NeverWorld

NeverWorld is a progressive and melodic metal band from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire in England. The group forms out of two earlier Hertfordshire bands, Sentinel and Killer Messiah, after members from both projects begin working together on new material.

Line-up

The band line-up includes Ben Colton on lead vocals and guitar, Jack Foster on guitar, John Peters on bass guitar, and Michael Vaughan on drums and percussion. The project also involves keyboard player James Thackway during its early formation.

Formation

NeverWorld grows from attempts to revive Sentinel after a year-long hiatus. Colton, Thackway and Vaughan work on that idea, but after several line-up changes and internal problems, Sentinel ends. Vaughan is also the vocalist of Killer Messiah, and Foster, Killer Messiah’s lead guitarist, joins a Sentinel rehearsal before plans for a new band take shape. Colton, Thackway and Vaughan already have new material, and they invite Foster to join the new project. John Peters, formerly of Sub Culture Heroes, then joins on bass. After about two months of discussing names, the band settles on NeverWorld.

Early recording

The band begins writing and recording its debut EP, Welcome to..., soon after forming. The release takes around five months to complete and presents three tracks intended to show the band’s songwriting and musicianship. The group describes its style as drawing on a wide range of metal forms while keeping a distinct identity.

Style and identity

NeverWorld works across progressive metal, melodic metal and power metal influences. The band also develops an audio-visual identity based around the idea of a “dream world” that people visit in sleep, with an emphasis on visual presentation alongside its music and live performances.