Bethlehem Steel are releasing their sophomore album next month. Despite being their second full-length, it’s self-titled because it feels like the introduction to a whole new iteration of the band. What was once firmly Becca Rsykalczyk’s project has opened up to include new vocalist and songwriter Christina Puerto. Its lead single, “Bad Girl,” was a Rsykalczyk joint, but their new song was written and is sung by Puerto. With the new voice, Bethlehem Steel take on a slightly different quality, more soaring and less constricted.

Here’s what Puerto had to say about the track to Consequence Of Sound:

I wrote Empty Room at a time when I was going through some pretty debilitating anxiety and depression. It’s mostly a song meant to ask for patience from those I’m close to while I figured some things out. As I was writing the lyrics – which are kinda bleak – I kept being drawn to really optimistic-sounding melodies, which I eventually just gave into. It ended up being a good thing for me because writing has a way of forcing me into some pretty intense self-reflection…which is a good and necessary thing…but the way this song came out musically made things easier for me to process.

Listen below.

TOUR DATES:
09/13 New York, NY @ Trans Pecos w/ Cat Cohen and Shark Muffin
09/14 Buffalo, NY release show @ Mohawk Place
09/15 Albany, NY @ Buddie’s Basement
09/16 Rollinsford, NH @ Sue’s
09/25 Boston, MA @ O’Briens *
09/26 Northampton, MA @ Red Cross *
09/27 Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar *
09/28 Toronto @ Duffy’s *
09/29 Kalamazoo, MI @ Candy Cane Lane *
09/30 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean downstairs *
10/01 St Louis, MO @ Nu Craig *
10/02 Fayetteville, AR @ Backspace *
10/03 Denton, TX @ J&Js *
10/04 Austin, TX @ Mohawk *
10/05 New Orleans, LA @ Bank St Bar *
10/06 Nashville, TN @ Drrkmttr *
10/08 Asheville, NC @ Static Age *
10/09 Raleigh, NC @ TBA *
10/10 DC @ Rhizome *
10/11 Philadelphia, PA @ Dumpster Out Back *
10/12 NYC @ Chili’s *
*= w/ Kal Marks

Bethlehem Steel is out 9/13 via Exploding In Sound. Pre-order it here.