Rammstein (German pronunciation: [ˈʁamʃtaɪn]) are a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. Throughout their existence, their six-man lineup has remained unchanged — lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe, bassist Oliver "Ollie" Riedel, rhythm guitarist Paul H. Landers, keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz, and drummer Christoph "Doom" Schneider. All band members hail from the former East Germany. Prior to their formation, some members were involved with certain bands such as Feeling B, First Arsch, and Die Firma.
After winning a contest for amateur bands, Rammstein were able to record demo tapes and send them to different record labels; they were eventually signed by Motor Music. Working with producer Jacob Hellner, they released Herzeleid, their debut album, in 1995. Though it initially didn't sell well, they gained popularity through their live performances. Their rise led to the release of their second album, Sehnsucht, two years later. It debuted at number one in Germany and resulted in a worldwide tour that lasted nearly four years. The album also spawned the successful singles "Engel" and "Du hast" and live album Live aus Berlin.
Following the expansive tour, Rammstein recorded and released Mutter in 2001. Six singles were released from the album, all charting in multiple countries throughout Europe. The lead single, "Sonne", reached number two in Germany. After signing with major label Universal Music, they released Reise, Reise in 2004 and had two more singles reach number two in Germany; "Mein Teil" and "Amerika". The following year saw the release of their fifth album, Rosenrot, and a live release, Völkerball, one year after.
The band released their sixth album, Liebe ist für alle da, in 2009, with its lead single, "Pussy", becoming their first number-one hit in Germany, despite having a controversial music video. Afterward, the band entered a recording hiatus and instead toured for several years, releasing the Made in Germany greatest hits album as well as the Rammstein in Amerika and Rammstein: Paris live albums. Rammstein returned with new music in 2019 with the song "Deutschland", which debuted at number one in Germany. Their untitled seventh album is due for release in May 2019.
Rammstein were one of the first Neue Deutsche Härte bands; their Herzeleid album led the music press to coin that term. Their style of music has generally had a positive reception from music critics. Commercially, the band have been very successful, earning many number-one albums as well as gold and platinum certifications in countries around the world. Their grand live performances, which often feature pyrotechnics, have played a part in their popularity growth. Despite success, the band have been subject to some controversies. Their overall image has been subject to criticism, the music video for "Pussy" was interspersed with scenes of hardcore pornography, and the song "Ich tu dir weh" forced Liebe ist für alle da to be re-released in Germany with the song removed from the album due to its graphic lyrics about sex.
