Experimental sonic suicide - A review of Bethlehem's Lebe dich leer

Bethlehem is one of the most experimental black metal bands you will ever come across. The band's ninth studio record in twenty-eight years represents the quartet's unusual soundscapes rather well.

Depressive, nihilistic and suicidal black metal outbursts with blistering rhythm section, distorted guitars and haunting vocals reminding of a squeaking pig meet elegiac ambient passages, female narrative sections and smooth folk transitions.

On the positive side, this eclectic mixture of genres is entertaining, surprising and quite unique. You never know what to expect and this release invites you to fully focus on it and rediscover it over and over again. ''Niemals mehr leben'' which successfully transitions between thunderous black metal parts and atmospheric darkwave tones is an example for one of the most efficient songs.

On the negative side, the different soundscapes don't gel well. Sometimes, one is at a loss and wondering what the band is aiming for. The fact that the experimental elements aren't just short passages but sometimes extended over several minutes or even entire songs doesn't make this record any easier to digest. A more streamlined, energetic and focused songwriting would certainly improve the sound. One of the worst offenders certainly is bonus track ''Laune der Natur'', an electronic ambient tune with narrative passages that plods on for four and a half painful minutes.

In the end, Bethlehem's Lebe dich leer will please to fans of experimental black metal and those who search beauty in darkness with the band's quite negative lyrics. Black metal purists on the other side will have their share of problems with this at times challenging output.

Final rating: 70%