes very different songs together is the dark vibe of the songs as well as the impressive vocals of frontman Gabriel Franco. His baritone voice has become a trademark of Upon Others, adding an emotional aspect to the darker songs on the album.

The first three songs set the framework for the album as we are facing a gothic fueled opener called “Butterfly” followed by “Momma Likes the Door Closed”.

The latter is a metal song with screaming guitars and a massive basic riff. At the same time, the melodies are never abandoned.

Last but not least, the album offers some emotional highlights, presented with a blackened soul. The sober “Angel of the Night” is such a moment and after listening to the total of these three songs you have a pretty good idea about the sound of Unto Others.

There is also “Sunshine”, a song that inhales a bit of the grunge vibe of the 90s, while “Frame” brings the rock roots to the surface. Unto Others have written songs that are straight to the point. The brutally fast “Flatline” is such a song, bursting with energy and a solid dose of hopelessness. It’s the weirdest moment of the album, while “Time Goes On” brings back the melancholic vibe.

“Never, Neverland” is the next step for Unto Others and solidifies their role in contemporary rock and metal. Heavy, rocking, soulful and all covered in a shade of gray, that’s “Never, Neverland”, an album made for the somber fall season.