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
Rubicon
KMFDM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burn the fire sign
Only victory is bliss
Bend a broken rule
Break the symmetry
Put all progress in remiss
Rinse out the ugly and purge every demon
The smoke never settles where everything is even
A poke in the eye the equation is nil
Violence for inner-peace
Bombing for therapy
Terror is everything you need
Cross the dotted line
Fake your destiny
Give a finger take a hand
Use the enemy
Turn the outside in
Tell the prophet it's the end
Money is power and power is corruption
There is nothing to gain from the absolute truth
Natural selection is based on deception
The ignorant elder empowers the youth...
The lyrics to KMFDM's song "Rubicon" speak to a desire for change, progress, and victory in a world that seems to be dominated by corruption, violence, and deception. The opening lines, "Cross the Rubicon, burn the fire sign," refer to the historical moment when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River in defiance of the Roman Senate, essentially marking the point of no return for his rebellion against the Roman Republic. In this context, the lyrics suggest a need to take bold action, to break with tradition or established norms, and to embrace the risks and uncertainties that come with that.
The chorus of the song speaks to a desire to "rinse out the ugly and purge every demon," to move past the conflicts and obstacles that hold us back, and to embrace progress and change. The lines "violence for inner-peace, bombing for therapy, terror is everything you need" are clearly ironic and critical, suggesting that these extreme and violent acts are not actually helpful or productive, but are instead part of a cycle of destruction that keeps us mired in conflict and chaos.
The rest of the lyrics further explore themes of power, corruption, and the struggle for meaningful change. The final lines, "the ignorant elder empowers the youth," suggest that the young can be especially vulnerable to manipulation and deception, but also that they have the potential to effect real change and progress in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Cross the Rubicon
Take the next step and commit to a course of action, regardless of the consequences.
Burn the fire sign
Destroy the established order and all its symbols.
Only victory is bliss
Success and achievement are the only things that bring true happiness.
Bend a broken rule
Deviate from the normal order of things to achieve progress.
Break the symmetry
Disrupt the established patterns for the sake of progress.
Put all progress in remiss
Halt all forward motion and advancement for the sake of tearing down the old system.
Rinse out the ugly and purge every demon
Cleanse oneself of all negative influence and drive out evil spirits.
A small step for progress a leap for the mind
Even small forward movements are significant and lead to significant changes.
The smoke never settles where everything is even
Chaos and disruption are necessary for progress and change, and where there is order, there is no forward movement.
A poke in the eye the equation is nil
Disrupt the established rules and patterns for progress and change, rendering them meaningless.
Violence for inner-peace
Conflict and confrontation are necessary to achieve inner peace and stability.
Bombing for therapy
Extreme actions are necessary to achieve catharsis and psychological well-being.
Terror is everything you need
Fear is a powerful motivator and driving force for change and progress.
Cross the dotted line
Push beyond the established rules and norms to achieve progress and success.
Fake your destiny
Reject the idea of a predetermined fate and take control of one's own future.
Give a finger take a hand
Take extreme risks to achieve significant gains, even if it means sacrificing something else in return.
Use the enemy
Take advantage of opposition and weakness in others to achieve personal gain.
Turn the outside in
Change and disruption must first come from within oneself in order to have an impact on the outside world.
Tell the prophet it's the end
Reject the established dogma and beliefs of authority figures and announce the beginning of a new era.
Money is power and power is corruption
Wealth and influence inevitably lead to corruption and misuse of power.
There is nothing to gain from the absolute truth
Objective truth is irrelevant and does not lead to progress or advancement.
Natural selection is based on deception
Survival and success depend on one's ability to deceive and manipulate others, rather than on innate qualities.
The ignorant elder empowers the youth...
Outdated or ignorant beliefs upheld by older generations are given power by the younger generations who follow them.
Contributed by Mackenzie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.