An Interview with Jennifer Haben and Chris Hermsdörfer of Beyond The Black

Symphonic metal, melodic metal, commercial metal, call it what you want, the point is that Beyond the Black are making quite a splash. Ahead of their sold out Manchester headline debut ROCKFLESH’s satanic overlord Johann caught up with Jennifer Haben  and Chris Hermsdörfer from the band.

"Great to meet you and thanks for agreeing to speak to Rockflesh. So, first UK headline shows. How much of an achievement does it feel to finally play your own shows here in the UK?”

Jen : It is the very first time for us here to be headlining in the UK. Yesterday was our first headlining show in Bristol, and it felt really great because it was sold out.

“You have also had a few dates sold out in Germany?”

Jen : In Germany a lot.

Chris : Yes, I think most of the tour in Germany was sold out except a few dates where there was just about 100 tickets remaining for sale, so almost all of the shows.

Jen : But it feels great to be here. The last time we were in the UK was a festival tour but the last tour when we were supporting was in 2015.

Chris : No, in Manchester, do you mean? Or in the UK?

Jen : Saxon was in 2015.

Chris : And the tour supporting Epica and Powerwolf was in 2017 and we have been in London, that is why I was asking.

Jen : Oh, yes. I felt so bad on that tour that I don’t remember. Some kind of bug or food poisoning, so I had to rest between shows and was just well to perform.

“As long as you remember the Manchester show tonight, that’s all that matter!”

Jen : I am quite sure we will!”

“With Within Temptation, Nightwish and Evanescence all selling out areas almost a year before the shows, Symphonic metal seems to have finally come of age. What do you think is the appeal? Would you consider yourself as Symphonic Metal or more varied?”

Jen: I think, we are more of a mix of Symphonic and melodic metal. You have to name genres to describe bands theses days. The first time we played we were more symphonic that is why it kind of stuck with us but with the last album, we changed a bit and we had less symphonic stuff and went more melodic. We are still evolving to this day with the new album we are writing now. I wouldn’t say we are just a symphonic band but we have some elements of it in some way.

“You (Jennifer) seem very much in charge of the band. How hard is it being a female in still a very male dominated environment?”

Jen : It’s ok, they all are gentlemen. When it comes to the writing process, I know what I want and that is always good in a sense and the guys in the band are always cool with that

“On the same line, if you don’t mind discussing a part of the history of the band, you managed to leave the band and keep the name which in itself quite rare? Would you care to tell us a bit more about it happened.”

Jen : Oh no, I didn’t leave the band, it was more like I built the band and the guys left me. We all have our different versions of the truth. When I built Beyond The Black, you didn’t know how much success the band could have. At the time, it was a lot of investment and still is today, but the guys at the time didn’t realise this. A year later, it became apparent that we had to talk about this, some had other projects, some wanted to have families and I was the one who wanted to take this band around the world and play any shows anywhere we could. That is when it became apparent that we were to go our separate ways.

“On the same subject there seems to be a backlash against the projection of acts like yours, Delain, Epica etc as female fronted metal (on the idea that you wouldn't call Maiden or Priest male fronted). Is this something that bothers you or is it just another way of pushing your uniqueness?”

Chris : I think it is just a genre, and may be a description.

Jen : There a people who prefer to listen to female voices and some prefer male voices. It isn’t something that I don’t care too much about. I think it is ok to describe the band like this because that’s who we are as much as we are symphonic or melodic Metal. In a way, if someone happen to like female vocalists, and Beyond The Black is mentioned, we are more likely to be noticed.

“There is a real medieval and swords and sorcery influence to your music. is this something you are personnaly intrested in?”

Jen : I really love Game Of Thrones, I love all the costumes and artifacts. We once did a soundtrack for a german movie and some of us were invited back for a guest appearance in the movie. So we got to wear the costume and play with the props. It was amazing!

Chris : Some of our songs may have this feel, but it may be more unintentional. We do watch some medieval movies or sometimes fantasy movies but it isn’t like we are seating here, focusing on trying to a write song based on those theme or a Game Of Thrones song.

Jen : But if we want to do it, we will do it!

Chris : Exactly, if we want to do it, we’ll do it, but if we feel a song may fit better to a personal topic, we’ll choose this. 

“Lot of bands are working with orchestra and choirs, is that something that you would like to do?”

Jen : We have already done it!

Chris : Live, it would be good! In the studio, of course, we had Tina Guo who also played the main cello with us this summer at Wacken but when it comes to having a full orchestra, why not!

Jen : On stage, it would be so expensive to have an orchestra that at present I don’t see us be able to pull off just yet.

“What are your future plans for 2020? Will you be back into the writing process? Or have you got new tour dates to be announced?”

Jen : We are aiming to release our next album in the middle of the year. We don’t quite know when but we are working on it. We have some songs so we will be starting the recording process at the beginning of the year

“Should we expect a change of direction or nothing is defined just yet?”

Jen : At the moment, it would seem we are changing a little bit but let’s see how it turns out because it is still early in the process.

Chris : We are still very open minded until we enter the studio when the creativity will come in and the songs will take shape.

“Well cheers for chatting with us and good luck with the show!!”

Interview and photography by Johann Wierzbicki