Five Classic Songs From Germany Own, 'Rammstein'

Photo courtesy of: Noel Morgan

You know due to the fact that I am not great with foreign languages, one of the things that I have generally had to do is to  stick with doing reviews and blogs that are mostly around English speaking things... But English titles are not only not just the only thing that  I am interested in reviewing or blogging about, but I have always wanted to (and I do try as much as I can,) have tried to make this site more international...

And so I thought for the fans out there that are looking for a more international flavor for the Industrial Heavy Metal music, that you guys might these 5 songs from Germany's own, 'Rammstein'!

And here we go!

At number 5: Bayern des samma mia (1998):

At number 4: Keine Lust (2004):

And next up, at number 3: Sonne (2001):

At number 2: Moskau (2004):

And last, but certainly not least, at number 1: Ohne Dich (2004):

There are a lot of other great songs out there by Rammstein, I just thought that I would mention these, because well... Let's be honest... They are a lot of fun!

Rammstein: Haifisch (2009) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

When I was in boarding school there wasn't a whole heck of a lot of things to do after everyone wrapped up the days activities, so one of the things that I used to like to do is to sit on a bench that was behind the backdoor to the kitchen and watch the stars and listen to heavy metal music on my portable CD player (considering the fact that I come from L.A. Where there is no stars hardly ever, and being as it is, having the portable CD player with me was a real treat...)

Well since I left boarding school I have kind of stopped doing though, and so I have to say that it is pretty rare for me to take pause and just spend a few minutes and listen to a truly great song... That has actually happened to me recently when I heard Rammstein's 'Haifisch' (2009) come on Pandora!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="248"] A pretty awesome song![/caption]

Recorded on Universal's label, I have to admit that I found this one to be extremely fun! This song, which got it's first live performance during a show in Berlin (that was limited to fans only), has some great beats, and the vocals were truly awesome, but you know what? The thing that I have to admit that I truly liked about this song is both, but more so then anything, I found that the arrangement of this song just made for a truly kick-ass fun song!

If you get a chance to check it out, I highly recommend doing so, it may not be their best song, but this one I have to say maybe in my top 5 for, 'Rammstein'!

http://youtu.be/CnjcDhNSkXE

Halleluja: Rammstein (2001) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_322" align="alignright" width="258"] Official Score = 1 1/2 Devils[/caption]

I'll tell you this much folks, you might not think so, but German heavy metal is really pretty freaking awesome! I mean I find that some times that they will do some stuff in their music that American heavy metal Artists wouldn't necessarily do... (and that is really saying something, considering the fact that people like, 'Rob Zombie' have songs called, 'Living Dead Girl'...

And one such group that I have found that I really like that comes from Germany, is, 'Rammstein'... Besides the fact that their industrial style of music is completely freakin awesome, their songs oft times tell an epic tale!

And you know what? 'Halleluja'... A song that they did for their 2001 album, Links 2-3-4... May not be the best of this type of music that they did, but it ain't the worst either.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="625"] These monsters of German heavy metal have created a lot of masterpieces... unfortunately, 'halleluja' just isn't one of them...[/caption]

Also released as part of the soundtrack for the original music for, 'Resident Evil', this song was definitely a fun song, I mean it had a lot of the elements that makes Rammstein music so much fun: Stuff that I mentioned above and all... The problem is, is that where as most of these songs are almost like lyrical elements... This song felt like to me like listening to an, 'Avril Lavigne' song... And well... I will be honest and say that I don't hate Avril Lavigne, but she is not at the top of my list of people to listen to... And unfortunately neither is this song by Rammstein!

http://youtu.be/zNnwfv6GWoY

Rammstein: Ohne Dich (2004) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

One of the great things about music that I have found, rather it be listening to, 'Mozart', listening to, 'Seal', listening to Metallica, or listening to, 'Megaherz', that there are some awesome messages attached to some of these songs... A couple of people who do a great job with this is are, 'Metallica', and another one being, 'Rammstein'!

Now I will admit that being that I don't speak German, that what Rammstein could be singing about is their shopping list... (Well at least to some extent I know that, that is not true, and that is because I do know some of the words that are going through their songs... I just have to assume the rest...)

But there is one song, I would say that this is probably one of my favorite songs that Rammstein ever did, and that songs is an amazing and striking power ballad that was done with their classic heavy metal/industrial style, and that song is, Ohne Dich (2004)!

[caption id="attachment_2047" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Rammstein doing, 'Ohne Dich' live.[/caption]

This song, which had initially been played exclusively for members of their fan club in a concert where they tested their beta version of this song... Later this song would be stricken from the 2001 - 2002, 'Mutter' tour but would see the light of day again during the 'Reise' Tour in 2004 - 2005, and from there would continue to be played in almost every tour through out the years...

Along with gaining popularity in the concert circuits, they also created a truly spectacular and powerful music video

In the end, if you haven't heard this song yet, then I would recommend checking it out, if you are a fan of this style of music, then I think you might find that you like this song as well!

http://youtu.be/0PSUYhAmFPA

Why German Heavy Metal Rocks!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] KMFDM, an awesome heavy metal band from, Hamburg Germany![/caption]

For most of you out that are reading this you probably don't generally tend to think about foreign music as being something that people in America would generally listen to... But the truth is, is it is particularly awesome... Although I suspect that the fans that these foreign musicians already have in the United States out there probably know this already!

Well for me it all started one day many years ago when I was a kid and my Dad and I end up listening to a Spanish rap song! Well the truth is, is that I had no idea what they were saying, but in the end, I found that I really enjoyed how the whole song flowed, it was catchy and exciting!

Well the truth is, is that I would not end up listening to another foreign song for a few years, until one day when my sister decided to give me her, 'Rammstein' CD (This was the Sehnsucht album), now at this time, at least in the circles that I was traveling, German heavy metal was just starting to catch on, and you know what? It freaking rocked and still does!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="354"] This may have been the first German heavy metal album that I ever listened to, but in all truth, this album still freaking rocks![/caption]

Besides the fact that these groups generally tend to hold themselves to the traditions of excellence that their American counterparts like, 'Metallica', 'Megadeth' and the like have held themselves to. But not just that, one of the things that I have also found that I really like is the way that German heavy metal groups have some times done things different then their American counterparts!

What I mean by this is like take, 'Rammstein' for example, they have done this a few times, but with their song, 'Mutter' ('Mother' in English), they turned a hardcore, completely kick ass heavy metal song, and made it in to this almost industrial epic!

Another thing that I have found that I really like is the fact that some times German heavy metal groups do things that other American heavy metal groups generally tend to shy away from (I suspect it is because of the cultural differences,) but a great example of this is Rammstein's song, 'Pussy'... A song which pushes the boundaries of sexual promotion!

And yet even another one is one that I believe helped influence, 'Marilyn Manson' in to doing all of the Heavy Metal remakes of classic songs, and well... That is remaking songs... A great example of this is, 'Megaherz' (a heavy metal band out of, 'Munich'), they did a fantastic hardcore industrial version of the classic, 'Falco' song, 'Rock Me Amadeus' (1985)!

[caption id="attachment_2038" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Megaherz...[/caption]

The truth is, is there are a lot of reasons not just to listen to German heavy metal music, but if you haven't yet, try it out, you might like it... I know I did!

Here is a couple of songs to wet your whistle with:

http://youtu.be/6n5bwHCAuL8

http://youtu.be/Ej3BT8LI9kA

http://youtu.be/M6UoQKi5JSk