Finnish melodic death metal band Beyond The Hate is set to release an anticipated debut album Darkest Times on March 8th, 2024 via Inverse Records. The first single, "The Lighthouse", is released today with lyric video which can be viewed below.

Guitarist Kimmo Perälehto: "In the pre-production and early stages of the album, we wanted something a little different, so we ended up writing the song in 3/4 time signature. At the same time we combined the song our trademark tremolo saw picking alongside a slower pedal stroke - the result was what we felt was the perfect song"
 
Bassist Mikko Monto: "As for the chorus, the song is one of the fastest played on the upcoming album, with the slower interludes bringing a nice moody lift to the song. Symbolically and metaphorically, the lighthouses stand in their lofty solitude and soar towards the sky, taking on the storms of the seas and leading travellers safely to their destination. This time, however, the listener is left to ponder the darknesses of the story."

Vocalist Niko Kalinainen: "Lighthouses usually provide shelter for sailors and guide them past the reefs, this lighthouse is something quite different. It lures its prey towards its inevitable end, like a flame to a moth. This monument of death swallows up all light in its path and steers towards destruction - let those who can still be saved!"

Listen on streaming services here. Pre-save the album here. 

 

Beyond The Hate's beginnings date back to the summer of 2016, when guitarist Kimmo Perälehto and bassist Mikko Monto started writing songs together. Second guitarist Jyrki Karhu joined in early autumn and singer Niko Kalinainen in late 2016. The band was officially founded in 2017, when Tommy Uhtio took over the drumming duties and the first practice sessions were held.

In the beginning, the band's songs were more straightforward metal but in late 2018, the band started to find their musical direction in melodic death metalsuch, as an good example the single "This Cold Morning" was released in 2019. In 2018 and 2019, the band participated in the Emergenza Finland band competitions, reaching the finals at the both times.

The first taste of the new style came with the 2020 EP, Betrayal Of Time, which received good reviews and created expectations for the band's future. The band also participated in the 2022 Tuska-Torstai competition, reaching the semi-finals.
 
After the songs on the EP, the band focused on writing even more atmospheric and melancholic songs. More orchestral and choir elements were added to the songs, as well as acoustic guitar playing to create a new melodic mood. From this creative process came the twelve-track debut album "Darkest Times", which will be released in March 2024 via Inverse Records. The album will also feature guest vocalists Katri Hiovain-Asikainen from Numento on "Black Within" and Jaakko Mäntymaa from Marianas Rest on "In Memoriam".

Tracklist:

"Sign Of Weakness"
"Alone I Die"
"The Lighthouse"
"Black Within" (feat. Katri Hiovain-Asikainen)
"The Plague Upon Us"
"Left Behind"
"Dark Is The Sky"
"Dead Ones"
"Stranger in Me"
"Times of Misery"
"The Last Moments"
"In Memoriam" (feat. Jaakko Mäntymaa)

Photo by Tuomas Scholz