Information
Date: May 2001
Title: Return of the Teutonic Terrors
Source: Hit Parader
Press Article
Rammstein leave little room for middle ground. Either you love this German-based heavy metal band with an intensity that borders on the obsessive, or you despise them with a similar passion. Either you view them as the ultimate in cutting-edge hard rock theatricality, or you look down upon them as little more than musical charlatans playing to the lowest common denominator of artistic ideals. Quite simply, in the relatively short span of three years, vocalist Till Lindemann, guitarist Paul Landers, keyboardist Flake Lorenz, bassist Oliver Riedel, guitarist Richard Kruspe and drummer Christoph Schneider have created a nearly unmatched reputation for knowing exactly how, when and where to best push the "reaction" buttons housed within the rock and roll masses of Planet Earth.
So exactly what is it about these unusual Teutonic Terrors that has so enraged, enthralled and engrossed various segments of the rock and roll community? Exactly what has this admittedly bizarre unit done to generate such a strong reaction from fans around the world? Can it be that just because they refuse to sing in English and refuse to bend to the accepted conventions of current rock and roll politics that Rammstein has become the living, breathing symbol for all that is great-- and all that is rotten-- within the contemporay music world?
"We understand much of the controversy we create," Lindemann stated. "We know we are different, and for some pople that is enough. We enjoy being different and doing things in a way that is unconventional. That is the foundation for everything that is Rammstein."
It's now been almost three years since this Berlin-based "ramming stone" began their blitzkreig attack on the world's rock and roll psyche. During that time, they've witnessed their albums, Sehnsucht and their in-concert disc, Live Aus Berlin, emerge as million-selling smashes. And they've seen their stage shows-- which feature the band's various members actually lighting themselves on fire during their performance's climatic moment-- becomed hailed as among the most entertaining in the world. Indeed, much has happened both to and for these Rheinland rockers during their meteoric rise to the top. But now it's time for the Rammstein brigade to put away their international press clippings, hang up their platinum album awards and get back to work. It's time for them to get on the road to support their new studio album, Mutter, and this sextet know that over the next few months the eyes of the entire rock universe will be focuesd on their every word, deed and action.
"We're looking forward to seeing how people react to the new music," Lorenz said. "That's what we do as a band. Playing live and putting on a show is fun, but making new music is at the heart of who and what we are."
Their new disc should answer many of the questions State-side rock fans still have about Rammstein, for clearly the success of Sehnsucht was only the first salvo in this group's on-going plan to conquer the contemporary music scene. In all honesty, one would be hard pressed to remember the last time a non-English singing band has made such a sizable impact on the American hard rock psyche. But the fact that such groups have traditionally struggled to gain a foothold on U.S. shores seems to have little impact on the Rammstein brigade. With a sound that utilizes a variety of bells, whistles and electronic pulses to offset and enhance their metallic attack, this unit sees no reason to change anything about their unconventional approach this time around. To their way of thinking, their sound is already too strange to meet conventional tastes. Certainly a little more Germanic warbling added to the mix isn't going to do much more damage at this point in Rammstein's career.
"We have been asked if we plan on changing anything in order to appeal to English-speaking audiences," Lorenz said. "The answer must be no. We have enjoyed good success doing everything exactly as we do, and we sese no reason to change. The German language is very suited to our musical style. It works almost as another instrument. We would never think of changing that."
As one might imagine, considering the band's staunch approach, and their reliance on both German language and heritage to inspire their music, the haunting images of Nazism and fascism have followed Rammstein around virtually from day one. Even the German media has set out to uncover the true meanings behind some of Rammstein's more controversial and mysterious songs-- with no evidence what-so-ever of Nazi-leanings ever even showing up. In fact the band's members are as confounded as anyone as to where these false allegations first started. Some believe it may have to do with the cover art of their 1995 debut disc, Herzeleid, where the six shirtless, well-toned band members come across as poster boys for some new "master race." Lorenz insists it's just the German media doing their best to cause trouble.
"It has been so silly," the keyboardist explained. "That was just a photo of us-- not some political statement! The German media sometimes gets carried away with such things. There was even one critic who said the way Till rolls his 'r's' when he sings is supposed to mimic the way that Hitler used to speak! How silly can they get? We've never written a political song in our lives, and we probably never will. It's just reverse discrimination because we are German."
Still, with their harsh sound, their unusual lyrical style, their penchant for utilizing fire during their live shows and their bizarre album art (the cover of Sehnsucht showed the head of each band member trapped in hideous wire masks), one can understand the askance looks often hurled Rammstein's way. It's been like that for this unit ever since they seemingly emerged from nowhere in 1993 to inflame the souls of Germany's headbanging brigade. With their tightly synchronized guitar thunder, higly unusual keyboard passages and deep-throated vocal attacks, there was no mistaking Rammstein's approach with that of any other band! Today, however, more than seven years after they first began their long march to the top, it seems as if Rammstein is perfectly perched to accomplish things that few other bands have ever even dreamed about. All they ask is that people around the globe approach both the band and their music with open minds and open ears.
"We have been very lucky so far in our career," Lindemann said. "But that doesn't mean that we have grown content. We want to keep making the best music we can, and have people respond to it in an honest and open fashion."