Artist of the Month Bethlehem Metal on Power in Numbers, Chopping the Fluff, and Trick-or-Treating on Tour
It’s mid-September and the climate is starting to shift — in the future is balmy, the following crisp. The extended chill of fall is coming, however you may’t but pin down the climate’s tempo.
Enter: Bethlehem Metal. The Brooklyn-based foursome make the proper accompaniment to those autumnal atmospheric happenings. Their model of guitar rock is brooding, uncooked, and chock-full of time adjustments. And, just like the climate forecast of late, basically unpredictable.
(Learn: Bethlehem Metal Break Down Their New Album Monitor by Monitor)
The band was initially a trio, comprised of vocalist and guitarist Rebecca Ryskalczyk, bassist Patrick Ronayne, and drummer Jon Gernhart. Longtime buddies Jon and Rebecca met Patrick whereas working at an area venue. They launched their first album, Occasion Bare Endlessly, in 2017. Songwriter and guitarist Christina Puerto was introduced on final 12 months and immediately clicked.
“It was an instantaneous sure,” Rebecca stated of Christina’s audition. “No person else mattered. Though we must always in all probability hear the opposite individuals we advised to return check out, we have been like, ‘No, that is the one.’ And I used to be proper.”
The addition of Christina cemented the group’s lineup and their sound.
“I all the time thought the stuff Becca wrote after we have been a three-piece was all the time totally different from a number of different stuff happening [in the Brooklyn scene],” Patrick stated. “It could sound form of contrived, however it’s, and possibly that’s one of many causes it’s taken us some time to cement precisely the way it’s going to be. [Our sound] wasn’t mechanically one factor. It was laborious to return by.”
Their sound is difficult to return by as a result of it grapples with emotion in real-time — one minute it rambles, the following it rages.
We sat down with the band as they ready for his or her self-titled sophomore album (out now!) to drop.
On Three Changing into 4
Rebecca Ryskalczyk: Once we have been searching for one other guitar participant, I knew I needed one other lady; I knew I simply wanted it. Each feminine touring musician is aware of it’s not straightforward on a regular basis.
Patrick Ronayne: There’s a definable factor you can’t actually ever obtain with out having one other lady round.
Ryskalczyk: Properly, simply issues like we might end a set and folks would mechanically go speak to Pat about my tone or like, “Oh, how did you write that music?” It’s not [Jon or Pat’s] fault. It’s simply simpler to have one other lady. It’s not a female-fronted band; it’s only a fucking band, and there occurs to be two girls.
I needed somebody who can be involved in writing or serving to me to write down components. And when she despatched me her stuff, I used to be like, “Oh, yeah, that is actually sick,” and it simply made a number of sense musically. She was higher than I might have imagined, as a human and bandmate.
Ronayne: You guys transfer in very comparable, mechanical methods in how you concentrate on music. Writing like each of you do, it’s nice that they discovered one another. It’s very off-kilter and really particular. Meshing these two worlds is fascinating as hell trying in as a rhythm part and seeing how all of those components are popping out. It virtually appeared like a no brainer. It was like, the place the hell has Christina been this entire time?
Christina Puerto: I had by no means actually been in a band with one other lady, however [Becca] had. She had that have earlier than and knew what it might be like. I didn’t have a reference level. It was bizarre how simply we have been capable of write collectively and play collectively. It was stunning; it was a nice shock. And it went additional than I ever might have presumably imagined.
On Chopping the Fluff
Ronayne: [Defining our genre] is all the time a tough one; a number of labels get thrown round. Shrug rock. Grump rock.
Ryskalczyk: Nightmare pop. Upbeat however actually unhappy. Actual unhappy. Unhappy and actual.
Ronayne: Heavy, too.
Puerto: So we all the time throw round this phrase heavy, however I feel we’re all speaking about one thing totally different after we say that. However every of our definitions are appropriate.
Ryskalczyk: Emotionally heavy. Little or no fluff. Fucking no fluff. Go away your fluff on the door. Every part could be very to the purpose. It’s not simply going by way of the motions speaking about your day.
Puerto: It’s subjects that really feel essential to us. Communication can be one thing we battle with … verbal communication.
Ronayne: I feel it’s schizophrenic musically, nevertheless it soothes you together with the subject material. It’s moody. It’s internally very moody, and the music displays that. So enjoying issues very straight … It’s form of like a little bit little bit of a curler coaster in each one in every of our songs.
On the Determination to go Eponymous
Ryskalczyk: All of us form of acquired on board with [doing a self-titled] instantly. And let the art work be the title as a substitute of giving it a reputation.
I positively really feel that [doing a self-titled] was an excellent look to do, not solely as a result of it simply appeared proper, nevertheless it’s additionally as a result of there’s a new id for the band. It sounds sonically and emotionally prefer it’s by no means sounded earlier than with the addition of Christina. And there’s an entire new songwriter within the group. It’s form of like a reinventing of that, a brand new invigorating chapter within the band’s historical past. And it’s additionally a cool-ass-fucking transfer to do it on the second album. However like Becca stated, aesthetically, it actually speaks for itself. The band is what it’s now, and we hope to make this iteration one of the best it may be.
On Being Stronger Collectively
Bethlehem Metal, picture courtesy of band
Ryskalczyk: [Songwriting with Christina made me feel stronger in] the best way of speaking about males. Whereas earlier than I felt awkward after I was alone, singing about troublesome issues — not simply boyfriend issues.
Ronayne: It’s like gaining an ally. Clearly, we’re all the time respectful, however having Christina within the room now, I wouldn’t say it makes us really feel higher, nevertheless it makes us really feel good to know that Becca and Christina have that. It’s one thing that [Jon and I] don’t perceive too effectively. Like Becca stated, individuals all the time come as much as us speaking about my tone and speaking a couple of tuner. Folks provide you with any excuse to speak to you if you arrive at a venue or if you end enjoying one thing and keep away from speaking to Becca as a result of she appears intimidating possibly or simply don’t know the best way to method her. However collectively, you guys are very very robust.
Puerto: The way in which that [Becca] put it’s a little totally different than how I really feel about it. Properly, it’s positively about having a lady there. Nevertheless it couldn’t be simply anyone. It’s extra about the best way [Becca] is and fewer about the truth that she’s a lady. We’re buddies and we’re snug with one another. It felt simpler to write down and share with one another within the early phases. ‘Trigger that doesn’t come tremendous naturally; that’s not one thing that I’m tremendous inclined to do with everyone.
Ryskalczyk: Yeah, subconsciously, it was like now could be the time to write down about these things.
On Becca’s Cinematic Brainchildren
Ryskalczyk: I actually like developing with [music videos]. It simply form of occurs in my head, after which I attempt to do it.
Ronayne: The “Faux Sweater” video we filmed in Christina’s home in Jersey Metropolis. However, it was by no means presupposed to be there. It was presupposed to be in a mansion on Staten Island.
Puerto: Fuck that mansion.
Ronayne: They cancelled on us that morning. The texture of that video was really presupposed to be in a approach greater place with a number of totally different rooms, and [Becca] had all of it deliberate out. And on the final minute, they known as and stated, “Can we do subsequent Tuesday?” And we have been like, “Subsequent fucking Tuesday?”
Puerto: So, I moved all of the furnishings out of my home, mainly. That was wild. I can’t imagine we pulled that off. Nevertheless it labored out.
Ryskalczyk: We simply strive new stuff. Just like the “Dangerous Lady” video, we had to determine the best way to do a chase scene. Fortunately my condo has a pc chair that has been rigged with roller-blade wheels. We simply ran that down the road. It was Adam Kolodny filming, and we simply pulled him whereas they ran. Like virtually bumped into a few vehicles.
Ronayne: We have been working down these Ridgewood streets. Becca and Christina have been working backwards down the block in a chair whereas being filmed. It’s some actual DIY stuff.
On What, Precisely, Is in a Title
Ryskalczyk: I used to be lacking Buffalo lots, like lots lots, and needed to return. And there was a metal plant there. [Jon and I] are each from Rust Belt cities, and it simply appeared proper. I form of hate it a little bit now. At any time when somebody says, “Oh, that’s a cool band title,” now I’m like, effectively, it’s form of a shitty place. They weren’t nice individuals. So many individuals died of most cancers. Quite a lot of my prolonged household all labored there and died of most cancers from working there. It’s not the happiest title.
Ronayne: However, it’s a great way to attach you to there. It’s humorous as a result of, at the least a few instances each few months, there’s somebody who thinks we’re appropriating the title or some shit asking us the place we’re from. “Why are you calling your self Bethlehem Metal? You’re a Brooklyn band.” After which they kinda fall again a little bit bit after they discover out Becca is from Buffalo and grew up close to the plant and Jon is from upstate. It’s simply foolish. What’s in a reputation? There’s a fucking soccer group named Bethlehem Metal.
On What to Count on from Bethlehem Metal
Ryskalczyk: We’ll be on tour [on Halloween], in Denver. We’ve the time off, and I’m going to go trick-or-treating with my two-year-old nephew. He’s going to be a bear.
Ronayne: Since we now have an AirBnb, do you assume we could have trick-or-treaters?
Puerto: We gotta get sweet! We’re gonna gown up as one thing and hand out sweet. We’ve a number of time to consider it within the automobile.
Ronayne: Becca and Christina have been making slime. We’re interested by incorporating it into our primary merch sales space, however we’re going to strive it out on the primary document launch. It’s a number of enjoyable, very sensory pleasing.
Puerto: We acquired overzealous and acquired two gallons of glue after we first acquired into it. And I feel we solely made a really small a part of one in every of them.
Ryskalczyk: And we even have a gallon of faux blood. We might hand the youngsters slime!
Ronayne: Don’t go freely giving all our slime!
Puerto: We’ll need to workshop that concept.