I may have lied a bit in my first “Metal Overview” post a week ago. I know that I said that next post was random, but that’s actually kind of a lie. Truthfully, this was more of a filler post before my get my next “Top 10” list. I wasn’t trying to be lazy, but I needed something quick & easy to get up before I work on the next big post. So as to not be of the typical kind of filler, I’ve got some news to talk about today. Some of it is pretty big, but the rest is a little more...light, so to speak.
For starters, I want to talk about a group that, while not Heavy Metal, certainly deserves some attention, and that’s the Leetstreet Boys. Singing about all the things that Otaku love (Anime, games, etc), they’ve been making the rounds at conventions since 2008, and providing their own lighthearted music for their fans. The band has been on hiatus since around May of 2014, but recently they’ve started a kickstarter to get funds for their fourth album, and they’ve already got a song out that will be on that album.
Pocky Girl Link
At this moment, $2537 dollars have been generated for the album, but they still have some ways to go before they reach their $9001 dollar goal. If you haven even a dollar or two available, please send it their way. If you’d like a link to their kickstarter page, then click on the link below. Show these guys some love!
Leetstreet Kickstarter Link
On a more serious note, there’s been some tragedy in the gaming world. Shortly before 11AM on January 14th, a 23-year old female clerk at a Gamestop store in Seattle was help up by a robber, who demanded that she hand over all the cash. She gave him the money, but that wasn’t the end of it. After the clerk hand went with the robber’s demand, said robber proceeded to slit her throat. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, and luckily, is still alive. The robber, fortunately, was arrested shortly after the robbery, and is currently charged with attempted murder. For more information, check out the link below if you’re interested (I actually found about this by said link).
AlphaOmegaSin Link
To conclude this news post on a happy note, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite conventions of all time, Genericon! That’s right, the student run convention that’s held at RPI in Troy, New York is hosting the 28th Genericon, with this year’s theme being retro gaming. This year will mark the 6th Genericon that I’ve gone to, and every time I went, I’ve had nothing but good times & great memories with some of the coolest people, nerds, otaku, and even a metal head or two!
I’ve got links for anyone who’s interested. First up is their Facebook page: if you’re already favoring the webpage, then you obviously know about this. If not, sign up to it, as you’ll get updates from them at the drop of a hat!
Genericon Facebook Page
Next up is the actual website for the convention. If you don’t want to go through their Facebook page, and want to get updates from them directly & to contact a variety of the staff members, then check out Genericon’s page!
Genericon Website
Well, that’s all I’ve got for this so-called “Random” post. Sorry if I deceived any of you last week. In any case, we’ve got another big “Top 10” heading our way, and on my favorite old-school anime no less. See you soon!
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Metal Overview: Rammstein
Hey there fellow Otaku & Metalheads!
Back in my 2015 New Year’s greeting, you’ll recall the list of new articles I’ll be doing in 2015 & beyond. I’ve put out the first “Obscurus Metalus” review, and a week or two ago I put out my first episode review. Today’s post is the final example of the new material. Inspired by Metalhead & angry video game reviewer/commentator Razorfist’s series of videos on iconic Heavy Metal artists, I decided to write up my own series on metal artists from all over the genre. Classic artists, obscure bands, and in-between favorites will all get their time here. Not only that, but I found a name for this series! Metal Overview. It has a nice ring, doesn’t it?
So for my first Metal Overview, I wanted a challenge. I wanted to take on a band that was both famous, yet infamous. A band that produced some damn good music, but at the same time rubs some people the wrong way. A band with deserved fame the world over, but is shocking for the right & wrong reasons. After getting a collection of music videos of the band a few weeks ago as a Christmas gift, there could be no doubt as to who would appear here. Than band of course, is Rammstein!
Ah yes, Rammstein. I think it’s safe to say that when people in the west (Especially in the United States) think of Industrial Metal, Rammstein is typically the first band that is brought up. They are a band that has mastered the art of putting thrumming instruments, powerful singing, and electronics together into one heavy whole. Coming on performing for a little over two decades, Rammstein’s legacy in Industrial Metal is well deserved, for better or for worse. I’ll be looking over a swathe of the band’s career, talking about their history & songs (As best as I can anyways), and overall have a fun time. With that out of the way, here’s the first Metal Overview, and Rammstein’s leading the charge!
Herzeleid “Heartache” (1995)
The first release of any band always shows the public the face of the group, and Herzeleid is no exception. Recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in 1995, Herzeleid was released on September 22, 1995 in Europe, and on November 24, 1998 in the United States (Late now, aren’t we?). Even with their first album, Rammstein was already generating some controversy: the original cover of Herzeleid had the band members from the waist up naked, and in the background is a giant flower (A Sunflower?). Because of this original cover, critics of the band accused them of being Nazis, and because of this the cover was changed.
Although the band members had prior musical knowledge (Paul H. Landers, Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz were in a punk band, Oliver "Ollie" Riedel started in a folk-fiddle/punk-rock band, Richard Z. Kruspe was in a band called Orgasm Death Gimmick, and Till Lindemann started out playing drums before he sang & wrote lyrics), when they formed Rammstein, they underwent a transformation that caused them to sound different than their roots. Some of their punk origins do come in on Herzeleid from time to time, as evident on certain guitar riffs & beats. Sadly, I don’t think Herzeleid has aged well since it’s 1995 release. Don’t get me wrong, this album has come classic songs, but I think that when it finally came to the states in 1998 it was already pushed aside by the band’s 2nd release.
Picking a best song on Herzeleid is something of a challenge, since it’s age has caused some of the song to meld together to the point where some of them all sound the same. That said, there are still some stand-outs to this day. Du Riechst So Gut, for example. My recommendation for the best song of the album, not to mention my favorite, is the sadly obscure Der Meister. The punk elements from the band members’s prior experience is highly evident here, and while I’m not the biggest fan of punk music, I can certainly appreciate the grooves & mood that’s presented here.
Der Meister
As for the worst song.....I’m gonna get killed for this, but I’m not a fan of the song Rammstein. Actually, I’m not a fan of the non-live version of the song. When it’s played at a concert, Rammstein is a beast of a song! The pyrotechnics are brought out in full force, and the whole spectacle is nothing short of impressive! The album version, however, only has a fraction of the force. A fraction of the punch, and a fraction of the power. It’s still an iconic song, and plenty of people enjoy it, but for me it doesn’t quite give me the magic that it gives to most other fans.
Rammstein
Herzeleid: the first release of an impressive career. It might not float in the water as well as it did when it first came out, but it laid out quite the strong foundation for the band. Next album!
Sehnsucht “Yearning” (1997)
Not long after the release of their first album & it’s success, the band began work on their 2nd album, Sehnsucht. Recorded from November 1996 to July 1997 at the Temple Studios in Malta, Sehnsucht was released on August 27th, 1997. Compared to their other albums, Sehnsucht is their most sexual release to date. This heavy, sexual atmosphere is actually what drives me away from the album. I’ll flat out admit this, but I can be quite dirty under the right circumstances. I love all kinds of anime fan-service, and I’m not shy to admit to a girl about a good-looking part of their body. That said, I felt very uncomfortable listening to this album. Rammstein really taps into the dark side of sensuality with a majority of the songs on here, and because of that, I have difficulty keeping my earbuds in. Despite that, the music of Sehnsucht is well produced, with the instrumentation & keyboarding the best that was done during their time in the 90s, and Till’s voice is definitely at his A-game here! Sehnsucht did so well, that it is the only album entirely in German to be certified platinum by the RIAA in the US, taking the 45 spot on the billboard 200.
Best track.....ehh, this was difficult. As I said before, the songs on here were really sickening in terms of feel. That said, Küss Mich (Fellfrosch) (translated into Kiss Me (Fur Frog)) did have me snicker from time to time, especially when you consider that Küss Mich is all about oral sex, and cartoon sounds were used at surprisingly appropriate times.
Küss Mich
Du Hast (You Have) is my highly respectable 2nd favorite song, and a staple of the band at concerts. Very well-paced, Du Hast is a highly masculine song, with undertones of brotherhood & loyalty permeating every word and every beat. You’ll certainly want to drink with the boys once you hear this track!
Du Hast
As for the worst song, I equate that to pretty much everything else on Sehnsucht, with focused attention on Büch Dich (Bend Over), a song inspired by the act of sodomy. Just thinking about Büch Dich makes me sick to my stomach, and has me feeling like there’s a frog in my throat.
Büch Dich
Sehnsucht: not my favorite Rammstein album, but one that I can certainly understand why other people might enjoy. Next album!
Live Aus Berlin “Live From Berlin” (1999)
When I was considering doing this first Metal Overview, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put the special albums on the list. Releases like Made In Germany: 1995-2011 & Volkerball didn’t really cross my mind, and even Live Aus Berlin was in that group for a little bit. I ultimately decided to put Live Aus Berlin because it was another big step for the band: recorded from August 22nd to the 23rd in 1998 at the Parkbühne Wuhlheide in Berlin, Germany, then released a year later, Live Aus Berlin was the biggest live event of the band to date! The success of their first two albums catapulted Rammstein to the mainstream in Europe, and they were ever so slowly creeping into the United States at that point in time. A large live concert was the next logical step.
Picking a “best” or “worst” song off of this album is a tricky proposition, and the content on this live album is almost exclusively composed of songs from Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, with only one song (Wilder Wein, translated as “Wild Wine”) not from either album. Ultimately, it’ll come down to what you think of Rammstein’s first two albums: if you like them, you’ll like Live Aus Berlin. If you weren’t massively fond of Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, then you probably don’t want to listen to this live album. I can definitely say that when the songs of these two albums are played live, the energy is multiplied 10 fold. In particular, the song Rammstein is incredibly intense, as the guitar & drums are incredibly heavy, and Till’s singing is very guttural. Coupled with the pyro during this part of the show, and you have a clear definition as to who this band is, and to what they stand for!
Live Aus Berlin (Complete Concert)
Live Aus Berlin: the live album that capstoned 90s Rammstein. Next album!
Mutter “Mother” (2001)
After they established themselves in the 90s, Rammstein began formulating their plans for the 2000s & beyond, but it wasn’t without some trouble. Tensions within the band around 2000 to 2001 were pretty high, enough to the point where not only they thought that a breakup was inevitable, but the public was essentially thinking the same thing. That said, despite the tension among the band members, they managed to crank out one of the most classic Industrial Metal albums ever made, and it’s name is Mutter.
Recorded at Studio Miraval in Correns, Souther France in 2000, and released on April 2, 2001, Mutter is something of a crossroads for the band. On the one hand, there were the older musical elements that were present on Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, though not quite as obvious. On the other hand, the more modern recording technology (Modern according to 2000, that is) allows for crisper sounding music. To this day, when I listen to this album, I still feel that the songs sound somewhat fresh (More on this in a little bit) in the modern age. Best track, hands down it’s Ich Will! Curiously, it’s because of this song that I became a fan of Rammstein in the first place, not to mention that it helped me appreciate Heavy Metal music more at that point in time. Ich Will is a thudding & rhythmic song, with guitar work that is played at a steady pace, drumming that’s heavy, and Till’s singing goes between loud & bombastic, to soft & sinister at a moment’s notice. Curiously, there’s a lack of keyboarding & electronic work done in Ich Will, save for a couple moments here & there.
Ich Will
Highly honorable mentions should be given to Feuer Frei!, translated into English as "Fire At Will, open fire, or fire freely!". This song really brought the band some popularity in the United States, thanks in part to Rammstein having a cameo in the movie xXx. It’s fast, brutal, and scorchingly hot. Everything fans love about the band can be found in this song!
Feuer Frei!
As for the worst song, I really can’t pick any single song. Like Herzeleid, the music on Mutter hasn’t aged well. It’s immediately obvious to anyone listening that the album is a product of the time, but at the same time the songs have held up far better than most of the songs on Herzeleid. The music & recording technology of 2000 are capable of far more things than that of 1995, yet is still dated by the technology of 2015.
A classic Industrial Metal album, Mutter is certainly worth your tide. After the album was released, the band realized that the tension among them was almost going to tear them apart, and their legacy would be dead in it’s tracks. So they decided to take a short break from Rammstein, so they can rest & recover. As time passed on to 2004, they would re-emerge with a new face, and a new sound. Next album!
Reise, Reise “Arise, Arise/Journey, Journey/Travel, Travel” (2004)
A refreshing release, Reise, Reise was recorded from 2003–2004 at the El Cortijo Studios in Malaga, Spain, and released on September 27, 2004, but came to the United States in November of the same year. In a interesting note, the band had recorded several songs during the recording of this album. Instead of completely trashing the songs, they were instead used from their 2005 album, Rosenrot. Hell, even the title track of their next album was originally supposed to be on Reise, Reise. This causes both albums to sound similar, but I’ll get to that a little later.
Thematically, Reise, Reise goes in a more melodic direction. It’s still heavy, but the album decided to explore the themes of travel, exploration, and the world. This “exploring” concept matches that of another band that’s based their work on themes like this, Eisbrecher. Many of the songs on here are highly melodic, although there are plenty of tracks that still have the band’s unique form of brutality. The heavier tracks & the more melody-based tunes create a strange experience, but a nice experience at the same time.
Best track is kind of tricky to pick, as there are a host of fantastic songs on here. For me, I was able to pick out my favorite almost right away, and that favorite track is Amerika. A cockslap to the face of my country’s ego, Amerika is a scathing piece on the culture that is practically taking over the cultures of other countries. It’s tongue-in-cheek nature prevents it from sounding too serious, and can get me to chuckle from time to time.
Amerika
Amerika (English Version)
As for the worst, I really can’t pick any song. Reise, Reise is one of Rammstein’s best, and none of the songs sound dated in any way. Compared to their previous releases (With the partial exception of Mutter), Reise, Reise has aged the best so far. If I wanted to be incredibly nitpicky, I would say that despite the overall theme of travel & exploring, a couple songs don’t quite fit the idea of the album. That said, the theme is used enough that it really doesn’t become a massive problem, but more of a minor annoyance for really picky music listeners.
I should quickly talk about the 2005 Japanese release of Reise, Reise, and some of the controversy involved in the original edition. If you look at the cover for the original album, you’ll notice that the art design was modeled after an airplane black box, with the words “Do Not Open” on the front in German. Within the album itself, there are the final 30 seconds of Japan Airlines Flight 123 (The U.S. version has it at the beginning, while the European version has it at the end), which crashed into Mt Fuji on August 12, 1985, killing 520 out of the 524 passengers. Up until 2013, it was one of worst aviation disasters in history. Perhaps to prevent a public relations situation, they changed the art to that of a slightly modified Rosenrot, take out the 30 seconds of audio, and add two remixes of songs to replace the missing content (Mein Teil & Amerika). In a moment of irony, Reise, Reise was re-released in Japan back in 2009, with the original artwork & audio added back on, but keeps the remixes on as well. Strange move, isn’t it?
Reise, Reise: One of the best albums that modern Rammstein can offer. Can’t recommend it enough! Next album!
Rosenrot “Rose-Red” (2005)
Originally titled as Reise, Reise Volume Two, Rosentrot was released on October 28, 2005 in Germany, December 5th in Canada of the same year, and March 28, 2006 in the United States. Looking at it & listening to it, Rosenrot is something of a companion piece to Rammstein’s offering in the previous year: 6 extra songs were recorded for Reise, Reise, but due to artistic reasons they were left off, and put on this album. Because of this, Rosenrot & Reise, Reise sound very similar to one another. Hell, the travel/exploring theme from Reise, Reise carries over to Rosenrot, but doesn’t fully embrace said theme, and supplements it with 5 songs made just for the album.
Advertisement for Rosenrot was rather odd. Rammstein didn’t actively promote the album, but instead decided to explore alternate options: the first single of the album was revealed at the Berliner Wuhlheide, and shortly after was released on CD. On the band’s website, 1-minute segments of some of the songs, and there was a countdown for the album’s release (For the sake of argument, I’ll assume that it was the countdown for it’s release in Germany). As well as these routes, there was an e-card released as well, containing a brief chorus for the song “Rosenrot”, along with photographs of the band and basic album information.
Best track....hmmm, I gonna go for a wild card on this one, and pick two diametrically-opposed songs. On the one end of the spectrum is Benzin, the first single & opening song: singing about the consumption & obsession of gasoline, the song is complete with thudding & rhythmic guitar, drumming that is loud & bombastic, and Till Lindemann’s singing has never sounded so furious. Coupled with perhaps their most hilarious music video, and Benzin hits that golden “Classic” hit zone.
Benzin
Way over on the other end of the spectrum of best track is Rosenrot’s closing song, Ein Lied. Perhaps the softest song the band has ever performed, the only instrumentation that can be heard is a melodic, almost dream-like guitar, and some select moments of equally dream-like keyboarding. Till’s singing is as quite as it will probably ever get, as it almost sounds like he’s softly whispering in your ear. It’s really one of their more beautiful songs, and certainly one you shouldn’t skip!
Ein Lied
Picking the worst track is incredibly easy, and I’m bestowing that “honor” to Te Quiero Puta!. Although it’s nice to hear the band use another language besides German & English, and the song uses an instrument that, to my knowledge, the band hasn’t used before (Trumpet, if you were curious). Despite those points, the song is incredibly sexist, and if you manage to locate the English lyrics, you will understand why I feel this way. If anything, this song reminds me of those sickening vibes I felt when I listened to Sehnsucht!
Te Quiero Puta!
Rosenrot: Simultaneously it’s own thing, and a worthy companion to Reise, Reise. Don’t be a prude, and listen to this! Next album!
Emigrate (2007)
Although not officially a Rammstein album, I definitely wanted to talk about Richard Z. Kruspe’s side-project, Emigrate! Originally thinking about the idea back in 2001, Richard began work on Emigrate in 2006 during a break from the band. Getting a group of musicians, some of which have had prior musical experience in other bands (One of the drummers, Mikko Sirén, used to be the drummer for Apocalyptica), Richard set out to create music that was still Industrial, but more of his thing. Though there was still Industrial Metal present on the album, Emigrate also has Alternate Metal & Industrial Rock songs, and unless I’m suffering from audio hallucinations, some Industrial Punk (Or Punk music in general) as well.
Going for another “double” best track on Emigrate, only this time the songs are more similar in terms of sound & feel. Babe is a nice, slow kind of song. The instrumentation goes between soft very smoothly, and Richard’s singing keeps things very steady, both during the loud portions & the soft ones.
Babe
In My Tears is the other best track of this album. In many regards this is quite similar to Babe: smooth instrumentation, steady singing, etc. The two songs even move along at a similar speed, and it might get some listeners confused. Especially if it’s the first time listening to this album.
In My Tears
While there are no bad songs on Emigrate, the one flaw the album does have is that it uses recycled audio from previous Rammstein tracks. This can either be mildly obvious (In My Tears has a guitar riff from Stein Um Stein from Reise, Reise , but only during the chorus), or exceedingly” trying-not-to hide-it” kind of obvious (Blood uses many guitar riffs from Links 2, 3,4 off of Mutter). If Richard was given permission to use the audio, then I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. It just sounds too coincidental to me, so I had to comment on it.
Emigrate: A nice alternative to those seeking something a little different from Rammstein. There’s just enough variety for it to sound fresh, but plenty of that Rammstein-Style Industrial sound as well so it doesn’t feel too different. Next album!
Liebe Ist Für Alle Da “Love Is For Everyone” (2009)
After Rosenrot & Emigrate made there way into music stores in their respective years, Rammstein decided it was time to record another album, and they went back to the studios for their 6th studio album, Liebe Ist Für Alle Da. In a first for the band, they recorded the record from 2008 to 2009 at the Sonoma Mountain Recording Estate in San Rafael, California, the album was released on October 16, 2009 (October 19th in the U.K., and on October 20th in the states) to universal acclaim across the board from a variety of sources. In fact, Liebe Ist Für Alle Da was Rammstein’s highest charting album in the United States, reaching number 13 on the Billboard 200 for 4 four weeks! That’s pretty impressive, if you ask me.
As to how I look at this album, I’m rather conflicted. On the one hand, this is a great album. It’s well-crafted, sounds fantastic, and is quite modern in terms of feel. However, I think that Liebe Ist Für Alle Da may feel a little too modern. If there was a strength that Mutter, Reise, Reise, and Rosenrot had in common with each other, it would be that they sounded both new & old at the same time. With this album, much of that older Rammstein sound has been taken away. There’s some moments where that old sound & feel comes through, but for a large majority of the album it feels a little too squeaky clean. This “Clean” feel can be felt on the normal release, and maybe even more so on the special edition, which is what I own.
Kinda like Rosenrot, I’m going down the “Diametrically-Opposed Songs” route for Liebe Ist Für Alle Da, if only because I own the special edition version of the album. On the one end of the line is Rammstein’s dirtiest song since anything done on Sehnsucht, Pussy. A raunchy & sexy song, Pussy is about the closest thing the band has done to create audio porn. Unlike any of Sehnsucht’s songs, Pussy has some tongue-in-cheek humor in the lyrics (You got a pussy/I have a dick-ah/So What’s the problem?/Let’s do it quick!), and it’s actually a lot of fun to listen too. Combined with what is essentially a miniature porno, and you have what is easily a fantastic song.
Pussy
So now we got over to the other end of the line, and take a look at Donaukinder. Donaukinder & Ein Lied actually share some things in common. Namely, the fact that the two are rather calm songs. In the case of Donaukinder however, things are much louder in spots, both in terms of instrumentation & singing. It never gets so loud that it becomes bombastic, but rather it’s more of a thoughtful kind of loud, and full of emotion as well.
Donaukinder
Liebe Ist Für Alle Da: The most modern of Rammstein’s albums, but still has that spirit fans know & love. Next!
Mein Land “My Country” (Single)(2011)
The sad thing about Mein Land is that it wasn’t put on any official album. Okay, that’s not completely true: this song was actually put on their Made In Germany: 1995-2011 compilation album, so access to this song is somewhat difficult. You can either buy the compilation album, or you can download it off the internet (Legally or Illegally, I’ll leave it up to you). It’s a shame that Mein Land wasn’t put on a official album, because it’s actually kind of a cool song. Mein Land is very rhythmic song, as the guitars & drums are played in a kind of 60s style groove. Till’s singing is rather odd, as he has a voice that occupies that spot where it doesn’t sound like yelling, but it’s still very aggressive & loud. This creates a interesting whole that it made all the stranger when you want the music video that was made for it. Can someone say “60s Beach Party”!?
Mein Land
Mein Land: a single that’s certainly worth your time. Next album!
Silent So Long (2014)
After 7 years since the previous release, Richard got back together with the Emigrate crew, and on November 14, 2014 (December 9th here in the States) they released their second album, Silent So Long. If you didn’t like how the first album sounded similar to Rammstein, then you’ll definitely enjoy this album1 Silent So Long is still Industrial to be sure, but Emigrate now sounds like it’s own thing, complete with the Alternative & Punk sounds that were evident on their first album (Although the Punk elements have been scaled back somewhat).
Going for a three-way tie for best track on this album, each of which have a guest vocalist, and the songs in question sound like something that would come from that respective vocalist (There are 6 guest vocalists in total). In 3rd place is Hypothetical, featuring Marilyn Manson. Hypothetical harkens back to Manson’s glory days in the late 90s & early 2000s. It’s dirty, dingy, grungy, and very much industrial.
Hypothetical
2nd place is the title track of this album, Silent So long. This is the song that features both Richard & Jonathan Davis from Korn, and the two musicians have known each other since they met at their Family Values tour way back in 1998. The song is a mix of the two band’s styles: there’s the industrial sound coming from Emigrate, and then there’s the distinct heaviness that only Korn can provide. The two singers have voices that also complement each other quite well, as there’s no disharmony between them at any time in the song.
Silent So Long
The first place song on here was the most surprising to me, and that was Rock City. Compared to the previous two tracks, this is the one that sounds the least like an Emigrate song, but at the same time I don’t mind. In fact, what carries this song is the fact that the iconic Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead provides a massive majority of the vocals on here, while Richard becomes something of a backup singer. On top of that, Rock City sounds & feels like a typical speed metal song that Motörhead is famous for doing, but has a simplistic coat of Industrial paint put on.
Rock City
As for the worst song on Silent So Long......screw it, there are no bad songs! If people were going to be nitpicky, then chances are it might be because of the amount of guest singers on here. There are 11 songs on here, and six of them have guest vocals. The songs I just previously mentioned, along with Eat You Alive, Get Down, and the strangely named Happy Times. This might be the only thing that picky music lovers might go for.
Silent So Long: the second outing of the Emigrate saga. It’s still Industrial, but it’s more of it’s own thing than Emigrate’s previous outing. Certainly an album to look out for!
Skills With Pills (2015) ***
Well, if Richard Z. Kruspe can have a solo career, why can't Till Lindemann have one too!?
Released on June 22, 2015, Skills With Pills is the first album of the supergroup Lindemann, headlined by Till Lindemann as the vocalist, and Peter Tägtgren, founder of both Hypocrisy & PAIN. Perhaps the most incredible aspect is that, apart from a few select words, Till Lindemann is singing in English across this entire album! It was actually something of a difficult process for Till, as English has been a little difficult to learn. Taken from his own words, Tägtgren says this about Till singing in English:
"I don't miss the German, let's put it that way. His voice is so strong, I just think it's genius. I know the hardcore Rammstein fans might not be happy but when he sings in English you don't miss the German language. He came from East Germany, where it was very difficult, because of Communism, to learn English. So, for him, it's still very new. When Rammstein went out of Germany, he learned a lot of English. For him, it's like a new beginning."
Till Lindemann has his own words as well about the process:
"It's very different and very difficult too. I had to kinda crawl into it and Peter encouraged me to do it. To be honest, I wasn't sure about it. My self confidence was really low, but it became better and better. I researched a lot with the lyrics and even my experience in writing e-mails in English was like zero, so I had to learn a lot and work with dictionaries and shit like that."
My favorite lines from Till about singing in English were as follows:
"We didn't want to be really nasty or provocative or insulting. This is the first time English speakers can understand the lyrics, which is usually impossible in Rammstein. It's very sexual, but that's what I've done in Rammstein for twenty years, it's just that nobody's understood it!"
Despite his difficulty with the language, Till hits it out with his singing! His baritone voice is perfect for the music on here, and while the English might put off fans of his work in Rammstein, it's somehow impressive to time. Coupled with Peter Tägtgren's brand of industrial music, and you have an album that's not quite like anything else out there!
Best Track? Gotta say Praise Abort is a lot of fun to listen to. Evoking the vibes & attitude of Keine Lust from Reise, Reise (Albeit with a little more venom in the lyrics), Praise Abort is a rhythmic track that's absolutely perfect for a dance club! Bemoaning his fictional situation about not having a rich lifestyle, Till's singing has never been impressive, and the beats have never been fantastic!
Praise Abort
Worst track.....do I even need to say it, or explain why!?
Golden Shower
Skills With Pills, a nice way to start a solo career! Despite a weird song or two, if Till can keep up this intensity, and Tägtgren can continue to brings his own brand of Industrial Metal to the table, then things are going to be okay. Next album!
A Million Degrees (2018) ****
Read my Emigrate overview (Here) for further details. Next album!
Rammstein (2019) ****
So nearly a decade goes by without a word. While they continued to tour, not to mention release a great compilation album & subsequent documentaries, it appeared as if a proper record was nowhere to be seen. Band members in numerous interviews would give various reasons as to why a new album couldn't be made, but it always seemed as if something was off with what they said. Little did the masses know that something was indeed being made in the works. Something that called upon their years of experience, and harkened back to all of their releases, and just a few days ago on the 17th of May.......their self-titled album would be released.
Despite being just a few days old, the album has already received some highly positive reviews. NME wrote that "this album is undoubtedly a resounding triumph", while Nick Ruskell at Kerrang! wrote, "this is a record made with care, craft, and nothing allowed in that isn't just-so". Perhaps some of the best positivity about the record comes from Wall of Sound, who gave it a 9.5 out of 10, and said that "Rammstein is seemingly a culmination of the previous six studio albums, taking the best parts of the last few decades and putting it all in one album, while throwing in a few unexpected surprises."
Best Track? It would be a crime not to say that Deutschland (Germany) & Radio are the best tracks of the album. Both songs perfectly show off what the rest of the album has to offer, yet are rather different at the same time. Deutschland is sort of like a look at the entire history of the band's home country, while Radio harkens back to when their exposure to the radio once the weight was lifted on censorship in East Germany. Regardless, the instrumentation, sound effects, and vocal work across both tunes is top notch, & they shine brightly the entire time they play!
Deutschland
Radio
However, my favorite track would have to go the more sarcastic & humorous Ausländer (Foreigner). The vibe comes across like a song from a spy movie's soundtrack, what with the themes of traveling & romance, but in actuality it's about Till's feeling when he's abroad. The instrumentation & sound effects have a little more laid-backness, and Mr. Lindemann's singing almost feels like a conversation most of the time. Sadly, there isn't a reliable link that I can share the song with you, so you'll have to go out and buy the album so you can hear it yourself.
Worst Track? Honestly, the wait was perhaps the single worst thing about this album. Sure, late March to mid/late May isn't exactly the longest wait time, but considering that it's been nearly a decade this year that their last release came out, you can see why fans would be antsy. Every single song on here is absolutely wonderful to listen to. Even Diamant (Diamond) is great, despite it being the shortest track at 2 minutes & 34 seconds. Only the most nitpicky of listeners would try to find something bad or flawed at, and even they would give up eventually.
Rammstein. Taking the things they've learned since the 90s & crafting a record based on that knowledge, if their self-titled record is indeed to be their last (As evident by some interview), then it's a hell of a way to go out on! Quite possibly the best release they've ever done, and it may very well be my number one album of 2019. Absolutely recommended!
So this was an overview of the iconic Industrial Metal band Rammstein. I am definitely looking forward to doing more of these in 2015, each of them detailing metal bands from across the spectrum of the genre. Please be sure to leave comments & suggestions as to how I can improve or change this series. In any case, see you soon!
**
If you’re interested in Razorfist’s “Metal Mythos” series, click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmirOw7JCi80hHqPysFvmPzEMjko66cYw
***
Updated on July 27th 2015, 6:20 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
****
Updated on May 23th 2019, 11:34 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
Back in my 2015 New Year’s greeting, you’ll recall the list of new articles I’ll be doing in 2015 & beyond. I’ve put out the first “Obscurus Metalus” review, and a week or two ago I put out my first episode review. Today’s post is the final example of the new material. Inspired by Metalhead & angry video game reviewer/commentator Razorfist’s series of videos on iconic Heavy Metal artists, I decided to write up my own series on metal artists from all over the genre. Classic artists, obscure bands, and in-between favorites will all get their time here. Not only that, but I found a name for this series! Metal Overview. It has a nice ring, doesn’t it?
So for my first Metal Overview, I wanted a challenge. I wanted to take on a band that was both famous, yet infamous. A band that produced some damn good music, but at the same time rubs some people the wrong way. A band with deserved fame the world over, but is shocking for the right & wrong reasons. After getting a collection of music videos of the band a few weeks ago as a Christmas gift, there could be no doubt as to who would appear here. Than band of course, is Rammstein!
Ah yes, Rammstein. I think it’s safe to say that when people in the west (Especially in the United States) think of Industrial Metal, Rammstein is typically the first band that is brought up. They are a band that has mastered the art of putting thrumming instruments, powerful singing, and electronics together into one heavy whole. Coming on performing for a little over two decades, Rammstein’s legacy in Industrial Metal is well deserved, for better or for worse. I’ll be looking over a swathe of the band’s career, talking about their history & songs (As best as I can anyways), and overall have a fun time. With that out of the way, here’s the first Metal Overview, and Rammstein’s leading the charge!
Herzeleid “Heartache” (1995)
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| Original Cover |
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| Revised Edition |
Although the band members had prior musical knowledge (Paul H. Landers, Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz were in a punk band, Oliver "Ollie" Riedel started in a folk-fiddle/punk-rock band, Richard Z. Kruspe was in a band called Orgasm Death Gimmick, and Till Lindemann started out playing drums before he sang & wrote lyrics), when they formed Rammstein, they underwent a transformation that caused them to sound different than their roots. Some of their punk origins do come in on Herzeleid from time to time, as evident on certain guitar riffs & beats. Sadly, I don’t think Herzeleid has aged well since it’s 1995 release. Don’t get me wrong, this album has come classic songs, but I think that when it finally came to the states in 1998 it was already pushed aside by the band’s 2nd release.
Picking a best song on Herzeleid is something of a challenge, since it’s age has caused some of the song to meld together to the point where some of them all sound the same. That said, there are still some stand-outs to this day. Du Riechst So Gut, for example. My recommendation for the best song of the album, not to mention my favorite, is the sadly obscure Der Meister. The punk elements from the band members’s prior experience is highly evident here, and while I’m not the biggest fan of punk music, I can certainly appreciate the grooves & mood that’s presented here.
Der Meister
As for the worst song.....I’m gonna get killed for this, but I’m not a fan of the song Rammstein. Actually, I’m not a fan of the non-live version of the song. When it’s played at a concert, Rammstein is a beast of a song! The pyrotechnics are brought out in full force, and the whole spectacle is nothing short of impressive! The album version, however, only has a fraction of the force. A fraction of the punch, and a fraction of the power. It’s still an iconic song, and plenty of people enjoy it, but for me it doesn’t quite give me the magic that it gives to most other fans.
Rammstein
Herzeleid: the first release of an impressive career. It might not float in the water as well as it did when it first came out, but it laid out quite the strong foundation for the band. Next album!
Sehnsucht “Yearning” (1997)
Best track.....ehh, this was difficult. As I said before, the songs on here were really sickening in terms of feel. That said, Küss Mich (Fellfrosch) (translated into Kiss Me (Fur Frog)) did have me snicker from time to time, especially when you consider that Küss Mich is all about oral sex, and cartoon sounds were used at surprisingly appropriate times.
Küss Mich
Du Hast (You Have) is my highly respectable 2nd favorite song, and a staple of the band at concerts. Very well-paced, Du Hast is a highly masculine song, with undertones of brotherhood & loyalty permeating every word and every beat. You’ll certainly want to drink with the boys once you hear this track!
Du Hast
As for the worst song, I equate that to pretty much everything else on Sehnsucht, with focused attention on Büch Dich (Bend Over), a song inspired by the act of sodomy. Just thinking about Büch Dich makes me sick to my stomach, and has me feeling like there’s a frog in my throat.
Büch Dich
Sehnsucht: not my favorite Rammstein album, but one that I can certainly understand why other people might enjoy. Next album!
Live Aus Berlin “Live From Berlin” (1999)
Picking a “best” or “worst” song off of this album is a tricky proposition, and the content on this live album is almost exclusively composed of songs from Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, with only one song (Wilder Wein, translated as “Wild Wine”) not from either album. Ultimately, it’ll come down to what you think of Rammstein’s first two albums: if you like them, you’ll like Live Aus Berlin. If you weren’t massively fond of Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, then you probably don’t want to listen to this live album. I can definitely say that when the songs of these two albums are played live, the energy is multiplied 10 fold. In particular, the song Rammstein is incredibly intense, as the guitar & drums are incredibly heavy, and Till’s singing is very guttural. Coupled with the pyro during this part of the show, and you have a clear definition as to who this band is, and to what they stand for!
Live Aus Berlin (Complete Concert)
Live Aus Berlin: the live album that capstoned 90s Rammstein. Next album!
Mutter “Mother” (2001)
Recorded at Studio Miraval in Correns, Souther France in 2000, and released on April 2, 2001, Mutter is something of a crossroads for the band. On the one hand, there were the older musical elements that were present on Herzeleid & Sehnsucht, though not quite as obvious. On the other hand, the more modern recording technology (Modern according to 2000, that is) allows for crisper sounding music. To this day, when I listen to this album, I still feel that the songs sound somewhat fresh (More on this in a little bit) in the modern age. Best track, hands down it’s Ich Will! Curiously, it’s because of this song that I became a fan of Rammstein in the first place, not to mention that it helped me appreciate Heavy Metal music more at that point in time. Ich Will is a thudding & rhythmic song, with guitar work that is played at a steady pace, drumming that’s heavy, and Till’s singing goes between loud & bombastic, to soft & sinister at a moment’s notice. Curiously, there’s a lack of keyboarding & electronic work done in Ich Will, save for a couple moments here & there.
Ich Will
Highly honorable mentions should be given to Feuer Frei!, translated into English as "Fire At Will, open fire, or fire freely!". This song really brought the band some popularity in the United States, thanks in part to Rammstein having a cameo in the movie xXx. It’s fast, brutal, and scorchingly hot. Everything fans love about the band can be found in this song!
Feuer Frei!
As for the worst song, I really can’t pick any single song. Like Herzeleid, the music on Mutter hasn’t aged well. It’s immediately obvious to anyone listening that the album is a product of the time, but at the same time the songs have held up far better than most of the songs on Herzeleid. The music & recording technology of 2000 are capable of far more things than that of 1995, yet is still dated by the technology of 2015.
A classic Industrial Metal album, Mutter is certainly worth your tide. After the album was released, the band realized that the tension among them was almost going to tear them apart, and their legacy would be dead in it’s tracks. So they decided to take a short break from Rammstein, so they can rest & recover. As time passed on to 2004, they would re-emerge with a new face, and a new sound. Next album!
Reise, Reise “Arise, Arise/Journey, Journey/Travel, Travel” (2004)
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| Original Version |
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| Japanese Edition |
Thematically, Reise, Reise goes in a more melodic direction. It’s still heavy, but the album decided to explore the themes of travel, exploration, and the world. This “exploring” concept matches that of another band that’s based their work on themes like this, Eisbrecher. Many of the songs on here are highly melodic, although there are plenty of tracks that still have the band’s unique form of brutality. The heavier tracks & the more melody-based tunes create a strange experience, but a nice experience at the same time.
Best track is kind of tricky to pick, as there are a host of fantastic songs on here. For me, I was able to pick out my favorite almost right away, and that favorite track is Amerika. A cockslap to the face of my country’s ego, Amerika is a scathing piece on the culture that is practically taking over the cultures of other countries. It’s tongue-in-cheek nature prevents it from sounding too serious, and can get me to chuckle from time to time.
Amerika
Amerika (English Version)
As for the worst, I really can’t pick any song. Reise, Reise is one of Rammstein’s best, and none of the songs sound dated in any way. Compared to their previous releases (With the partial exception of Mutter), Reise, Reise has aged the best so far. If I wanted to be incredibly nitpicky, I would say that despite the overall theme of travel & exploring, a couple songs don’t quite fit the idea of the album. That said, the theme is used enough that it really doesn’t become a massive problem, but more of a minor annoyance for really picky music listeners.
I should quickly talk about the 2005 Japanese release of Reise, Reise, and some of the controversy involved in the original edition. If you look at the cover for the original album, you’ll notice that the art design was modeled after an airplane black box, with the words “Do Not Open” on the front in German. Within the album itself, there are the final 30 seconds of Japan Airlines Flight 123 (The U.S. version has it at the beginning, while the European version has it at the end), which crashed into Mt Fuji on August 12, 1985, killing 520 out of the 524 passengers. Up until 2013, it was one of worst aviation disasters in history. Perhaps to prevent a public relations situation, they changed the art to that of a slightly modified Rosenrot, take out the 30 seconds of audio, and add two remixes of songs to replace the missing content (Mein Teil & Amerika). In a moment of irony, Reise, Reise was re-released in Japan back in 2009, with the original artwork & audio added back on, but keeps the remixes on as well. Strange move, isn’t it?
Reise, Reise: One of the best albums that modern Rammstein can offer. Can’t recommend it enough! Next album!
Rosenrot “Rose-Red” (2005)
Advertisement for Rosenrot was rather odd. Rammstein didn’t actively promote the album, but instead decided to explore alternate options: the first single of the album was revealed at the Berliner Wuhlheide, and shortly after was released on CD. On the band’s website, 1-minute segments of some of the songs, and there was a countdown for the album’s release (For the sake of argument, I’ll assume that it was the countdown for it’s release in Germany). As well as these routes, there was an e-card released as well, containing a brief chorus for the song “Rosenrot”, along with photographs of the band and basic album information.
Best track....hmmm, I gonna go for a wild card on this one, and pick two diametrically-opposed songs. On the one end of the spectrum is Benzin, the first single & opening song: singing about the consumption & obsession of gasoline, the song is complete with thudding & rhythmic guitar, drumming that is loud & bombastic, and Till Lindemann’s singing has never sounded so furious. Coupled with perhaps their most hilarious music video, and Benzin hits that golden “Classic” hit zone.
Benzin
Way over on the other end of the spectrum of best track is Rosenrot’s closing song, Ein Lied. Perhaps the softest song the band has ever performed, the only instrumentation that can be heard is a melodic, almost dream-like guitar, and some select moments of equally dream-like keyboarding. Till’s singing is as quite as it will probably ever get, as it almost sounds like he’s softly whispering in your ear. It’s really one of their more beautiful songs, and certainly one you shouldn’t skip!
Ein Lied
Picking the worst track is incredibly easy, and I’m bestowing that “honor” to Te Quiero Puta!. Although it’s nice to hear the band use another language besides German & English, and the song uses an instrument that, to my knowledge, the band hasn’t used before (Trumpet, if you were curious). Despite those points, the song is incredibly sexist, and if you manage to locate the English lyrics, you will understand why I feel this way. If anything, this song reminds me of those sickening vibes I felt when I listened to Sehnsucht!
Te Quiero Puta!
Rosenrot: Simultaneously it’s own thing, and a worthy companion to Reise, Reise. Don’t be a prude, and listen to this! Next album!
Emigrate (2007)
Going for another “double” best track on Emigrate, only this time the songs are more similar in terms of sound & feel. Babe is a nice, slow kind of song. The instrumentation goes between soft very smoothly, and Richard’s singing keeps things very steady, both during the loud portions & the soft ones.
Babe
In My Tears is the other best track of this album. In many regards this is quite similar to Babe: smooth instrumentation, steady singing, etc. The two songs even move along at a similar speed, and it might get some listeners confused. Especially if it’s the first time listening to this album.
In My Tears
While there are no bad songs on Emigrate, the one flaw the album does have is that it uses recycled audio from previous Rammstein tracks. This can either be mildly obvious (In My Tears has a guitar riff from Stein Um Stein from Reise, Reise , but only during the chorus), or exceedingly” trying-not-to hide-it” kind of obvious (Blood uses many guitar riffs from Links 2, 3,4 off of Mutter). If Richard was given permission to use the audio, then I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. It just sounds too coincidental to me, so I had to comment on it.
Emigrate: A nice alternative to those seeking something a little different from Rammstein. There’s just enough variety for it to sound fresh, but plenty of that Rammstein-Style Industrial sound as well so it doesn’t feel too different. Next album!
Liebe Ist Für Alle Da “Love Is For Everyone” (2009)
As to how I look at this album, I’m rather conflicted. On the one hand, this is a great album. It’s well-crafted, sounds fantastic, and is quite modern in terms of feel. However, I think that Liebe Ist Für Alle Da may feel a little too modern. If there was a strength that Mutter, Reise, Reise, and Rosenrot had in common with each other, it would be that they sounded both new & old at the same time. With this album, much of that older Rammstein sound has been taken away. There’s some moments where that old sound & feel comes through, but for a large majority of the album it feels a little too squeaky clean. This “Clean” feel can be felt on the normal release, and maybe even more so on the special edition, which is what I own.
Kinda like Rosenrot, I’m going down the “Diametrically-Opposed Songs” route for Liebe Ist Für Alle Da, if only because I own the special edition version of the album. On the one end of the line is Rammstein’s dirtiest song since anything done on Sehnsucht, Pussy. A raunchy & sexy song, Pussy is about the closest thing the band has done to create audio porn. Unlike any of Sehnsucht’s songs, Pussy has some tongue-in-cheek humor in the lyrics (You got a pussy/I have a dick-ah/So What’s the problem?/Let’s do it quick!), and it’s actually a lot of fun to listen too. Combined with what is essentially a miniature porno, and you have what is easily a fantastic song.
Pussy
So now we got over to the other end of the line, and take a look at Donaukinder. Donaukinder & Ein Lied actually share some things in common. Namely, the fact that the two are rather calm songs. In the case of Donaukinder however, things are much louder in spots, both in terms of instrumentation & singing. It never gets so loud that it becomes bombastic, but rather it’s more of a thoughtful kind of loud, and full of emotion as well.
Donaukinder
Liebe Ist Für Alle Da: The most modern of Rammstein’s albums, but still has that spirit fans know & love. Next!
Mein Land “My Country” (Single)(2011)
Mein Land
Mein Land: a single that’s certainly worth your time. Next album!
Silent So Long (2014)
Going for a three-way tie for best track on this album, each of which have a guest vocalist, and the songs in question sound like something that would come from that respective vocalist (There are 6 guest vocalists in total). In 3rd place is Hypothetical, featuring Marilyn Manson. Hypothetical harkens back to Manson’s glory days in the late 90s & early 2000s. It’s dirty, dingy, grungy, and very much industrial.
Hypothetical
2nd place is the title track of this album, Silent So long. This is the song that features both Richard & Jonathan Davis from Korn, and the two musicians have known each other since they met at their Family Values tour way back in 1998. The song is a mix of the two band’s styles: there’s the industrial sound coming from Emigrate, and then there’s the distinct heaviness that only Korn can provide. The two singers have voices that also complement each other quite well, as there’s no disharmony between them at any time in the song.
Silent So Long
The first place song on here was the most surprising to me, and that was Rock City. Compared to the previous two tracks, this is the one that sounds the least like an Emigrate song, but at the same time I don’t mind. In fact, what carries this song is the fact that the iconic Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead provides a massive majority of the vocals on here, while Richard becomes something of a backup singer. On top of that, Rock City sounds & feels like a typical speed metal song that Motörhead is famous for doing, but has a simplistic coat of Industrial paint put on.
Rock City
As for the worst song on Silent So Long......screw it, there are no bad songs! If people were going to be nitpicky, then chances are it might be because of the amount of guest singers on here. There are 11 songs on here, and six of them have guest vocals. The songs I just previously mentioned, along with Eat You Alive, Get Down, and the strangely named Happy Times. This might be the only thing that picky music lovers might go for.
Silent So Long: the second outing of the Emigrate saga. It’s still Industrial, but it’s more of it’s own thing than Emigrate’s previous outing. Certainly an album to look out for!
Skills With Pills (2015) ***
Released on June 22, 2015, Skills With Pills is the first album of the supergroup Lindemann, headlined by Till Lindemann as the vocalist, and Peter Tägtgren, founder of both Hypocrisy & PAIN. Perhaps the most incredible aspect is that, apart from a few select words, Till Lindemann is singing in English across this entire album! It was actually something of a difficult process for Till, as English has been a little difficult to learn. Taken from his own words, Tägtgren says this about Till singing in English:
"I don't miss the German, let's put it that way. His voice is so strong, I just think it's genius. I know the hardcore Rammstein fans might not be happy but when he sings in English you don't miss the German language. He came from East Germany, where it was very difficult, because of Communism, to learn English. So, for him, it's still very new. When Rammstein went out of Germany, he learned a lot of English. For him, it's like a new beginning."
Till Lindemann has his own words as well about the process:
"It's very different and very difficult too. I had to kinda crawl into it and Peter encouraged me to do it. To be honest, I wasn't sure about it. My self confidence was really low, but it became better and better. I researched a lot with the lyrics and even my experience in writing e-mails in English was like zero, so I had to learn a lot and work with dictionaries and shit like that."
My favorite lines from Till about singing in English were as follows:
"We didn't want to be really nasty or provocative or insulting. This is the first time English speakers can understand the lyrics, which is usually impossible in Rammstein. It's very sexual, but that's what I've done in Rammstein for twenty years, it's just that nobody's understood it!"
Despite his difficulty with the language, Till hits it out with his singing! His baritone voice is perfect for the music on here, and while the English might put off fans of his work in Rammstein, it's somehow impressive to time. Coupled with Peter Tägtgren's brand of industrial music, and you have an album that's not quite like anything else out there!
Best Track? Gotta say Praise Abort is a lot of fun to listen to. Evoking the vibes & attitude of Keine Lust from Reise, Reise (Albeit with a little more venom in the lyrics), Praise Abort is a rhythmic track that's absolutely perfect for a dance club! Bemoaning his fictional situation about not having a rich lifestyle, Till's singing has never been impressive, and the beats have never been fantastic!
Praise Abort
Worst track.....do I even need to say it, or explain why!?
Golden Shower
Skills With Pills, a nice way to start a solo career! Despite a weird song or two, if Till can keep up this intensity, and Tägtgren can continue to brings his own brand of Industrial Metal to the table, then things are going to be okay. Next album!
A Million Degrees (2018) ****
Rammstein (2019) ****
Despite being just a few days old, the album has already received some highly positive reviews. NME wrote that "this album is undoubtedly a resounding triumph", while Nick Ruskell at Kerrang! wrote, "this is a record made with care, craft, and nothing allowed in that isn't just-so". Perhaps some of the best positivity about the record comes from Wall of Sound, who gave it a 9.5 out of 10, and said that "Rammstein is seemingly a culmination of the previous six studio albums, taking the best parts of the last few decades and putting it all in one album, while throwing in a few unexpected surprises."
Best Track? It would be a crime not to say that Deutschland (Germany) & Radio are the best tracks of the album. Both songs perfectly show off what the rest of the album has to offer, yet are rather different at the same time. Deutschland is sort of like a look at the entire history of the band's home country, while Radio harkens back to when their exposure to the radio once the weight was lifted on censorship in East Germany. Regardless, the instrumentation, sound effects, and vocal work across both tunes is top notch, & they shine brightly the entire time they play!
Deutschland
Radio
However, my favorite track would have to go the more sarcastic & humorous Ausländer (Foreigner). The vibe comes across like a song from a spy movie's soundtrack, what with the themes of traveling & romance, but in actuality it's about Till's feeling when he's abroad. The instrumentation & sound effects have a little more laid-backness, and Mr. Lindemann's singing almost feels like a conversation most of the time. Sadly, there isn't a reliable link that I can share the song with you, so you'll have to go out and buy the album so you can hear it yourself.
Worst Track? Honestly, the wait was perhaps the single worst thing about this album. Sure, late March to mid/late May isn't exactly the longest wait time, but considering that it's been nearly a decade this year that their last release came out, you can see why fans would be antsy. Every single song on here is absolutely wonderful to listen to. Even Diamant (Diamond) is great, despite it being the shortest track at 2 minutes & 34 seconds. Only the most nitpicky of listeners would try to find something bad or flawed at, and even they would give up eventually.
Rammstein. Taking the things they've learned since the 90s & crafting a record based on that knowledge, if their self-titled record is indeed to be their last (As evident by some interview), then it's a hell of a way to go out on! Quite possibly the best release they've ever done, and it may very well be my number one album of 2019. Absolutely recommended!
So this was an overview of the iconic Industrial Metal band Rammstein. I am definitely looking forward to doing more of these in 2015, each of them detailing metal bands from across the spectrum of the genre. Please be sure to leave comments & suggestions as to how I can improve or change this series. In any case, see you soon!
**
If you’re interested in Razorfist’s “Metal Mythos” series, click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmirOw7JCi80hHqPysFvmPzEMjko66cYw
***
Updated on July 27th 2015, 6:20 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
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Updated on May 23th 2019, 11:34 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
Monday, January 12, 2015
Anime (Episode) Review: Bleach 228
Hey everybody!
Well, I got out the first of many new additions to the Heavy Metal Otaku. Obscurus Metalus is going to become a pretty standard review series, if it gets enough positive comments & such. Today’s post is another one of the new additions I’m planning, and I’m hoping it’ll get popular. Getting back onto topic, let’s look at the very first of potential “Episode Reviews” posts, and today’s takes a look at the guilty pleasure known as Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!!. Also known as Bleach 228. Let the review begin!
Basic Story
It’s a vacation day for the Women’s Soul Reaper Society! After their pool was destroyed (Because it was placed where it could be seen), it was decided that perhaps a trip to the world of the living would be a treat. Roping in Ichigo & his friends, not to mention some of the men from the Soul Society, it’s fun in the sun, with hot & sexy women, and plenty of goofy humor (Not to mention a little fan service) to go around. Get on your sun screen, and prepare to hang ten!
Yeah, as you can tell, this isn’t exactly a deep story. In fact, this is a typical case of Bleach filler. It doesn’t move the story forward, it doesn’t more the characters forward (Or backwards, in some cases), and in general doesn’t have any substance. This episode takes up space, plain & simple. If you despise filler, then you’re not going to like this!
Overall Mood
Despite the filler nature of this episode, I loved the overall nature of this episode. It’s not serious, dramatic, or overly dark in anyway. Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is the kind of filler episode you watch when you want to laugh & smile. It’s the kind of filler you watch when you want to have a good time, and enjoy a lighter side to the characters of the show. You can’t go wrong if this is what you want.
Characters
Despite the presence of the male characters (Ichigo, Renji, etc), Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is not the episode you watch for them. No, you watch this episode for the women. This doesn’t advance their character in any way, shape, or form. You’re watching this episode for the looks, and the fan-service that is surprisingly well placed. You got the typical swimsuit tropes (Cleavage, form-fitting clothing, etc), but there’s some more lighthearted dirty moments here & there, and even something a little on the.....adult side of things. To spoil it would be to ruin the last few minutes of the episode. Suffice it to say, if you aren’t laughing your ass off, then something is wrong with you.
Animation
In a slight change of pace, 228 has a more colorful look about it. Considering that this is a beach episode, you expect to see more color around. There’s a distinct lack of gloom in this episode (There’s a certain kind of gloom in certain episodes), and instead a more palatable look & feel as been put in place: the beach is bright & tropical, the water of the ocean looked like something you’d fine in the Caribbean, and the various patterns & colors of the swimsuits is striking & lovely. If you want an episode of Bleach that’s a little more charming in terms of appearance, then Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is for you!
Final Opinion & Rating
The filler nature of Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is perhaps the biggest detriment to it being a memorable episode. Filler is always something that can hurt an anime, and Bleach is definitely no exception. That said, filler can be good once in a while, and this episode (At least for me) is a nice example of a filler episode. You got a typical filler story, but it’s filled with the typical Bleach tropes, yet at the same time those tropes are more laid back than usual. If you need the kind of filler that won’t waste your time, then this might be for you.
Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! gets a 7.5 out of 10.
Hope you liked the this first example of “Episode Reviews”. Leave enough comments about what you thought & what I can do to improve things, and maybe I can doing more reviews like these a little more often. The next post will take a little more longer to do, but trust me when I say it’ll be worth the wait. See you then!
Well, I got out the first of many new additions to the Heavy Metal Otaku. Obscurus Metalus is going to become a pretty standard review series, if it gets enough positive comments & such. Today’s post is another one of the new additions I’m planning, and I’m hoping it’ll get popular. Getting back onto topic, let’s look at the very first of potential “Episode Reviews” posts, and today’s takes a look at the guilty pleasure known as Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!!. Also known as Bleach 228. Let the review begin!
It’s a vacation day for the Women’s Soul Reaper Society! After their pool was destroyed (Because it was placed where it could be seen), it was decided that perhaps a trip to the world of the living would be a treat. Roping in Ichigo & his friends, not to mention some of the men from the Soul Society, it’s fun in the sun, with hot & sexy women, and plenty of goofy humor (Not to mention a little fan service) to go around. Get on your sun screen, and prepare to hang ten!
Yeah, as you can tell, this isn’t exactly a deep story. In fact, this is a typical case of Bleach filler. It doesn’t move the story forward, it doesn’t more the characters forward (Or backwards, in some cases), and in general doesn’t have any substance. This episode takes up space, plain & simple. If you despise filler, then you’re not going to like this!
Overall Mood
Despite the filler nature of this episode, I loved the overall nature of this episode. It’s not serious, dramatic, or overly dark in anyway. Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is the kind of filler episode you watch when you want to laugh & smile. It’s the kind of filler you watch when you want to have a good time, and enjoy a lighter side to the characters of the show. You can’t go wrong if this is what you want.
Characters
Despite the presence of the male characters (Ichigo, Renji, etc), Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is not the episode you watch for them. No, you watch this episode for the women. This doesn’t advance their character in any way, shape, or form. You’re watching this episode for the looks, and the fan-service that is surprisingly well placed. You got the typical swimsuit tropes (Cleavage, form-fitting clothing, etc), but there’s some more lighthearted dirty moments here & there, and even something a little on the.....adult side of things. To spoil it would be to ruin the last few minutes of the episode. Suffice it to say, if you aren’t laughing your ass off, then something is wrong with you.
Animation
In a slight change of pace, 228 has a more colorful look about it. Considering that this is a beach episode, you expect to see more color around. There’s a distinct lack of gloom in this episode (There’s a certain kind of gloom in certain episodes), and instead a more palatable look & feel as been put in place: the beach is bright & tropical, the water of the ocean looked like something you’d fine in the Caribbean, and the various patterns & colors of the swimsuits is striking & lovely. If you want an episode of Bleach that’s a little more charming in terms of appearance, then Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is for you!
Final Opinion & Rating
The filler nature of Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! is perhaps the biggest detriment to it being a memorable episode. Filler is always something that can hurt an anime, and Bleach is definitely no exception. That said, filler can be good once in a while, and this episode (At least for me) is a nice example of a filler episode. You got a typical filler story, but it’s filled with the typical Bleach tropes, yet at the same time those tropes are more laid back than usual. If you need the kind of filler that won’t waste your time, then this might be for you.
Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!! gets a 7.5 out of 10.
Hope you liked the this first example of “Episode Reviews”. Leave enough comments about what you thought & what I can do to improve things, and maybe I can doing more reviews like these a little more often. The next post will take a little more longer to do, but trust me when I say it’ll be worth the wait. See you then!
Monday, January 5, 2015
Album Review (Obscurus Metalus): Substance For God's Assembly Of Flowers
It’s a brand new year, and our slates have been wiped clean of 2014's bullcrap. We’re starting anew, and the horizon look bright. For and the Heavy Metal Otaku blog, that means new content to put up. As I said in my post last week, I’ve thought up some new things to do here. Case in point, the first of many reviews in the sub-genre of metal reviews known as “Obscurus Metalus”. I didn’t want to do one of the well-known obscure titles (Can there be such a thing?), so for my first in this subset, I want to go for something really out there. All the way to Israel, no less! Without further adieu, here’s a look at the only release of Substance Of God. Let the review begin!
Background
I certainly had a challenge in this album, not to mention the band in question. As I was looking up stuff, there was so little information available that I really can’t detail the history of this band very well, but some details I shall give!
Substance For God is composed of five members: Noam Roda (Bass), Itamar Ben-Zecka'ee (Drums), Asi Yakobovitch (Guitars), Micha Yossef (Guitars), and Alon Moradi (Vocals). They signed up to Nuclear Blast Records, and in 1993 they produced a live promo for the company. In 1994, the band released the full-blown album Assembly Of Flowers, which is their one & only release. In 1996, they filmed a video for “The Swan Song”, which eventually made it’s way to the compilation album “Beauty in Darkness Vol. 1". After this, the band broke up because of reasons I can’t find.
Basic Description
Waste of potential!
For a first outing, Assembly Of Flowers is damn good! The guitar work is very laid back, but never to the point where it feels week. Ben-Zecka'ee’s drumming is fantastic, as it traverses the sharp/soft zones without skipping a beat. Really, the only weak point is the bass, as it’s the only thing on this album that sounds standard. Despite that, there’s moments where it can shine through like everything else. Hell, there’s even small moments of piano work, and it’s some of the most beautiful piano playing I’ve ever heard!
Of particular excellence is the vocals. I’ve never been a fan of the Death/Doom Metal style of singing, but I was caught off guard with this album. Despite having that Cookie Monster type growling, you can still understand what most of Alon Moradi is singing. It’s only a little bit of the time that you can’t make out words, but it happens so little that you can’t even tell. Coupled with female backup vocals on some songs, and you have a basic, yet surprisingly diverse album.
Best Song
Virtually every song on Assembly Of Flowers is a good song. From the title track of the album, to Memorial Prayer, all the way to the final track on here (Which is an instrumental), everything is worth listening to. That said, the best song on here, and my favorite track overall, is track no. 2, otherwise known as The Swan Song. Compared to the other songs on this album, The Swan Song is the fastest that’s on here, but it still knows when to slow down so as to keep things on track. The drumming & guitars are done quite nicely, and the Death Metal style of singing is perhaps the clearest here. You can pretty much understand all of what Alon Moradi is singing, with maybe a second or two of not being able to make sense of thing. With that said, The Swan Song is the best damn track on here, and you should listen to it right away!
The Swan Song
Honorable mention should go to the final track on this album, The Promise. For reasons I’ll get to in a moment, The Promise is a standout song on Assembly Of Flowers, simply because it’s the only song that sounds nothing like anything else on the album. At 1 minute & 46 seconds long, The Promise is one of the most beautiful instrumental tracks I’ve heard in all of Heavy Metal. Nothing but guitar playing carries this entire piece, and the atmosphere it creates is nothing short of enchanting! Sadly, the only link of it on Youtube isn't of good quality, so I won't be posting it. My apologies.
Worst Song
While there are no bad songs on Assembly Of Flowers, it does have the unfortunate “Blending Effect” problem. Eventually, it seems, the songs on this album become one globulus mass. There are points in each of the tunes that can be differentiated from one another, but sooner or later all of the songs begin to sound identical. It’ll get to the point where you can tell where one songs end, and another begins.
Other
While I’m somewhat against the downloading of music, as far as I know Assembly Of Flowers never made it stateside (Although one of my friends has at least heard of it), and considering that it was the band’s only release, that makes it all the more difficult to locate. With that said, there are a few links out there, as long as you know where you look. The link below is one example: I downloaded this album a while back using this link, so it should still work. Let me know if it doesn’t.
http://getmetal.org/doom-metal/59298-substance-for-god-assembly-of-flowers-1994.html
Overall Impression & Rating
Assembly Of Flowers is just a taste of what Substance For God could have given to the Heavy Metal world. The potential for the band is plainly seen, yet because of their disbandment we’ll never know what they could have done. For the rest of time, it seems, we’re left with their only release. It’s a shame really, because Assembly Of Flowers is a nice album to listen to. Despite it’s one major flaw, the music is wonderfully done, and wonderfully produced as well. If you’re looking for an obscure piece of music to surprise you, than Substance For God’s solitary release is exactly what you’re looking for.
Assembly Of Flowers gets a 8.5 out of 10
Well, this was the first of what be many “Obscurus Metalus” reviews. I hope to liked this, and be sure to leave comments & suggestions as to how I can improve my work. See you soon!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy 2015!!!!!
Happy 2015 fellow Otaku & Metal Heads!
2014 was a brutal year not just for me & my family, but I bet for most of us as well. We’ve had the loss of family & friends & celebrities we’ve loved, the end of Saturday morning cartoons, movies that should have stayed in a cave, and continuous political blunders that further ruin our already damaged country. With this new year upon up, we’ve all been given a completely fresh start in our lives, and hopefully the tragedies of the recent past will not come back to scar us.
With a new year comes some new things for myself, as well as the Heavy Metal Otaku blog. I’m going to be driving myself harder to find a job, maybe lose a pound or two, and possibly trying to think a little more positively than I normally do. I’ve also got some new plans for this little portion of the internet, and they are as follows:
1) Reviews of individual episodes from anime series. This will allow me to pump out additional content, but not sacrifice quality in the process, and make it easier for me during possible dry periods.
2) A subsection of Heavy Metal reviews called “Obscurus Metalus”. These reviews will take a look at: A) Releases from bands that don’t have much presence in the US, or B) Releases from well known bands that have been phased out from popularity. This will add a little more variety to the music content that I put up here, and hopefully make this blog a little more unique.
3) Inspired by Youtube user Razorfist’s video series “Metal/Music Mythos”, I’ll be doing my own series on the discography of metal bands. I don’t have a name for this series yet, but I will have one by the time I get my first one complete.
On top of that, I’ll be introducing a new section to my reviews: Other. I won’t be doing this all the time, but more on a case-by-case basis when I feel it’s necessary. It’ll be completely random as to what will be in the “Other” section, so there’s bound to be surprises!
Hopefully, these new plans will get you excited, and keep you coming back to see what gets put up here! I’ll see you in a few days, when I’ll begin the year with the first of many Obscurus Metalus reviews, and man I’ve got a obscure album coming up!
2014 was a brutal year not just for me & my family, but I bet for most of us as well. We’ve had the loss of family & friends & celebrities we’ve loved, the end of Saturday morning cartoons, movies that should have stayed in a cave, and continuous political blunders that further ruin our already damaged country. With this new year upon up, we’ve all been given a completely fresh start in our lives, and hopefully the tragedies of the recent past will not come back to scar us.
With a new year comes some new things for myself, as well as the Heavy Metal Otaku blog. I’m going to be driving myself harder to find a job, maybe lose a pound or two, and possibly trying to think a little more positively than I normally do. I’ve also got some new plans for this little portion of the internet, and they are as follows:
1) Reviews of individual episodes from anime series. This will allow me to pump out additional content, but not sacrifice quality in the process, and make it easier for me during possible dry periods.
2) A subsection of Heavy Metal reviews called “Obscurus Metalus”. These reviews will take a look at: A) Releases from bands that don’t have much presence in the US, or B) Releases from well known bands that have been phased out from popularity. This will add a little more variety to the music content that I put up here, and hopefully make this blog a little more unique.
3) Inspired by Youtube user Razorfist’s video series “Metal/Music Mythos”, I’ll be doing my own series on the discography of metal bands. I don’t have a name for this series yet, but I will have one by the time I get my first one complete.
On top of that, I’ll be introducing a new section to my reviews: Other. I won’t be doing this all the time, but more on a case-by-case basis when I feel it’s necessary. It’ll be completely random as to what will be in the “Other” section, so there’s bound to be surprises!
Hopefully, these new plans will get you excited, and keep you coming back to see what gets put up here! I’ll see you in a few days, when I’ll begin the year with the first of many Obscurus Metalus reviews, and man I’ve got a obscure album coming up!
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