Mystery Moon are back with their second album “Way Beyond” bringing big melodies, ’80s-flavored hard rock, emotional songwriting and plenty of atmosphere.
We caught up with the band to talk about the new album. The stories behind the songs, their influences, the artwork and what makes Mystery Moon tick. Turn it up and let’s go “Way Beyond”!
Zorica: “Way Beyond” is your second album. After Shine, what did you feel you had to do differently this time? And was there anything from the first album you definitely didn’t want to change?
Markus: On “Shine”, I worked a lot with lower-tuned guitars, and that perhaps came at the expense of the songs being not “accessible” enough. I deliberately toned that down a bit; I also wanted the songs to get to the point a bit quicker, so I used fewer drawn-out intros. I was determined to retain the catchiness of the songs and the riffs.
Zorica: The album deals with loss and new beginnings, darkness and light and stillness and movement. Were these ideas already in your head when you started writing or did they appear naturally as the songs came together?
Markus: I gave Rob these themes to work with, as he writes all the lyrics. The songs were all written whilst someone very close to me was very ill for a very long time, and it was unclear how it would all end. That person is symbolised by the figure in the boat on the cover; the storks represent a new beginning (thankfully, everything turned out well) and the lake, within easy reach, represents the journey of life.
Zorica: There are some seriously big hooks and melodies on Way Beyond with a strong ’80s melodic hard rock feel. What usually kicks off a Mystery Moon song: a riff, a melody, lyrics or just a certain mood?
Markus: Lyrics are NEVER the starting point for a song for me. It’s, in roughly equal measure, either a melody that pops into my head (for example, the keyboard part in ‘Cycles Of Life’), a drum groove (the riff groove in ‘Chaos and Order’) or a guitar riff (the riff in ‘Ouroboros’).
Zorica: “Cycles Of Life” has that classic Europe-style keyboard sound. Was that intentional? And how do you take an influence like that and make it sound like Mystery Moon, rather than simply recreating the ’80s?
Markus: Funnily enough, I had the melody stuck in my head and first had to work out what to do with it. Played on the guitar – it sounds a bit lacklustre. Played on the piano – even sillier. Then I played it using a synth sound I’d chosen completely on the spur of the moment – and yes, THAT’S IT. The fact that the sound is reminiscent of ‘The Final Countdown’ was pure coincidence.
Zorica: “Dreamland (Garden Of Eden)” has a different atmosphere from some of the other tracks. What’s the story behind this one?
Markus: It all started with the piano melody here, and the drum groove is reminiscent of early COLDPLAY songs. Maybe that’s why this song sounds rather ‘British’, whilst the others sound more ‘American’ – if you know what I mean? At one point, I’d replaced the piano melody with a sort of flute sound, but that ended up sounding a bit too cheesy to me.
Related: Mystery Moon – “Cycles Of Life”: A Melodic Hard Rock Journey Beyond Time
Zorica: “Lost And Found” feels like one of the more emotional songs on the album. Was this one difficult to write or are those more personal songs sometimes the easiest to get out?
Markus: For Rob, all his lyrics are very personal, and this one is no exception. He has been reunited with someone who means a great deal to him after a very long time. So it’s a true story, not a made-up one.
Zorica: The album cover shows storks building a nest in an abandoned boat. Almost as if they’re waiting for it to sail again. That’s a pretty cool image. What does it represent for you and how does it connect with Way Beyond?
Markus: Details are explained on question 2. In this context, “Way Beyond” means that life sometimes, contrary to expectations, does offer new possibilities, and that you can rise above yourself when you least expect it. It’s a very positive message, then. That’s why the moonlight is deliberately not sharply delineated from the dark sky, but forms a smooth transiti
Zorica: “Ouroboros” is a pretty intriguing title, especially with its connection to endless cycles. What made you want to write this song and what does the idea of the Ouroboros mean to you?
Markus: The endless circle is also, fundamentally, a symbol of life and rebirth (see also ‘Cycles of Life’). I know that Rob has explored the subject of the ‘Ouroboros’ in depth, but he deliberately leaves room for listeners’ own interpretations and avoids being too specific.
Zorica: Rob, when Markus sends you a new song, how much freedom do you have with the vocal melodies and delivery? Do you sometimes take a song somewhere he didn’t originally expect?
Markus: I’m replying here on Rob’s behalf as well. I send him the music, and then he’s free to decide entirely for himself which theme to associate with the song and to write his own lyrics. All I had given Rob for the album was the very broad theme of ‘life, hope, a hopeless situation resolving itself happily, etc.’
Zorica: Markus, you’re handling guitars, bass, guitar synths, synths and backing vocals. 😄 Do you ever have to tell yourself “Okay, enough! The song already has everything it needs”?
Markus: You’re absolutely right. In fact, I do tend to overload the instrumental side of the songs quite often, because otherwise they sound too ‘boring’ to me at this stage of the songwriting process. As soon as the vocals are added, I usually start leaving out one or two instrumental parts or sounds (such as guitar interludes that clash with the vocals).
Zorica: You also brought Thomas Rieder and Timo Becker into the album. With JK Northrup handling the mastering. How much do outside musicians and collaborators influence the final Mystery Moon sound?
Markus: Thomas, as drummer and percussionist, naturally provides the groove. His percussions in particular (take note of the bell rings – it’s all played by hand, no cheap samples or AI stuff!) really gets the groove going, and without it the songs would only be half as ‘lively’. Timo Becker has contributed keyboards to three songs, and this has definitely given these tracks new facets that I could never have achieved on my own.
Zorica: If you could grab a metal fan who has never heard Mystery Moon before, sit them down and play just one track from Way Beyond, which one would you choose to win them over?
Markus: “Driven” – That song kicks off straight away, without much of a build-up!
Zorica: And finally, once someone has listened to Way Beyond from beginning to end, what do you hope stays with them when the last song fades out?
Markus: The melodies and a sense of balance and serenity. My music is NOT meant to make people feel gloomy or unhappy – quite the opposite.
A big thanks to Mystery Moon for taking the time to talk with us and for giving us a look behind Way Beyond.
The album is out September 18, 2026. Give it a spin. Turn it up loud and let us know which track hits you the hardest. 🤘
Keep supporting the bands who keep heavy music alive! 🍻
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