Metal icons Beyond The Black are no strangers to the obscene and unexpected. With a multitude of tracks under their belt that unleash fury, emotion, and mystifying imagery, it was a more than pleasant surprise to hear that their passion project tackled something still growing in the mainstream scene – ANIME!

For many of you, you’ll know that I am quite the avid Cosplayer, having been creating my own costumes and props for more than a decade (we’re coming up on 2 decades actually) so to see a band get into the spirit, and the fandom of one of my favourite Animes, and Cosplay inspirations, made me squeal just a little with excitement.

Beyond The Black says:

“A passion project finally sees the light of day! As many of you might know, we’re a bunch of enthusiastic nerds and anime is a huge topic as well in our lives. Therefore we decided to show you – next to our official music – something we’ve never done before and a bit more of our geeky side. Not only the music and production, but also the filming, cutting and even the costume of Jennifer is made by us with loving commitment. This is not an official release and we also don’t want it to be, we just want to spread our joy and passion for alternative culture here and since Demon Slayer is one of our favorites, we just HAD to use this song. Especially with the new season rolling right now.”

Demon Slayer (Kimetsu No Yaiba) debuted Season 3 of its animated series at the beginning of April, 2023 on streaming service Crunchyroll. With the Manga having wrapped up some time prior, the refreshing Shonen Anime has captivated many fans both new and Manga-reader alike.

No stranger to the series myself, with a HEEP of Demon Slayer statues, a Rengoku cosplay, and Manga stacked up on my bedside table, I just HAD to give Beyond The Black‘s cover of “Gurenge” a listen.

The music video embodies much of Demon Slayer‘s journey, taking in breath-taking landscapes on the hunt to truly slay all Demons and bring tranquility to our world. With hand-made cosplays adding in, it feels more like I was watching a convention music video to showcase these costumes. The added smiles, and warmth that Jennifer emits being able to cover one of her favourite Anime themes is contagious. You can’t help but smile, knowing just how much fun, and exciting this must all have been to tackle.

Jennifer’s Nezuko costume is too cute, and with the contact lenses to keep the feel, we’re all that more immersed in the Demon Slayer world once more. I absolutely LOVE this cover! It’s short and sweet but goes pedal to the floor in both dedication and sound.

For those of you now intrigued by this track, I definitely recommend at least starting the Anime (English Dubs are out for Season 1 and 2 on Crunchyroll, alongside the Mugen Train movie) with Season 3 only a few episodes in!

CATCH BEYOND THE BLACK ON THE ROAD:
MAY 26-28 | RO, Metalhead Meeting
JUN 02-04 | CZ, Metalfest Open Air
JUL 07-10 | AT, Nova Rock Festival
AUG 06 | DE, Seebühnenfestival Bayreuth*
AUG 02-05 | DE, Wacken Open Air
AUG 16-19 | DE, Summer Breeze Open Air
AUG 20 | DE, Miners Rock*

*Headline Shows

Don’t forget to check out Beyond The Black‘s self-titled album via the direct link! You can also stay up-to-date on concerts, news, and much more by following the band via their Socials including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok!