Review by Dream_Taster
1997’s “Sehnsucht” is the second studio album from the most exposed German singing band on earth, Rammstein. In their characteristic style, quite difficult to label, but I guess close to Industrial Metal. Those six former East-Germans reached a status of international stars with this very album, especially in the United States, all of this starting after some of their songs were selected for a movie soundtrack ['Lost Highway' by David Lynch]. Then, this album just overwhelmed everybody who had the chance to listen to it, and all of this despite of the fact that all the songs use the natural language of the band, German. It even became mandatory for the band to sing in German since it has become one of the trademark of their music.
After you’ll unpacked the CD from its freaky artwork, it’s nearly impossible to put it back in there as it’s so unusual and transporting! Repetitive chorus, slow mechanical rhythms, hypnotic lyrics and odd keyboard lines make “Sehnsucht” into a curiosity that only the discovery of their first album “Herzeleid” can tied.
“Sehnsucht” is a collection of eleven songs, all around 4 minutes, and all so indispensable to the ambient atmosphere of the album. From the eponymous opener to the controversial “Küss Mich Fellfrosch” [I won’t translate that one, find out by yourself!], every song is an oeuvre d’art. True radio hits, especially in Germany, ‘Engel’ and ‘Du Hast’ are both amongst the best songs ever written by Rammstein. But it’s almost impossible to find a weak link on this album! ‘Eifersucht’, ‘Spielt Mit Mir’,... every track is worth a thousand words. My personal favorites are still ‘Klavier’, a odd ballad through the eyes of a sick mind, both heavy and melodic, and ‘Sehnsucht’, catchy as hell.
Rammstein is a phenomenon that needs to be checked out quickly if you still don’t know it. While their first album “Herzeleid” is probably better in the whole, “Sehnsucht” is without a doubt a great introducer to their music. Dark and complex lyrics add to the mystery that [still] follows the band, twisted emotions arise and Rammstein prevails.
