After the success of their debut album 'Reversing Time' that featured such accomplished metal vocalists as Blind Guardian's Hansi Kursch and Evergrey's Tom Englund.  symphonic/progressive metallers Neverland return in fine style with their second offering 'Ophidia'. And like the first album, it features a variety of seminal vocalists such as Savatage/Jon Oliva's Pain's Jon Oliva, legendary Brazilian Edu Falaschi from Angra/Almah and Urban Breed from Bloodbound/Tad Morose...and before you say anything "No I hadn't heard of them either!"

The album kicks off with the lead single from the album 'The Voice Inside', opening with a female spoken part that leads the listener into a fantasy inspired Tolkien world. This is a world where armies of warriors slay demonic creatures and that's even before the first track kicks in fully; back to the song, it's a good solid accessible track written about Rand Al Thor, the famous protagonist of the wheel of time.

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson was once famously quoted as saying "You can't play heavy metal with synthesizers", somebody obviously forgot to tell Neverland as they demonstrate with profusion on the keyboard inspired 'Speak To Me' and the fantastically overblown number that is 'Invisible War', a huge keyboard led number that also features some huge harmonic style backing vocals.

Neverland has to be credited for varying the style of the tracks featured on 'Ophidia', a feat that has hopefully steered them from the path of mediocrity. So unlike many other bands across Europe playing this particular genre, Neverland have successfully varied the format somewhat. Unfortunately, in doing so they have also crossed over to a particular genre, I could only describe as 'medieval', perfectly displayed by the 15^th century style warbling of 'Will Of God'... Hmm...I'll get my shroud!

But hold on, put down your goblet of mead, because Neverland are quickly back to what they do best - the metal - as they take on the latter day style of Iron Maiden in the sublime 'Ashes To Fall', okay to many metalheads out there over the age of 30, the words 'latter day' and 'Iron Maiden' might want to send you running to the hills but not this die hard Iron Maiden fan...Okay! And for all you fans of progressive rock out there, there is the grandiose 'Into The Horizon' to wet your self-indulgent appetites.

'Ophidia' is an album that would sit comfortably in the record collection of any symphonic, progressive, battle or just plain traditional heavy metal fan out there.

If Neverland is indeed a place where we never grow up, then given a choice of sensible knitwear and a diet of Coldplay or studs and leather and a diet of Athens/ Istanbul symphonic metallers then I'll take be the latter option every time.

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