Sonically, the band lashes the clangorous legacy of industrial countrymen like Einsturzende Neubaten to the simpler, head-banging power chords of metallurgists like the Scorpions, Rammstein's front line of rasping, squealing guitars laced with synthesizer and pummeled by splashy drum work. The music's focal point is vocalist Till Lindemann, who half-sings, half-bellows in a guttural bass that makes most metal men sound like countertenors, an effect underscored by Lindemann's beefy, muscular physique as he stalks the stage. His macho growl and restless movement contrast with the largely motionless postures of his bandmates, which include a vampiric guitarist, a rail-thin keyboardist, and an even more spectral, bald bassist whose black-taped skull nods to S&M couture.

A massive stage set that's one part Borg, one part Blade Runner, onstage pyrotechnics, and piercing klieg lights that sweep the vast crowd pointedly synthesize Third Reich with apocalypse as rapturous fans sing along with "Du Hast" ("You Hate") or "Heirate Mich" ("Worship Me"). When the mesmerizing sturm und drang finally pauses, it's due to a graphic, simulated homosexual rape (on "Bueck Dich") that earns this tape its advisory, and will repulse all but the most ardent fans. --Sam Sutherland

The "Buch Dich" track has been edited out of the DVD version, but this is not a censored DVD; it's just the only one available, at least in Region 1 NTSC format. The only way to see "Buch Dich" is by picking up the VHS tape. If you're trying to decide between the two formats, I'd say the DVD is tops, hands down. I have both, and since I've gotten the DVD I haven't picked up the VHS even once. The video and audio are superior to that of the VHS, and the VHS doesn't have any of the additional features you can find on the DVD.

Speaking of video and audio, they're both pretty good, but not great. There's some minor artifacting in the video due to the onstage smoke effects combined with the fact that this is just a single layer disc. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound seems to be a bit lacking in bass (though the band never has been all that heavy on it) and the rear channels mostly only play crowd noise. But again, this DVD is definately the best way to enjoy a Rammstein concert, aside from actually being there.


Even if you have the VHS version.....   November 24, 1999
 40 out of 40 found this review helpful

....you should definitely consider purchasing this concert on DVD! This version contains some additional treats NOT included on the VHS version. However, in all fairness, there is one song missing from the DVD - "Bueck Dich" has been omitted. This song is included on the uncensored version of the VHS (USA release and Euro PAL format). The following is a summary of some of the special inclusions on the DVD version:

Multi camera shots of the individual members of Rammstein for the songs "Tier", "Du Hast" and "Rammstein". An interview is included (translated sub-titles) with clips from all Rammstein videos. A contest to challenge your Rammstein knowledge (consisting of 140 questions) is playable from your CD-ROM using Windows. As a bonus track, the entire video for "Stripped" is included.

Convinced? I hope so. Because if you have never experienced Rammstein Live - this is the next best thing to actually being there!


Mein Herz Brennt   January 13, 2003
 27 out of 27 found this review helpful

Because I live in a place where concerts, especially those by European bands, are virtually impossible-- I had never seen Rammstein actually performing before I watched this video. I have no cable, and I have no MTV. At this point, I have been able to acquire music videos...but Live aus Berlin was my first experience beyond a CD. And I think that I fell in love the night that I watched it.

Rammstein is a lot of things, but one thing they are not is boring. It is a great shame that a lot of American music fans cannot appreciate this video because the intelligent lyrics are lost on those who do not understand them. The music is good-- yes-- but not surpassingly so. It is indeed moving and deep, but it's the lyrics, the fact that much of them are in archaic languages and rife with allusions to great poetry and culture; and, of course, the intensity with which they are performed that makes Rammstein truly great.

Firstly, I do not find them at all offensive. Even their sexual antics on stage are silly at worst, not upsetting, and they generally are amusing and witty. The lyrics don't strike me as unpleasent. Yes, they sing about unusual themes that are not generally accepted by the fragile norm. People don't like to be rattled into thinking a little harder. People don't like the suggestion that aesthetics can also lie in what they themselves find disturbing; like pain, fire, and yes, even death. But we all need a little disturbing. We have grown too static in our thinking. Our only disturbances are typically of the annoying-- yowling bands that spit youthful anger and hate at us-- not deep, macabre suffering tinged with irony and dark humour. Sometimes what is misunderstood about Rammstein is that a lot of Rammstein's songs are sarcastic social commentaries; not personal opinions. Weisses Fleisch is not promoting rape or assault-- it's expressing the horror of such mindless violence. After all, the mere mention of it in a song unnerves people! The problem is, so much time is wasted in attacking Rammstein for daring mention what people don't want think about on their own...that time could be spent in doing something about the very real issues of violence, rape, and racism. It doesn't go away if you ignore it.

Rammstein claims to want to cause a little trouble, but I don't think that that explains everything about them. My own mother (yes, I'm one of the restless 17's) dislikes them because she finds them frightening. But fire is an expression not just of destruction, but of passion; and also of love. It is the raging of unstoppable, immense emotion-- like the sun, it can warm the heart or it can burn down to the bone.

And I am not comparing Rammstein only to the other goth bands and rock bands and metal bands of this era, but also to the bombastic glory of Beethoven, the youthful madness of Wolfgang Mozart; and even to the melancholy operas of Verdi. All these things are not Rammstein-- but Rammstein do share one thing with the masters of music: majesty.


almost as good as being there, almost   July 8, 2003
 25 out of 28 found this review helpful

Seeming Rammstein is one of my favourite bands and i had just gotten a dvd player I though i'd may aswell buy this dvd, and what did i get??? I got the best metal dvd performance you can get!!!

The dvd contains 17 tracks from their albums Herzeleid and Sehnsucht(done live)and the extra features you get the concert with german subtitles and you get a multicamera mode for the 3 songs Tier, Du Hast and Rammstein. With the multicamera mode you get a choice of 6 angles which lets you decide what you would like to mostly see e.g. directors cut, guitars, drums, bass and keys, wides and vocals. Another extra feature you get is a 14:30 interview with the band. The interview allows you to have a choice of subtitles including English, Spanish and French, and if your computer can read dvd's you can insert this dvd and you view a rammstein trivia fan contest containing 140 questions.

The performance was great. Rammstein perform with a great deal of colourful lights and mist and there is a great use of fire at the concert. The dvd lets you see all the action including the violence and as a special treat for the fans, rammstein use explosives, flame throwers, flaming arrows and fireworks and the main highlights of the dvd are the tracks Rammstein were Till Lindeman(singer) performs on fire(using safety clothesing) and another highlight is Engel were the guitarists daughter plays as the girl in the cage with fire. My favourite performance is Du Riechst So Gut were Till Lindeman(singer) shoots flaming arrows at the beginning of the song. Another great thing about the performance is that Till Lindeman(singer) didn't just stand there and sing, he sang while acting like that people can understand the message he is trying to get across.

The crowd is good aswell, they are very loud. They jump up and down or nod their heads for most of the time and they join in on the choruses and before and after every song they show their respect by clapping or whistling, so if you like metal dvd's with big crowds then this is for you.

The subject of the songs are mainly about various types of love(even says in interview) and there are a few songs about religion. The disturbing songs about love include Du Riechst So Gut which talks about stalking and Spiel Mit Mir talking about gay love(in an explicit way which is why its bad). Ok, now onto the the nondisturbing songs about love. The nondisturbing songs about love include Wilder Wein which is about love including a bottle of whine. The songs about religion include the song Engel and Asche Zu Asche and yes Rammstein do include violence in some songs including Weisses Fleisch which is just about mindless violence, so if you have a faint heart and are thinking about getting this, i suggest you not look at the lyrics translated which may put you off.

Ok, i've basically told you a fair bit about the dvd, so now i shall chucck in some reminders. The song Bueck Dich is censored from the dvd seeming people thought not only the lyrics but the performance was explicit, though in my opinion i though the performance was silly and in the dvd there is a hidden track called stripped, i hav'nt tried it, but i hear you press 23 at main menu and you then press enter. Overall thankyou for your time reading this review. I hope it gave you more of an idea of the dvd and hopefully you may buy it.


Rammstein = Good, Amazon.com Editorial Review = BAD   July 6, 2002
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

I have been a huge fan of Rammstein (And Megaherz, they deserve mentioning, if you like Rammstein check them out) since the album Sehnsucht came out. Ever since i first heard their music i was blown away by the sheer power of it. I bought the VHS of Live Aus Berlin when it came out and their visual performance is appropriate for the music which contains such a roller-coaster ride of mixed emotions. The DVD is even better than the VHS of course because everyone knows the quality is higher but the added bonus features are very nice too.
I dont however see why they had to censor Buck Dich, it was a comical gag and was not meant to be taken seriously. I mean they preformed it that way live in Europe and never had and problems as far as people complaining about it being "dirty and homosexual" but when they preform it in USA they get arrested for it, and the song gets edited from the DVD but its still on the vhs? . How pointless is that, i mean if you dont want to see it you can just push a button and then - WOW - you are on the next song.
But aside from that it is still a worth while purchase if you like Rammstein even the slightest. However, the "Official amazon review" that is at the beginning of this page is, in a word - pathetic. I mean of the 2 song titles the guy tried to translate he got neither of them right. "Du Hast" means "You Have" NOT "You Hate", and "Heirate Mich" means "Marry Me" How could anyone mistake that for "Worship Me"? (obviously no research was done for this article). So since the reviewer didnt know exactly what they are saying he just assumed for the worst, and made their lyrics sound even more fitting to his relating of Rammstein to the little angry kids at Columbine and Nazis. Get better reviewers Amazon.com, geesh.