Black metal pioneers Bethlehem will release their new album, Bethlehem, on December 2nd via Prophecy Productions. Produced by the band and Markus Stock (Alcest) at Studio E (Helrunar, Secrets Of The Moon), Bethlehem is the band's eighth full-length record, and its release celebrates the 25th anniversary of the award-winning group, who features in its ranks bassist Bartsch, drummer Wolz, guitarist Karzov and new singer Onielar, from none other than German black metal stalwarts Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult.

In advance of the record's release, Bethlehem is streaming the new song "Kalt' Ritt in leicht faltiger Leere", which according to Bartsch, "could be translated to "Cold Ride in Flimsy Wrinkled Void". Listen to the track below.

“"Kalt' Ritt in leicht faltiger Leere" lyrically, as well as musically, stands for the transcendental range of Bethlehem in 2016,” comments Bartsch. “Onielar's unique and completely insane vocals put the finishing touch to it. Something wicked this way comes!”

Bethlehem is the follow-up to Bethlehem's 2014 LP, Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Self-titled albums usually suggest either a questionable "return to the roots" or a band reinvention of sorts. For Bethlehem, however, the release of the eponymously-titled Bethlehem is a welcome rejuvenation in every respect. After long-standing drummer Wolz returned to the fold, Bartsch recruited Russian guitarist Karzov (who took on a major role in Bethlehem’s songwriting) and the aforementioned Onielar, whose deranged vocals add to the deranged morbidity of Bethlehem, an album that conjures a fresh take on Bethlehem’s mid-to-late-90s sound that Bartsch calls "anarchic as always”.

Ultimately, Bethlehem encompasses everything the founding fathers of the suicidal / depressive black metal genre are about, combining the group’s early harshness with an outrageous catchiness and the experimentalism Bethlehem has always boasted, all crowned with a production that perfectly balances both rawness and power.

Tracklisting:

“Fickselbomber Panzerplauze”
“Kalt' Ritt in leicht faltiger Leere”
“Kynokephale Freuden im Sumpfleben”
“Die Dunkelheit darbt”
“Gängel Gängel Gang”
“Arg tot frohlockt kein Kind”
“Verderbnisheilung in sterbend' Mahr”
“Wahn schmiedet Sarg”
“Verdammnis straft gezügeltes Aas”
“Kein Mampf mit Kutzenzangen”

“Kalt' Ritt in leicht faltiger Leere”:

Order the album here.