Intelligent industrial metal German band Rammstein's album "Reise, Reise" has become one of my favorite listens. Their strong chords, striking imagery and wry humor combine to create powerful images in the mind.
The songs have been excellently translated over at the Rammstein fan site herzleid.com. These translations are used in the notes that follow. (Ich verstehe Deutsch, aber mein Deutsch ist nicht gut, dass genug, gute Übersetzungen von diesen Liedern zu versorgen)
The first song, "Reise, Reise" deals with a battle of the sea, between seamen, fishes and humans - a call to arms.
Even on the waves there is fighting
Where fish and flesh are woven into sea
One stabs the lance while in the army
Another throws it into the ocean
"Mein Tell", or "my part" is a hard-driving metal thrasher with an unusual theme, a willing human victim to a butcher - based on the real life case of Jurgen Brandes, who was willingly slaughtered by Armin Meiwes. The song was used in "Resident Evil 2:Apocalypse"
Today I will meet a gentleman
He likes me so much he could eat me up
Soft parts and even hard ones
are on the menu
The song "Dalai Lama" is replete with mystical meaning. Nominally, it is about a little boy on an airplane who is feeling afraid, and about the fear of flying. The current Dalai Lama is himself afraid of flying. The song also draws on the rich tradition of lieder such as Schubert's "Erlkonig" based on Goethe's poem "Der Erlkonig"(The Erl King) about a little child haunted by a sinister being, an omen of death - this tale itself is as old as the Jewish tale of Lilith, and later medieval tales of the Elf King.
Onwards, onwards into destruction
We must live until we die
Humans don't belong in the sky
So the lord in Heaven calls
his sons to the wind
Bring me this human child
Article comments
1 - JR
"Keine Lust": I would have translated that as "No Joy" - it's more literal and it works better as a title and summary of the lyrics.
"Freedom is playing on all violins
Music is coming out of the White House"
I wonder if that isn't a vague reference to Nero...
2 - Aaman
"We didn't start the fire"
3 - SFC SKI
Rammstein, and German language in general have some clever wordplay in that the speaker above does not want to do any f those things because he receives no joy from doing them.
This album is not quite as wide ranging in its atmospherics, and not quite as crunchy in the guitars, or as quirky in the keyboards, but it is still a very good album. My kids love dancing around and singing the chorus to "America", too.
4 - Brody
RAMMSTEIN RULES.
5 - Dylan
All of that retarded media just makes me hate reading the paper all over again. It's retarded how they think that just because Rammstein are dark means they are devilish or they represent evil omens. It's crap.
The album by the way, is pure genious, love Reise Reise, Mein Teil,Keine Lust, Los, Moskau, Ohne Dich, and Amour. It's all good. Awesome on your review, it's more detailed then most reviews I find on Reise Reise reviews.
6 - Zap Brannigan
its a pity he didn't write about Ohne dich, because its the darkest song Rammstein ever made...
i understood that a murder happened and now the singer can't find peace because he missses his victim too much. its just awesome...
By the way I never liked Rammstein, but this CD is amazing and my favorite cd ever...