Beyond The Bridge

BIOGRAPHY

Beyond the Bridge are a German Progressive Rock/Metal band who started in 1999 under the name of “Fallout”. The group seemed to face an early demise when all band members started to settle throughout Germany to engage in their university studies and professional careers.

It wasn’t until 2005 that guitarist Peter Degenfeld-Schonburg decided to revive the band with a project he had entitled "The Old Man and the Spirit". For the next five years to come, he would spend innumerable hours together with keyboarder Christopher Tarnow to complete the songs and the story of this slowly evolving concept album. Christopher, who had also been part of the original line-up, got to know the brilliant producer Simon Oberender (a Sascha Paeth collaborator in the productions of Avantasia, Edguy, Epica or Kamelot among others). Simon in his turn brought drummer Fabian Maier and lead vocalist Herbie Langhans in the band. Together with bass player Dominik Stotzem, founder of the old school band and best friend to Peter and Christopher ever since, the line-up of Beyond the Bridge was almost completed. Last but not least, lead vocalist Dilenya Mar came to the band after Peter had been to a concert of hers singing classic Jazz tunes in Munich, Germany.

Besides their experience as rock musicians, all members of Beyond the Bridge are proud to be professionally trained musicians on their respective instruments.

The first studio recordings for "The Old Man and the Spirit" started in 2008 at Gate Studio, Wolfsburg, Germany. Nonetheless, it was a very long way until the completion of the album in 2011, and the band is very proud to finally release this piece of art with Frontiers Records in January 2012.

“The Old Man and the Spirit” deals with the polarity of human sensuousness and superhuman awareness. The latter is embodied by the character of the Spirit. She is the personification of all wisdom and awareness that is unachievable to mankind, however, lacks of the ability to feel.

Her opponent, the character of the Old Man, is presented as a bon vivant who has lived through all highs and lows of human sensation. Steadied by his old age, he searches for a sense, for a coherence, for the meaning of his life in the maelstrom of transiency.

As the story unfolds, the Spirit convinces the Old Man that there is no way for Man to overcome the limits of human perception. They can only be transgressed with the help of the Spirit's wisdom.

Aware of human curiosity, the Spirit offers to answer all of the Old Man's questions - in exchange for his experiences and feelings. A high price, as they are inseparably connected to the Old Man's memories.

LINEUP:
Herbie Langhans - Vocals
Dilenya Mar - Vocals
Peter Degenfeld - Guitar
Christopher Tarnow - Keyboards Dominik Stotzem - Bass
Fabian Maier - Drums
Simon Oberender - Keyboards/Guitar