Bethlehem – Dictius Te Necare (1996)

June 4, 2023

I first heard of Bethlehem after Ralner Landfermann appeared on an Anaal Nathrakh song, and I was blown away by how crazy the vocals were. So perhaps my enjoyment of this album has been primed somewhat, unlike say someone who stumbled upon this talked about mid-90s release and had no idea what was coming when they pressed play. I have actively come here in search of these vocals, and I am very much on board with them, as divisive as they may be. In fact, I would go as far as to say they are one of the highlights of Bethlehem’s sound.

Musically, the band fluctuate between “traditional” black metal riffery and plodding, slightly melodic doom metal, with these slower riffs and passages – along with the wailing, screeching vocals – giving Dictius Te Necare a very unique sound for a black metal record from the 90s. The production is as clear as it is rough around the edges, but I couldn’t really imagine this working with a bigger, better production. I don’t have any stand-out tracks to recommend per se, as all were really good, but closer “Dorn Meiner Allmacht” caught my attention as it rounded out the album with a much slower pace and more sinister vibe.

The absurd vocals may not be for everyone, but if you can get into them, then this is a gem of an album.