Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki's Neverland

Lore & Background

In 2004, Neverland's former manager Orpheus Spiliotopoulos listened to Dreamtone's first demo, Unforeseen Reflections, and later introduced the band and Iris Mavraki to each other. During the writing and composing stages, Iris was in Greece and Dreamtone were in Turkey. They recorded a collection of demos, two of which appear on the special edition of the band's first CD. In December 2007, Neverland signed their first record contract with AFM Records and set out to record their debut album, Reversing Time.

The album was recorded with guest artists Hansi Kürsch, Tom Englund, Gary Wehrkamp, and Mike Baker, featuring 11 tracks on the standard edition and 13 on the special edition. It was released on March 28, 2008 after visiting eight studios. During Hansi Kürsch's recording sessions, the recordings had to be rescheduled six times and cancelled once due to various reasons, from touring to storms destroying studio rooftops. Mike Baker, the recently deceased singer, reserved the track 'Reversing Time' when he first heard it; the track is about a person trying to reverse time and stop his death. While this was one of Baker's final performances, his final officially released vocal appearance is generally considered to be on Shadow Gallery's *Digital Ghosts* (2009) or other posthumous releases.

As of February 1, 2009, the group was recording their second album, to be released through AFM Records. Their second studio album, Ophidia, was later released in 2010.

Reader's Guide

Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki's Neverland represents a notable cross-cultural collaboration in the symphonic power metal genre, bridging Turkish and Greek musicians. Their debut album Reversing Time gained attention for featuring prominent guest artists from the metal scene, including Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian, Tom Englund of Evergrey, Gary Wehrkamp of Shadow Gallery, and Mike Baker. The album's title track became particularly significant as Mike Baker's final officially released vocal performance, adding a layer of poignancy to the song's theme of reversing time to prevent death. The group's recording process was marked by logistical challenges, including multiple rescheduled sessions due to touring and storm damage. Their work contributed to the international metal scene by demonstrating the viability of transnational collaborations and by producing music that blended progressive and symphonic elements. The group's legacy is preserved through their two studio albums and their inclusion in the compilation Power and Glory - The Best Power Metal Hymns Vol. 1.

Did You Know?

• Neverland's former manager Orpheus Spiliotopoulos introduced Dreamtone and Iris Mavraki after hearing Dreamtone's first demo, Unforeseen Reflections.
• During Hansi Kürsch's recording sessions for Reversing Time, recordings were rescheduled six times and cancelled once due to touring and storms destroying studio rooftops.
• Mike Baker reserved the track 'Reversing Time' when he first heard it; it was his final officially released singer appearance.
• The debut album Reversing Time was recorded in eight studios before finalization.

A Cross-Border Partnership Born from a Demo Tape

In 2004, former manager Orpheus Spiliotopoulos heard Dreamtone's debut demo, Unforeseen Reflections, and recognized a creative spark waiting to be ignited. He facilitated an introduction between the Turkish progressive metal group and Greek vocalist Iris Mavraki, giving birth to what would become known as Neverland. What made this partnership remarkable was the geographic divide: throughout the writing and composing phases, Iris remained in Greece while the Dreamtone members worked in Turkey. Despite the distance, the two sides collaborated remotely, producing a collection of demo recordings—two of which would later appear on the special edition of the band's first CD. This transnational, long-distance creative process laid the groundwork for a project that blended Turkish progressive metal sensibilities with Greek vocal artistry, ultimately crystallizing into a sound best described as symphonic power metal. The abbreviation Neverland became the shorthand for this unlikely but deeply committed collaboration.

Reversing Time: A Recording Saga and a Haunting Farewell

In December 2007, a first record deal with AFM Records set the stage for what would become their debut, Reversing Time. The project brought together an extraordinary roster of guest vocalists—Hansi Kürsch, Tom Englund, Gary Wehrkamp, and Mike Baker—to perform across the album's twelve tracks. The recording process was anything but smooth: the band visited eight different studios before the album was finalized. Kürsch's sessions alone were rescheduled six times and cancelled once, with disruptions ranging from touring obligations to storms that destroyed studio rooftops. Perhaps the most poignant moment came with Mike Baker, who, upon first hearing the track Reversing Time, immediately reserved it without hesitation. That performance would become his final officially released vocal appearance. The irony is striking: the song's narrative centers on a person desperately trying to reverse time and prevent his own death, making Baker's last recorded performance a haunting, almost prophetic farewell.

Symphonic Power Metal: Sound, Lineup, and Genre Identity

Neverland occupies a distinctive niche in the metal landscape, defined by the fusion of Turkish progressive metal and Greek vocal performance under the umbrella of symphonic power metal. The core lineup features Oganalp Canatan and Iris Mavraki sharing vocal duties, with Onur Ozkoc and Burak Kahraman handling guitars, Emrecan Sevdin on drums, Can Dedekarginoglu on bass, and Guney Ozsan at the keyboard. This seven-member configuration, split between Turkey and Greece, gave the project a richly layered sound. The guest artists who contributed to Reversing Time—Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian, Tom Englund of Evergrey, Gary Wehrkamp, and Mike Baker—further elevated the production, lending the album a breadth of vocal color that reinforced its symphonic ambitions. The band's association with these well-known names in the power and progressive metal world, along with their inclusion on the Power and Glory compilation, positioned Neverland firmly within that genre's broader community.

Two Albums, One Label: A Focused Catalog and Lasting Momentum

Neverland's studio output, while concise, marks a clear trajectory of growth. Their debut, Reversing Time, arrived in February 2008 after the grueling multi-studio recording process, and the band also contributed to the Power and Glory – The Best Power Metal Hymns Vol. 1 compilation that same year. By February 1, 2009, the group was already in the studio recording their second album, again through AFM Records, demonstrating both the label's confidence in the project and the band's momentum. That follow-up, Ophidia, was released in 2010, completing a two-album arc that showcased the group's evolution from the demo-stage collaboration of 2004 to a fully realized symphonic power metal act. The continuity of their AFM Records relationship across both releases underscores a stable professional foundation. For fans of the genre, Neverland's brief but focused catalog—two studio albums, a compilation appearance, and the special-edition demos—represents a concentrated burst of creative energy born from a cross-border partnership that defied geographic and cultural boundaries.