Last year, only months after the original release of their second album, Lost In Forever, and just as they were gathering momentum in Europe, Beyond The Black vocalist Jennifer Haben found herself alone after all five of her bandmates quit simultaneously.
Soldiering on with a brand new lineup, the German symphonic metallers are reissuing that album with the inclusion of four newly recorded tracks. BTB are less operatic and bombastic than many of their peers but nevertheless, their elegant brand of aural grandeur sounds opulent and expansive. The title track is a beast, melding orchestral drama with guttural growls, an addictive melody and spiralling solos. A Celtic-tinged Beautiful Lies marries the heavy with the whimsical and Heaven In Hell is the beefiest track here, channelling current-era Nightwish as Jennifer shows off her impressive range amid theatrical chanting and full-throttle riffery. Previously unavailable in the UK and reissued with 17 tracks, Lost In Forever is an overlong listen, but it’s peppered with impressive moments that deserve to be heard.
