About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Another solid effort from the German industrial progressive metal band.



Pros

• Unique sounding industrial progressive metal.

Cons

• If you don't speak German you won't understand most of the lyrics.

Description

• Released in North America March 28, 2006 on Universal Records.
• Produced by Jacob Hellner and the band.
• This is Rammstein's fifth full-length studio album.

Guide Review - Rammstein - Rosenrot


Rammstein are an acquired taste. Their industrial progressive metal and mostly German lyrics aren't something you hear very often, so it takes a little getting used to. A lot of these songs were recorded at the same time as 2004's Reise, Reise but weren't used for that album. But this is no throwaway album of b-sides and leftovers.

The vocals are the most unusual thing about Rammstein. They are melodic, but sung in a baritone voice, which is a lot lower pitched than most metal vocals. And of course it's impossible to figure out the lyrics unless you are fluent in German. One song on this album is also in Spanish. Sharleen Spiteri from the band Texas is a guest vocalist on one of the songs, and sounds really good. Her part is sung in English.

Rammstein doesn't break any new musical ground on this album. They follow their successful formula of industrial metal with a lot of keyboards and progressive flourishes. It's a formula that has worked well for them, and they don't stray far from it.