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44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another rock solid Rammstein record, November 29, 2005
Even though Rammstein released a new album only a year after their 2004 release, "Reise, Reise," and several of the songs on "Rosenrot" are b-sides from the 2004 recording sessions, it is an unfair statement to say the new album is "Reise, Reise: Part 2." Sure, the chugga-chugga riffs that 1998's "Sehnsucht" had are still mostly missing, but "Rosenrot" is not nearly as dark or brooding as its predecessor. And six of the songs on here are "Reise, Reise" out-takes, but five of the songs are new, and it's hard to tell which are which. On this, Rammstein's fifth record, the German industrial metal machine offsets artsy songs with full-fledged rockers. "Wo Bist Du" contrasts guitar crunch with a wind instrument of some kind, and some beeping synthesizers; track six is almost a power ballad with soft strumming and female singing; and "Ein Lied" even finds a choir joining the scene. But, conversely, there is still plenty of stuff to snap your neck to. "Spring" has snarling vocals in the verses and heavy, pounding riffs in the choruses; "Zerstoren" has chug and churn guitars which almost make your speakers vibrate; and "Hilf Mir" ends with explosive riffs that take turns with cool piano playing. Two other standout tracks are "Mann Gegen Mann" and "Feuer und Wasser." These songs make good use of a soft-loud dynamic, with restrained verses and thunderous choruses. All in all, "Rosenrot" is not Rammstein's finest work to date, but it is yet another very solid album from a very solid band. It isn't a mindblowing album, but it will surely satisfy and solidify a strong fan base. If you're a fan and you can find it, definitely grab it.
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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reise, Reise: Part 2? Maybe. And why not?, January 11, 2006
This is a hard review for me to write. I'm a fan of every single Rammstein track, album, Live performance, video... you get the idea. When I first heard Rosenrot, I was torn as I tried to figure out whether I was listening to musical genius or the fall of a great band. Sounds scary, but rest assured- I love this album.
So where's the controversy? To understand Rosenrot, you need some background. Shortly after the release of Reise, Reise, Rammstein found themselves a bit disillusioned with touring (where someband members began to feel the weight of fans' demand for over-the-top shows), and with their record company (as they were only one album short of fulfulling their contract and re-negotiating their terms). Returning to the studio briefly, the band agreed that there was enough material leftover from the previous album to begin a work originally called Reise, Reise Part 2. Adding in some new tracks, Rammstein quickly pushed out the successor that became Rosenrot, which they now felt was strong enough to be a stand-alone album, and not just a Part 2.
So is Rosenrot just a half-baked attempt to fulfill some random obligations? Not in this reviewer's opinion. A few tracks will definately grate on some listener's ears (Stirb Night vor Mir is the un-popular choice here), but all of the fuss over only a small number of hit-or-miss tracks should tell you something about the history of the band. Rammstein fans are used to releases full of potential singles, where nary a weak song exists. Even if you wind up passing on a few tracks, what's left is brutally fun music that's well worth the purchase price. Right off the bat, the album opens up with Benzin and Mann Gegen Mann, guitar-heavy tracks that will please Rammstein fans of any era. Rosenrot, Spring, and Wo Bist Du seem like softer, nearly ballad-like songs at face value, but listen closely and you'll hear that Rammstein's still rocking full-force for a big chunk of the time.
That's when Stirb Nicht vor Mir hits, and it's honestly not that bad. Sure, it starts out sounding a little too close to country music for most Rammstein fans' tastes. And yes, Rammstein should have contacted their normal female vocalist, Bobo. But the replacement used isn't quite as bad as some will make her out to be. And even if you hate it, just hit Fast-Forward. This puts you at Zerstören, my personal favorite from the album. It's hard-hitting, and the main guitar riff is one that every listener will be trying to get out of their head for days to come- brilliant. A short jog through the near-power-ballad of Hilf Mir, and you're at Te Quiero Puta!. This track is a wonder, as it's performed entirely in Spanish. Trumpets blend with metal guitar to make an addictive blend, and it's one of the album's top tracks. Rosenrot closes with two softer songs, Feuer und Wasser and Ein Lied. A soft ending to a lot of rocking.
Overall, Rosenrot sounds like all the band members are having a lot of fun. Guitars range from heavy to experimental, some keyboard semi-solos recall the days of Herzeleid or Sehnsucht, and the whole time, the tracks maintain the epic sense of production value that Reise, Reise brought to the table. It's interesting, experimental, and even bordering on awkward at times as the band stretches its musical wings- but it's all still Rammstein through and through, and Rosenrot is a great addition to any collection.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Feuer und Wasser Kommt Hier Zusammen, November 30, 2005
This album is Rammstein's greatest ever, a seamless fusion of the varied styles present in their previous releases. While musically it is most similar to Mutter, it incorporates the flowing melodies of Reise, Reise and the outright punch of Sehnsucht.
It starts strong with "Benzin", a bombastic track punctuated by sirens and ending with some very sound advice about parting from things. This flows neatly into "Mann Gegen Mann", the hardest-rocking track on the CD, very similar in tone to "Tier" from Sehnsucht.
The title track is phenomenal, dark and haunting and driven by a bass rumble that grabs you and holds on. It makes good use of the melodic side of Till's voice, as does "Wo Bist Du?", my personal favorite song. It sounds straight off RR, with its orchestral backing (an element of RR that is mostly missing from Rosenrot, unfortunately) and soaring and plunging vocals that span Till's entire range.
"Spring" is both musically appealing and, if you speak German, deeply disturbing. It conveys more horror than any other Rammstein song, which is quite the accomplishment, given the previous release of songs such as "Heirate Mich" (Herzeleid).
The weakest points of this album are "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir" and "Te Quiero Puta!". "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir" is, as Flake said during one of the chat sessions which followed the release, an embarassment. The worst of it is that it could have been amazing if the female singer had a) sung in German and b) been either Bobo or Viktoria Fersch, both of whom have contributed to previous Rammstein albums. Let's face it: as talented as Sharleen Spiteri is, her voice does not suit German metal. AT ALL. "Te quiero puta!" is just annoying. Till's Spanish is appalling. Good thought, though. It might have worked for a less hardcore band, as a humourous number.
"Hilf Mir" and "Feuer und Wasser" are both excellent. "Feuer und Wasser" shows, like "Adios" (Mutter), just how good Richard Z. is with that guitar. Add Till's voice and you see why no German metal band has ever come close to the greatness of Rammstein, and why probably none ever will.
"Ein Leid" is a perfect conclusion to the album, a song about the power of music over both the artists and the listeners. It's slow and personal and makes the music of Rammstein more intimately real.
Even if you don't like Rammstein, buy this album. It'll change the way you see music forever.
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