An Unstoppable Reign: Rammstein's 'Reise, Reise' Shows Exactly What Makes the Band so Powerful

RAMMSTEIN: REISE, REISE

SCORE: 95/100

Reise, Reise, which translates to "Travel, Travel", is Rammstein's fourth overall album, which followed three years after their massive success with Mutter in 2001. This album brings back their satirical moments through songs like Amerika while keeping a massively heavy and focused sound, leading into a strong follow-up after Mutter that keeps the band's discography exceptionally consistent and thorough. 

The album went through many different changes as it was produced, and songs like Ohne Dich had come out of their sessions working on Mutter, with this album originally being plotted as a concept album before the band eventually stuck to a one-disc format, which would lead to their album Rosenrot coming out only a year later, acting as a collection of outtakes and songs that did not make it onto this album. The material that the band had conceived was flourishing, and it led to an album that is absolutely packed to the brim full of exceptionally high quality music, with their sound being even more polished and sharp following Mutter. The oftentimes ethereal and exceptionally heavy soundscapes from the band's previous album make their way into a new, reevaluated sonic palate for this album, creating something full of heavy bliss. The result is an album that is entirely Rammstein at their core. It mixes the extreme heaviness and originality through Neue Deutsche Härte with the gothic metal influences of Mutter still intertwining throughout the album's style and runtime, and everything that made their previous three albums so incredible are all carried out and reformed through this album. It's something that captures every piece and angle of the band, and it's a project that every fan of the band is sure to adore.

Much of the album's content was inspired by the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123, which remains the most deadly aircraft crash of all time. The story of the crash and the intensity of the situation was an inspiration for some of the lyrics on the album, with other themes such as Westernization (something that the band has battled against since their debut), imperialism, and cannibalism are explored on the album's songs, with one of the songs being based on a real and infamous crime case. 

Reise, Reise continues the band's style and sound incredibly well. It keeps their dark aesthetics in tact while creating something that is unapologetically them. It's aligned with the values that have made up their career, and part of what makes their catalogue so polarizing and important is their downright refusal to make music for a Western audience. They have never been like other foreign musicians - instead of creating songs in English to please American fans, the song Amerika uses English lyrics that are imposed just to mock Americans and the Westernization of music from other countries; a brave statement showcasing that the band will never step down from keeping their culture, language, and sound in tact. Their unapologetic self-expression is something that industrial artists do the best, and although they aren't traditionally industrial, Neue Deutsche Härte shares major similarities to what is most commonly known and labeled as industrial metal.

The album uses some of the orchestral influences that were started through Mutter, creating an album that is full of flair and atmosphere on each song. Every song is different and packed full of incredibly shocking artistry, and it is one of the band's most artistically inclined and impressive projects despite some of the songs being lesser known than material from their previous works. 

Synths, tone shifts, and a reminder of where the band comes from all make up the runtime of the album, creating a perfectly candid portrait of the band that spans decades worth of influences and musicianship put into one album. It's a fierce project that uses unique sounds and styles to create depth and keep the album entirely invigorating, and the project doesn't miss a beat, even when it slows down with Ohne dich or explores politics for the first time in the band's entire career. 

This album helped to mark another turning point for the band, creating an era of cohesion and consistency in what was already a perfectly consistent discography and album run. The band had reigned in various styles even more fiercely than ever before, and although it isn't their heaviest album, it is one of their most potent & important projects through and through.

The entirety of Reise, Reise is consistent and entirely captivating, and it showcases just how potent Rammstein have always been in their artistry from the very beginning, letting this album serve as a reminder of their greatness through sharply focused songs that create otherworldly and intense atmospheres that no other band could possibly compete with.