The Foreign Correspondent Returns - Stories About German Rock Music # 37

20 years ago a band was formed in Berlin that must be counted to the most controversial groups of the last years. Rammstein is counted musically to the new German hardness. Their sign is one as "a primitively" described music style which the band members themselves call "dance metal", as well as often controversially discussed lyrics. Mainly inspired by the sound collages of the Yugoslavian avant-garde band Laibach Rammstein made their own industrial sound. In my opinion they combined classical Hard Rock with Alternative Metal and elements of Krautrock and Techno as well. The lyricx of Rammstein and above all their talk by singer Till Lindemann are an essential element of the music and stamp the perception by fans and a broader public clearly., Among the rest, this is due to the fact that often very controversial, put under taboo and pubic-occupied subjects are chosen like BDSM, homosexuality, incest, sexual abuse, sex tourism, pyromania, cannibalism, asylum-seeker, the play with religious pictures and effect of violence during the sexual act or an unusual perception on this. And as the featured in a video parts of Leni Riefenstahl's movies they were put into the neo-fascism corner. And not completely wrongfully - if one hears like be the singer pronounces the rolling 'R' allows to roll recollections of the megalomaniac leader already arise. For god's sake, many of you are not able to understand the lyrics (with which I agree in no manner and from which I dissociate myself). Therefore, simply listen to the music - then it has it in itself. Detached by all allusions which I hold only for a clever marketing strategy, there are in Germany less band which are able to play that aggresiv and heavy sound.

Rammstein - Kokain

The Foreign Correspondent Returns - Stories About German Rock Music # 33

The correspondent is again back with a new story about a German rock band. One of the internationally most successful however also most controversial groups of the last decade from Germany came were with certainty Rammstein. Successful because of the wall of sound they made. Heavy guitars, some great riffs and a singer with a voice that might came out straight from hell. From their early days - and sometimes today as well - they had to deal wit the reproach of the right-wing extremism. On account of the ambiguous texts and the hard style the volume was often accused in the early days on the part of the media of following radically right-wing trends. The criticism increased, after in 1998 the video to the cover song Stripped – the original is from Depeche Mode – appeared, the film material of the Summer Olympics in 1936 from Leni Riefenstahl included. In spite of the distance of anti-constitutional symbols from the video material the volume the spreading of fascistic body of thought and the unthinking idealisation of national-socialist aesthetics was accused. A ban of the radiation of the music video for transmitting times before 22 o'clock was the result. Singer Till Lindemann explained later, one has crossed a border with this provocation what he would do not once again.

The tape members of Rammstein call their music style "dance metal"; other ones call it New German Hardness. Typically for the music the volume it are of guitar reef which are played by distorted E guitars, and easy percussion rhythms. Often the pieces are built up on easy, continuous patterns. Music differs Rammstein from classical Heavy Metal type, as for example Iron Maiden, by the massive application of electronic sounds – as for example electronically to simulated piano or violins voices with quiet ballads, or techno sound– as well as by the rarer application of percussion breaks. Though also guitars and keyboard sound seem, however, are rarer and as a rule are held easier.

I followed the discussion about Rammstein in their early days and sometimes I stood alone when I told some folks that I like theirs sound and their songs. Many have rejected the group, even if it was a matter for them only of being politically correct and music in connection with the third empire could be basically to decline. I'm really not much into Heavy Metal but I love sometimes the bombastic sound of Rammstein. A few years ago I saw them live in Stuttgart and first it was a phenomenal performance with all the pyrotechnics and second it was maybe the most powerful Heavy Metal concert I've seen (except Motörhead). It's great when you sit in the train to work and you can hear the full loud sound of this music.

Rammstein - Kokain
Rammstein - Engel
Rammstein - Du hast
Rammstein - Ich tu dir weh
Rammstein - Du riechst so gut