The group's earliest incarnation included German drummer En Esch and British vocalist Raymond Watts, the latter of whom left and rejoined the group several times over its history. The trio recorded the band's earliest albums in Germany before Konietzko and Esch moved to the United States, where they found much greater success with seminal industrial record label Wax Trax!. German guitarist Günter Schulz joined in 1990; both he and Esch continued with the band until KMFDM broke up in 1999. Konietzko resurrected KMFDM in 2002 (Esch and Schulz declined to rejoin) on Metropolis Records, and by 2005 he had assembled a consistent line-up that included American singer Lucia Cifarelli, British guitarists Jules Hodgson and Steve White, and British drummer Andy Selway. Konietzko and Cifarelli moved back to Germany in 2007, while the rest of band stayed in the U.S. In addition to these core members, dozens of other musicians have worked with the group across its nineteen studio albums and two dozen singles, with sales totaling in excess of two million records worldwide.
Critics consider KMFDM to be one of the first bands to bring industrial music to mainstream audiences, though Konietzko refers to the band's music as "The Ultra-Heavy Beat". The band incorporates heavy metal guitar riffs, electronic music, samples, and both male and female vocals in its music, which encompasses a variety of styles including industrial rock and electronic body music (EBM). The band is fiercely political, with many of its lyrics taking stands against violence, war, and oppression. KMFDM normally tours at least once after every major release, and band members are known for their accessibility to and interaction with fans, both online and at concerts. Members, singly or working together and with other musicians, have recorded under many other names, primarily Watts' PIG, Konietzko's Excessive Force, and Esch and Schulz's Slick Idiot.
KMFDM (Discogs): https://www.discogs.com/artist/11606-KMFDM
KMFDM (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/officialkmfdm
KMFDM (MySpace): https://myspace.com/officialkmfdm
KMFDM (Official Site): http://www.kmfdm.net
KMFDM (Reddit): https://www.reddit.com/r/kmfdm
KMFDM (SoundCloud): https://soundcloud.com/kmfdm_official
KMFDM (Store): http://kmfdm.fulfillmentmerch.com
KMFDM (Tumblr): https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/kmfdm
KMFDM (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kmfdmofficial
KMFDM (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/user/officialkmfdm
---Current Members---
Sascha Konietzko – vocals, guitar, bass, programming, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion
Lucia Cifarelli – vocals, keyboards
Jules Hodgson – guitar, bass, keyboards
Andy Selway – drums
Steve White – guitar
---Former Members---
En Esch – vocals, drums, guitar, programming
Raymond Watts – vocals, programming
Günter Schulz – guitar, programming
Mark Durante – guitar, steel guitar
Tim Skold – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, programming
Classic KMFDM Discography (1984-1999)
---Studio Albums---
1984 - Opium
1986 - What Do You Know, Deutschland?
1988 - Don't Blow Your Top
1989 - UAIOE
1990 - Naïve
1992 - Money
1993 - Angst
1995 - Nihil
1996 - Xtort
1997 - Symbols
1999 - Adios
---Compilations---
1986 - 84-86 (compilation)
1994 - Naïve/Hell to Go (remix)
1996 - Retro (compilation)
1998 - Agogo (compilation)
---Singles---
1987 - Kickin' Ass
1988 - Don't Blow Your Top
1988 - More & Faster
1989 - Virus
1990 - Godlike
1991 - Naïve + The Days of Swine and Roses (split with My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult)
1991 - Split
1992 - Vogue
1992 - Money
1992 - Help Us/Save Us/Take Us Away
1992 - Sucks
1993 - A Drug Against War
1994 - Light
1994 - Glory
1995 - Juke Joint Jezebel
1995 - Juke Joint Jezebel (The Moroder Mixes)
1995 - Brute
1995 - Trust
1995 - Year of the Pig
1996 - Power
1996 - Rules
1997 - Anarchy
1998 - MDFMK
---Side Projects/Collaborations---
1991 - Excessive Force - Conquer Your House
1992 - Excessive Force - Conquer Your World
1992 - En Esch - Cheesy
1993 - Excessive Force - Blizkrieg
1994 - Excessive Force - Gentle Death
1994 - KMFDM vs. PIG - Sin Sex & Salvation
---Modern KMFDM Discography (2002-present)
---Studio Albums---
2002 - Attak
2003 - WWIII
2005 - Hau Ruck
2007 - Tohuvabohu
2009 - Blitz
2011 - WTF?!
2013 - Kunst
2014 - Our Time Will Come
2017 - Hell Yeah
2019 - Paradise
2022 - HYËNA
2024 - LET GO
---Compilations---
2002 - Strum & Drang Tour Live (live)
2004 - WWIII Live 2003 (live)
2006 - Ruck Zuck (remix)
2008 - Brimborium (remix)
2008 - Extra Vol. 1 (compilation)
2008 - Extra Vol. 2 (compilation)
2008 - Extra Vol. 3 (compilation)
2009 - Krieg (remix)
2010 - Würst (compilation)
2010 - Greatest Shit (compilation)
2014 - We Are KMFDM (live)
---Singles---
2002 - Boots
2010 - Day of Light
2010 - Godlike 2010
2010 - Light 2010
2011 - Krank
2011 - Amnesia
2014 - Salvation
---Side Projects/Collaborations---
2000 - MDFMK - MDFMK
2001 - Schweinstein - Schweinstein
2001 - Slick Idiot - DickNity
2002 - Schweinstein - Son of Schweinstein
2003 - Slick Idiot - ReDickUlous
2004 - Slick Idiot - Screwtinized
2004 - Lucia - From the Land of Volcanoes
2006 - Slick Idiot - xSCREWciating
2006 - KGC - Dirty Bomb
2009 - Slick Idiot - Sucksess
2009 - Skold vs. KMFDM - Skold vs. KMFDM
2011 - OK●ZTEIN●OK - PROLET●KULT
2014 - En Esch - SPÄNK
Megalomaniac
KMFDM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Glück ist nicht käuflich sehnsucht bleibt unerreicht
Preisrätsel winken nimmersatt
Kein mitleid für die mehrheit
Nihilistic mystics
Apostolic Alcoholics
Messianic Manics
In the age of super-boredom
Hype and mediocrity
Celebrate relentlessness
Menace to society
Refuse is our inspiration
Terrorism our trade
Sabotage and piracy
Chaos our mental sate
Mesmerizing festering
Intended for the faint of heart
Cultish and Anthemic
Until death us do part
Like a fiendish tropic virus
Spitting bile at all you whore
Razor-sharp tongue-in-cheek
Poking in your open sores
A wolf in sheep's clothing
The ultimate disgrace
Wrapped up as a gift of god
Exploding in your face
This is counter-culture from the underground
Eternal revolution this is our sound
KMFDM better than the best
Megalomaniacal and harder than the rest
Wenn der untergrund bebt ist die ordnung erschüttert
Der verrat an der seele macht leben ungesund
Mit unschlagbaren reimen werden wir uns vertreiben
Die zeit der langen weile bis zum grossen bums
The lyrics to KMFDM's song "Megalomaniac" are a compilation of nihilistic rants and chaotic inspirations that reflect the band's counter-culture ideology. The song opens with a statement that the wonders of the world are gifted, and happiness cannot be bought, while longing remains unfulfilled. The lyrics then describe a society that is marked by boredom and mediocrity, where relentlessness and aggression are celebrated. In this world, the majority has no pity, and the message conveyed is that nothing else matters except for self-promotion and indulgence.
The chorus is a declaration of KMFDM’s sound and attitude. The band is represented as the ultimate counter-culture movement, with their eternal revolution and music that is harder than the rest. The lyrics describe the band’s inspiration as refused, and their trade as terrorism, sabotage, piracy, and mental chaos. The message is clear: they are deliberately provocative, mesmerizing, and anthemic. The lyrics are wrapped in a sheep's clothing, which is the ultimate disgrace, but it is too late, as it has already exploded in one's face. The song ends with a promise that the band, with their unbeatable rhymes, will push away the time of dullness until the big bang.
Line by Line Meaning
Die wunder dieser welt werden dir geschenkt
The marvels of this world are given to you
Glück ist nicht käuflich sehnsucht bleibt unerreicht
Happiness is not for sale, longing remains unattainable
Preisrätsel winken nimmersatt
Puzzle contests beckon insatiably
Kein mitleid für die mehrheit
No sympathy for the majority
Nihilistic mystics
Believers in nothingness and mysticism
Apostolic Alcoholics
Drunk followers of a message
Messianic Manics
Chaotic believers in a savior figure
In the age of super-boredom
During a time of extreme monotony
Hype and mediocrity
Blatant promotion and low quality
Celebrate relentlessness
Praise unyielding determination
Menace to society
A threat to the established social order
Refuse is our inspiration
Garbage and waste fuels our creativity
Terrorism our trade
Using fear as a weapon is our profession
Sabotage and piracy
Deliberately causing damage and theft
Chaos our mental sate
Confusion and disorder define our mindset
Mesmerizing festering
Captivating decay
Intended for the faint of heart
Designed for those who lack courage
Cultish and Anthemic
Religious and inspiring
Until death us do part
Until we die, we will continue
Like a fiendish tropic virus
Spreading like a malicious virus
Spitting bile at all you whore
Insulting everyone as if they were prostitutes
Razor-sharp tongue-in-cheek
Sarcastic and sharp-witted
Poking in your open sores
Aggravating your weaknesses
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Deceptive and dangerous
The ultimate disgrace
The most shameful thing
Wrapped up as a gift of god
Disguised as a valuable present from a higher power
Exploding in your face
Sudden and destructive surprise
This is counter-culture from the underground
Non-mainstream culture from the subterranean
Eternal revolution this is our sound
Our music represents a forever-changing rebellion
KMFDM better than the best
We outshine everyone
Megalomaniacal and harder than the rest
Overly self-confident and more aggressive than others
Wenn der untergrund bebt ist die ordnung erschüttert
When the underground shakes, order is disrupted
Der verrat an der seele macht leben ungesund
Betrayal of the soul makes life unhealthy
Mit unschlagbaren reimen werden wir uns vertreiben
We will drive ourselves with unbeatable rhymes
Die zeit der langen weile bis zum grossen bums
The time of boredom until the big explosion
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GUENTHER SCHULZ, Klaus Schandelmaier, Sascha Konietzko
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind