review  by Dimitris "Heartcollector83" Theodoropoulos____   

This was one of the 3 most anticipated albums for me for a couple of years along with the last year's Nevermore album " Enemies of Reality" and the new Thorns album which is still unknown when it'll be released. After the incredible Mutter, I, a huge Rammstein fan,  was really curious to see how this band could continue making such great records. Mein Teil was the first single of the album and I was a bit disappointed by it because it didn't have that powerful feeling that made Rammstein so famous. Then I heard the second single of the album Amerika, which I liked a lot and I still love it but a change in the band's sound was noticeable. I thought it's just 2 songs and I hoped that the rest of the album was going to have songs in the usual Rammstein style with clever, heavy and fast riffs. I was very surprised with Reise Reise and I have mixed feelings about it. I really miss the good old Rammstein but on the other hand this album has amazing melodies and almost all songs are excellent. Let's check each song separately :

1. Reise, Reise - Not the best possible song for an opener but judging from how the rest of the songs sound it's probably a good decision. Starts slow with a nice riff and keyboards on the background and then a great riff follows. The chorus is excellent and overall one of the few songs in this album that is a classic Rammstein song.

2. Mein Teil - This song was chosen to be the first single of the album and I still wonder why. It doesn't have the chorus that will stick in your head and it's a slow song with not a really catchy melody or something like that to help it become a good selling single. The video clip version of the song is slightly different from the album version, in the cd the song starts with the main riff and doesn't have the keyboard intro of the video. In comparison with the rest of the songs it's just a good song.

3. Dalai Lama - Starts with a familiar Rammstein riff but then it doesn't continue the way I expected it. Heavier guitars kick in later and the song overall is slow with an amazing verse (is it a chorus?) in the middle. It's the longest song in duration (5.39) but I never get bored of it. It could easily be in the Sehnsucht album, the mood of the song and the style of it fit perfectly with that album. Overall I love this song.

4. Keine Lust - The first time I said to myself : at last a song that reminds me of Rammstein! The heavy riff that kicks in after the short keyboard intro is a classic Rammstein riff and has the speed and heaviness that have established the band.

5. Los - I happen to have a personal problem with this song. Although some might say it doesn't sound like the song that could stick in your mind I love this song a lot and maybe it's my album favourite. It starts again with familiar Rammstein riff played on acoustic guitars, then the drums give the rhythm and while I wait for the same riff to start again with heavy guitars and distortion it continues the same way it started. A very clever riff and it has stuck on my head for some days now. A very cool song with a simple structure.

6. Amerika - This song will become the second most famous Rammstein song after the huge success of Du Hast. The main melody of the song is just so catchy I am trying to remember how many years ago have I heard such a catchy melody and such a clever chorus. Once again the whole song is not so close to the band's usual sound although at the end of the song there is a heavy riff that reminds us that it’s actually a Rammstein song. Of course Till's voice is always a trademark. This song features a short guitar solo which is simply amazing and fits the song very well.

7. Moskau - Another strange song which has some lyrics in Russian and a lady singing them (some say it's Tatu but very likely they're not, in the booklet too appears the name of another person). Majestic song with a great chorus where German and Russian language get together. Rammstein have done it again and this song is another excellent addition in this album and I must not forget to mention the accordion solo which rules.

8. Morgenstern - This song has a great refrain and a great rhythm overall. Again the melodies are amazing and Till proves that he can sing melodic songs easily. The guitars play a nice heavy riff in the first minute.

9. Stein Um Stein - Starts very slow with a beautiful melody and it's a very emotional song. The main melody is so nice and Till's voice shines on this one. Typical but nice chorus. Till does some screams in this song and the ending scream is very cool that comes right after the chorus.

10. Ohne Dich - Orchestral intro with Till singing on the slow melody with much feeling. A great ballad which is in the same melancholic mood like most of the album is and the middle section of the song has a beautiful orchestra part. Overall it's one of the best ballads Rammstein have ever written.

11. Amour - They must have kept the best for the end. What a song Amour is. Again an excellent intro with a slow and melancholic melody. The chorus is simply excellent, you must listen to this song. So sad and emotional, so much passion put in this song. Amour must be a special song for the band. The song ends with a heavy riff played a couple of times and thus ends the new Rammstein album.

My final comments on Reise Reise : it's an excellent album, with some very dramatic songs. The mood overall the album is melancholic and all songs are amazing. I just can't find a weak moment apart from Mein Teil maybe. The band has changed a lot but hopefully the inspiration is still with them and this time they surprise us with songs we never thought we would hear from them. The melodies through out the album are so clever and beautiful, Flake has done an exceptional job and Till's voice sounds better than ever. If you liked the Mutter title track you'll surely love this album. Some bands never fail to surprise you!

rating:   9.3/10

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