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Rammstein music biography continued...

language band internationally. Their sound is considered to be part of the NDH (Die Neue Deutsche Härte) movement which translates into "The New German Hardness" in English. NDH is a hard rock and heavy metal trend that was developed in Germany in the early 1990s. Its signature style combines the distorted sounds of instruments such as the guitar, drums and keyboard with deep, powerful vocals. Current and original members of the band are Till Lindemann (lead vocals), Richard Zven Kruspe (lead guitar), Paul H. Landers (rhythm guitar), Oliver "Ollie" Riedel (electric base), Christopher "Doom" Schneider (drums), and Christian "Flake" Lorenz (keyboards).

Rammstein was formed in 1994 by Kruspe, Riedel and Schneider who were joined by Lindemann, the former drummer of First Arsch, as vocalist. The newly formed foursome entered a contest and won attracting the interest of Landers and Lorenz. The band indirectly derived their name from the tragic 1988 Ramstein Air Show disaster, which killed 67 observers, 3 pilots and injured hundreds. An additional "m" was added altering the meaning to "ramming stone" or "battering man".

Their debut album Herzeleid ("Heartache") was released in 1995 and fared well for their first record. Sehnsucht ("Longing") was issued to years later and is considered Rammstein's breakthrough album entering the German charts at number one due to the mass success of the first single "Du Hast" ("You Have" or "You Hate"). The album also received much acclaim in North America topping the US charts. 2001's Mutter ("Mother") is similar to Sehnsucht thus only considered a sensational album by die hard Rammstein fans. Their fourth album, Reise, Reise ("Travel, Travel") proved to be a number one hit in Germany and reached the Top Ten in several other countries with the popular "Mein Teil" and the controversial "Amerika". Rosenrot was released in 2005 and is their most recent studio album. The band is planning to record a new album in 2007.

Aside from the dark content of their lyrics, Rammstein is often viewed as a controversial act due to the outrageous nature of their live shows. They are renowned for their exploitation of pyrotechnics causing fans to suffer from heat exhaustion on numerous occasions. Their use of fire has become so excessive that the band has hired pyrotechnic professionals to ensure safety (Lindemann is a licensed pyrotechnician himself). Also, the band has been attacked several times for preaching demonic and Nazi ideals, however they have made clear and accurate statements explaining such accusations to be false. Several sources have claimed that the two teenaged boys involved in the Columbine High School massacre were avid Rammstein fans, yet the band persists that their lyrical content could never persuade an individual to perform such a horrid act of violence.