History
The band was formed in 2014 in Mannheim by Jennifer Haben (ex-Saphir) who after finishing the production of the first album engaged Nils Lesser (lead guitar), Christopher Hummels (rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Michael Hauser (keyboards), Erwin Schmidt (bass) and Tobias Derer (drums) as live musicians. They made their first appereances at the Wacken Open Air 2014 and on tour supporting Saxon and Hell.
On 13 February 2015 they released their first album, Songs of Love and Death, which became popular both in Austria and Germany, reaching the 12th place in German music charts and the 21st place in the Austrian charts.
From 13 May 2015, the band embarked on their first tour through Germany, followed by an appearance at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen on May 23, 2015.
It was announced via their facebook page on the 21st of December 2015 that their second album titled Lost in Forever would be released on the 12th of February 2016, feturing 13 new tracks, and the deluxe edition will feature 9 live songs (including an unreleased cover), an interview and interactive menu.
On July 15th, 2016 the band announced that Jennifer Haben and the rest of the band were parting ways. The band would continue with Jennifer Haben and new members which were announced in November 2016: Kai Tschierschky (drums), Tobi Lodes (rhythm guitar), Chris Hermsdörfer (lead guitar), Stefan Herkenhoff (bass) and Jonas Roßner (keyboards).
On January 13, 2017, the band's second album Lost In Forever was released as a Tour Edition with additional song material. Beyond the Black started touring internationally then with shows in the UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia and Japan. In 2017 the band also toured as a support act for Aerosmith and Scorpions.
In spring 2018, keyboardist Jonas Roßner left the band for private reasons. On August 31, 2018, their third album Heart of the Hurricane was released, followed by an extensive European tour as support for the Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation till the end of the year. In 2019, the band released a Black Edition of their album Heart of the Hurricane, which featured also three new songs, and went on a European headline tour, which has mainly sold out.
On June 19, 2020, Beyond the Black released their fourth album Hørizøns, reaching the bands highest chart positions to date. In the course of the release, the band announced a European co-headline tour together with the Swedish/Danish metal band Amaranthe.
Band members
Current members
Jennifer Haben - lead vocals, piano, acoustic guitar (2014-present)
Chris Hermsdörfer - lead guitar, backing vocals (2016-present)
Tobias Lodes - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2016-present)
Kai Tschierschky - drums (2016-present)
Former members
Nils Lesser - lead guitar (2014-2016)
Christopher Hummels - rhytm guitar, backing vocals (2014-2016)
Tobias Derer - drums (2014-2016)
Erwin Schmidt - bass (2014-2016)
Michael Hauser - keyboards (2014-2016)
Jonas Roßner - keyboards, backing vocals (2016-2018)
Stefan Herkenhoff - bass, backing vocals (2016-2021)
Discography
Studio albums
Songs of Love and Death (2015)
Lost in Forever (2016)
Heart of the Hurricane (2018)
Hørizøns (2020)
Beyond the Black (2023)
Singles & EP's
In the Shadows (2015)
Lost in Forever (2016)
Night Will Fade (2017)
Forget My Name (2017 Version) (2017)
Heart of the Hurricane (2018)
Million Lightyears (2018)
Misery (2020)
Golden Pariahs (2020)
Wounded Healer (2020)
Human (2020)
W: O: A Acoustic Clash - The Lockdown Session (2020)
Wasted Years (2021)
Reincarnation (2022)
Is There Anybody Out There? (2022)
Winter Is Coming (2022)
Dancing in the Dark (2022)
Call My Name (2023)
Official website: https://beyond-the-black.com/
English Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Black
Afraid Of The Dark
Beyond the Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anytime I stop, it all starts again
In the shadows I cast
Silhouettes of the past
Every day, I lie and say that I'm cured
Even though I know they're just empty words
If there's nowhere to turn
Am I destined to burn
Who is
My salvation
When
No one's aware I'm at war
Under this skin
I feel a stranger, her sadness and her rage!
Under this skin
I hear her screaming and rattling her cage!
Fight her! Fight it! I'm afraid of the dark!
Fight her! Fight it! I'm afraid of the dark!
Fight her! Fight it! I'm afraid of the dark inside me!
Every year, I pray that I'll be released
On my knees, I beg and plead for some peace
And the answer's the same
I'm consumed by her flames
Who is
My salvation
When
No one's aware I'm at war
Under this skin…
Give me the light that I need to defeat the dark!
Give me the light that I need to escape!
If we
Cursed instead of
Blessed
Help me
Lay us
Both to
Rest
The lyrics to Beyond the Black's song Afraid of the Dark convey a sense of internal conflict and struggle with the past. The singer describes how every night, she tries to run away from her problems, but she finds herself unable to escape, as her past seems to follow her everywhere she goes. She refers to the shadows she casts as silhouettes of the past, indicating that she can't seem to shake off her past, no matter how hard she tries.
The singer mentions lying and pretending to be cured, even though she knows deep down that she still struggles with unresolved issues. She wonders if she's destined to burn because she can't find a way out. The chorus implies the internal battle the singer faces, with her pleading for help to fight the darkness inside her. The line "under this skin, I feel a stranger, her sadness, and her rage" suggests a dissociation of the self, where the singer feels like a stranger to her own emotions.
The song depicts a struggle with mental illness and the desire for deliverance. It is a call for help, a plea for support and understanding. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and hopelessness, but also an underlying resilience and determination to overcome the obstacles holding the singer back.
Line by Line Meaning
Every night, I try to run, but in vain
I struggle with my emotions every night and try to escape them, but they always catch up to me.
Anytime I stop, it all starts again
Whenever I let my guard down, my troubles come back and overwhelm me once more.
In the shadows I cast
My fears and doubts are always lurking behind me, waiting to take control.
Silhouettes of the past
My past traumas are always haunting me, casting shadows over everything I do.
Every day, I lie and say that I'm cured
I try to convince myself and others that I've moved past my struggles even though I know it's not true.
Even though I know they're just empty words
I'm aware that my words of healing and improvement are hollow and lack conviction.
If there's nowhere to turn
When it feels like there's no help or support available,
Am I destined to burn
I wonder if my struggles will inevitably destroy me and my life.
Who is
My salvation
When
No one's aware I'm at war
I don't know who can save me from my inner turmoil when no one around me knows the extent of my suffering.
Under this skin
I feel a stranger, her sadness and her rage!
I don't recognize the person I've become and feel the intense pain and anger of my alter ego within me.
Under this skin
I hear her screaming and rattling her cage!
I can hear the cries and desperation of my other self, begging to be let out and free from her internal prison.
Fight her! Fight it! I'm afraid of the dark!
I know I need to fight my inner demons and fears, but I'm so scared of what lies within me that I hesitate to act.
Fight her! Fight it! I'm afraid of the dark inside me!
I'm petrified of confronting the unknown darkness within me and what it might reveal.
Every year, I pray that I'll be released
I hope every year that I'll find freedom and escape from my struggles.
On my knees, I beg and plead for some peace
I'm desperate for any semblance of tranquility and calm in my chaotic mind.
And the answer's the same
Unfortunately, my situation stays the same despite my pleas.
I'm consumed by her flames
The fire of my alter ego's pain and anger consumes me and threatens to destroy me.
Give me the light that I need to defeat the dark!
I'm praying for the courage and strength to overcome my fears and find hope and light in my life.
Give me the light that I need to escape!
I'm searching for a way out of my inner turmoil and toward a better future.
If we
Cursed instead of
Blessed
Sometimes it feels like fate had been unkind to me, bringing me suffering instead of good fortune.
Help me
Lay us
Both to
Rest
I'm asking for support and assistance in finding peace and closure for both myself and my alter ego.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IVO MORING, THORSTEN BROETZMANN, CHARLIE MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind