Rammstein : " s/t"

After 10 years these guys are back. No line up changes. Their sound is still intact, They have not changed with the times, but still feel fresh. Perhaps the only thing that different is some of the synth sounds. They are worked in a way that is very true to the band. The album opens with the first two singles from the band. They are both very catchy yet not pandering to a wider audience. Either you like what they do or you don't. They are too comfortable with themselves to give a fuck. "Zeig Dich" is more aggressive. It holds a dynamic tension to it's driving beat and thrash guitar. There is more of a techno thump to "Auslander" . It might be as darkly triumphant as the first few songs. The vocals always keep a militant grip to things, but this more upbeat.

They continue on a more upbeat vibe with "Sex". This time with a dose of arena rock. This really high lights how big the production of this album sounds. "Puppe" finds them using dynamics that make this song row darker as it progresses. It also deviates from their standard formula. "Was Ich Liebe"  works off a soaring chorus and enough of the reich n roll we need from these guys. "Dia Mant"is a ballad with  more nuance to the singing. The electronics become more dominant on " Weit Weg" which plays of the strength of their song writing and how they use familiar sounds with a fresh spin on them to reinvent their wheels.

 "Tattoo" works off of solid drumming and a more metallic intent. Their are some really good bass tones on the his album and the last song opens with one of them. IT doesn't  venture as far from the formula as some of the songs, but if it is not broken then why fix it. These guys do that without being and AC/ DC or Motorhead and recycling the same old same old. I will go ahead and round this up to a 10 as the songs that did not feel perfet to me are really just a matter of growing on me. These guys prove why they are at the top of the heap when it comes to industrial metal bands spawned from the 90s.