Spooky Oregon goth metallers Unto Others master their dark art on third full-length…
Unto Others have spent the past few years, as a band growing toward something really good. Gabriel Franco's goth metal lost boys didn't leave much to ambiguity when they first arrived – originally as Idle Hands – all crushed velvet gothic styles with an ’80s metal tang, a gloomy W.A.S.P., The Sisters Of Mercy if they were metal maniacs. But still it felt like they were getting there, that the best was to come.
On Never, Neverland, they've cracked it. Working with British production magician Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Green Lung, Royal Blood), it delves into every part of their lush, haunting, occasionally sleazy sound, to present a kaleidoscope of all their various colours, all of them black.
Opener Butterfly is full-eyeliner-ahead goth metal, but quickly the more varied personality of what this can be comes into play. The speedier Momma Likes The Door Closed brings in a grubbily glamorous punk edge, before Angel Of The Night swings back in the opposite direction with a more ballad-y introspection. It's a similar balance between the goth-pop of Suicide Today and Sunshine, the chorus of which weirdly almost echoes blink-182 after an Interview With The Vampire binge. On Flatline, meanwhile, they simply go for a thrashy, blasting black metal attack.
Throughout, Gabriel sounds like someone's stolen his ice cream. Whether on the thumping Time Goes On, or softer Cold World (featuring a massive chorus and a slick guitar solo worthy of Prince), his low monotone rarely stretches to much more than ‘Big Gothy Vamp Boi’. This is entirely to his strength, acting as an anchor, and also proving weirdly expressive. Moreover, it just sounds like who he is, adding consistent character to the expanded palette.
Unto Others have always looked like future winners. On Never, Neverland, their funereal lilies have blossomed magnificently. Careful, Ozzy, there's some new Princes Of Darkness in town…
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: HIM, Creeper, Sentenced
Never, Neverland is out now via Century Media
