RAMMSTEIN

Sixteen years' worth of material represented by 16 tracks, including one new song ("Mein Land") and the common denominator on RAMMSTEIN's "Made in Germany: 1995 – 2011" is the consistency of style. If one didn't know any better, he might not even realize this to be a greatest-hits collection since for the most part the RAMMSTEIN stamp is omnipresent across the album, a handful of minor detours notwithstanding. The approach does not give the impression of stagnation however, but of progression within an established stylistic framework. Whatever the opinion of the methods employed by the Germans over the years, the fact remains that they've written numerous songs that are as uniquely catchy as they are ironclad tough.

The RAMMSTEIN trait most frequently heard on "Made in Germany" is the militaristic march, as defined by a basic, steel-belted riff and the mechanistic tank-division rumble of the rhythm section, a close second the deep/guttural, rather menacing voice of Till Lindemann. Odds are that those are the first two characteristics that come to mind whenever the average music fan thinks of RAMMSTEIN. The most prominent of those patented marches, whether flecked or infused with electronics and samples, includes "Links 234", "Du Hast", "Keine Lust" (reminding to a degree of the MARILYN MANSON riff march),"Ich Will", and "Sonne". That's not to say that there aren't effectual variations on the theme, as "Mein Teil" with its creepy whispered croak and pronounced effects and "Mein Herz Brennt" with its symphonic keyboard slashes both demonstrate. "Engel" is a great opener in that it sets the tone with that whistled melody, bubbling industrial keyboard line, and a riff doesn't so much march as roll with a beefy grove.

Though movements into less familiar terrain may not often be of the daring sort, several tracks do show a comparatively different side of RAMMSTEIN. The electronics and cadence of "Due Riechst So Gut" gives it an almost bouncy quality, while "Haifisch" is downright peppy. One of RAMMSTEIN's biggest hits, "Amerika" hooks in a more traditional, radio friendly sense, yet does so without a loss of edginess. Sung entirely in English, "Pussy" is juvenile in its lyrical directness and irresistibly so. It is the elegant "Mutter" that diverges most from the chosen path as a song that is about as epic and beautiful as you'll hear from RAMMSTEIN. New track "Mein Land" would seem to be indicative of a more diverse direction for the band, defined as it is with exotic flourishes and a more purely danceable form.

Maybe not an album for the fan that already owns the original releases, save for the completists and those for which remastering is paramount, but it is one that in no uncertain terms should be purchased for anyone looking to take the RAMMSTEIN plunge. That is especially the case for those that may not realize how much the band has brought to the international music scene or that only know the sextet for tunes like "Amerika". Though this review pertains to the single-CD, standard digipak version, "Made in Germany: 1995-2011" is also available as a 2-CD digipak that includes remixes and a Super Deluxe limited edition (1,200 copies in the U.S.) comprised of the "best-of" and remix CDs, and three DVDs, all packaged in a steel box with a 240-page booklet. No matter the version, the one certainty is that RAMMSTEIN will never sound like anyone other than RAMMSTEIN. Thus far, they've proved themselves with an ability to write memorable material. Let's see what the next 16 years brings.