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
DYSTOPIA
KMFDM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pitch black garden of evil, here and back
Full defense attack, static white noise
A cross to bear I come to confess
I'm not leaving
I'll find my way back home, however far we go
Come what may no regrets
Dystopia
The world is ours alone to waste
Dystopia
Drowning in our misery
All this time, all your rage
Breaking down, talking in tongues again
Harakiri seppuku
I won't stand by and lie in wait
By the power of three I conjure thee
Protect all that surrounds me
Follow you like Jesus, worn out no control
Alice in a blood stained dress down the rabbit hole
Beggars scratch screaming, shattered lost souls
A cross to bear, I come to confess
I'm not leaving
You will not walk alone to face the great unknown
Come what may no regrets
Pull me in, don't look back
The lyrics of KMFDM's song Dystopia describe a world that is in chaos and despair. The singer is reaching out to someone, possibly a lover or a friend, and asking to be taken to their "Eden", a place of peace in the midst of the darkness. The "pitch black garden of evil" represents the corruption and destruction that has consumed the world, but the singer is willing to face it all in order to find their way back home.
The lyrics depict a sense of determination and courage in the face of adversity. The repetitive chorus of "Dystopia, the world is ours alone to waste" emphasizes the fatalistic view of the world as a doomed entity that can't be saved. The singer acknowledges the misery and suffering that surrounds them but refuses to give up or back down.
The final verse emphasizes the religious imagery that has been woven throughout the song. The singer describes following someone like Jesus, but also acknowledges the fragility and brokenness of human life. The "Alice in a blood-stained dress" and the "shattered lost souls" represent the fallen state of humanity, but the singer is still willing to bear their cross and confess their sins.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me to your Eden
Take me to your paradise, where everything is perfect and beautiful.
Pitch black garden of evil, here and back
A dark, evil place that once existed and still exists.
Full defense attack, static white noise
Trying to protect oneself against the bad vibes and negative energy of the world.
A cross to bear I come to confess
Admitting that there are flaws or mistakes in one's life that must be rectified.
I'm not leaving
Refusing to abandon a situation or a person no matter how difficult it may become.
I'll find my way back home, however far we go
No matter how far away someone may roam, they can still find their way back to what they consider home.
Come what may, no regrets
No matter what happens in life, one should not have any regrets, because everything happens for a reason.
Pull me in, don't look back
Letting go of the past and moving forward is important in order to get through difficult situations.
Dystopia
A society that is completely dysfunctional due to factors such as government control, environmental disasters, and social upheaval.
The world is ours alone to waste
Humans have the ability to destroy their own world through their reckless and irresponsible behavior.
Drowning in our misery
Being engulfed and overwhelmed by the misery and negativity in life.
All this time, all your rage
After all these years, you still burn with anger towards something or someone.
Breaking down, talking in tongues again
Becoming so distressed or emotional that one loses control of oneself and can no longer communicate effectively.
Harakiri seppuku
The ritual suicide of disembowelment, often used to restore honor to oneself or one's family.
I won't stand by and lie in wait
I cannot stand by and do nothing while something bad is happening; I must take action.
By the power of three I conjure thee
Invoking a spell to protect oneself or others from harm.
Protect all that surrounds me
Acting as a shield to protect everything and everyone in one's life.
Follow you like Jesus, worn out no control
Following someone (or divine being) blindly without taking control of one's own life.
Alice in a blood stained dress down the rabbit hole
A reference to Alice in Wonderland, but in a dark and violent setting.
Beggars scratch screaming, shattered lost souls
People who are broken and lost, struggling to get by in life.
You will not walk alone to face the great unknown
No matter what happens in the future, the person will not be alone in facing it.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.