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Reviews

Nektar — Fortyfied
(Explore Rights Management, 2009/2025, 2CD)

Nektar — Mission to Mars
(Deko Entertainment 1139, 2024, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-02-23

Fortyfied Cover artMission to Mars Cover art

Nektar released Mission to Mars in 2024, and it’s a relatively short album of new studio material — four songs totalling 32 minutes. At this point, Derek “Mo” Moore is the only original member of the band remaining, though Ryche Chlanda’s intermittent tenure began much later, after his time with Fireballet. Jay Dittamo and Kendall Scott are the other members, along with guest vocalist Maryann Castello. The classic Nektar sound remains unchanged, with solid rock beats and strong melodies. They never went in for metal, and they don’t go for the repetitive riffs of space rock – it’s the lyrical subject matter that gets them that association. The lead vocals are strong, as are the harmonies. The guitar work is varied and modern, though clearly based on the roots of rock and roll. On the one hand, Mission to Mars sounds like it could have come out in the late 70s, maybe as an alternative path they could have taken after Recycled — minus Roye Albrighton, of course — instead of whatever it was that led to Magic Is a Child and Man in the Moon. (Maybe that sounds harsh. In the late 70s, bands associated with progressive rock were searching for ways to be relevant in a changing climate, and some did a better job of it than others. They didn’t have the benefit of our hindsight as to which paths would endure and which wouldn’t.) But on the other hand, Mission to Mars sounds contemporary as well, and not dated or nostalgic. I’ll admit to being a little skeptical of this album on first listen, but the quality of the compositions and performances has won me over.

Another Nektar release that’s recently come out is a reissue of their live album called Fortyfied. It features over two hours of the band’s classic material recorded on the 2008 European tour, when Albrighton was still alive, including excerpts from A Tab in the Ocean, Remember the Future, and Recycled along with most of their best known shorter songs. Albrighton was joined on this tour by Peter Pichl, Klaus Henatsch, and Ron Howden. While the recording quality is quite acceptable, I’d say the album is primarily for existing fans, especially those looking for recordings with Albrighton on board.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases, 2009 recordings, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Nektar

More info
http://nektarsmusic.com/music/mission-to-mars

 

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