Exclusive Interview with FAR BEYOND

In this compelling interview, INFRARED MAGAZINE sits down with FAR BEYOND, an energetic and innovative five-piece metal band based in Ghent, Belgium. Starting in their teenage years, these friends have crafted a powerful blend of heavy metal, characterized by driving guitar riffs, alternative melodic parts, and a unique fusion of jazzy drumbeats and ferocious vocals. Formed in 2022, FAR BEYOND has navigated life’s changes while maintaining their strong connection. With their first album, ‘The Moment of Creation,’ already making waves since its release on September 1, 2023, they are rapidly establishing themselves in the metal landscape. Join us in exploring the journey, challenges, and future aspirations of this remarkable band.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: Today, we’re excited to sit down with FAR BEYOND, a dynamic five-piece band from Ghent, Belgium, that’s quickly making a name for themselves in the metal world. Welcome, everyone! Could you start by telling us about how FAR BEYOND came together and the story behind your formation?

FAR BEYOND: Far Beyond is a band that arose out of past projects. The idea is that it’s a group of friends that played together in their teenage years. During the years people grew, people pursued other goals, or people simply outgrew the idea of playing on stage, or in a band. So we had to find other people to fill their shoes. We had some ups and downs. Initially this album was written with three remaining members. When the album was nearly completed we found a ferocious heavy vocalist and an awesome post-metalcore bassist. And ultimately an incredible jazz drummer.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: Your debut album ‘The Moment of Creation’ has made quite an impact since its release on September 1, 2023. What was the inspiration behind this album?

FAR BEYOND: Trauma and how to overcome it all. The inner struggles of man. Good and bad. Music is some form of therapy for all of us. It helped us get through a lot. So, the short answer is “pain”.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: You have a unique sound that combines heavy metal chords with alternative melodic parts and even jazzy drumbeats. How did you develop this distinctive style?

FAR BEYOND: We all have different backgrounds. Every band member brings their own influences from past experiences. Mostly thrash metal, metalcore and hardcore. But also, blues, southern rock and jazz… With Far Beyond we wanted to do something different without losing the roughness and edge in the music. We didn’t want to be a category-band but rather paint outside the lines of the typical metal.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: Sharing the stage with bands like Galactic Empire and Poseydon must have been an incredible experience. Can you share a standout moment from your performances so far?

FAR BEYOND: Definitely our gig in a packed Patronaat, Haarlem (The Netherlands) with Galactic Empire. The venue was super professional and super friendly to us. It was a very surprising show for us, because the people there had never heard about us. We had a full house when we came on stage. And we had very good feedback on our performance! It was a night that we won’t forget!

INFRARED MAGAZINE: With such a strong debut, what challenges did you face in the studio, and how did you overcome them?

FAR BEYOND: Writing “The Moment Of Creation” was a long process because everyone in the band wanted it to be perfect. Good wasn’t good enough. Like stated above, the initial album was written with three remaining members at the time. That was particularly challenging for drums. Because the drums were written by two guitarists and a bassist in a computer program… At that point we had our producer in Reampstudios, Hulst(NL) track the drums live in the studio. A big and huge shout out to him, and a big stroke of luck for us!

So ultimately, the music itself was done three years prior before even vocals could touch it. We had a hard time finding a proper voice that could compliment the sound in our head. Luckily, we found the right man for the job at the right time. The vocals were recorded in that same studio. The producers almost thought we had given up at that time, but they also kept faith :D. And we never gave up!

The last piece of luck in the puzzle was finding a drummer that could fit our sound and our band. He came after the studio process! But he deserves a mention because at that time, that fictional drummer was always in our minds. And from now on, he obviously will be in our studio process in the future.

Will we do things differently in the future, hell… of course!!! But in the end, we are glad and very proud of that process. The sentence “We learned a lot” is an understatement! And we are enthusiastic that this record is up and running!

INFRARED MAGAZINE: How important is the theme of friendship in your band’s dynamics and music?

FAR BEYOND: We are brothers… You almost become brothers when you make something that’s that dear to you, like this album. Music is very important to all of us so with everyone’s vision in the same place we grow as humans and understand that within the same goals lie a lot of difficulties, but mostly a lot of similarities.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: What’s next for FAR BEYOND? Any upcoming projects or tours fans should be excited about?

FAR BEYOND: An international tour would be awesome, but first we feel like we have to play a lot of shows to make a name in our region. We want to get “The moment of creation” inside the heads of our future fans. Every opportunity that is presented is taken with both hands and a lot of gratitude!

In the meantime, we keep writing music. It is a blessing and a curse… But our heads do not sit still. New music is always in the making. We do not always agree with “the digital age”. But it comes in handy to continue living with a recording device in your pocket.

INFRARED MAGAZINE: Finally, what message do you hope listeners take away from your music?

FAR BEYOND: No matter how hard the struggle, there is always a way. Never give in, never give up. Never think that you’re less than someone else.

Keep going! We wish to inspire people to follow their dreams and be themselves. And it’s important to have a good time while they’re at it.

Music is our form of therapy. There is something inside of everyone that is dying to get out. Find your source of inspiration. It’s something that makes you happy. And cherish the moments when you make friends for life in the process! “The Moment Of Creation”

INFRARED MAGAZINE: Thanks so much for your time and insights, FAR BEYOND. We can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next!

FAR BEYOND: Thank you for taking your time with us!