Released: 17.05.2019
Genre: Industrial Metal
When the last Rammstein album was released, in 2009, I was 10 years old, and my music taste was still in its infancy. It basically consisted of whatever was played in heavy rotation on the radio and Viva TV, the now deceased hungarian copy of MTV, and the rather modest CD collection of my parents. Rammstein was unsurprisingly a part of neither, so it meant I had to wait until this year to experience new material released by Germany’s finest metal export. And it wasn’t just me: although metal loses mass appeal year-by-year, Rammstein seems to be the anomaly (it’s not like they weren’t an anomaly in the first place with pretty much everything from the german lyrics to the style and the insane live performances) that’s more popular than ever, set to embark on their first stadium tour this summer.
And while 10 years is usually an unsettlingly long time between two albums, the first single from the untitled LP, Deutschland immediately dispelled any worries. It’s everything a return single has to be, with familiar riffs, a gigantic chorus that will be shouted in unison by the huge crowds and perhaps their most ambitious and best music video to date, which predictably caused controversy, as all Rammstein lead singles do. And yet again, to cause uproar was disappointingly easy: the complainers either actively wanted to be triggered or are simply idiots who didn’t understand what the song and the video was about.
So with the music, the video and the lyrics about the conflicted patriotism of a german, Deutschland is a total package, the most complete work of art on the album. This was followed by the more straightforward Radio, a dance-metal number, which was a tad disappointing for me at first – from the teasers I expected something even more Kraftwerk-influenced – but by the time the album was released, it grew on me: it’s really catchy, and the video is yet again, genius.
So far, so good, and the rest of the tracks on the first half of the album largely retain the quality. Zeig Dich is a traditional heavy-hitter about a controversial subject, and it contains a choir that siginificanty improves the overall picture. My only complaint is that the verses have basically the same melody as the „über-” part of Deutschland, which we’ve heard literally five minutes earlier. Ausländer is a really fun track however, which with it’s eurodance influences (and I even hear some Skidrow – Youth Gone Wild in the main melody) is going to be a crowd favourite at concerts. The following Sex is more of a filler though: the Personal Jesus-beat is becoming too predictable after Haifisch and Ramm4, and the chorus isn’t really memorable either, although I like the synth solo.
And then comes Puppe. This is the 4 minutes where Rammstein proves they’re still the best at making disturbing, nightmare-inducing music. It builds up slowly and quietly, creating and already creepy and tense atmosphere, but when the chorus erupts is where the jaws drop. Lindemann gives us the best vocal performance of his career here, legitimately sounding like someone who went mad beyond a point I don’t want to imagine what feels like, and creates a haunting experience you may like or not like, but won’t forget for a very long time. Easily the masterpiece of the album.
After Puppe it makes sense to give the listener a breather, but neither Was Ich Liebe, nor Diamant belongs to Rammstein’s finest balladistic moments. Weit Weg is more interesting: a very synth-heavy track where Flake’s playing reminds me a bit of Jon Lord in Perfect Strangers – finally an influence outside of Rammstein’s familiar comfort zone. Tattoo is less interesting musically, but it’s old-school pounding rhythm makes the head instinctively move nonetheless. And finally, Hallomann is again one of the more bizarre ones, driven by a pulsating bass line and a characteristic epic chorus – a great album closer.
I feel that this is Rammstein’s most mature albums to date: the songs are polished, and all clearly have a role within the context of the full LP – some fulfill it, some not exactly. The sound is still heavy, but slightly cleaner than the previous albums. And all in all, while some previously non-existing influences appear, it’s still a very typical Rammstein album, tailored exactly to please the long-awaiting fans.
And I think it will succeed in pleasing them. At least half of these songs have to potential to become future Rammstein classics – with two of them (Deutschland and Puppe) having already acquired that status. And ultimately, even if they don’t land as hard as you want them to now, they will in concert. Because live, Rammstein is absolutely unbeatable, and I’m dying to know what twisted stage acts will they invent this time. Until then, I’m sure my neighbors will have a wonderful time listening to me blasting Untitled on full volume – ’cause I definitely will.
Verdict: 8/10
AllThingsSixString 