By Ben Apatoff
Like OZZY before them, RAMMSTEIN confirmed the lunacy of their would-be censors by being far too goofy for anyone who actually listened to their music to even think about inflicting harm. Unlike their self-serious Family Values tourmates (who acted like they were clamoring for the type of bad publicity Rammstein stumbled into,) the German sextet walked MANOWAR's "are-you-freaking-kidding-me" line into fundustrial madness, spectacularly over-the-top shows and most recently, a video that Ron Jeremy would be ashamed of. Call it a gimmick, but even without the video, "Pussy" and the rest of Liebe ist für alle da is catchier, funnier and more creative than anything MARILYN MANSON or ROB ZOMBIE have released in years.
Just as you remembered, Rammstein are impossible to ignore, love them or hate them. They're still screaming their own name more than any major band since THE LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD ("Rammlied,") surrounding eurotrash synth lines with some monstrously aggressive riffs ("Wiener Blut," "Waidmanns Hail") and turning in such impassioned performances that I hope to never find out what any of their songs are really about. Rammstein owes DEPECHE MODE a royalty check for "Haifisch," which Depeche Mode should pay back for making their band sound more fun than they ever really were. If new Rammstein music is meant to provide a soundtrack for their infamous shows, then the title track and "B********" already sound equipped with pyrotechnics and sadomasochist gear. The exuberant "Fruhling in Paris" wears thin, but even that sounds like it'd be a hoot to watch from the mosh pit. Then there's "Pussy," which is either the best bad song or the worst good song of 2009. Yes, it's trashy, but how often is trash this much fun to listen to?
Rating: 3 scheiße videos out of 5
