Bethlehem

Lethvm – Winterreise Review

By Grymm on April 7, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, 44 comments

“In all my years of being a music consumer, I’ll freely admit that little surprises me anymore. Sure, every now and then, something will come along and provide an unsettling moment, like a ragtime ditty or a handclap breakdown, but overall, well… we know what to expect from just about everything these days. Even within the confines of metal, things have gotten a bit comfy and cozy. So when Belgian quartet Lethvm drops a mixture of post-hardcore, post-metal, doom, and black metal on my furry lap in the form of their third album, Winterreise, I cracked my murder mittens, donned my noise-canceling cans, and kept my mind as open as felinely possible.” Blacknip.

Eremit – Bearer of Many Names Review

By Grymm on June 8, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 24 comments

“Two years ago, German then-duo Eremit trudged onto the scene with a 68-minute, three-song mammoth, Carrier of Weight, an album that contained a foreboding atmosphere, a production that could crush an elephant like it was an empty aluminum can, and about six or seven total riffs between all three gargantuan-length songs. It was a bit much for me, but even then, I could sense the potential for these sludge-bearers to smother the masses and climb to the top of the heap where witches with bells sit upon oaken (Lewandowski-painted) thrones, surveying the wastelands forevermore. If there was something that the shitstorm that was 2020 and parts of 2021 taught me, it’s that patience is most certainly a welcome virtue, and time can soften an old fuddy-duddy like yours truly. As such, the now-trio-again have seen fit to unleash their newest beast, Bearer of Many Names, with a sleeker, heavier disposition.” Names with weight.

Advent Sorrow – Kali Yuga Crown Review

By Doom_et_Al on October 8, 2019 in 2019, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Werewolf Records, Black Metal, 29 comments

“Modern life is safe. Extreme danger and fear are rare, which makes experiences that mimic them memorable. The genre of depressive/suicidal black metal (DSBM) appears to support this, because not much is more extreme than profound depression and suicide. Yet those of us who listen, do so because it makes us feel better; that dabbling in the pain through music lessens its impact in the real world.” Depression lite.

Critical Mess – Man Made Machine Made Man Review

By GardensTale on June 19, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, German Metal, Metalville, Reviews, Death Metal, 12 comments

“After waxing lyrically about female voices in metal in my previous review, a random grab from the promo bin saw it fit to expand upon that intro with a female growler. When leaving The Agonist, Alissa White-Gluz infamously said: ‘No one can do what I can do,’ and metal has been happy to prove her wrong time and time again. Bands such as Aephanemer, Bethlehem, and Light This City are just a few examples of extraordinary female laryngeal destruction, and Critical Mess is joining that growing pantheon.” Woman made.

Bethlehem – Lebe Dich Leer Review

By GardensTale on May 21, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, German Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 49 comments

“I had picked Lebe Dich Leer for my review queue simply because it sounded interesting, only to find out that they were a foundational band in the development of suicidal black metal and their history was surrounded by controversy over false accusations of Satanism by concerned parents/idiots. An intimidating prospect for sure. So as you proceed, keep in mind that the following is from the perspective of someone venturing out of their comfort zone and new to the story of Bethlehem in general, so you can safely ignore my opinion if it suits you.” Green is the new black.

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult – Mardom Review

By Grymm on April 12, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, German Metal, Reviews, War Anthem Records, Black Metal, 49 comments

“Contrary to popular belief, many of us writers here at Angry Metal Guy Institute haven’t been exposed to every band a genre offers. Whether that’s due to time constraints, the ol’ chestnut of “I’ll get around to checking them out eventually” and then forgetting to check them out eventually, or just the simple fact that you haven’t heard of them, many bands honestly fly under our radar. That’s just a fact of life. In this instance, I hadn’t heard a note of Germany’s black metal quartet Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult until guitarist/frontwoman Onielar took over the coveted mic for fellow German legends Bethlehem in 2016 on their self-titled album.” Scary friends of creepy acquaintances.

Deinonychus – Ode to Acts of Murder, Dystopia, and Suicide Review

By Mark Z. on December 5, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, My Kingdom Music, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“I’ve been meaning to check out Deinonychus for one simple reason: I fucking love dinosaurs. Fellow dino nerds will know that Deinonychus was a fearsome predator of the early Cretaceous period, closely related to the infamous Velociraptor and with a name that means ‘terrible claw.’ It’s a badass band name, and though this Dutch trio doesn’t sing about slicing open unsuspecting sauropods, their music is no less compelling.” Music to go extinct to.

Sektarism – La Mort de L’Infidele Review

By Grymm on May 19, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, Drone, French Metal, Reviews, Zanjeer Zani Productions, Doom Metal, 31 comments

“As anyone who knows me well enough can attest, I function in strange ways. I enjoy my iced coffee in the wintertime. In the summertime, though, when everyone is either at the beach or cruising down the highway of their choice, I prefer to shutter myself in my house, grab a beer, and listen to either Kyuss or funeral doom. Strange, I know, but there’s something to be said about taking it easy on days where it’s overly sunny and hot as balls outside. So imagine my delight when I discovered La Mort de L’Infidele by France’s Sektarism in the promo bin, just waiting for me to engage in enough summertime sadness to make Lana Del Ray blush.” There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.

Bethlehem – Bethlehem Review

By Madam X on November 29, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Industrial Metal, International Metal, Polish Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Russian Metal, Uncategorized, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Industrial Metal, 26 comments

“With Christmas just around the corner, it gives me wry amusement that Bethlehem are about to unleash their latest slab of blackened thrash on the unsuspecting masses. Tis the season and Bethlehem are in a very giving kind of mood!” Grim yule tidings.

Unbegotten – Proem of the Unborn Review

By Madam X on August 13, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Forever Plagued Records, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Black Metal, 20 comments

“The phrase “Spain is different!” seems to roll off the tongue of many a Spaniard. And rightly so; as a country its culture, cuisine and even the architecture, are markedly recognizable in flavor, style, look and feel. So how does that relate to Unbegotten’s debut release Proem of the Unborn? Have these mutinous Spaniards turned against their Spanish roots? Or have they perhaps added a little Flamenco or maybe some Latin pizzazz to their black metal offering?” Spain’s Unbegotten isn’t that different after all…