My favorite album of 2023 has been HEAVY LOAD’s “Riders of the Ancient Storm”. Could it be that Swedish melodic metal will strike the most tender spot in my heart yet another year? Not unlikely, I’d say!
NEPTUNE emerged in the early ’80s. Classic bands like DEEP PURPLE, ACCEPT, JUDAS PRIEST, and BLACK SABBATH have always been their heroes, but today their sound incorporates more modern touches.
But let’s start from the beginning…
During the ’80s, the band recorded several demo tapes, which led to meetings with multiple record labels. Ultimately, one of these labels funded the recording of an EP that was never released, causing the band to lose momentum and eventually split up, seemingly for good.
It wasn’t until 30 years later, specifically in 2018, that these recordings from the ’80s were released, along with several early demo recordings, resulting in the album “Land of Northern” (Cult Metal). This release reignited the band’s passion, leading them to record a completely new album in 2020 entitled “Northern Steel”, which still featured three original members from the ’80s lineup – Roland “Rowland Alex” Alexandersson (vocals), Anders “Andy Olson” Olsson (guitars), and Jonas Wikström (drums). The trio, joined by Jan Tosh Andersson (bass) and Johan Rosth (keyboards), now returns with their second album, “End of Time”.
This sophomore release from NEPTUNE is a perfect musical continuation of their debut. If you enjoy catchy yet truly interesting heavy metal songs, with elements of power and even prog metal, blending European tradition with the finest of melodic US style, then DON’T MISS this album!
There’s some really clever songwriting in “End of Time”, with tracks that feature excellent development and crafty arrangements. While they might seem simple, they are brilliantly written and delivered in a way that shows a great variety of moods. The album is NEVER boring; in fact, it hooks you from the beginning to the very end with no fillers at all!
I call it the majesty of simplicity. This is the total opposite of the dullness of simplicity that many other albums suffer from – definitely NOT the case here!
Since all band members contribute to the songwriting, the material covers a wide range of styles and emotions. NEPTUNE‘s lyrics often connect to their ancient Nordic history, using an underlying narrative for their albums. This time, the narrative centers around the last known Viking, Harald Hardrada, and several somewhat fictionalized stories about his life. This theme inspired several lyrics on the album, especially Harald’s final battle at Stamford Bridge, which was fierce and relentless, culminating in Harald Hardrada’s death and marking the end of the Viking Age. His followers celebrated this event as the “End of Time.”
“Metal Hearts” is a steady, rhythmic anthem with an iconic refrain that kick-starts the album ideally! “Brightest Steel” comes fast and furious, with an excellent solo from Johan Rosth, who sets the tone for “The End of Time” – an epic, slow-paced song showcasing a brilliant performance by Roland Alexandersson. “Revenge” follows in the same vein, darker and more straightforward, contrasting with the uplifting “Motherland”.
The second half of the album begins with “Sun Goes Down”, an AOR-styled track, and continues with “Neptune”, a more dramatic and grandiose song in structure, though still less commanding than “Power”, which turns up the heat again. “Highlands” and “Northern Warriors” are a perfect pairing to close the album – a strong melodic song and a finely orchestrated ballad, leaving the listener wanting more. And that’s how success is made!
“End of Time” will be released on September 20th by Pride & Joy Records, both digitally and on CD.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You can pre order the CD here.
