The first time you see them on stage, Life And Beyond will astound you with a torrent of eclectic music made by as few as three instruments. What makes this Bangalore-based gospel band different from any other band is the sheer euphoric power its members possess to make their audience rock to their music from the first chord.
Comprising Ashish Borde on the bass guitar, Stephen Mark on the lead guitar, John Melwin on the drums and Arun Samuel exuding vocal magic on the mike, Life And Beyond brings to music lovers of Bangalore a unique entourage of gospel music that can captivate you in rapturous fantasy.
While Borde and Melwin study BBM in CMR College in Bangalore, Mark is pursuing BCom in the same college. Thirteen-year-old Samuel, who is the youngest in the band is a Class 8 student of St Clarence High School, Bangalore. Coming together in college, Borde, Melwin and Mark went on stage for the first time at their college fest in October 2011 and received a rousing welcome on their first gig.
Taking that as a sign, the trio decided to stick together as a band and roped in Samuel, who is Borde’s younger brother, into the band to complete the line-up.
Samuel’s entry into the band made him one of the youngest vocalists for a band in the city.
Apart from their inherent gospel progressive rock, the quartet loves to experiment with a range of genres from Dream Theater’s progressive metal to Petra’s contemporary rock.
“We love to engage ourselves in as many genres as possible. This is what gives our music a fresh eclecticism,” says Borde.
On the origin of their name, Borde affirms that it was his mum and uncle who came up with the name for the band. “We want people to look at life beyond itself,” says Borde.
Fresh into the music scene, the band has miles to go. But they have already made a mark on the music hall of fame in Bangalore. Opening at a concert for John Schlitt, a three-time Grammy winner and former lead singer of Petra, a renowned gospel rock band, was a dream come true for the foursome.