ALBUM REVIEW: Break The Silence – Beyond The Black
Three years ago, the excellent self-titled record from BEYOND THE BLACK firmly established them as one of power metal’s future stars. The German four-piece had already enjoyed a respectable career, but they knocked it up a notch in the post-pandemic world and became a byword for well-executed, straight up power metal. So, it’s a bit of a surprise when you first put on Break The Silence. The conventional wisdom would be to repeat the formula that made the last album such a success, but instead they’ve gone a different route.
Break The Silence sees them flexing their creative muscles and it may prove to be a divisive entry in their discography. The arena-ready choruses, and irresistible melodies are still there, but they’ve also injected a hefty dose of electronica and experimentation. The guest appearance of Chris Harms from LORD OF THE LOST is very apt; this is the closest that BEYOND THE BLACK have got to sounding like a Eurovision entry. Tracks like Here Comes The Flood even wander into IMAGINE DRAGONS territory, and it might be a step too far for some people.
Don’t panic too much though, Break The Silence is actually a pretty decent listen. It’s not the insta-classic the self-titled was, but it has an unpredictable vibe and it’s a lot of fun to sit through. Rising High’s out-of-character backing vocals briefly left us wondering if we’d put the wrong album on, but when it kicks off, it quickly becomes a barnstormer. Thirty-eight minutes later, the climactic title track wraps things up with the most conventional song on the record; a huge, catchy anthem that’s made for big stages.
Sandwiched between them are all the off-kilter ideas that they’ve had in the last three years. La Vie Est Un Cinema is a French-language mini-epic, The Art Of Being Alone is an introspective tribal number that could have been lifted off the latest Avatar soundtrack, and the ethereal Weltschmerz is a trip into German synthwave.
Elsewhere, Like A Hologram’s galloping rhythms and memorable hooks have dancefloor-filler written all over them, while Ravens is a strong contender for the best ballad they’ve ever written. BEYOND THE BLACK have historically been better at writing more energetic material, but this one goes some way to addressing the balance. It’s a slower-paced and tender cut, with a suitably impressive performance from singer Jennifer Haben. Putting it right smack in the middle of the album was a good idea too, it turns it into a proper lighters-in-the-air breathing moment.
In other words, Break The Silence is BEYOND THE BLACK taking the opportunity to push their boundaries. It’s their “most European” work to date and some folks will inevitably think they’ve taken it too far. However, the songwriting is still sharp, and a lot of these choruses will burn themselves into your subconscious on the first play. If you’re a newcomer, we’d suggest checking out the self-titled ahead of this one, but if you don’t mind it when power metal skirts dangerously close to Lion Of Love style cheese, you’ll enjoy Break The Silence too.
Rating: 7/10
Break The Silence is set for release on January 9th via Nuclear Blast Records.
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