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Rammstein

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Rammstein is a German heavy metal band formed in 1993. Their music also incorporates elements of industrial and electronic music, similar in many ways to Laibach. The songs are sung in German.

The band

The name is not to be confused with the town of Ramstein, but the group was named after its most famous feature, Ramstein Air Base, the site of the Ramstein airshow disaster. The name was intended to promote awareness of the tragedy at the air base. "Rammstein" literally translates as "ram stone" or Battering Ram. Even though the lyrics are not in English, the band have enjoys huge success outside of Germany, and with the album "Reise, Reise!" (2004), they became the most successful German-language band of all time worldwide. Rammstein tends to use numerous different pyrotechnics during concerts which eventually lead fans to create the motto "Other bands play, Rammstein burns!"

Band members:

Because of the dark and militaristic imagery employed by the band, including the use of extracts from a propaganda film by Leni Riefenstahl in the video for Stripped, they have been accused of fascist sympathies. Rammstein have denied this vigorously and the members of the band have said that they want nothing to do with politics.

Despite their brutalist image, they show a sense of humour in their lyrics. Rein Raus, for example, is clearly tongue-in-cheek. Zwitter (hermaphrodite) is a bizarre take on narcissism. A rough translation:

While others had girls in their eyes
I could self-fertilize

Similarly, the song Amerika features the unforgettable lyrics:

We all live in Amerika
Amerika ist wunderbar ...
We all live in Amerika
Coca Cola, Wonderbra!

Rammstein has made several appearances in various movies. In 1997, they played "Engel" for the movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and "Rammstein" and "Heirate Mich" appeared in David Lynch's Lost Highway. Their song "Du Hast" was featured in The Matrix (uncredited) in 1999 and How High in 2001. In 2002 their song "Halleluja" became part of the soundtrack for Resident Evil; later that same year, they appeared in the movie XXX singing "Feuer Frei". Their video clips frequently take a cinematic approach, with visual 'quotes' from movies including Reservoir Dogs and From Dusk Till Dawn.

Their fourth full-length studio album titled Reise, Reise was recorded in Spain in March and released on 27 September in most European countries. As used in Reise, Reise aufstehen! Kommt hoch nach alter Seemannsart, it is an old sailor's expression to wake up or arise other sailors. Hence a possible translation would be Arise, Arise. (We can also see how this expression is used in the eponymous song)

The first single for the new album has been released to the media, it is called "Mein Teil" ("My Part" - slang for "My Penis"), based off the story of Armin Meiwes who was convicted of killing and canibalising another man. Mein Teil was released July 26 in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and August 30 internationally.

The second single from the "Reise Reise" album, "Amerika," was released on 13 September and its international release followed on 4 October.

Following the tragic conclusion of the Beslan school hostage crisis in Russia in September 2004, the Russian authorities claimed that the hostage-takers had "listened to German hard rock group Rammstein on personal stereos during the siege to keep themselves edgy and fired up." [1]

Discography

Albums

Songs

Singles

Videos

  • Du Riechst so Gut
  • Seemann
  • Rammstein
  • Engel
  • Du Hast
  • Du Riechst so Gut '98
  • Stripped
  • Sonne
  • Links 2-3-4
  • Ich Will
  • Mutter
  • Feuer Frei!
  • Mein Teil
  • Amerika
  • Ohne Dich (Coming soon)

VHS'/DVDs



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