Rammstein Returns: Thoughts From An Obsessed Fan

As an ardent Rammstein fan, I’m clearly required by RammLaw to have a strong opinion on the new songs and video released today, right?

Naturally.

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first.  

Yes, there is a negative.  

The music video for lead single Pussy which was released today (on an adult webcam site, no less) is a little disappointing.  It’s clearly not their best work.

This is not the end of the world, mind you, as even an obsessed fan like myself will admit that Rammstein’s music video work to date is a bit spotty.  Let me explain.

Considering the provocative teaser clips shown beforehand and the fact that it was directed by the same guy behind another of Rammstein’s middling video efforts, Mann gegen Mann, the fact that the video for Pussy is somewhat mediocre doesn’t actually come as that much of a surprise.

It’s pretty much Rammstein porn, albeit humorous Rammstein porn done with tongue planted firmly in cheek, and little more.

But leading with a single like this certainly isn’t unprecedented in Rammstein lore.  Benzin’s video leading the album Rosenrot was less controversial but just as goofy in its own way.  Keine Lust may not have been the lead single for its album, Reise, Reise, but it was in the same vein as Pussy in that it was a lighthearted video meant to be catchy and funny and little more.  Mann gegen Mann’s video, as discussed earlier, combined a heavy dose of controversy with very little storytelling, making for a male-centered counterpart to Pussy.  

So, take the controversy and heavy nudity of Mann gegen Mann, flip the gender focus a bit, then combine that with Keine Lust for humor value and you have the group’s newest music video.

In tone and its heavy use of English the song itself is quite close to Amerika, only more humorous and less political.  Amerika’s video was certainly the better one, but I’m not ready to make a statement on which song I consider better yet.  I think the music of Pussy just might be able to hold its own it that fight.  We’ll see.

Am I devastated that the new video isn’t all I’d hoped it would be? 

Honestly, no.  

Clearly Rammstein had a lot of fun with this song and it definitely carries over into the listening experience.  Sure both song and video might lack depth, but I don’t think every Rammstein song or video has to be ultra serious to be enjoyable.  I think there’s certainly a place in the Rammstein cannon for a dose of pure fun, pure mockery, pure vulgarity.

From what I’ve heard there’s going to be plenty more opportunities on this album to make a more traditional, darker, deeper video complete with interesting storyline and all that jazz.  I hope they make good on the opportunity before this album cycle is over, but in the meantime, I’m going to enjoy what they’ve given me.

Even if I think Rammstein is at their best when playing the role of serious storyteller, that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy them goofing off like this.  

As long as they don’t turn the whole album into a joke, which I hardly think is going to be a problem, this should act as a nice breather from the Rammstein norm.

Besides, every Rammstein fan knows that what the band least likes to deliver is exactly what you expect.  By not making this album’s first video another Mein Teil, another Sonne, another Rosenrot, they’ve succeeded in that respect.

All that said, anyone who is still downhearted about the sex-filled kickoff to Liebe ist für alle da need only listen to Rammlied to have their spirit renewed.  

Rosenrot had me a little worried that the band had lost their aggressive edge; lost their ability to deliver that pure industrial brilliance which no other band could deliver in quite the same way.

Rammlied is a spectacular dose of what Rammstein does best the likes of which we haven’t heard since perhaps as far back as the Mutter era.  

There is no pop tinge to this.  There is only beautiful industrial aggression combined with Till’s wonderful voice leading us along in a self-referential chant, something we haven’t really seen from them since Herzeleid.  We get to hear not only his glorious higher-pitched singing voice which we came to love so much on Reise, Reise and Rosenrot, but also that signature guttural growl which had become all too rare on their recent work.  

Pussy is a wonderful song.  I can appreciate it for what it is, even if it’s not what I like best about Rammstein, as long as its style doesn’t dominate the album like their previous two releases.

But Rammlied is what really makes me excited for Liebe ist für alle da.  Rammlied proves that not only does the band still have what it takes to make a truly kickass industrial romp, but also that the upcoming album could contain the most variety of any Rammstein album yet.

The three songs I’ve heard so far certainly suggest as much.  All completely different, yet all brilliant in their own way.

I can’t wait to hear more.

Bist du traurig und allein, wir sind zurück, schalte ein, Rammstein!