I felt like 2025 delivered a number of great symphonic metal releases, and 2026 appears to be promising with quite a few on the horizon already. Germany’s Beyond the Black has the honor of kicking off this trend with their 6th full length album, and first since 2023, “Break the Silence.” I am not super familiar with any of their material previous to their 2023 self-titled, but I love the evolution from that album to this one. Like many subgenres of metal, symphonic metal has a variety of flavors to choose from, and the selection has grown over the past several years. Beyond the Black falls in the bucket of blending symphonic aspects with a more hard rock / power metal approach, not unlike Moonlight Haze or perhaps Elettra Storm, though not quite as fast or heavy as either of those bands. Everything starts with the fabulous vocals of Jennifer Haben, who has a big voice with major pop sensibility while still being able to hit hard with a rock edge. Unlike a lot of what you hear in the symphonic metal space, she doesn’t stay in the rafters consistently, though she can climb there with ease when needed. Her versatility is evident and provides a nice identity for the band. The guitars navigate heavier riffing and more melodic sections, with some great solos that are more on the restrained side but service the songs well. The drums are a key power element that give the songs heft, even in the absence of other instruments being heavy, but are also comfortable in the softer sections. The orchestrations feel more like part of the fabric of the music rather than a featured aspect as it is in a lot of symphonic metal, adding additional depth but cementing that more hard rock to power metal feel. The album clocks in at 37 minutes across 10 tracks with most under 4 minutes, meaning there isn’t the typical trademark grandiose or bombastic symphonic metal song you might expect, but the accessibility factor is improved while still providing enough flourishes.

“Rising High” immediately jumps in with a catchy singable quality complete with a chunky guitar groove and atmospheric keys. The intro (and regular reprisal of it throughout the song) is reminiscent of a 2000’s pop mechanic that works surprisingly well melded with the metallic nature of the overall composition. It doesn’t take long to be immersed in Haben’s wonderful vocals. They hit hard but invite you to sing along, and the poppy refrains work as a nice foil to her big delivery. I love the prog flavored guitar solo complemented by keyboard accents. This is a driving song that works great as an opener!

The title track has a slightly djenty symphonic metal feel, with overarching orchestration enveloping the vigorous power riffing and drums. The first pre-chorus has a dreamy feel with its total dynamics drop off before plunging ahead into the massive chorus and its earworm melody. The song does a great job interleaving dynamics like this, adding character as the song progresses. The guitars have a nice heft, and the guitar solo, though short, works perfectly. I love the added flourish of a ticking clock ahead of the final push.

“The Art of Being Alone” features guest vocals from Chris Harms of Lords of the Lost, and his gothic baritone complements Haben so well, both as a duet trading off and gorgeous harmonies together. This song is very symphonic forward, letting the orchestration set the tone and evoke emotion in tandem with the vocals (I get chills just from the opening!). The guitars take more of backseat here, but the drumming is absolutely powerful. The extended post-choral refrain in the backhalf hits super hard with Haben soaring amidst a heartfelt growl. What a fantastic song!

“Let There Be Rain” features The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices, an all female choir hailing from Bulgaria known for their choral renditions of folk songs, and they provide an immediate bombastic feel from the outset. The song is big and powerful, with killer guitar solos, amazing drumming, and incredible vocal play between Haben and The Voices, including some offset round-like passages that just add so much depth. This is another fabulous song.

“Ravens” slows the pace considerably, with its haunting ambiance featuring Haben’s voice as a lead instrument over delicate guitar picking, covered by a warm symphonic blanket. The band does a great job layering in heavier textures for emphasis, and the chorus is grandiose. This song is a great example of the versatility the band brings and how they can make a slower song feel absolutely massive.

“The Flood” has a driving hard rock vibe and a pop sensibility, with lightweight symphonics to create a synthy vibe. The melodies are quite catchy, and the guitar riffs captivating, though I am admittedly not a big fan of the robot voice that shows up constantly. Haben helps make up for this with a stellar vocal performance, particularly that chorus!

“Can You Hear Me” brings a light prog vibe with the various guitar and keyboard parts, adding texture to the energetic synthy symphonic power approach that makes up the song’s core. It features guest vocals from Asami of LOVEBITES, who brings a J-POP vibe with her instantly recognizable voice, adding lush harmonies and soaring vocals of her own. The chorus in particular is quite memorable and will easily get stuck in your head.

“(La vie est un) Cinéma” comes out of an 80’s time capsule, and it maintains this feel while adding some modern polish. This synth-driven melodic hard rocker showcases Haben’s wonderful voice but also includes some complementary male vocals near the end. The song never really lets loose, acting as a nice transition between tracks.

“Hologram” is one of the faster songs on the album, with a driving synth melody complementing the power metal riffs and pounding drums. Haben is in top form and is complemented by some harsher male vocals at times to punctuate things. The guitars are alive and well, with a great guitar solo and heavy riffing to get your head bopping. The chorus is another earworm that will get stuck in your head, and the song ending has a nice technical spree that wraps things nicely.

“Weltschmerz” takes an approach that I generally don’t prefer with closing songs, which is finishing out a metal album on a slower more somber note. However, there is so much to love about this song, from the emotive impassioned vocals, the moody soundscape, the use of dynamics to evoke emotion, and the swells (particularly near the end) that brings everything to an emphatic conclusion. I personally would have preferred a swap of this and “Hologram” from a song order standpoint, but as it is, this is an incredible song that I truly enjoy.

I feel like symphonic metal, at times, is one of the more maligned genres in metal, with plenty of haters for myriad reasons. This album is perhaps not as “symphonic” as the more theatrical bands in the genre, but Beyond the Black delivers a rocking album that is catchy, melodic, and a fun listen. It expertly blends the heft and complexity of symphonic metal while maintaining a Top 40 sensibility, potentially making it more accessible to the average metal listener. Personally, I don’t need any reasons other than to say you should definitely check this out, but be careful as you will likely be humming many of these songs long after you are done!