4-Track Demo

4-Track Demo
Demo cassette tape by Rammstein
Producer:	Self-produced
Released:	19 February 1994
Label:	Self-released
Rammstein demo release chronology 4-Track Demo (1994) 5-Track Demo (1994)

Information

There is only a small handful of sources that acknowledge the existence of this tape. To make matters worse, the sources sometimes contain conflicting information, resulting in statements that may not line up perfectly with how the events actually transpired.

Trivia

This is the first known demo tape that the band ever recorded. It was sent in for the Metrobeat Contest, which they would later win. The prize for winning was a one-week recording session in a studio. It is unknown if they also actually performed at the Metrobeat Contest, but it's possible that they sent in the demo tape, which resulted in them winning a chance to play there, as well as winning them a recording session in a studio at the same time.

The Rammstein members were still using the name Tempelprayers when they recorded this tape. At the time this tape was sent in for the contest, it's most likely that Paul and Flake were not members of the group yet. However, it is likely that they were already members by the time they went into the studio to redeem their prize for the contest. It is unknown what songs the group actually recorded during their week in the studio, it's not even known what studio that they went to. The website motor.de mentions that they were in a studio in Paris for one week, but this seems unlikely. Flake mentions in his book that they re-recorded the demos they sent in for the contest. This could mean that they either recorded songs for a yet unknown demo tape, or this is when demos for the 5-Track Demo tape were recorded. Wydoks claim on their website that Rammstein's first demos were recorded in the Wydoks studio. This makes it very likely that they either recorded there, or at Knaack studio.

Recording

The demo itself was probably recorded somewhere between the end of 1993 and February 1994. It was recorded in Richard's house using a 4-track recorder and a small drum-computer. Christoph Schneider mentions in the book Mix mir einen Drink that Richard, Oliver and him were already practising when they invited Till to sing. He said that Till took a tape home and recorded English vocals on it. Till was most likely just rehearsing the vocals, before he then came to Richard's house to actually record them. They recorded the vocals under the bedsheets, because Till always came late at night and they had to be quiet.

Tracklist

The order of the tracks is unknown. Rammstein Der Seemann White Flesh Tiefer gelegt