Bethlehem - Dictius Te Necare (1996)

   Bethlehem is mostly known as an experimental group with common line-up and style changes. And also known by "Dictius Te Necare", a cult album they created that gave a new aspect to black metal.
   To mark this album as depressive black metal may fit if it's about the main impression and lyrics about death, suicide and insanity, but by style features doesn't. "Dictius Te Necare" had some doom touch, but lacks doom metal themes too. The music is based on very basic themes and simple melodies that are not common in this genre, and what even more interesting is: it completely lacks the atmospheric sizzling sound. The clear rawness of the sound showed another way how is it possible to shock the audience emotionally - without atmosphere. The endlessly insane screaming vocals having main role in increasing the effectiveness of the album. It's probably the most exaggerated vocal style that was ever made in black metal. All-in-one the simplicity of the music and the concept doesn't made "Dictius Te Necare" the most common choice in the case of chilling time background noise, the album may have very heavy and dramatic influence. A really genuine black metal classic!