BEYOND THE BLACK – “Break the Silence” (2026)
Welcome to the first review of the year, which happily coincided with the release of a new BEYOND THE BLACK record. I view their previous, titular album of 2023 to be a pivotal moment in their discography as it redefined the band’s sound as well as their place within the Metal map. It feels like all cogs were in place for what I consider to be the sound that best represents the talent of BTB, allowing them to fully realize their potential. It is not surprising that I also consider it their peak entry. With an intro like that it is also evident why I was very eager for “Break the silence” to see the light of day, especially since the teasing singles established a largely familiar songwriting approach.
With an intact line-up for a fourth full-length in a row, the quartet delivers a tracklist consisting of ten modern melodic Metal compositions, gravitating toward strong melodies and the powerful vocal performance of Jennifer Haben. We are long past the point where we should tag everything that uses an orchestral sample or features a frontwoman as Symphonic Metal, because this album is anything but that. It views the world with a fresh perspective and filters the songs through an aura that reflects artistic freedom and experimentation.
Continuing the trend of “Is There Anybody Out There?”, “Rising High” introduces the album with the use of some samples that make the result feel more modern. I hope this is an approach that resonates with you, because it is used more extensively this time and on other songs as well, even becoming a centerpiece in “Let there be rain” and “The Flood”. The experimentation continues on “(La Vie est un) Cinéma” which marries English and French lyrics together, though I would prefer it if it went all the way and skipped English completely. The band also adjusted to the new reality that encourages collaborations with other artists taking place, which resulted in the uplifting “Can You Hear Me” (feat. LOVEBITES) and “The Art of Being Alone” (feat. LORD OF THE LOST), both of which are great. Especially the latter, which creates a different vibe than the rest of the album.
Compared to “Beyond the Black”, “Break the Silence” seems to be in a more experimental mood, showing that BTB did not want to rest on their laurels. This does not mean a distancing from the sound that fitted them so well, but the result is more a healthy continuation rather than a cold rehash. By making a comparison between the two, the newest member of the family does not come with the same element of surprise as the gap between those two records is far smaller than the leap made from “Horizons” to the titular one. I am also under the impression that time will rank it a little below its predecessor, as the songs there cannot be topped easily and create a stronger and tighter front.
Even with that in mind, BEYOND THE BLACK return with a strong artistic vision that looks into the future, opting for evolution instead of stagnation. In a totally subjective way, I insist that over the last five years they have been at the peak of their creativity, making “Break the Silence” their second best full release to date. The fact that they can create such a rich melodic landscape in all of their songs is impressive, counterbalanced by a seemingly lighter and less powerful approach that may not hit everyone’s expectations. Regardless, it is the kind of album that makes me optimistic about the present and future of Metal music. I will leave some room in the score for future endeavors, which I am sure they will fill with ease.
80/100
Pavlos Pavlakis
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