Information
Date: June 17, 2004
Title: New Album in September
Source: MariskalRock.com
Translation: English translated from Spanish by
Rammspieler and Zauberin
Press Article
This morning we attended a private listening of 8 of the about 11 songs that will be part of German band Rammstein´s new album. A brutal impact is what they have in store for us in september. In a brief interview, Oliver Riedel clears up a few things for MariskalRock.com about the new album, the tour in November, rumors about a possible break-up, the recording sessions, details about the album A brutal impact is what they have in store for us in september... you want more? then keep reading.
The offices of Universal music where in fire this morning. The only advance copy of the so awaited Rammsteins new album had just arrivedand security was especially thight, the listening would be for only a few important media representatives. Inside the German label representative hit the play button before Jose A. Alfonso, representative for Motor Music in our country, told us the album will be released on September, followed by a tour in November. He also informed us that part of the recording process took place at "El Cortijo" (in San Pedro de Alcantará, Málaga), where greats like Rosendo and Judas Priest have done recordings before.
The listening session goes on without a hitch. Then like Howitzers, the songs hit us one at a time like a barrage. The songs that were featured were:
- Reise, Reise
- Amerika
- Mein Teil
- Dalai Lama Or Flugangst
- Keine Lust
- Morgenstern
- Los
Plus a bonus song that could go under the title of "Amour Amour". The general impression was great. Hard, heavy hitting, led on by the guitars by Richard Z. Kruspe-Bernstein and Paul Landers that probably left their wrists sore with the jamming that will leave their fans halucinating and numb. Orchestral arrays recorded in Berlin, with a cualitative tidiness and a creativity that despite the fact that many will find humorous, set the foundations of their sound. A hypnotic post-apocalyptic Metal groove that will perhaps be a little addictive to their fans.
Afterwards we met with a hieratic Oliver in the Palace hotel in Madrid. The first thing we had to ask this pleasant, tall man was if the rumors about a possible break-up were true. Indeed they did think about breaking up, but... "We never wanted to break up. What happened was that after 'Mutter', we went through a 'rough period'. They say that the third album is the most costly and they (the label) put alot of pressure on us. When the pressure from the label was off, it left alot of tension in between us becuase we all had different expectations on the album. So we decided to take a break for a year to think it over and we came to the conclusion that we all really wanted to stay together and keep on going foward." he said. He also told us about possible side projects, including one which he will be colaborating on with Richard Z. Kruspe Bernstein.
The album was recorded in Málaga, which profoundly calls our attention. From the begining we knew that they were recording in Spain, but they never said where. Annonymity? They didn't want anybody to know where they were? When I ask him he automaticly asks me what was my impression. My response was positive. With my own eyes I saw that they wanted to rid themselves of all the external pressure that they went through before. "We chose to record there becuase it was the southernmost studio, were we were going to have the best time We felt that it was a toursy city and we liked the areas were there was little tourist traffic, going off to Tarifa. We avoided places like Puerto Banus even though it was nearby and sometimes we went out for coffee. What we really liked was being on a mountain were we had the studio and the scenery." Oliver told us.
When we finally got around to asking about the new album and how this reaffrims Rammsteins sound, the answer was clear. "It leans more towards classic Rock, it's not very aggresive by our standerds." When he saw my poker face I told him that during the pre-listen I found only two songs to be "slow", so the general impression was that it was going to be a heavy album. He couldn't resist letting out one of the few smiles that he let out during the interview before he told me: "What a relief. We thought that it was a pretty weak album." Well fuck... the next time they do a "soft" album, we'll be putting on our flame-retardant jackets!