Rammstein are; Till Lindemann- Lyrics and vocals Richard Z. Kruspe-Bernstein- Guitar Paul Landers- Guitar Christian 'Flake' Lorenz- Keyboards Christoph Sneider- Drums Oliver Riedel- Bass
You've probably already heared of Rammstein, if not for any other reason than for the soundtrack and guest appearance in the Vin Diesel film, xXx. The performance you saw was typical - Rammstein are renowened by both fans and critics alike for the kind of show that could send Slipknot running for cover- and get them arrested.
Packed with pyrotechnics, self-induced pain and space age outfits with ahint of bondage, the band are so convincing you could almost be forgiven for believing it isn't just a stage act. Even the band denies they're entirely detached from their stage persona- "The guy who plays Mephisto has to be a bit Mephisto to play him" says Paul Landers.
The good thing about Rammstein's live performance is that, unlike so many other bands, there is no deterioration in quality. There are the same growling vocals, blistering riffs, the unexpected techno keyboards that somehow fit, and the best drumming this side of Dave Grohl. Everything flows just as smoothly as on the recorded sessions, maintaining the
precision machine effect Rammstein try so hard to create.
Sadly, you'd be hard pressed to find performances of songs from Mutter, with most stemming from the "Live Aus Berlin" era of the first two albums, Herzeleid and Sehnsucht. So Just be content with knowing that, with Mutter, Rammstein are back better than ever.
The album starts with the haunting intro to Mein Herz Brennt (My Heart Burns), an incredible string selection with lead singer Till gently purring along. It suddenly breaks into guitars and drums playing with the strings in a kind of Metallica - S&M style. As the song continues, it becomes tougher and tougher, building up to it's explosive chorus, but necer losing it's slower beat.
'Links 234' (Left 234) is a quick flashback to older Rammstein, with the pounding guitars and the 'crunchy' feel that was so evident on Sehnsucht. While it may be a little out of place between the similar sounding 'Mein Herz Brennt' and 'Sonne', it's a welcome reminder, and as with everything Rammstein tries, it seems to work.
The Godlike 'Sonne' (Sun) proves that no other band in the world can pull off what these six guys can. 'Sonne' has the hardest guitars of the whole album, and Till's voice is savage, until the chorus breaks through and the new, polished feel of Rammstein's music shows itself again. This is new Rammstein, heavy metal with a kind of dark opera quality. Melodic and head banging at the same time.
The next track, 'Ich Will' (I Want) is where Flake gets to show off what he can do, and the ingenious mix of rick and techno is used like never before. If you watch the video, the crowd chanting in the chorus will all be explained. Great song, Great video.
'Feuer Frei' continues the military theme from 'Links 234', with the title the German equivalent of 'Fire At Will'. Rammstein have been criticized in the past for writing "silly" lyrics, but mainly by people who translate it directly and view it out of context. Basically, you cant truly understand the album without knowledge of German culture, but the "BangBang" of the chorus doesn't really require much interpretation and is probably the lowest lyrical point of the whole album. But at the same time, could you imagine them saying anything else?
The title track, 'Mutter' (Mother) follows, showing the raw musical talent of Richard Z. Kruspe-Bernstein, with one of the best riffs ever written. The subject matter is undoubtedly abstract- its about a lab-created child seeking a mother, and its strange how such dark and disterbing lyrics can be made to sound so beautiful.
'Spieluhr' is a haunting song about a music box, with an incredibly catchy chorus effectively showcasing talents of all six members, particular Till, as the lyrics are astounding.
We'll leave it up to the reader to find out who or what a 'Zwitter' is, but just know this 'Zwitter' is the funniest song on the album. Again, the chorus is brilliantly catchy and contains some vaguely punk guitar work, showing just how diverse Rammstein can be.
'Rein Raus' (In Out) is sexually themed but deals with it humorously- dont let the heavy music and savage vocals throw you. If we quote "Ein elefant im Nadelohr" and tell you that "Nadelohr" means "eye of a needle", its all easily figured out. The orchestral 'S&M' feel shines through again here.
'Adios' (Goodbye) is about heroine addiction, its a perfect example of how real and raw Till's self-penned lyrics can be, although the inclusion of the line "Bop Bop Shu Bop" is a little confusing. Nevertheless, you'd have to be listening carefully to notice it, and 'Adios' is a continuation of the quality of all the previous tracks.
'Nebel' (Mist) is where the album winds down. It's very much in the vein of "Seeman" from the first album (Herzeleid), and both have recieved some criticism for being too slow and mellow for Rammstein, but it's good to see that they can brach out. It's true that it is the lowest point of the album, but it's still a good song and very listenable.
In 'Mutter', Rammstein breacks away from the almost one-dimensional onslaught of their previous albums to create a powerful diverse album of exceptional musical quality. If you're already a fan of Rammstein, there's no doubt you already own this album, if your new, this is the place to start.
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This is their best album (but reise reise itīs very good too).Great review analizing song by song.My favourites ones:Sonne,Zwitter,Mein herz Brent and Adios..Adios!..sorry good bye! ;)..Edu
auntyrottie 28.04.2005 11:22
Well done!! Nicely written!! Sounds good!! Take care! Maria. x.
thingywhatsit 26.04.2005 17:54
Thats a very helpful review from a relative newcomer although you could do with running it through a spell check. Like the way you describe things though. Its a nice style.
Formed in Germany in 1994, this industrial rock six-piece gained notoriety when they were ... more
found to be fave raves of the Columbine High School killers. Mutter is the studio follow-up to 1998s platinum-selling Sehnsucht, and a very menacing beast it is t...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Formed in Germany in 1994, this industrial rock six-piece gained notoriety when they were ... more
found to be fave raves of the Columbine High School killers.Mutteris the studio follow-up to 1998s platinum-sellingSehnsucht, and a very menacing beast it is too....
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Powerful rock music with strong choruses... Disadvantages: Sung in German, which may put off the casual listener (i'd recommend it anyway.)
DJWally 03.05.2001 (03.05.2001)
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Review of Mutter - Rammstein
Apr 26th, 2005
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