I am shocked that it took me over 3 years to cover this band. 3 years to put one of my favorite groups on stage for a moment, and 3 years to finally talk about them. Given that the first ever overview I made covered these guys, I’m amazed that it took me this long to cover these guys in a couple reviews. Give that I used the number 3 three times, you probably guessed that I’m covering Rammstein.
That’s right, the final month of Industrial Metal Insanity is dedicated to these 6 Teutonic titans! One of the most recognizable acts in Industrial Metal, Rammstein has left a legacy of music that has withstood the test of time. For over a decade & a half, they have toured the world & left a mark upon each & every concert goer, and for people in the United States, they are high on the totem pole of musicians in this genre. Although I wasn’t subtle with my hint of who I was going to cover in August, I felt that the time was right to cover my number 3 band of all time. So sit back, get into the rhythm, and enjoy my review for their first release of the 2000s, Mutter. Let’s begin.
Background
The 90s were the proving ground for Rammstein. Overcoming stereotypes in their native Germany, they cranked out 2 fantastic albums, and managed to put out a decent live release. When they were in the sight of U.S. metal fans, they immediately became permanent fixtures, and people wanted more. However, nobody was prepared for the shockwave that was Mutter! From September to December 1999, the band rented the house Weimar in Heiligendamm on the Baltic Sea for pre-production and the sound recordings took place from May to June 2000 at Studio Miraval in southern France. In December of 2000 they release a video for Links 2 3 4 on their website & in January of 2001 a video for Sonne was put on there as well. Finally, on the second of April in 2001, Mutter was released to the public.
Reception for Mutter was pretty high back in the day. It reached 77 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and no. 1 on Germany’s Offizielle Top 100. In 2005 it was ranked number 324 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time. In a 2016 article published by uDiscover, writer Oran O'Beirne described the album as "one of the most important contemporary releases within heavy metal’s many subgenres.", and in an interview in Noizr Zine, producer and musician Peter Tägtgren had this to say about Mutter as a reference work for producers who were just starting their career:
“I think, if you are not into death metal or something like that, but if you are into metal, I would say maybe Rammstein’s "Mutter" is very good, because it has a lot of different elements, it has orchestra parts, heavy guitars, good drum sound — that could be a good reference.”
Basic Description
A Pleasant Surprise
If there’s one thing I noticed about discovering bands by accident, it’s that 9 times out of 10, you will like a band this way. Whether it’s due to an impulse buy at your local music store, or seeing something odd in your Youtube suggestion section, or hearing something random come on the radio (A rarity nowadays), you will enjoy an accidental music discovery, and I most definitely did in the case of Mutter. I was 15 at the time I discovered my favorite track off this album, and my folks (Mostly my Mom) were lessening the restraints on what I was allowed to listen to. Mutter felt like the first “Mature” record in my music collection, despite not having a warning label. Not only that, but it was a form of Heavy Metal I wasn’t really familiar with. I can’t describe this release any further, and the only thing left I can say is to seek this out & give it a listen to.
Best Track
I think Ich Will is the best song of this album. Probably a lot of people from my generation got into this band because of this song, whether they were directed towards it, or found it by accident (I belong into the 2nd category). When I first heard it on the radio (On a long defunct radio channel), I was awed! I knew it was metal, but it was metal I never heard of before. I never heard such beats, rhythms, and effects before. Even Till Lindemann’s singing was completely new to me, as it was sung in a language I didn’t really hear much beforehand (Cue “Dumb American Doesn’t Know What German Is” joke & wait for laugh track). This new sensation told me to go along with these guys, and see what new things are down the road. Needless to say, it was definitely worth it.
Ich Will
Worst Track
Like I said back in my overview, Mutter has not weathered the years since it’s release. To be honest, Rammstein’s earliest material has not aged the best when compared to their later material (Listen to Herzeleid & tell me otherwise). The recording technology used to produce this album makes the whole thing sound a little dated, and some of the effects seem a little corny. However, in defense of their 1st entry into the 2000s, it has aged the best out of their first period. The recording technology of the early 2000s far surpasses what was available in the 90s. The music sounds smoother, and the sound effects just come across as higher quality. Again you can still tell it’s age, but it’s aged the best out of Rammstein’s 1st period of music.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then check out the link below:
Mutter
Overall Impression & Rating
Mutter is an Industrial tour-de-force of the 2000s. Though it shows it’s age, it holds up better when compared to other Industrial Metal albums of the late 90s/early 2000s. It brought me into the world of Rammstein, and acted as a hub for me to discover other bands in the genre. Even upon discovering other Industrial bands, I never turned my back on the album that pulled me in. I bet than many other fans who found this album feel the same way.
Mutter gets an 8 out of 10.
So that was Mutter. Their first album of the 2000s, it showed that these Teutonic badasses were here to stay. However, conflict within the band sent the various members to blow off steam, but 3 years later they would comeback even stronger than before. So join me next week, when we’ll take a look at their 2004 return....but with an Asian twist!
No comments:
Post a Comment