Rammstein are one of those bands that are so utterly thrilling live, and so utterly invested in their performance, that any chance to witness them (in the flesh, or on screen) is to be welcomed. This particular set actually dates back to 2010 and the start of the ‘Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da’ tour, so the timing of this release is, perhaps rather strange, but it’s an undeniably electric performance that showcases the German Industrial metallers at their very best and playing America for the first time in almost a decade, which explains the near-hysteria that greets them. Everything about Rammstein, even from the very earliest days, is conducted on a massive scale, as if their mechanistic tunes could survive nothing less than being played on the biggest stages and through the largest PA systems, and when you look at the ecstatic reaction of the monstrous crowd, you can see that the band, seemingly despite their awesome presence, connect on a very primal level for all of the fire and fury that they use to obfuscate their humanity.
Filmed in pristine HD (it’s really worth buying the blu ray if you have the means to play it) and in a manner perfectly designed to capture the grandeur of the band’s performance, the direction is perfectly suited to the material, with sweeping long shots bringing a regular sense of perspective and enough close ups to give the viewer a more intimate view of the on-stage antics. It is an incredibly well-filmed set and it’s good to see that the director has chosen a restraint that stands in stark contrast to the deranged behaviour of the band, allowing the enormity of the spectacle to speak for itself rather than trying to augment it with entirely unnecessary effects. No less impressive is the audio which is loud and wonderfully clear. The surround mix is particularly strong and only Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode really compete when it comes to delivering a live surround mix of such depth and clarity. For those with 2.0 set ups only, the uncompressed stereo mix is no less impressive, and Rammstein successfully keep their reputation as one of the tightest live acts on the planet.
Opening with the band literally hammering their way through the backdrop and with Till Lindemann looking for all the world like a futuristic version of Pennywise the clown with his illuminated mouth and horrific costume, Rammstein kick start the set with the slow-motion horror of ‘Rammlied’ and immediately the venue erupts. From then on the band waste no time devastating their audience (and each other) in every way possible with a brutal mix of live favourites (‘Benzin’, ‘links 2 3 4’, ‘sonne’ & ‘du hast’) and new tracks from the (then) just released ‘Liebe ist fur alle da’. It’s a heady mix, and although there’s some crossover with the thrillingly comprehensive Volkerball, there’s enough new material here (not to mention the new stage show) to tempt fans out of their hard-earned cash. The stage set is particularly impressive, a horrific glimpse of the future torn straight from a mix of the Terminator, Hannibal Lecter and H. R. Geiger. There’s a gleeful sadism in the band’s presentation, whether it be unleashing fire from mouth-mounted flame throwers, chasing the ever pliable Flake (keyboards) around the stage or coating the front rows of the audience with foam from a giant penis canon, the latter spectacle being equal parts GWAR and Marquis De Sade, and the pulsing, throbbing industrial music provides the perfect soundtrack throughout.
Offering not just a concert but an impressive documentary, ‘Rammstein in Amerika’ offers up the eponymous documentary, a two-hour exploration of the band’s continued relationship with the States. It is without doubt one of the most interesting music documentaries produced about a contemporary act and it charts everything from the very first visit of the musicians (not actually in Rammstein at the time) to the USA just after the fall of the Berlin Wall through the early tours in tiny venues to the band’s eventual arrival at Madison Square Garden. It’s an amazing journey with plenty of highs and lows and the film makers did a great job of unearthing a huge amount of archival footage, video clips and live shows to augment the tale. The icing on the cake is that the film offers a variety of talking heads (Kiefer Sutherland, Marilyn Manson, Iggy Pop, Munky and more) all of whom try to describe the difficulties Rammstein faced in their slow climb up the mountain of American opinion. Not only do these stars contribute a very useful commentary on the American music scene, but they all resist the temptation for self-aggrandisement and show real affection and respect for Rammstein in the process. The only people who do not come out of the documentary so well are a couple of industry types who, despite valiantly attempting to appear human, clearly view Rammstein solely in terms of their dollar value at any given time. The only exception is Bob Biggs, the head of Slash records, who demonstrates a genuine passion for music in general and for the exciting, utterly different music of Rammstein in particular, and he stands in stark contrast to the other two who represent all the worst traits of the industry of entertainment. Any concern that a two hour documentary about the band might strain the boundaries of interest is quickly dispelled – ‘Rammstein in Amerika’ proves to be a fantastic film, full of insight and historical details, and it is one of those rare documentary films that is well worth a repeat viewing.
Overall you can’t fault the Rammstein in Amerika package – either one of the discs could easily have been released separately and few fans would have complained. The two-hour documentary is absolutely stunning, well-filmed and directed and stuffed with anecdotes and archival clips that really bring the band’s back-story to life. The concert is an HD marvel, beautiful to behold and sonically stunning. With flawless image and sound it is clear demonstration material and the show itself is a spectacular event, a stand-out moment in the band’s career as they return to the US after a ten-year absence to find that their status had grown exponentially in the intervening period. One of the best DVD/Blu ray packages released by any band, this is an absolute treat for Rammstein fans.
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