Album Details

• Artist: Rammstein
• Album: Mutter
• Label: Motor Music
• Year of Release: 2001
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2012-05-28

A string of world-wide touring that followed Rammstein's entrance into the world-wide rock scene's visibily (the album Sehnsucht) kept them out of the studio for years, building their name through technologically dazzling pyrotechnics and theatric performances. Rammstein was fast becoming synonymous with pure industrial entertainment, whether in recorded or live formats. By the time everything slowed down enough to return to the studio, the material for Mutter was already in the process of being constructed. The results, for more than a few fans, remain the band's career-defining moment in terms of recorded material.

As they seem apt to do from album to album, Rammstein take a notably different approach to the concepts, themes and songwriting stylings on Mutter compared to their previous two albums. (Mostly) gone are the pulsing, club-industrial electronic leanings of Sehnsucht and, to a lesser degree, the bare-boned animosity of Herzeleid. Mutter offers a far more thought-provoking and emotive album, but with no real lack in the band's driving, aggressive metal mindset. "Mein Herz Brennt" really defines this approach from the onset, with the band's typical sharp riffing and ably-kept percussion keeping pace between grand, sweeping orchestral passages and a seemingly more emotionally invested Till Lindemann providing deep, soaring vocals. Nowhere has the band's militaristic mindset been more clearly defined than on "Links 234", with it's drilled marching rhythms. This was one of the album's more notable singles. For my money, "Sonne" is still one of Rammstein's finest moments, featuring a fantastic main riff and a beautifully written chorus. The rest of the record is at it's worst solid and at it's best remarkably entertaining, such as on the poetic title track, the moving melodies of "Spieluhr", the undeniably epic chorus of "Zwitter", the violent sexuality of "Rein Raus" and the bleak-yet-beautiful outro, "Nebel".

Mutter was, at the time, Rammstein's most complete and thorough effort to date. An album packed full with memorable riffs, melodies and lyrics, it marked a signifigant combination of statements for the band. First and foremost, that they would not be the sort of overnight sensation that rested on their accomplishments, would not be one-hit wonders or anything of the sort. Second, and perhaps most importantly, the more mature nature of Mutter showed that Rammstein was a band capable of offering much more than most were ready to give them credit for.    

User Reviews and Comments

on 2009-03-20 Meisho_san Said:

My favourite Rammstein album
Rating: 9/10