Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki’s Neverland - Ophidia

Turkish power metal outfit Dreamtone has teamed up with Greek vocalist Iris Mavraki to create Neverland, a power-prog unit currently issuing its second album of power metal goodness, Ophidia. Once again the power metal genre is seeping into my subconscious at a steady pace, bent on making a believer out of me.

Ophidia touches on the evil nature inside all of us, making for a very interesting album since the music has a very “up” feel to it. While not calling on Venom or Dark Funeral for that place-card biblical definition of “evil”, Ophidia digs in and finds the wells in our souls and exposes the corruption therein. With some very good vocal performances from both Mavraki and Dreamtone’s Oganalp Canatan, Neverland tackles some very serious issues amidst a calm fury of melodic grace. The track “Will of God” puts a melody to the nameless dead in war:








While not espousing religious affiliation as much as basic human understanding, this is my favorite track on the CD in its simplicity and message, not to mention the beautiful delivery by the band. I’m also partial to “Speak to Me” as well, which is a very sincere tale of the uncertainly of chance-taking, in this case with a woman-across-the-room scenario. It serves as metaphors for anything in life should you take it in sips as opposed to one swallow.

Jon Oliva makes an appearance on the CD as well on “Invisible War” and both bands are on tour together, which would make for an impeccable night of music. The musicianship from the band is very good power metal, not overly unique or incredibly different from the traditional sound, but with that said it’s something you can find yourself easily ingesting as you get lost in the lyrical story as well as the picturesque musical canvas. The darkest parts of us as human beings are on display in Ophidia and while dark in their nature the compensatory uplifting music acts as a medium for the experience. You find yourself unsure of what to feel when you examine the blackness of despair through some of the lyrics and find hope in the overall tone of the album, which keeps me interested and impressed. 

If they convey this feel live as well as they do on digital format I think Neverland might be a grand experience on both avenues. I know the album has some serious staying power, and this is from an openly-dark individual who likes his lyrics even darker. It’s the highest praise I can offer; Neverland is quite the enigmatic experience.   

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*Comments:

June 26, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Release Date: March 26, 2010
Label: AFM Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  This Voice Inside
2.  Silence the Wolves
3.  Ophidia
4.  Will of God
5.  Invisible War
6.  Places Unknown
7.  No One Leaves the Hive
8.  Speak to Me
9.  Ashes to Fall
10.  Final Odyssey
11.  The Forests of Hope
        (CD bonus track)
12.  Dying Threads
       (CD bonus track)
13.  Into the Horizon

Total playing time:  60:48

“I killed a friend yesterday
I don't know his name
All was in the name of God…
And here we are
The kingdom lies ahead
...dead”