The seventh RAMMSTEIN release is actually unnamed but for practical reasons, we’ll treat it as a self-tiled record. Its design is actually more sparse and simple than THE BEATLES’ unnamed ninth album – and just like it, employs a lot of empty space and the colour white.
And even though ‘Rammstein’ will never come even close to the cultural impact THE BEATLES’ ‘white album’ has had, it marks an all too strong comeback of one of contemporary rock’s more spectacular bands.
Before you ask – no, there’s nothing shockingly new about this album. Nothing at all. RAMMSTEIN play a game of their own, by their own rules nonetheless. And they needn’t change them, as in the quarter of century following their formation, no German band has even dared the threaten their throne.
Just think about it – right now there is literally no other European rock band, singing in a language different than English, that is quite as famous as RAMMSTEIN. After all, millions across the world will listen to these tracks again and again without knowing a single word in German. And in 2019 it’s hardly possible to mistake RAMMSTEIN for LAIBACH or KMFDM, right?
So, some 10 years after the rather splendid ‘Liebe ist für alle da’ RAMMSTEIN state… no, make that shout: “Why the hell change when things are going so great?”. And deliver more of the same. But yet manage to make it irresistibly good.
From the clear KRAFTWERK worship in ‘Radio’ to the (un)expectedly successful ‘Deutschland’ or ‘Pussy’’s even blunter follow-up named simply ‘Sex’, this album is brimful of well crafted choruses, great keys input, very simple but effective guitar riffing, complimented by the ever-so-ironic/sarcastic lyrical content.
Personal favourites include the highly addictive ‘Zeig dich’ (a highlight in their entire discography nontheless), the brutally disturbing ‘Puppe’ (well on its way to becoming a live banger like ‘Mein Teil’), as well as the epic closer ‘Hallomann’ – a track which is just as great, as it is unsurprising.
Polished, pop and very much incorrect, ‘Rammstein’ is a tad weaker than the near-perfect ‘Mutter’ and ‘Sehnsucht’ but almost as good as ‘Reise, Reise’ and ‘Rosenrot’, which totally works for us.