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
Rules
KMFDM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like an insect in its death-throes
A magic-carpet-ride to hell
Then back to here with time to tell
A metal-scar on every face
We walk to a forbidden place
Where dirty water cleans the soul
We pour into another hole
Here comes a secret delivery
All aboard the reason why
A broken down discovery
The rules, the rules do not apply
I'm half blind and I'm losing
A picture that is out of control
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
A prison being built round my soul
Under a concrete-sky
Barricades begin to rise
Sun and stars begin to fall
A sonic-boom condemns us all
Decapitated soldiers fight
And ministers control the light
In leaking gas we bathe our flesh
And in the air we fight for breath
Here comes a secret delivery
All aboard the reason why
A broken down discovery
The rules, the rules do not apply
I'm half blind and I'm losing
A picture that is out of control
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
A prison being built round my soul
Auf dem fliegenden Teppich
Zur Hölle und zurück
Mit ausführlichem Bericht
Unter bleiernem Himmel
Barrikaden verdunkeln das Licht
Kopflose Soldaten in der Schlacht
Insekten in Todeszuckungen
Im Angesicht verlöschender
Gestirne verlassen
Uns alle Hoffnungen
Here comes a secret delivery
All aboard the reason why
A broken down discovery
The rules, the rules do not apply
The rules, the rules do not apply
I'm half blind and I'm losing
A picture that is out of control
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
A prison being built round my soul
I'm half blind and I'm losing
A picture that is out of control
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
A prison being built round my soul
The lyrics of KMFDM's song "Rules" paint a dystopian picture of a world where chaos, violence, and oppression reign. The opening lines describe the message that is being imparted, which is reminiscent of an insect in its death throes. The singer compares this message to a magic-carpet-ride to hell, suggesting a horrifying journey to a place of no return, but then back to the present with time to tell the tale. This jarring experience has left a metal-scar on every face, and the people embark on a walk to a forbidden place, where dirty water cleanses the soul, only to pour themselves into another hole.
The following lines describe the rise of barricades under a concrete sky, as the sun and stars begin to fall. Decapitated soldiers fight, and ministers control the light. The people find themselves bathing in leaking gas and struggling for breath in the air. Amidst this chaos, a secret delivery arrives that carries the reason why the rules do not apply. The singer describes feeling half-blind and losing control, lying on the ground but still moving, while a prison is being built around their soul.
Overall, the lyrics to "Rules" suggest a bleak and oppressive world where the rules are arbitrary, and people are trapped in a cycle of violence and despair, while the powers that be control their every move.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, so the message goes
The following lyrics contain a message
Like an insect in its death-throes
We are suffering like helpless insects
A magic-carpet-ride to hell
Our journey ahead is going to be full of horrors and nightmares
Then back to here with time to tell
But we will come back from our journey and share our experiences
A metal-scar on every face
We bear scars from our past battles and struggles
We walk to a forbidden place
We are venturing into a place that's off-limits for us
Where dirty water cleans the soul
We find redemption in the unlikely and unpleasant things of life
We pour into another hole
We continue to seek fulfillment and purpose in life
Here comes a secret delivery
We are receiving an important and secretive message
All aboard the reason why
We are embarking on a journey with a clear purpose and motivation
A broken down discovery
We have stumbled upon something unexpected and broken
The rules, the rules do not apply
The usual rules don't work here, they are useless and ineffective
I'm half blind and I'm losing
I am struggling and feeling helpless, unable to see things clearly
A picture that is out of control
The situation is chaotic and hard to make sense of
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
Although things look bleak, I am still surviving and fighting
A prison being built round my soul
Despite my struggles, I feel trapped and restricted
Under a concrete-sky
We live in a world that's full of unnatural and artificial structures
Barricades begin to rise
We face increasing obstacles and restrictions
Sun and stars begin to fall
The world is changing and becoming unpredictable
A sonic-boom condemns us all
We are facing a sudden, intense and explosive threat
Decapitated soldiers fight
Even in death, our soldiers continue to struggle
And ministers control the light
Those in positions of power control and manipulate information
In leaking gas we bathe our flesh
We have become numb and desensitized to our dangerous surroundings
And in the air we fight for breath
We are struggling to survive and breathe in a world that's toxic
Auf dem fliegenden Teppich
We are flying on a magic carpet
Zur Hölle und zurück
We are going to hell and back
Mit ausführlichem Bericht
We will have a detailed account of our journey
Unter bleiernem Himmel
We are living under a heavy and oppressive sky
Barrikaden verdunkeln das Licht
The barricades we face are making the situation darker and more dangerous
Kopflose Soldaten in der Schlacht
Our soldiers continue to fight, even without their heads
Insekten in Todeszuckungen
We are struggling like dying insects on the brink of death
Im Angesicht verlöschender
Our hopes and dreams are fading away
Gestirne verlassen
As the stars go out one by one
Uns alle Hoffnungen
We are left with no hope or purpose
The rules, the rules do not apply
The usual rules don't work here, they are useless and ineffective
I'm half blind and I'm losing
I am struggling and feeling helpless, unable to see things clearly
A picture that is out of control
The situation is chaotic and hard to make sense of
I'm lying on the ground but I'm moving
Although things look bleak, I am still surviving and fighting
A prison being built round my soul
Despite my struggles, I feel trapped and restricted
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Christopher Connelly, Guenter Schulz, Mark Durante, Sascha Konietzko
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind