Bethlehem (band)
Bethlehem | |
---|---|
Origin | Grevenbroich, Germany |
Genres | Black metal, black/doom, avant-garde metal, gothic metal |
Years active | 1991–present |
Labels | Red Stream Inc |
Associated acts |
Pavor Deinonychus |
Members |
Yvonne "Onielar" Wilczynska Ilya Karzov Jürgen Bartsch Florian "Torturer" Klein |
Bethlehem is a German heavy metal band from Grevenbroich, formed in 1991 by Jürgen Bartsch and Klaus Matton. Before starting Bethlehem, Bartsch and Matton used to play in a German thrash metal band Morbid Vision. Many of their lyrics revolve around sickness, morbidity, suicide, death and madness, and may to some extent be personal to the band.
History
Band
Bethlehem was formed by Jürgen Bartsch in 1991. They recorded a few demos in the early 90s before releasing their debut album "Dark Metal" in 1994, which featured Andreas Classen on vocals. On their second full-length album Dictius Te Necare (Latin: You must/should kill yourself), Classen was replaced with Rainer Landfermann on vocals (known as the bass player in the German death metal band Pavor). Landfermann's vocals were particularly extreme, described by critics and fans alike as "one of the sickest and most extreme voices you'll ever hear from a human being".[1] On S.U.I.Z.I.D. his place is taken by Marco Kehren from the band Deinonychus. Guido Meyer de Voltaire, the vocalist from Schatten aus der Alexanderwelt and Mein Weg, is also well-known with his band Aardvarks. Andreas Classen, vocalist on Dark Metal also did vocals for Shining, Dark Creation (German band), Paragon Belial, Made of Iron, Kadathorn, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult. Over the years Bethlehem modernized their style and so the early black and doom metal influences are now hardly present, the band favouring a more Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) and electronic approach. In 1998 Bethlehem collaborated on the soundtrack for the American underground movie Gummo with the tracks "Schuld Uns'res Knöcherigen Faltpferds" and "Verschleierte Irreligiösität".
Discography
Albums
- Dark Metal (1994)
- Dictius Te Necare (1996)
- Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung (1998)
- Schatten aus der Alexander Welt (2001)
- Mein Weg (2004)
- A Sacrificial Offering to the Kingdom of Heaven in a Cracked Dog's Ear (2009)
- Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (2014)
- Bethlehem (2016)
EPs
- Reflektionen auf's Sterben (EP, 1998)
- Profane Fetmilch Lenzt Elf Krank (EP, 1999)
- Suicide Radio (EP, 2003)
- Alles Tot (EP, 2004)
- Stönkfitzchen (EP, 2010)
Splits
- Wraithen / Bethlehem (Split, 2002)
- Gestern Starb Ich Schon Heute / Have a Nice Fight (Split, 2009)
- Suizidal-Ovipare Todessehnsucht (Split, 2009)
Demos
- Bethlehem (Bethlehem album) (Demo, 1992)
- Thy Pale Dominion (Demo, 1993)
Other publications and cooperations
- "Deathophobia I", Force Productions (1993)
- "Requiem", Exhumer Productions (1993)
- "Nuclear Blast Soundcheck Series - Volume 8", Nuclear Blast (1996)
- "Gummo (Soundtrack)" (1997)
- "Metal Explosion Volume 8", Adipocere Records (1998)
- "To Live Is Ever To Be In Danger", Red Stream (1999)
- "Upon A Mighty Bloodred Stream Volume 1", Red Stream (1999)
- "To Magic...", Prophecy (2000)
- "Legacy 04/01", Legacy (2001)
- "To Magic 2", Prophecy (2001)
Members
Current members
- Jürgen Bartsch: Guitars, Electronics, Synths (Mein Weg), Bass
- Yvonne "Onielar" Wilczynska: Vocals
- Ilya Karzov: Guitars
- Florian "Torturer" Klein: Drums
Former members and cooperations
- Rainer Landfermann: Vocals (on Dictius Te Necare)
- Jonathan Théry: Vocals
- Reuben Jordan: Guitars
- Guido Meyer de Voltaire: Vocals (on Schatten aus der Alexanderwelt, Mein Weg and Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia)
- Andreas Tekath: Session-Keyboards/Piano (on Mein Weg)
- Klaus Matton: Electric Guitars (until Profane Fetmilch Lenzt Elf Krank)
- Marco Kehren: Vocals (on S.U.i.Z.i.D.; Reflektionen aufs Sterben)
- Markus Lossen: Drums (on S.U.i.Z.i.D.; Reflektionen aufs Sterben)
- Cathrin Campen: Vocals (on S.U.i.Z.i.D.; Reflektionen aufs Sterben)
- Steinhoff: Drums (until S.U.i.Z.i.D.)
- Andreas Classen: Vocals (until Dictius Te Necare)
- Oliver Schmidt: Session-Keyboards (on Thy Pale Dominion)
- Reiner Tiedemann: Electronics (Schatten aus der Alexanderwelt), Remixes (Suicide Radio)
- Niklas Kvarforth: Vocals (on A Sacrificial Offering to the Kingdom of Heaven in a Cracked Dog's Ear, Stönkfitzchen)
- Steve Wolz: Drums
- Olaf Eckhardt: Guitars
References
- ↑ Panagiotou, Kostas. "Bethlehem - Dictius Te Necare". Doom-metal.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ↑ http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bethlehem/1122
External links
- Bethlehem discography at MusicBrainz
- Avantgarde-metal.com interview with Bethlehem