After winning a local contest, Rammstein was able to record demos and send them to different record labels, eventually signing with Motor Music. Working with producer Jacob Hellner, they released their debut album Herzeleid in 1995. Though the album initially sold poorly, the band gained popularity through their live performances and the album eventually reached No. 6 in Germany. Their second album, Sehnsucht, was released in 1997 and debuted at No. 1 in Germany, resulting in a worldwide tour lasting nearly four years and spawning the successful singles "Engel" and "Du hast" and the live album Live aus Berlin (1999). Following the tour, Rammstein signed with major label Universal Music and released Mutter in 2001. Six singles were released from the album, all charting in countries throughout Europe. The lead single, "Sonne", reached No. 2 in Germany. Rammstein released Reise, Reise in 2004 and had two more singles reach No. 2 in Germany: "Mein Teil" and "Amerika"; the former song reached No. 1 in Spain, becoming their first No. 1 single.
f
Their fifth album, Rosenrot, was released in 2005, and the lead single, "Benzin", reached No. 6 in Germany. Their second live album, Völkerball, was released in 2006. The band released their sixth album, Liebe ist für alle da, in 2009, with its lead single, "Pussy", becoming their first No. 1 hit in Germany despite having a controversial music video that featured hardcore pornography. The band then entered a recording hiatus and toured for several years, releasing the Made in Germany greatest hits album as well as the Rammstein in Amerika and Paris live albums. After a decade without new music, Rammstein returned in 2019 with the song "Deutschland", which became their second No. 1 hit in Germany. Their untitled seventh studio album was released in May 2019 and reached No. 1 in 14 countries. While sheltering during COVID-19 lockdowns, the band spontaneously wrote and recorded their eighth studio album, Zeit, which was released in April 2022.
Rammstein was one of the first bands to emerge within the Neue Deutsche Härte genre, with their debut album leading the music press to coin the term, and their style of music has generally had a positive reception from music critics. Commercially, the band has been very successful, earning many No. 1 albums as well as gold and platinum certifications in countries around the world. Their grand live performances, which often feature pyrotechnics, have contributed to the growth in their popularity. Despite success, the band has been subject to some controversies, with their overall image having been criticized; for instance, the song "Ich tu dir weh" forced its parent album Liebe ist für alle da to be re-released in Germany with the song removed due to its sexually explicit lyrics.
Musical style and lyrics
Rammstein is considered a Neue Deutsche Härte band, and is also often described as industrial metal. Other descriptions include hard rock and gothic metal, as well as nu metal, alternative metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal, and "techno metal". Rammstein was traditionally inspired by bands such as the Slovenian group Laibach, known for its provocative songs, often citing political symbols of the far-right and whose music style also combines different genres, or the German rock band Oomph! However, the band members don't see a real connection to Laibach – apart from the similarity in vocal style which Flake Lorenz admitted in a Viva interview from 1997. In the same interview Richard Kruspe said: "For me, Laibach is a very, very intellectual story. Rammstein is much more emotional for me – in the beginning. And I can't do anything with that intellect that Laibach uses."
Live performances
Since their early years, Rammstein are particularly known for their over-the-top live performances, making such extensive use of pyrotechnics that fans eventually coined the motto, "Other bands play, Rammstein burns!". Following an accident in Berlin on 27 September 1996, in which some burning decorative parts of the stage collapsed, the band started using professionals to handle the pyrotechnics. Lindemann subsequently qualified as a licensed pyrotechnician, and often spends entire songs engulfed in flames. He has suffered multiple burns on his ears, head, and arms.
The band's stage costumes are also known for being outlandish. During the Reise, Reise Tour, they wore lederhosen, corsets, and military-inspired uniforms with German steel helmets; during the Mutter Tour, the group kept to the themes of the album artwork and descended onto the stage from a giant uterus while wearing diapers. During the Völkerball concert, among others, Lindemann changed costumes between songs and dressed accordingly for each. For example, for the song "Mein Teil", he was dressed as a blood-soaked chef; in "Reise, Reise", he dressed as a sailor. The rest of the band each wore their own preferred costume, but none quite as bizarre as Till's. The band's flair for costumes is evident in their music videos as well as their live shows. In the "Keine Lust" video, all members except Lorenz are dressed in fat suits. In the "Amerika" video, all members of the band wear astronaut costumes.
Since the Mutter Tour in 2001, Rammstein have worked with stage designer Roy Bennett, who helped the band in developing the look of the stages. With the Ahoi Tour in 2004/2005, the band began using a two-level stage, with half the band playing the lower level and the other half on the upper level. At this tour, the upper level rose over 2 meters above the stage floor and had an oval entrance just beneath the drums. At both sides of the upper level, a special lift made it possible for the band members to access both stage levels.
On the Liebe ist für alle da Tour in 2009, the new stage still had a two-level design. This time, however, the upper level only had about half the height as on the previous tour. Stage entrance was possible by a hydraulic ramp in the middle of the stage floor. At each end of the upper level, stairs were placed in order to gain access to both levels. This tour included not only the extensive use of pyrotechnics, but also a massive lighting show, such as the band's logo lit up as big lamps on four enormous collapsible towers, forming the industrial backdrop of the set and being capable of different lighting effects.
During the arena shows of the Made in Germany 1995-2011 Tour, the stage was slightly altered with new set pieces such as a large industrial fan as well as new backdrops. The most noticeable addition was a long catwalk, connecting the main stage to a smaller stage in the middle of the audience. During the 2013 festival leg of the tour, the bridge and smaller stage were omitted. For the 2016 Festival Tour, the band kept the stage itself mostly unchanged, though had the entire lighting rig changed completely. According to Kruspe, the onstage antics are meant to get people's attention and have fun at the same time; Rammstein's motto, according to Schneider, is "do your own thing and overdo it"
Members
Since forming in 1994, Rammstein have retained a constant line-up. Richard Kruspe had said in a Revolver Magazine interview that it is because of the band respecting each other's wishes to take a break, either for personal reasons or to focus on a side project. Members of the band have had side projects that they take part in during Rammstein's inactivity. Kruspe currently fronts the group Emigrate while Till Lindemann began his project Lindemann in 2015.
Till Lindemann – lead vocals, harmonica
Richard Kruspe – lead guitar, backing vocals
Paul Landers – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Oliver Riedel – bass guitar
Christoph Schneider – drums, percussion
Christian "Flake" Lorenz – keyboards, samples, synthesizers, trumpet, programming
Studio albums
Herzeleid (1995)
Sehnsucht (1997)
Mutter (2001)
Reise, Reise (2004)
Rosenrot (2005)
Liebe ist für alle da (2009)
Rammstein (2019)
Zeit (2022)
Halleluja
Rammstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An seiner wand ein bild des herrn
Er wischt die flecken von der bibel
Das abendmahl verteilt er gern
Er liebt die knaben aus dem chor
Sie halten ihre seelen rein
Doch sorge macht ihm der tenorSo muss er ihm am nächsten sein
Auf seinem nachttisch still und stumm
Ein bild des herrn
Er dreht es langsam um
Wenn die turmuhr zweimal schlägt
Halleluja
Faltet er die hände zum gebet
Halleluja
Er ist ohne weib geblieben
Halleluja
So muss er seinen nächsten lieben
Halleluja
Der junge mann darf bei ihm bleiben
Die sünde nistet überm bein
So hilft er gern sie auszutreiben
Bei musik und kerzenschein
Wenn die turmuhr zweimal schlägt
Halleluja
Faltet er die hände zum gebet
Halleluja
Er ist ohne weib geblieben
Halleluja
So muss er seinen nächsten lieben
Wenn die turmuhr zweimal schlägt
Halleluja
Nimmt er den jungen ins gebet
Halleluja
Er ist der wahre christ
Halleluja
Und weiß, was nächstenliebe ist
Halleluja
Dreh dich langsam um
Dreh dich um
The lyrics to Rammstein's song Halleluja tells the story of an older man who is religious and compassionate towards others. He has a picture of the Lord on his wall, and he cleans the stains off of his Bible. He enjoys serving communion and loves the purity of the choirboys, but is worried about the tenor and feels he must be closer to him. The man has a picture of the Lord on his nightstand, and he turns it over slowly to reveal a different image.
The man is lonely and without a wife, so he instead loves his neighbor, who happens to be a young man. This young man stays with him and together they listen to music and light candles. When the clock strikes twice, the man folds his hands in prayer and takes the young man under his wing to show him the true meaning of love and Christianity.
The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has taken the Bible's principle of "love thy neighbor as thyself" to an extreme, perhaps suggesting a taboo relationship between the older man and the young man. The religious context is prevalent throughout the song, with multiple references to the Lord and prayer. The use of the term "Halleluja" is a reference to a Hebrew phrase used to express joy and gratitude to God.
Line by Line Meaning
Er ist fromm und sehr sensibel
He is pious and very sensitive
An seiner wand ein bild des herrn
On his wall, a picture of the Lord hangs
Er wischt die flecken von der bibel
He wipes the stains from the Bible
Das abendmahl verteilt er gern
He enjoys distributing the communion
Er liebt die knaben aus dem chor
He loves the boys from the choir
Sie halten ihre seelen rein
They keep their souls pure
Doch sorge macht ihm der tenor
But he worries about the tenor
So muss er ihm am nächsten sein
So, he must be closest to him
Auf seinem nachttisch still und stumm
On his nightstand, silent and still
Ein bild des herrn
Is a picture of the Lord
Er dreht es langsam um
He turns it around slowly
Wenn die turmuhr zweimal schlägt
When the clock tower strikes twice
Halleluja
Hallelujah
Faltet er die hände zum gebet
He folds his hands in prayer
Er ist ohne weib geblieben
He has remained without a wife
So muss er seinen nächsten lieben
So, he must love his neighbor
Der junge mann darf bei ihm bleiben
The young man is allowed to stay with him
Die sünde nistet überm bein
Sin lingers over the leg
So hilft er gern sie auszutreiben
So, he willingly helps to drive it out
Bei musik und kerzenschein
With music and candlelight
Nimmt er den jungen ins gebet
He takes the young man in prayer
Er ist der wahre christ
He is the true Christian
Und weiß, was nächstenliebe ist
And knows what love thy neighbor means
Dreh dich langsam um
Turn around slowly
Dreh dich um
Turn around
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD Z. KRUSPE, PAUL LANDERS, TILL LINDEMANN, DOKTOR CHRISTIAN LORENZ, OLIVER RIEDEL, CHRISTOPH DOOM SCHNEIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Mijangos Pain
on Fried Eis
ich werde immer bei dir sein;
FERTIG - bin ich mit dir, bis zum Morgen sitz ich da.
DU BIST - so ganz allein,
das Schicksal hat mich angelacht;
UNHEIL - hört wie ihr schreit,
sie singen die letzten Melodien.
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
horror may remind it
TIEFE - die Einsamkeit,
es ist so weit - Aus Vorbei!
KRAFTLOS - Hab keine Angst,
sie singen die letzten Melodien
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
horror may remind it
Du gehörst zu mir, ich zeige wann und wie
du gehst.
Du hast keine and're Wahl, sie sind einsam und allein
allein.
allein
allein
du allein
Laaaahhh
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
Horror may remind it
May remind it
Rammstein - Freid Eis
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Sonne
This song reminds me of Gru from Despicable Me, as he is so powerful, that he paralyzed a shark and was able to outrun supersonic missiles.
Ben - Moderator
on Keine Lust
Corrected the music video fact above.
Andrew
on Keine Lust
The music video has them performing in fat suits, not at a funeral.