If you like me started listening to the band with Mutter, chances are you might have found Rammstein’s sophomore album Sehnsucht a bit tasteless. Before the release of Mutter I wasn’t keen on the German band and I prefer to shut the reasons up. Fortunately for me, the many singles off Mutter were to be played alot on TV, so that’s how I got introduced to the band. Mutter is Rammstein’s ultimate masterpiece and probably among my three all time favourite albums. Besides I doubt the guys’ new album Reise Reise will be as good as their latest release, but I can’t wait to get it.

The first time I listened to Sehnsucht I indeed found that album to be tasteless compared to Mutter. In fact, what makes Mutter so good in addition to a collection of rousing tunes, is the addition on some of the tracks of string arrangements and recordings done by the Filmorchester Babelsberg and it really adds a whole new dimension to the music. However, since I will be headbanging this December in Basel, I thought I should give Sehnsucht a couple more listens. In fact, Sehnsucht has been playing in my car for the last four weeks and probably until I get my hands on Reise Reise in a few days or so. Sehnsucht is definitely a great album and doesn’t sound tasteless to my ears anymore.

Rammstein is a hell of a great experience and their semi-industrial Teutonic chirurgical metal will haunt you anywhere you dwell. Sehnsucht isn’t however as easy as Mutter to listen to and as I stated before it needs more listens to really sink into it. The use of keyboards isn't as prevalent as it is on Mutter and there’s also no classical elements in this recording. You can listen to their albums so many times and never get bored of because of the diversity of their music. I agree that they tend to sound clinically cold and martial and also a bit repetitive, but every song is of a high standard and the album has a real lasting quality. The driving, unrelenting, hypnotising and exciting riffs are deadly infectious and they intoxicate you to the paroxysm and lead you to a metal orgasm. I have yet to be bored by any of their songs.

I strongly believe the use of German language is an essential component of their identity and also what makes them so interesting and powerful, yet a bit too rigid sometimes. However, I highly recommend you guys check out the lyrics if you’re not fluent in German, otherwise you might end up like me singing “Bestrafe Mich, Bestrafe Mich, Bestrafe Mich” without any knowledge of its meaning, until an elder woman in you company looks at you smiling and probably thinking that she can give you more “Bestraffen” (I guess you figure it out by yourself) ! Had I myself discovered the band with this release, I would have called it a masterpiece.