Rammstein
Reise/Reise

THE REVIEW

Fourth studio album for the Berlin combo and another demonstration of undeniable compositional skills.
Three years have passed since their last effort, three years in which they have garnered acclaim everywhere, strengthening the importance of their name. A great album from the Germans, no doubt... whether it's very similar to the previous Mutter (another great work) doesn't really matter.

Here the tracks are tinged with darkness: the opening title-track and the second "Mein Teil" hit straight like a punch in the stomach, classic heavy cadences, unmistakable style, Rammstein have returned their own way: martial rhythm, great melodic openings, a rain of synths, and their characteristic and articulated singing in their native German language.
It continues with "Keine Lust," in my opinion the best track on the album: a powerful piece that reaches its peak in the melodic and atmospheric interlude, almost demonstrating the group's two faces... a gem! We move forward and surprises arrive: "Los," "Amerika," and "Moskau." "Los" revolves around a simple and repetitive rhythm, almost acoustic but can become quite monotonous, a different discussion for "Amerika." The song in question presents one of the most ingenious lyrics ever written by the six Berliners, all accompanied by a hilarious video and a decidedly impactful chorus. A commercial move? Yes, but also a stroke of genius that will certainly divide the audience.
"Moskau," on the other hand, is another experiment where Till Lindemann's voice is distinctly contrasted by the female singing, including a chorus in Russian. Personally, I found the "T.A.T.U. style" voice irritating and not very convincing, but the piece itself is not bad.
The album continues at consistently high levels until the end when in the album's closure we find two more gems of rare beauty: "Ohne Dich" and "Amour." Here Rammstein's lyricism reaches very high peaks; great atmospheres and profound sensitivity that maybe in the harder tracks are glimpsed with difficulty.

Fourth trial for the group, fourth success. Rammstein are now more than ever a reality and their electronic metal is as convincing as anything out there: REISE/REISE speaks clearly.