Unto Others : Never, Neverland
Since changing their name from Idle Hands, Portland goth-metal outfit Unto Others have gradually outgrown the hair-metal influence that colored the corners of their previous work. But a part of it still remains on their third album (or second, depending on how you look at it) Never, Neverland. Some vestiges of that Sunset Strip sound can still be heard on the song “Momma Likes the Door Closed,” though its overall feel owes more to Michale Graves-era Misfits, though singer Gabriel Franco’s baritone croon is closer to Volbeat than Peter Murphy.
Never, Neverland nonetheless finds the group shedding some of their ’80s sounds, entering into a sonic zip code closer to The Killers’ neighborhood. Part of that comes from the mixing of the album, which is more compressed with the EQ leaning deep into the midrange. Yet while they’ve long been identified for having a goth-rock aesthetic (which they deny), this is a brighter sounding album, not a darker one. Which holds true of the lyrical content as well, including “Suicide Today,” an earnest plea against suicide. And the album mostly doesn’t feature the romanticized view of morbid self-reflection that The Cure or even Type O Negative employ. By the time the song “Sunshine” arrives, they’re headed much closer toward outright pop.
The band’s more pop-focused sound is by no means a bad thing, however. Their approach on Never, Neverland allows for the verses to flow better, as on “When the Kids Get Caught,” which reads lyrically like a Stephen King-style take on horror, or perhaps an outright tribute to IT. In the rare attempts to ramp up the aggression, like the more over-thrashing of “Flatline,” Franco’s vocals don’t blend as effectively. Which is not to say his brand of melodic croon can’t work in metal, as bands like Life of Agony are proof well enough that they do. One of the stronger moments is “Time Goes On,” however, which is driven by a grooving Blue Oyster Cult feel.
Never, Neverland is a successful next entry for the band, as it feels like they have found who they are in their heart of hearts with these sardonic pop anthems. This one stacks up shoulder to shoulder against their other work where their strength was displayed through a different aesthetic approach. It might not be as angst-ridden of a voice from which they speak, but this album is proof enough that it doesn’t have to be.
Label: Century Media
Year: 2024
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Unto Others: Never, Neverland
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