Neverland

Neverland is effectively a full comeback, made with the golden-era core reunited: Jack Blades, Brad Gillis, Jeff Watson and Kelly Keagy. The old twin guitars and rich harmonies return, reviving the appeal of the early melodic hard rock through a more contemporary sound. Roughly fifteen years of experience lend real depth to the arrangements and the conviction of the vocals, so this is grown-up melodic rock that no longer relies on youthful drive alone. It is a long-awaited record on which the band’s core chemistry works once again. Built on warm guitar tones and wide-opening choruses, driving songs and lyrical mid-tempos are placed in good balance, with a mature sense of melody running throughout. Rather than chasing flash, the album is striking for how it relies on the players’ interplay and the craft of the melodies, adding a post-1990s composure to the 1980s drive. For fans of the early records it is the moment a golden chemistry thought lost returns, and it became the spiritual foundation supporting the band’s continued activity thereafter. As the reunion of the original lineup, it is remembered as a turning point in NIGHT RANGER’s history.