Unto Others announced ‘Never, Neverland’ out in September

Portland, Oregon’s Unto Others have spent their seasons in the abyss and arise from the other side with their third full-length and Century Media debut Never, Neverland— incoming September 20, 2024 [pre-order].

When writing began for the record, UNTO OTHERS’ Gabriel Franco & Co. were staggering away from two years of post-pandemic touring and personal hells. Not only did they survive that time, they also came back stronger and more resolute than ever. “My goal was to push this thing so hard that more people know us as UNTO OTHERS,” says Franco, alluding to the band’s moniker shift from Idle Hands. But hard work came with a price: “At the end of it, I was burnt out, full of anxiety and raw nerves,” Franco relates. That ineffable pressure funneled itself into what became the foundation for Never, Neverland. Signing with Century Media and hiring British producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), what began as an exaltation of exhaustion blossomed into the band’s most diverse and fulfilled work to date.

Never, Neverland is equally dreamy while never letting go of the energy and darkness that is UNTO OTHERS. It’s a record that owes as much to The Cure as it does to self-professed influences like The Sisters of Mercy and Iron Maiden. Simply put: this is the record where UNTO OTHERS prove themselves far more than just a one-trick, blackened steed, but instead, a band on the verge of something wickedly terrible and utterly timeless.

Never, Neverland‘s majestic new single “Angel of the Night“ premieres today. Franco comments: “I’ve always wanted to do a power ballad, and I think this might be the closest we ever get. A goth power ballad maybe. Sebastian’s [Silva, guitarist] solo in this one is my favorite of the record. He really did a phenomenal job.”

Never, Neverland also marks a new epoch for UNTO OTHERS (rounded out by guitarist Sebastian Silva, bassist Brandon Hill and drummer Colin Vranizan). Having emerged in 2017, the band turned heads with the Don’t Waste Your Time EP, followed by the beloved 2019 full length Mana and 2021’s heavy hitting Strength LP. Now, UNTO OTHERS build upon the seductive and beguiling foundation they’ve hewn out of a bedrock of goth, classic rock, punk, black metal and heavy metal.

“Mana and Strength can almost be pushed together,” Franco reflects on how Never, Neverland differs from its predecessors. “I had an iron grip over those albums. Every beat needed to be where I wanted it and how I wanted it to sound. With this one, I took a much looser approach and gave the band members a lot more input. This is the first record with Brandon doing backup vocals instead of myself. Even though I still wrote the core of the songs, this one is a much more collaborative effort. I kind of let go of it because I realized it was killing me. And the record came out better for it. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done.”

Never, Neverland track list:
1. Butterfly
2. Momma Likes the Door Closed
3. Angel of the Night
4. Suicide Today
5. Sunshine
6. Glass Slippers
7. Fame
8. When the Kids Get Caught
9. Flatline
10. Time Goes On
11. Cold World
12. I Am the Light
13. Farewell…
14. Raigeki
15. Hoops
16. Never, Neverland

Bringing in producer Tom Dalgety for Never, Neverland was a welcome change for Franco and crew. The results of the month spent in Portland’s Falcon Studios (where they recorded Mana) with Dalgety deliver majestically on UNTO OTHERS‘ shadowy promise— guitars swell and thrash with color and shape while a newfound confidence and dimension creeps into Gabe‘s vocals. Never, Neverland weaves a spell of its own and cements UNTO OTHERS as the reflectively-bespeckled visage of goth today.

Whether opening for the likes of extreme metal legends Carcass, Arch Enemy or Behemoth or blasting packed and sweaty rooms with traditional metal outfits like Haunt or Eternal Champion, Franco & Company never fail in grabbing the most unlikely and diverse crowds with their incendiary shadow play. Like the best of their inspirations, UNTO OTHERS isn’t merely content to plumb darkened musical shrines and narrow subgenres – Gabe‘s sights are set on something bigger.

See UNTO OTHERS on tour across the globe this summer and fall.

Unto Others, live:

August 1  Copenhagen, DK @ Stengade
August 2  Wacken, DE @ Wacken Open Air
August 3  Munster, DE @ Zappenduster Festival
August 4  Berlin, DE @ SO 36
August 5  Gdynia, PL @ Klub Ucho
August 6  Poznan, PL @ 2Progi
August 8  Villena, ES @ Leyendas Del Rock Festival
August 9  Jaromer, CZ @ Brutal Assault Festival
August 10  Schlotheim, DE @ Party San Open Air
August 11  Kortrijk, BE @ Alcatraz Music Festival
August 13  Fontaneto D’agogna, IT @ Phenomenon
August 14  Dornbirn, AT @ Conrad Sohm
August 15  Munich, DE @ Backstage
August 16  Gyöngyös, HU @ Fekete Zaj Festival
August 17  Hamburg, DE @ Bambi Galore
August 18  Eindhoven, NL @ Dynamo Metal Fest

Unto Others is:
Gabriel Franco – Vocals, Guitars
Sebastian Silva – Guitars
Brandon Hill – Bass
Colin Vranizan – Drums