Emigrate – A Million Degrees


With fiery Germans Rammstein readying their seventh studio album for early 2019, guitarist Richard Kruspe has chosen the optimum time to release A Million Degrees (Universal/Spinefarm), his third “solo” record under the Emigrate banner.Continue reading


Rammstein – In Amerika


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Rammstein fans have reason to be optimistic. Frontman Till Lindemann confirmed this year that they have started work on a new album (anticipated to arrive in 2017) which will no doubt prompt a world tour. I’m already exited by the prospect.

In the meantime, you can whet your appetite with In Amerika (Spinefarm Records), a concert film of their triumphant 2010 show in Madison Square Garden and features two extras – a 21-minute short showing the making of Liebe Ist Für Alle Da and the star of the show: Rammstein In Amerika – a 2-hour rockumentary chronicling the career of this famously private band.

Following the a well-established rockumentary formula, the most surprising thing about it is its duration. It genuinely doesn’t feel like 2 hours and never once gets boring. This suggests some serious skill on the part of the director, and quick check on IMDB shows that Austrian Hannes Rossacher is an old hand at documentary and working with bands. Indeed, he has worked with Rammstein before (in 2003, on Lichspielhaus – a collection of videos, gig footage, featurettes & TV ads) and deftly delivers a story that’s true to the band’s culture and endearing in its portrayal.

The story starts with the band members in East Berlin, covers their meeting and formation of the band that was to become the Rammstein that has remained unchanged (in terms of members) since 1994 and takes us through the apprenticeship of their early German shows and the release of Herzleid.

The origin story, however, (this is “In Amerika” after all) is treated as preamble. The film’s meat begins with the recording of Sensucht and the band’s first US tour in 1997 with fellow Germans KMFDM, follows their journeyman phase, explains their 10-year absence from the Land of The Free and culminates with their masterful return where they sold out The Garden in less than 30 minutes of pre-sale.

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The outstanding quality of the engaging film-making provides extra colour and depth to the band for existing fans and serves to expose some of the cerebral and emotional qualities of Rammstein that’s hidden from those less familiar behind the shock-rock stories and stage hype. It’s not all about the pyromania.

Wisely avoiding overuse of purpose-shot band footage, Rossacher relies heavily on the band’s own archive footage and interviews from an array of well-known (and not so well-known) faces. This serves to keep the piece grounded and prevents it from becoming the self-parodying fluff that many music DVDs become. Excellent.

In Amerika is available on DVD or Blu-Ray and has the following tracks:

Disc 1 – Madison Square Garden

01 Rammlied

02 Bückstabü

03 Waidmanns Heil

04 Keine Lust

05 Weisses Fleisch

06 Feuer Frei!

07 Wiener Blut

08 Frühling in Paris

09 Ich tu Dir weh

10 Du riechst so gut

11 Benzin

12 Links 2 3 4

13 Du hast

14 Pussy

15 Sonne

16 Haifisch

17 Ich will

18 Engel

 

Disc 2 – Documentary

01 Rammstein In Amerika

02 Making of Liebe Ist Für Alle Da

 

8.0/10

PHILIP PAGE


Music Video: Lindemann – Praise Abort


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Lindemann is streaming the music video for “Praise Abort,” off of their debut album Skills In Pills, out June 23, 2015 via Warner Brothers. The digital single is out May 29th. The project unites vocalist Till Lindemann (Rammstein) and vocalist/guitarist Peter Tagtgren (Hypocrisy/Pain).

LINDEMANN – Praise Abort (official Video) from LINDEMANN on Vimeo.


Lindemann Releasing Skills In Pills On June 23rd in US


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Lindemann, the new project featuring lead singer Till Lindemann (Rammstein) and Peter Tägtgren (Pain, Hypocrisy) will be releasing their long awaited debut album Skills In Pills on June 23, 2015 via Warner Bros Records in the US and June 19, 2015 internationally. The first single “Praise Abort” will be released on May 29, 2015.

The project combines the Rammstein singer’s often hilarious yet utterly filthy lyrics with Tägtgren’s super-modern studio skills and instrumentation.

Skills In Pills Track Listing:
01: Skills In Pills
02: Ladyboy
03: Fat
04: Fish On
05: Children Of The Sun
06: Home Sweet Home
07: Cowboy
08: Golden Shower
09: Yukon
10: Praise Abort
11: That’s My Heart (Bonus Track)

Skills In Pills will be available in the following versions:
Standard (Digipack)
Special Edition (Blu-Ray-packaging, high-quality booklet, bonus track)
12″ Vinyl (gatefold cover, 28-page booklet, bonus track, album-download-code)
Digital
Super Deluxe (Coffee-table-style book with 80 pages, high-quality package, CD with bonus track)

SKILLS IN PILLS will be available in the following configurations:1. Standard Edition(2panel digipack, 28pages…

Posted by Lindemann on Friday, April 24, 2015


Apocalyptica – Shadowmaker


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It is nearly two decades since Apocalyptica first muscled their way into our collective consciousness as “that band that plays Metallica songs on cellos”. What at first appeared merely a neat gimmick has seen them become a fully fledged, credible and long-term band – one who have proved that metal doesn’t need to be played on electric guitar, and a tale of two cities, with big vocal singles such as ‘I’m Not Jesus’ and ‘I Don’t Care’ sat alongside stimulating dark instrumentals. It is this successful formula they look to replicate on eighth album Shadowmaker (Eleven Seven).

Having previously relied on a (frankly impressive) guest list of vocals (including Corey Taylor, Cristina Scabbia, Max Cavalera and Till Lindemann amongst many others), this time around the Finnish cellists have enlisted Franky Perez (Scars on Broadway/Slash) on 7 of the 11 full tracks, the first time they have used the same vocalist across an album.

However, consistency is an issue in the vocal led tracks; first track proper ‘Cold Blood’ is confident, competent and possessing of a strong chorus, and ‘Hole In My Soul’, a simple balladic shuffle, tugs on the cello strings of the heart; not a million miles from the more lachrymose moments of HIM, but ‘Dead Man’s Eyes’ fucking drags on and on becoming a song that fails to evoke any emotion other than annoyance, ‘House of Chains’ could be a Shinedown outtake, and ‘Sea Song’ sees interest wade out amongst the waves.

Meanwhile, the title track gets stronger and more interesting for the lengthy mid-to-late instrumental section, ripping through a Kirk Hammett style lead that segues into a Mercyful Fate darkened ambiance; ‘Reign of Fear’ intrigues and ensnares with mournful cello leads dancing languidly over riffs of varying tempos; and the aural voyage of ‘Til Death Do Us Part’, with its lengthy emotive passages dovetailing with stabs and lurches, is the album highlight.

Ultimately, Shadowmaker shows that the true essence of Apocalyptica lies in the instrumental. Unfettered by the constraints and adamantine chains of a traditional rock song structure they are, as they always have been, at their best, most dynamic and most interesting. Flitting between that and standard rock fare leaves them with a patchwork quilt of an album – the stitching may be great, but the overall aesthetic is muddled.

6.0 /10

Apocalyptica on Facebook

STEVE TOVEY


Rammstein, Hypocrisy Members Form New Project


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Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann and Swedish producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) have formed a brand new project called Lindemann.

Pär Hulkoff, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist for the Swedish industrial metal band Raubtier, posted a comment on the band’s Facebook page claiming to have heard some of the music:

Pekka T (Peter Tägtgren) and Till from Rammstein are unleashing their new powerful band! The small parts I heard really blew my mind! Like the page, and keep your eyes open. This will echo in eternity.
I salute you Peter, my bloodbrother!
//Hulkoff

This comes following Rammstein guitarist Richard Z Kruspe launching his Emigrate project, with a record out via Spinefarm Records. In one interview, Kruspe had spoken about a few live Rammstein DVDs in the works, and in another, he had hinted Lindemann’s formation, while keyboardist Christian “Flake” Lorenz working on a book. But he claims Rammstein is on a break and at some point in the future they may reform to work on new music.

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