Haifisch

With a title that sums up their admirable refusal to pander to English-speaking audiences, Made in Germany: 1995-2011 celebrates the 16-year career of Neue Deutsche Härte outfit Rammstein, one of the few European rock bands to make any impression in both the U.K. and U.S. Spanning their six studio albums, from the synth-heavy theatrics of "Du Riechst So Gut" (from 1995 debut Herzeleid) to the glam-tinged vaudeville of "Haifisch" (from 2009's Liebe ist für alle da), alongside a brand new recording ("Mein Land"), the 16-track collection certainly justifies their rather provocative reputation. "Links 2-3-4" is an aggressive statement of defiance against the allegations of fascism and Nazism that had followed them around ever since they burst onto the scene, the brooding symphonics of "Mutter" soundtracks a dark tale of a neglected son murdering his mother…

Rammstein were formed in 1993 by an assembly of factory-weary proletarians raised in East Germany. They took their name (adding an "m") from the location of a German tragedy where 80 people were hurt and killed as the result of a crash during an American Air Force flight show. (The literal translation of "ram stein" is a battering ram made of stone.) Word of Rammstein's horror/romanticist blend of theater and music one-time Olympic swimmer Till Lindemann would sing entire songs engulfed in flame from head to toe spread quickly.