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 second single, "Alone I Die" is released today with a stunning music video which can be viewed below.

Vocalist Niko Kalinainen: "The idea for the lyrics of the song was born when I was in a cabin in Finnish Lapland, thinking how wonderful a place it is for a person to be and why not to die. The song is not suicidal at all, and doesn't contain a drop of self-pity. Rather, it is an honest, raw statement that this is where I will spend my time and I may not always have a partner with me."  

The single is available 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)

"The Lighthouse"

 

Photo by Tuomas Scholz