Well, the Black Metal bands from old times have a lot of to say about their experiences in the scene. So, you must deal with them with respect, for their scars are proof of their courage and pioneering visions. The German quartet BETHLEHEM is one of the oldest bands of their style, and now they are back for one more album, called "Bethlehem".

But what these guys are up to?

They mix their harsh and raw form of Doom/Black Metal with depressive and melancholic melodies, which can astonish many fans. But as well, they do some experiments on their musical work, always trying to make something different from what they already did on their past works. The keyboards arrangements reinforce the depressive atmosphere, but they know how to get heavy and aggressive as well. So, we can say that their musical style still is fresh and can say that their space is guaranteed in the scene. There's only one BETHLEHEM, and they are here.

The album's production was done by the band itself, and Markus Stock helped in the production, made the engineering and the mastering of "Bethlehem". He made a great effort to catch all the musical elements from the band's musical word, and really made a great work, because you can have the clearest idea of what the band is up to, but not erasing their musical harshness. The bassist/keyboard player Bartsch did a good job on the album's layout. On the cover, you'll see a figure that comes from the horror film "Necromentia", if 2009.

Aggressiveness and depressive elements can be heard during all the album and the best songs of it are: the nasty and raw "Fickselbomber Panzerplauze" (nasty and aggressive, with very good guitar riffs and vocals) and "Kalt' Ritt in Leicht Faltiger Leere" (this one presents very good guitars once more, but there are melancholic parts as well, where the keyboards play an important whole), the darkened melodic lines of "Kynokephale Freuden im Sumpfleben" (very good keyboards parts once more), the bitter and intense grasp of "Die Dunkelheit Darbt" and on the introspective beauty called "Arg Tot Frohlockt Kein Kind", and the excellent mix between aggressiveness and melancholy called "Verdammnis Straft Gezügeltes Aas" (very good work on bass guitar and drums).

As always, BETHLEHEM had made an excellent album here!