Lost in the plethora of symphonic/femme/gothic/honey badger bands are Xandria, lost around the area that would be the Isle of Man music was a map of the British Isles. People know it’s there, but they never bother to go and would rather have a nice bit of cheese on toast. Neverworld’s End arrives this month and lets you know why you should turn the oven off, you ditsy goat.

Xandria once again prove they are criminally underrated with their latest album, epic long tracks sandwiching the best part of forty five minutes of symphonic wondrousness. The lead single, Valentine, may not be the strongest on offer, but the jarring vocal lines and the punchy guitar-drum choke combo build up the song before it explodes into the operatic chorus. As I said before, it’s somewhat strange that they chose Valentine to release, as the two immediate tracks after, Forevermore and Euphoria have the catchiest choruses this side of a pop album. Every track is mixed with the slight folk elements that characterise the album, the token cliché-fest The Dream Is Still Alive is touching in it’s fragility before the lead guitars sweep in.

Oh, and that’s another thing that Neverworld’s End brings to the table; guitar solos from a band of this genre that aren’t half baked and slapped in as an afterthought. I could go on about how great the guitar solos are, but as I write reviews I have the album playing in the background, Call Of The Wind‘s folk leanings are the strongest on the album and is a belter of tune with a massive chorus. Cursed hides deceptively far down the track list with it’s creeping classical bent.

This is the only time I will mention that band in particular detail, Neverworld’s End is the album Nightwish should have released at the end of last year. Effortlessly catchy, beautifully melodic and no hint of a male grunt in sight, Xandria have exceeded themselves.

8/10