Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a black/doom metal band from Grevenbroich (NRW), Germany, form… Read Full Bio ↴Bethlehem is a black/doom metal band from Grevenbroich (NRW), Germany, formed in 1991 by Jürgen Bartsch and Kläus Matton. Many of their lyrics revolve around sickness, morbidity, suicide, death and madness, and may to some extent be personal to the band. Bethlehem are widely credited for inventing the term dark metal (named after their first album).
The group was founded in 1991. Before begetting Bethlehem, Bartsch and Matton used to play in a German thrash metal band called Morbid Vision. They recorded a few demos in the early 1990s before releasing their debut full-length album "Dark Metal" in 1994, which featured Andreas Classen on vocals.
On their second full-length album "Dictius te necare" (Latin: You must 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".
On "Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung", Landfermann was replaced by Marco Kehren from the band Deinonychus, Guido Meyer de Voltaire (Aardvarks) in turn replaced Kehren on "Schatten aus der Alexanderwelt" and "Mein Weg". With "Schatten aus der Alexander Welt" the band altered their style and abandoned the black and death-doom influences that made up their personal and distinguished style, favouring a more Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) and electronic approach.
Bethlehem faced censorship and was even banned from playing in some German cities. It started when Matton gave one copy of their first demo to a 14 year-old boy. After a while his mother started to call the band, saying that because of their music, her son become aggressive and built a "Satanic altar" in his room. In cooperation with other parents, they started a crusade against Bethlehem and their "satanic" music (although Bethlehem were never a satanic band).
Jürgen Bartsch, founder and bass player of Bethlehem, defines dark metal as such: "Dark Metal is a lifestyle, probably more than this. To the time we started with our own music, some of us made some ugly experiences with things like suicide or death in general. Myself was just back from the big German city I once lived in, where I lost nearly all of my friends and social contacts coz of drug overdoses or just coz they were bored by life in general and therefore killed themselves. Of course also lost people who were very close to me which totally shocked my complete appearance, from one day to the other let me feel lost and lonely again. When I came back into this miner´s ghost-town here, I had no friends, no nothing but only was buried in pain and suffering. Bethlehem was a way out, it totally helped to explain all those negative feelings and emotions into something so beautiful, which made it so easy to change all those dark things into something which always was a huge hold in my life, into music. Our former guitarist, Kläus Matton also lost his father who committed suicide and lost his mom who died from cancer and surely experienced everything in a similar way than I did. The others, Steinhoff and specially Classen came from broken homes and when I met them for the very first time, I very strongly felt that they also were completely lost. Basically four people came together, of such a kind that they all deeply were buried into something really dark, like living in a huge black hole. With no way out, no options or possibilities. Complete darkness, mental darkness. So the only chance to not follow the circumstances was to destroy darkness with music and though this was done instinctively, I believe today that the creation of a band like Bethlehem was the only chance to save our all lives. Not as a therapy or so, coz the therapy to that time were cigarettes and alcohol, more a promising path of light, completely born in the subconscious. We never discussed things like that but we all wanted to give it a name. Do remember this one rehearsal, shortly before we started recording our first demo, when suddenly our singer said: „the music is not evil, but it is dark. We all looked at each other and we knew it, that we exclusively play 'Dark Metal' and nothing else."
The group was founded in 1991. Before begetting Bethlehem, Bartsch and Matton used to play in a German thrash metal band called Morbid Vision. They recorded a few demos in the early 1990s before releasing their debut full-length album "Dark Metal" in 1994, which featured Andreas Classen on vocals.
On their second full-length album "Dictius te necare" (Latin: You must 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".
On "Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung", Landfermann was replaced by Marco Kehren from the band Deinonychus, Guido Meyer de Voltaire (Aardvarks) in turn replaced Kehren on "Schatten aus der Alexanderwelt" and "Mein Weg". With "Schatten aus der Alexander Welt" the band altered their style and abandoned the black and death-doom influences that made up their personal and distinguished style, favouring a more Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) and electronic approach.
Bethlehem faced censorship and was even banned from playing in some German cities. It started when Matton gave one copy of their first demo to a 14 year-old boy. After a while his mother started to call the band, saying that because of their music, her son become aggressive and built a "Satanic altar" in his room. In cooperation with other parents, they started a crusade against Bethlehem and their "satanic" music (although Bethlehem were never a satanic band).
Jürgen Bartsch, founder and bass player of Bethlehem, defines dark metal as such: "Dark Metal is a lifestyle, probably more than this. To the time we started with our own music, some of us made some ugly experiences with things like suicide or death in general. Myself was just back from the big German city I once lived in, where I lost nearly all of my friends and social contacts coz of drug overdoses or just coz they were bored by life in general and therefore killed themselves. Of course also lost people who were very close to me which totally shocked my complete appearance, from one day to the other let me feel lost and lonely again. When I came back into this miner´s ghost-town here, I had no friends, no nothing but only was buried in pain and suffering. Bethlehem was a way out, it totally helped to explain all those negative feelings and emotions into something so beautiful, which made it so easy to change all those dark things into something which always was a huge hold in my life, into music. Our former guitarist, Kläus Matton also lost his father who committed suicide and lost his mom who died from cancer and surely experienced everything in a similar way than I did. The others, Steinhoff and specially Classen came from broken homes and when I met them for the very first time, I very strongly felt that they also were completely lost. Basically four people came together, of such a kind that they all deeply were buried into something really dark, like living in a huge black hole. With no way out, no options or possibilities. Complete darkness, mental darkness. So the only chance to not follow the circumstances was to destroy darkness with music and though this was done instinctively, I believe today that the creation of a band like Bethlehem was the only chance to save our all lives. Not as a therapy or so, coz the therapy to that time were cigarettes and alcohol, more a promising path of light, completely born in the subconscious. We never discussed things like that but we all wanted to give it a name. Do remember this one rehearsal, shortly before we started recording our first demo, when suddenly our singer said: „the music is not evil, but it is dark. We all looked at each other and we knew it, that we exclusively play 'Dark Metal' and nothing else."
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Bethlehem Lyrics
3rd Nocturnal Prayer (music by bartsch/matton - may 92) (poems by classen - may…
Aalmutter Verzagend erklimme ich nun das eisig' Verlangen Andacht nur…
Allegoria Angstpfründe erreichen die Boote,vergreifen sich grün in tie…
Als ich noch Caulerpa Taxifolia erbrach (Music by Bartsch/Matton - February 1997 Poems by Bartsch - …
Aphel, die schwarze Schlange Das tote, dem Untergang geweihte Gestirn Entblößt die allmäc…
Apocalyptic Dance (music by bartsch - November 93) (poems by bartsch - October…
Devilcrazy God Thirteen I am not only a color** But lately 17 and 3 As…
Die Anarchische Befreiung Der Augenzeugenreligion Den Tod vermeiden heibt das Spiel der Verbannung verlieren …
Dorn Meiner Allmacht Christus, du blasse Königin des geronnenen Blutregens erst…
Dr. Miezo Ich bin der Hades, Medusa mein Wahn Verzicht auf ein sechst…
Du sollst dich toten Zufallspriester des Sarkasmus Bruten aus ein uppig' Leid Wen…
Dunkle kalte Materie [Music by Tiedemann/Bartsch-March 2001]…
Durch befleckte Berührung meiner Nemesis Vielleicht, Unerwartet, liess ein Skorpion Jenes los was man…
Egon Erwin's Mongo-Mumu Verbrannt ist das Leiden Erklomm nur den Schlund Vergaß uns …
Ein Kettenwolf greint 13:11-18 Es saugt der Wurm an meiner Pflicht Hola soy metal_is_krieg…
Einsargen Gekonnt verlor der Ketzer den schwarzen Plastiksack gar eil…
Elf Soffitten Mein Genitiv kränkelt geflissentlich nun verwirft eine Frag…
Felbel Fittich Dein Schicksal schwelgt im Überdruss kannst Du es nur besin…
Frl. Deutsch Gereicht der Traum zur Wirklichkeit? Wird jemals er entrinn…
Funereal Owlblood (music by matton - September 93) (poems by bartsch - Septemb…
Gar albern es uns totgebar Als ein devot verspeistes Flehen mein rohes Schweifen erkal…
Gebor'n um zu versagen Ein dunkler Schalk, der zürnend bellt Reift freudig und mit …
Gepriesen sei der Untergang Durch ungluckselige Weiten Einer unbefleckten Sonnenferne Sc…
Gestern starb ich schon Heute Gerade jetzt wo ich den Docht anstoße Befindet sich Archite…
Im Sog Ich frass den dunklen Gral konnt' ihn nicht länger leiden …
Kalt' Ritt In Leicht Faltiger Leere Ich bin schon viele Male gestorben Doch der Tod war nur…
Knochenkorn Es ist die Welt, sie zu vergessen blanke Rede, mein Ermesse…
Kynokephale Freuden Im Sumpfleben Ein Kettenhund biss in sein Ohr Das er einst Halb verschlang…
Letale familiäre Insomnie Die drei, die in das Dasein fahr'n Erlangen einst dem Muh'n …
Lingering Fart Bekloppto Beknakkto, Seven Infernal Hellfirewinds of Flautz …
Luftstehs'lbläh Bekloppto Beknakkto, Seven Infernal Hellfirewinds of Flautz …
Mary Samaels NFB 418 Kranke Begierden schampen als Tierwort durch blutigen Schnee…
Maschinensatan Stanniol umhüllt meine Verschwendung, schlachtet tief in mic…
Maschinensohn Ein zuweilen geschlachteter Impuls verdirbt in liebkosender …
Mein Kuss Erstickt im Imperativ [Music by Eckhardt/Tedemann.Bartsch-January 2001] [Poems by…
Nazi Zombies mit Tourette-Syndrom Das Fell, es riecht nach totem Mieder Verspürt' den Zwang hi…
Nexus Selbst unsere irdische Zuchtigung I'm Dunkeln schreitet unve…
Niemals mehr leben Ich fahr' in das Loch, fall' tief in die Leichen E…
Radio EIN / Radiosendung 1 Ich reite die Schlange und erfand den Schakal. Und Jesus Ch…
Radiosendung 2 Negativ. Das Negativ. Gativ. Gativ. Lets the music speaks…
Radiosendung 3 Wenn die Heizung nicht real wäre, wäre es hier nicht…
Radiosendung 4 Es ist zu heiÿ, zeigt mein Negativ. Zeigt das Negativ. Das…
Radiosendung 5 Negativ. Das Negativ. Gativ. Gativ. Lets the music speaks…
Radiosendung 6 Am Heizungsventil entweicht Dampt. Und genauso wie in Erase…
Radiosendung 7 Die Reiÿleine, sie reiÿt. Jetzt kommselt der freie Fall. D…
Rost Wahn & tote Gleise Das Feuer roch so jung in all' den toten Jahren Die…
Rost Whan & tote gleise Das Feuer roch so jung in all' den toten Jahren Die…
Schatten Aus Der Alexander Welt Ruchloser Mörder in purpurnen Seiten schwelgend vergieße i…
Schuld Uns'res Knöch'rigen Faltpferd Tod macht Fliegen aus uns allen Gibt uns Flügel Wo einst ers…
Second Coming (music by bartsch/matton - march 93) (poems by bartsch - Feb…
Supplementary Exegesis The shriek blockaded machinery tears me away in this very m…
Tagebuch Einer Totgeburt Ich ernannte die Elektrizität zum Gebein meiner Sinne und …
Teufelverrückt Gottdreizehn (Music by Bartsch - November 1996 Poems by Bartsch - Novembe…
The 11th Commandment (music by bartsch/matton - january 93) (poems by bartsch - …
Thou Shalt Kill Yourself Aimless priest of sarcasm Breeding a rich suffering When the…
Tod einer Dieselkatze [Music by Bethlehem-February 2001] [Poems by Bartsch-August …
Tote weiße Marder Aus einer wass'rigen Andacht in dreifaltiger Hinsicht erwach…
Vargtimmen Das verbannte Leid Begraben in der Leichenblôsse Verursacht …
Veiled Irreligion (music by matton - September 92) (poems by bartsch - October…
Verbracht in Plastiknacht Apophis sprach heiser vom finst'ren Moloch Spie aus mein Ver…
Verheißung, Du Krone des Todeskultes Durch die hehre Finsternis Des zukünftig Vergangenen Sehnt d…
Verschleierte Irrelgiositat Verlangen ist mein Wort Endgultig meine Geberde Verhermt is …
Verschleierte Irreligiosität (Rearrangement by Matton/Bartsch/Steinhoff/Landfermann Decem…
Verschleierte Irreligiosität (96) Verlangen ist mein Wort Endgültig meine Gebärde Verhärmt is …
Wintermute Produced from the maelstrom of neglection My nocturnal pray…
Wo Adlers wagen Es schneit draussen die polternden Geräusche Von Maschinen r…
Wolfsstunde Das verbannte Leid Begraben in der Leichenblsse Verursacht l…
Wolfstunde (Vargtimmen) Das verbannte Leid Begraben in der Leichenblässe Verursacht …
Yesterday I Still Had a Beer Today Gerade jetzt wo ich den Docht anstoße Befindet sich Architeu…
You Must Play With Yourself Zufallspriester des Sarkasmus brüten aus ein üppig' Leid W…