BEYOND THE BLACK – Break The Silence

One cannot accuse German symphonic metal outfit Beyond The Black of laziness, as Break The Silence is their sixth album in eleven years. But it is not only the quantity of their output that has made them a staple of the genre.

A Success From the Start

Beyond The Black was formed in 2014 around singer Jennifer Haben and released their commercially successful debut Songs of Love and Death in 2015. In 2016, the band fell apart and only bandleader Haben remained, forming a new lineup around her. Both guitarists and singers Chris Hermsdörfer and Tobias Lodes have since become closely associated with the band and its sound. Since then, all albums have been quite successful in the German-speaking countries, with chart success especially in their home country, where each album has reached a top-five position.

A Typical Album

Consistency has been a constant for the band in Germany and within the symphonic metal scene, and the word “constant” is chosen deliberately. The band has developed its own sound and has not failed to deliver on any of their releases. Break The Silence is no exception to that rule and certainly no disappointment to their fans. Jenni’s voice is as brilliant as ever, the songs are bombastic and melodic, some more, some less hard-rocking, but all topped off with memorable refrains and pop-oriented elements that place the band and the album firmly in the mainstream rock spectrum.

In fact, Break The Silence is a typical album for Beyond The Black. “Typical” has two meanings here. The first is “nothing new”, which may carry a negative connotation for those seeking musical innovation. But at the same time, it also means that the band has carved out its own sound. Even when the style stretches a little or frays at the edges, it always remains unmistakably Beyond The Black.

A Winning Recipe with New Hits

Such songs include the title track, “Can You Hear Me”, featuring guest singer Asami of Lovebites, who does not add much to the overall experience, “Hologram”, and “(La Vie Est Un) Cinéma”. Fans of the band will feel right at home. Other songs deviate only slightly from the established formula, such as the opener “Rising High”, which features more modern elements, the electronic touches in “The Flood” and “Let There Be Rain”, where the band is supported by the choir The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices, or “The Art of Being Alone”, featuring male vocals by Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost. The number of guest appearances is not unusual, as this trend already started on the previous album and seems to be becoming a recurring element.

In addition to these songs, the album contains two ballads, a must-have for radio, mainstream appeal, and the genre itself. The first is “Ravens”, a classic Beyond The Black song. Nothing new, but clearly intentional, as the newly created fan network is called “BTB Ravens”. In this case, it represents the band’s signature sound and will likely become a staple of their live sets. The second ballad, “Weltschmerz”, features lyrics alternating between German and English and is a delicate, fragile, almost bombastic piece in the style of Enya, at least until it grows into a crescendo that fittingly closes the album.

An Album for the Fans and the Critics

Beyond The Black take no risks on Break The Silence. The band stands firmly with one foot in hard rock and heavy metal, and the other in mainstream rock radio. The album will once again earn praise from fans and form the foundation for another tour through large, often sold-out venues, while critics and “true metalheads” will likely repeat their familiar complaints, just as they have with previous releases. This will hardly matter to Jennifer Haben and Beyond The Black, as they continue to enjoy undiminished commercial success and may even gain new fans depending on the airplay and streaming success of the singles. Especially the newly released single “Ravens” could play a major role in that regard.

Tracklist

1. Rising High
2. Break The Silence
3. The Art Of Being Alone
4. Let There Be Rain
5. Ravens
6. The Flood
7. Can You Hear Me
8. (La vie est un) Cinéma
9. Hologram
10. Weltschmerz

Lineup

Jennifer Haben – Vocals, Keyboards
Chris Hermsdörfer – Guitar, Vocals
Tobias Lodes – Guitar, Vocals
Kai Tschierschky – Drums