Review: Rammstein by Rammstein

RAMMSTEIN by Rammstein

RAMMSTEIN (or the untitled album) is the seventh studio album from German metal band Rammstein. It is composed of six members– Till Lindemann, Richard Z. Kruspe, Paul Landers, Oliver Riedel, Christoph Schneider, and Christian Lorenz. Needless to say, this is not the band’s first rodeo, as they have been making music for the last 25 plus years. Though they are famous for their controversial lyrics, themes, and performances, it would be a mistake to discount the German band as mere mindless shock metal. Combining elements of dancehall metal, gothic, and symphonic metal, Rammstein’s latest album is a testament to this.

The Bad: The most glaring error in RAMMSTEIN is the far weaker second leg of the album. Excluding the finale, “HALLOWMANN”, the last half is underwritten and rather boring compared to the dynamism displayed in the first half. The energy seems lost by “WAS ICH LIEBE”, and Rammstein never seems to fully regain their footing. The drumming on many songs is rather underwhelming, especially on the otherwise great “ZEIG DICH” and the less fun “TATTOO”. Many songs drag on for a bit too long (only two songs clock in shorter than four minutes), leaving a few good choruses and instrumentals feeling a bit dry by the third visit.

The Good: It is hard to not nod along to any of the infectiously aggressive songs of RAMMSTEIN. Lindemann’s vocals border on operatic at times, his deep-throated voice carrying many instrumentals to their landing point. I really enjoy his cocky, masculine inflections—the songs really wouldn’t feel the same without it. His emotionally charged performances on “DEUTSCHLAND” and “PUPPE” are high points on the album. The instrumentals, especially on the first leg, are majestic and surprisingly catchy. “DEUTSCHLAND”, “RADIO”, and “AUSLANDER” are immensely satisfying tracks that employ synths and keyboard well. The bass is clear but gritty, adding a sense of blunt sharpness. Guitars snarl and vibrate, taking their time to sink in. But the most surprising, and most commendable aspect of RAMMSTEIN was its lyrical and thematic depth. Far from the run of the mill shock rock lyricism, Lindemann paints vibrant and dark pictures of issues like nationality, abuse, religion, and hypocrisy. The band never shies away from their truth, a trait I find impressive. “DEUTSCHLAND” is a great example of this. The band looks at their country in shades of gray, presenting a conflicted feeling of pride, guilt, and anger toward their motherland. “ZEIG DICH” is another great cut that really displays the atypical poetry of Rammstein. “ZEIG DICH” displays a saddened disgust for the hypocrisy of modern day religion in an interesting way. Instead of condemning it as a whole, Lindemann seems to really attack the hypocrisy of much of the clergy. As a catholic, it is not hard to admit the failures of my church’s authority in recent years. An echoing choir accompanies the song throughout, creating not only an interesting statement lyrically, but also sonically.

Conclusion: Throughout RAMMSTEIN’s 46 minutes of vocal aggression and thundering instrumentals, there were many standout moments. I only wish they didn’t all appear in the first 25. I found myself returning to “AUSLANDER”, “SEX”, and “RADIO” more than the rest of the track list. It is disappointing that Rammstein’s combination of NDH, Gothic, and industrial could not keep pace throughout the album. I really did enjoy this album, and I hope that next time, Lindemann and company can summon the same bravado and masochistic magnetism through a whole project.

I give this album 7 UBERS out of 10. Thanks for reading.