Instrumental skills and passionate vocals in this surprising gem - A review of Beyond the Black's W:O:A Acoustic Clash (The Lockdown Session)

German heavy metal band Beyond the Black around lead singer Jennifer Haben tried out something completely new on the extended play W:O:A Acoustic Clash (The Lockdown Session). The young quintet covered four songs in acoustic versions. The tracks had been chosen by the Wacken Open Air community and I can confirm that these four bands and tracks are indeed very popular in the German metal scene.

The record starts with the catchy, melodic and relaxed interpretation of Sabaton's ''To Hell and Back''. While the original band has become a parody of itself in recent years, this version leaves out the pathos and convinces with playful instrumental passages and enchanting campfire vocals. This song is actually better than the original version.

Up next is Disturbed's classic ''Down with the Sickness'' that sounds less aggressive than the original tune but quite gloomy with its melancholic piano sounds. The track features additional male vocals that add some desperate energy at the right moments. Jennifer Haben's dramatic vocals carry the song emotionally however. It was tough to imagine an acoustic version of such a powerful tune but the band pulled it off relatively well.

The dynamic, fast and festive ''A Warrior's Call'' by Volbeat works surprisingly well in its acoustic context as well thanks to danceable piano sounds, dynamic acoustic guitar sounds and soulful lead vocals supported by raw backing vocals on occasion.

Iron Maiden's ''The Trooper'' is one of the most often covered metal tracks and the band should have gone for a different tune in my opinion. Still, the song blends in very well with the rest and convinces with a dynamic combination of passionate vocals, playful percussive elements, dynamic guitar sections and reduced piano tones. Jennifer Haben's passionate vocals and the technically flawless acoustic guitar solos work particularly well here.

In the end, Beyond the Black's W:O:A Acoustic Clash (The Lockdown Session) is a very positive surprise that deserves more attention and should not have only been released digitally. Perhaps it could be included as a bonus on the next regular studio album. The band's musicianship shines much more here than on its regular studio albums to this date. The same can be said about Jennifer Haben's vocals that sound more passionate than ever before and can unfold splendidly on this album. The intimate, organic and warm production blends in wonderfully. The band should certainly continue to incorporate acoustic passages into its own songwriting in the future.

Final rating: 80%