Bethesda is the name of the pool in John chapter 5 and translates to “house of mercy” or “house of grace.” It was surrounded by five porches and the pool was said to have healing properties when the waters were disturbed. Jesus heals a paralytic of 38 years who could not get to the waters for healing. It is in this context that the band Bethesda comes to us: just look at the splashes of water at the foot of the cross in the band logo!
The band’s roots stretch back to 2014 when Germán Pascual (Narnia, Solo) and Torbjörn Weinesjö (Veni Domine, AudioVision, Cell 9) started collaborating. Due to life and family commitments, the project remained in utero for a while, being nurtured by life experiences until 2022 when the project was beckoning for birth. To round out the band, they recruited Torbjörn’s brother Thomas as drummer and bassist Gabriel Ingemarson of Veni Domine fame. How does the mix of a power metal vocalist and a proggy doom band work?
It’s interesting. Their sound draws a lot from the Veni Domine heritage as it has an old school doom feel like early Trouble or Black Sabbath and hard rock of the 70s. Not only the playing, but the production is also a nod to the early days with a sparser instrumentation and thinner guitar tones. The band presents as four dudes jamming out doing what they do best with only a few embellishments. There are progressive elements like shifting keys and modulating riffs that draw the songs on while holding interest focusing on setting a good groove.
Their sound is an amalgam of many styles, but firmly rooted in the sound of early doom metal with plenteous use of blues. “Power” has a Black Sabbath heavy groove and both “This Is The End” and “Put My Faith In You” are driving affairs showing the heavier side of the band. But it isn’t just metal as songs like the blues-infused “Cave In” and “Lens of Time” sound like King’s X in the harmonizing of the vocals and jazz harmonies. The band does a good job of balancing energy with ambience, emotion with drive, and loud with soft to make for an interesting listen each time.
They are unashamed of their Christian heritage and present lyrics from a personal perspective rather than the pulpit. There is a lot of focus on healing of the soul and crying out in need. “Cave In” particularly pulls in how the world is in need of healing and alludes to Romans 8:20-23 in how the whole world is groaning in wait for the second coming of Christ.
Germán’s got a powerful voice, matching well the style being laid down instead of imposing. Still, at times, he dominates like on “Path and Circle,” but he also shows his bluesy chops on “Lens of Time” and some cool gospel ad lib work on the opener “Power.” On the heavier proto-thrash songs such as “This Is The End,” he has an almost gravelly timbre and on the verse of “Holy Ground” he has a hard rock swagger like Eric Bloom of BÖC. His melodies don’t hook like power metal, but they still retain interest, showing he is more than the former voice of Narnia.
The instrumentation for the most part is exactly what it would be like in a live performance: guitar, bass, and drums. The guitar riffs are quite good where it modulates quite easily, creating a progressive flavor. I like that it isn’t just riffs and power chord chugging, but shows some jazzy chords in the mix. The guitar solos sound cool with only the rhythm section supporting like in days of old, but the guitar has less presence, sounding tinny at times. Drums are done well and add to the conversation often with fills and grooves to make the songs work. I particularly enjoyed the pounding fills on “Cave In.” The bass work holds the fort, but is hard to pick out at times unless the guitar is in the higher treble range. All in all, it is early metal performed well.
In the end, this is an interesting release that continues the Veni Domine legacy and shows that Germán is not a one trick pony. The progressive elements are delightfully subtle to keep things interesting without abandoning a clear sonic anchor point, however production presents a quirky old-school release. Fans of old-school doom metal and of Germán’s vocals should enjoy this release heartily!
Rating: 8.0/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist
1 – Power
2 – This Is The End
3 – Path And The Circle
4 – I Will Return
5 – Cave In
6 – Fire In Me
7 – Put My Faith In You
8 – Lens Of Time
9 – Holy Ground
10 – Night (CD Exclusive)
11 – As the Time Goes By (CD Exclusive)
Bethesda is:
Germán Pascual – vocals
Torbjörn Weinesjö – guitar
Thomas Weinesjö — drums
Gabriel Ingemarson — bass
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Record Label: Roxx Records
Social Media: Spotify
Video for Power
Video for I Put My Faith In You