Many musicians didn’t get just acclaim in previous eras due to lack of exposure or just the tough ceiling present to gain a record deal. Second chances come to them, thankfully due to modern technology plus the affordable costs of equipment to record things properly at a fraction of the price. That’s the story behind the return of Neptune – a melodic heavy metal group who released four demos from 1984-1987, reappearing in 2017 and issuing a couple of EPs plus a full-length Northern Steel, setting the stage for this second album End of Time. For this scribe’s first experience, the combination of progressive, melodic AOR-oriented influences next to standard 80s heavy metal tones along with a vibrant, expressive vocal performance could be quite appealing to the older readers of this site globally.
The production values possess a bit of a distant, throwback quality that differs from what you conventionally hear in the modern world – as the guitars and keyboards appear to have even level importance next to the rest of the instrumentation in the mix. Nordic history plays a part in a lot of the lyrics – this time around incorporating Harald Hardrada, the last known Viking and several fictionalized stories regarding his life and existence, “End of Time” marking his passing as the conclusion of the Viking Age. Vibrant guitar / keyboard displays in the vein of Deep Purple and Rainbow meets Judas Priest/ Accept for “Brightest Steel”, the multi-part vocal melodies during the chorus through supportive background choirs lifting the impact of the track. Cultural Nordic textures appear in spots of “Motherland”, keyboardist Johan Rosth serving up some cinematic soundscapes while the rhythm section propels the march-like tempo to infinite heights of anthem charm.
Guitarist Anders Olsson subscribes to a simple yet effective template in his chord progressions, riffs, and auxiliary lines – efficient to set up the needs of a song, as in the semi-ballad “Nepturion” where the momentum alternates between thoughtful clean measures against solid Accept-ish mid-tempo power riffs, the lead break short yet tastefully aligned to the atmosphere present. The vocal delivery of Row Alex has a mysterious, bard-like quality that may remind people of Michael Sadler from Saga meets Hansi of Blind Guardian – magnificent yet mysterious in highlight cuts like “Metal Hearts” and “Highlands”. Smartly keeping the album in an economical less than 40-minute timeframe, it’s clear that these musicians subscribe to a ‘less is more’ aesthetic to leave listeners satisfied, not exhausted.
End of Time could vault back to 1984-1986 easily and wouldn’t sound out of place. Neptune as such probably won’t garner much praise or adulation from the teenager to 30-something metal brigade – but that’s okay, as there are plenty of people that revel in older styles that could feel very comfortable owning this.