NEVERNESS

Well, let's start with a conclusion: what a captivating and unique music, after 40 years of progrock, on this album Neverness is a shining example that progrock still can be progressive! OK, the elements of progrock legends King Crimson and Pink Floyd are obviously. But Neverness used it as a basic element to be creative. And these Spanish musicians sound creative, the music is loaded with dynamics and variety.

From a fat Moog sound with propulsive drums and compelling bombastic climates with fiery guitar to lots of tension between mellow with soaring keyboards and an ominous sound like King Crimson on Red in Behind Your Face

From powerful guitar with Mellotron violins and propulsive guitar riffs with Hammond organ to a surprising electronic part featuring sequencers and synthesizers in the titletrack,

First acoustic rhythm guitar with vocals and then a compelling rhythm with sensitive electric guitar runs to a bit avant-garde-like synthesizer solo in The Letter,

A blend of blues and psychedelia with varied guitar work and splendid keyboards in Reing Of Fools,

A lush keyboard sound with warm Grand piano, majestic church organ, soaring Farfisa organ and mellow Mellotron along emotional vocals and an excellent bombastic finale in Rest In Pieces.

And finally cascades of shifting moods, breaks and solos in the long Shadows Of The Past (more than11 minutes) in which the final part is breathtaking: more and more lush and compelling with slide guitar, orchestral keyboards, a propulsive rhythm-section and pleasant English vocals (as on the entire album).

On this album Neverness delivers compelling and adventurous compositions in which a lot happens, pretty overwhelming, with the accent on variety. If you are up to this kind of music, you will be carried away by their unique blend of several styles and inventive musical ideas.

For those who want to discover more of the captivating and overlooked Spanish progressive rock, here are my recommendations (from neo-prog and fusion to symphonic rock and Rock Andaluz). The compilations Rockandalus (1-CD), Duende Electrico (2-CD) Hijos Del Agobio Y Del Dolor (2-CD + DVD). The collaboration of flamenco guitarists with progrock musicians by Juan Martin - Picasso Portraits (featuring Simon Phillips, Tony Hymas and Ian Mosley), Sabicas - Rock Encounter With Joe Beck (featuring Tony Levin) and Diego De Moron - Same (with members from Triana and Granada). Rock Andaluz bands Triana, Iman, Mezquita, Azahar, Medina Azahara, Cai, Alameda and Guadalquivir. And Spanish prog bands (past and present) Iceberg, Granada, Itoiz, Fusioon, PI2, Bijou, Dr. No, Senogul, Taifa, Albatros and The Paco De Lucia Sextet (awesome prog folk). Muchas alegrias!

Floating spacey textures and atmospheric guitar soloing from the Gilmour school seems to be the starting point for the band in each track here, and the additional textures added in as the composition evolves are basically of two kinds: Distorted guitar soloing and riffs of a more Frippian nature and heavier riffs closer to hard rock in style, often backed by surging organ Deep Purple style. At times additional symphonic textures are utilized as well. Towards the end the different sounds and textures are usually blended into a more all encompassing expression, often in a more intense and energetic grand finale final motif.

In the first half of this disc Neverness seems to struggle quite a bit with the transitions, providing tracks with plenty of good and interesting ideas mashed together in what for me became an annoying start and stop manner. The final three tracks are more coherent in that respect and generally comes across as better compositions overall, but the motifs and themes are slightly less intriguing as well. A mixed affair then, but worth checking out if late 70's Floyd and hard rock sounds like a good mix.

Modern progressive rock mixed with some 70's hints and a blend of Hard Rock with symphonic and psychedelic flavors.''Horizonte de sucesos'' seems to be rather guitar oriented,but the guitar work is always supported by any kind of keys: light Hammond organ,piano passages,modern symphonic keyboards and even some nostalgic mellotron.Split in two styles,the album offers at one time hard/symph prog,not far from bands like AKACIA or AFTER THE FALL with intense vocals and long instrumentals. On the other hand,some vintage guitar work accompanied by massive vocal lines will remind you of some Argentinian bands of the past like early-INVISIBLE.What is to be concluded is that NEVERNESS seem to try to find their own identity and focused musicianship through this album,blending so many different styles in their compositions that even the most experienced prog-head will find it hard to follow it all the way.This might be a band with potential and perhaps some bright future in this scene...but not for now...definitely a collector's thing...2 stars.

The sound of Neverness has no obvious references, every track (between 5 and 13 minutes) on the album contains lots of flowing shifting moods with many interesting musical ideas and a dynamic rhythm-section. A very captivating element is the contrast between the rock-oriented guitar work and the varied 'vintage keyboard' sound, from Mellotron and Moog synthesizer to Fender Rhodes piano, Farfisa organ and Solina string-ensemble. I was carried away during the strongly build-up and often very compelling guitar soli like in Muro De Cristal - Maldita Esperanza (from sensitive to fiery) and Sin Horizonte (long and bluesy with great support on strings and organ). Other great moments are the pyschedelic sounding intro during Desde El Silencio (the guitar and organ sound evoke Pink Floyd At Pompeii), the variety and wonderful vintage keyboards (Mellotron, organ and piano) in Mi Mundo Al Reves and the many goodmusical ideas in the captivating final song Mundo De Locos (4 parts).

I am impressed by this second effort by this new Spanish band, what a good musicians and what a wonderful and often compelling compositions, a big hand for Neverness!

Neverness their sound is powerful and dynamic melodic rock delivering fiery and propulsive guitar work by the two guitarplayers (including the singer). But the frequent, very flowing shifting moods and the varied vitnage keyboard sound give Neverness their music on this CD a strong progressive touch. A few examples: a hypnotizing rhythm with Fender Rhodes piano and fiery guitar in Hasta El Final, strong Spanish vocals (expressive and slightly theatrical), wonderful Mellotron and a biting wah-wah guitar solo in Finjo Y Miento, a break with blistereing wah-wah guitar and fluent drums in the titletrack and warm, a bit melancholical vocals in the psychedelic inspired (mainly because of the organ sound) in Todo Acabará. But the two highlights are the 'epic' compositions (both almost 20 minutes) that start and close this album.

First 10 años Y Un Dia : the first part shifts between fiery wah-wah and mellow Hammond organ waves (like Procol Harum), then an accellaration with a synthesizer solo and tight drums, culminating in a dreamy part with twanging guitars and warm vocals. The song continues with a powerful rhythm including a compelling, very strongly build-up guitar solo with howling runs, supported by lush Hammond organ. Gradually the atmosphere becomes more propulsive featuring swirling Hammond organ, powerful guitar riffs and a fiery guitar solo with piano. Then lots of changing climates with great work on guitar and keyboards and in the end sparkling piano, emotional vocals and captivating interplay between guitar, organ and rums, what a splendid composition!

The final track is Malahierva : a mid- tempo with fluent synthesizer runs between parts with twanging guitars, then a long, quite experimental interlude (that sounds different from the rest of the CD) featuring varied work on the piano and electric guitar, accompanied by acoustic rhythm guitar. Neverness returns to their dynamic and powerful sound with a mid-tempo that delivers a strong duel between synthesizer and wah- wah guitar. The atmosphere changes into heavy with a biting wah-wah guitar solo but suddenly a dreamy part with Grand piano, slowly changing into a grand finale with swinging piano and a fiery guitar solo, meanwhile I have turned into a Neverness aficionado!