Herzeleid is the debut album by Rammstein. It was released on 25 September 1995, and on 24 November 1998 in North America.[1]
Herzeleid | |||||||
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Album by Rammstein | |||||||
Recorded: | Polar Studios, Sweden, March 1995 | ||||||
Producer: | Jacob Hellner, Carl-Michael Herlöfsson | ||||||
Released: | 25 September 1995 24 November 1998 (N. America) | ||||||
Format: | CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Digital | ||||||
Length: | 49:26 | ||||||
Label: | Motor Universal (Re-Release) Slash (US) XIII Bis (France) | ||||||
Stream: | Spotify iTunes | ||||||
Discogs: | ![]() | ||||||
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Singles: | |||||||
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Alternative artworks: | |||||||
![]() North America | |||||||
![]() XXV Anniversary Edition |
Information
Recording
The band started recording the album in the Polar Studios in Sweden. For about two weeks the band and their producers, Jacob Hellner and Carl-Michael Herlöfsson, recorded most of the drums and bass, and some of the guitar parts. Additionally they worked on computer stuff to sample guitars and create sample sounds. After leaving the Polar Studios, they all went to the private studio of Jacob and Carl-Michael. During their time in the new studio they recorded the guitars and did additional recordings. The vocals were also tracked at the new studio, which was Till only working with Jacob, while Carl-Michael was more involved with programming and sampling. During these recordings, the band wanted to have the line "Der Wahnsinn" in Du riechst so gut to sound as if it came from a telephone. So one of the band members went out to a Stockholm subway, wearing nothing but a white t-shirt, suspenders, boots and short pants. From the subway he called the studio and repeated the line "Der Wahnsinn" over and over again in different intonations. Suddenly he heard someone next to him calling the police, telling them that there is a madman shouting German stuff into a phone.
The first mix, which was made by Jacob and Carl-Michael, was done at the MFG Studios. During these first mixing sessions, Richard was the only band member there. But he was not satisfied with how things turned out and called all other band members, the management and the label. Together they decided that they need a different person for the mix, which is how they agreed on Ronald Prent. When the label contacted Ronald, he was on holiday on the island of Crete in Greece. After being contacted, he talked to Jacob, who also happened to be in Greece at the same time. Together they went to Hamburg and tried mixing the album in the Chateau du Pape Sutdios. The whole band was present during the new mixes. They decided to start with one song and do as many versions of the mix as possible. Every time a new mix was done, the band left the studio and discussed outside. One day they wished to be mixed in a way, that makes them sound like Bon Jovi. After hearing the result, they declined that version of them. One day Ronald had the idea of using a certain type of compression, which would make the music more dry and "in your face". After hearing that mix, the band collectively agreed that this is the Rammstein sound they want.[2]
Before finally going with the title Herzeleid, the album had the names Rammstein[3] and Heirate mich.[4]
The first press listening of the album happened in the Chateau Du Pape studio. The music journalist Matthias Mineur was invited by Motor Music to listen to the songs and see, if the band could really be the next big thing. Four weeks later the band held an open press conference in the "Blow Up" cinema in Berlin. A black and white silent film was shown on the screen and the band was sitting on the chairs inside the cinema, not in front of the screen, which was where the journalists sat down. The band always answered from left to right, regardless of who was asked.[5][6]
Other songs
Jacob Hellner mentioned in an interview, that they recorded a total of 18 songs in six weeks.[7] Based on our current knowledge of songs, the other seven recorded songs could be the following, of which only Feuerräder is confirmed:
Promotion
At first, the then-upcoming album was promoted with three different tapes: 3-Track Demo 3, 6-Track Demo 3 and 6 Rough-Mixes/3 Mixes. All of which were sent out by Motor Music. After the album and the first single Du riechst so gut were manufactured, the album was released as a promotional item in the so-called "Riech!"-box. The box included the album (sometimes only the single, sometimes both), a little bottle of the perfume "Obsession" by Calvin Klein and several different sets of promotional sheets about the album. The following is the text from one of the sets of these promotional sheets:
German original |
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Entstanden aus einem Urknall, einer Dringlichkeit, die alle sechs Musiker gleichermaßen ergriffen hat, wollen sich Rammstein als unteilbare Einheit verstanden wissen. Alle Beteiligten haben immer schon Musik gemacht, die mit dem heutigen Rammstein-Sound nichts gemein hatte. Im Osten haben sie die Arbeitsverpflichtungen ignoriert und in den Nischen existiert. |
English Deepl translation |
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Born out of a big bang, an urgency that gripped all six musicians equally, Rammstein want to be understood as an indivisible unit. All involved have always made music that had nothing in common with the Rammstein sound of today. In the East, they ignored work obligations and existed in niches. |
Menhir
As a promotional item, 50 few record stores got a Rammstein menhir. It is about 140cm high and 60cm thick at its thickest part. Front and back show two spaces for about three to five CDs each. The letters "Rammstein Herzeleid" are clearly visible on back and front. The stone is made of plastic. It was sold a few times on eBay but is one of the rarest promotional items of Rammstein. Two general variants exist; one, painted in the common browns and greys of a rock, and another appears to be pure white, with grey dots and marker pen scribbles. The grey one bares the standard dimensions (140cm high, 60cm thick), but the white variant appears to be much larger at its thickest part, too.
XXV Edition
The teasing for the re-release of the album "Herzeleid" began on September 21, 2020, with the official Rammstein Facebook page changing its header image to a rotating flower.[8] On the same day, the official website underwent a transformation, resembling a retro computer running Windows 95. This revamped website showcased various archival materials, including newspaper articles from 1994 to 1996, live photos, photoshoot pictures, and even the game Snake. The website announced the upcoming release of a remastered XXV edition of the album, celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The XXV Edition of "Herzeleid" was released on December 4th, 2020.
As part of the website's interactive experience, a competition was held, challenging participants to discover the password that would grant access to the "Privat" folder. The password was broiler1995. The prize for the competition was an original Herzeleid award presented by Paul.
The XXV Edition is available in both CD and vinyl formats, housed in a cardboard box. The CD comes in a digipak case and features a new remaster of the album. Additionally, a high-quality 24-bit download of the remastered album is also available.[9] The vinyl edition of the XXV release features the previous 2015 remaster, which was initially presented in the XXI box set.
Please note that the website herzeleid25.rammstein.de is no longer accessible as it has been taken down.
Promo CDrs
A promotional CDr surfaced on Discogs. Its origin and exact content is unknown.
Herzeleid (Instrumentals)
The CDr for Herzeleid (Instrumentals) includes instrumental tracks for 5 songs. It is dated 22 January 2001 and marked as "For Internal Use Only - Not For Resale".[10]
Tracklist
Standard album |
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Tracklist
CD / Digital |
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Cassette |
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Europe
USA
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Vinyl |
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Formats
Over the years the album was released in many different versions all over the world. This table is showing you the main different versions of the album:
Release | Country | Label | Type | Comment | Bonus content | Cover | Discogs | ||
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1995 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | Cassette | Jewel case | Promotional cassette | Standard | ![]() | |
1995 | Poland | ![]() |
Motor Music | Cassette | Jewel case | Standard | ![]() | ||
1995-09-25 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | CD | Jewel case | Standard | ![]() | ||
1995-09-25 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | CD | Jewel case | The words "Schulhof" and "töten" are beeped in Weißes Fleisch | Standard | ![]() | |
1995-09-25 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | CD | Jewel case | The words "Schulhof" and "töten" are blacked out in the lyrics for Weißes Fleisch | Standard | ![]() | |
1996 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | Cassette | Jewel case | Standard | ![]() | ||
1996 | Germany | ![]() |
Motor Music | CD | Jewel case | Has a big sticker on the back to promote the concert 100 Jahre Rammstein | Standard | ![]() | |
2001 | Germany | ![]() |
Universal Music | CD | Jewel case | Re-release on Universal Music | Standard | ![]() | |
1995-09-25 | France | ![]() |
XIII Bis | CD | Jewel case | Standard | ![]() | ||
1998-11-24 | United States | ![]() |
Slash | CD | Jewel case | White | ![]() | ||
1998-11-24 | United States | ![]() |
Slash | Cassette | Jewel case | White | ![]() | ||
2015-12-04 | Europe | ![]() |
Universal Music | Vinyl | Gatefold | As part of the XXI box set | Remastered | Standard | ![]() |
2017-12-08 | Europe | ![]() |
Universal Music | Vinyl | Gatefold | Standalone release | Remastered | Standard | ![]() |
2020-12-04 | Europe | ![]() |
Universal Music | CD | Digipack | 25th anniversary release | Remastered | Alternate | ![]() |
2020-12-04 | Europe | ![]() |
Universal Music | Vinyl | Gatefold | 25th anniversary release | Remastered | Alternate | ![]() |
2021-04-16 | Europe | ![]() |
Universal Music | CD | Digipack | Remastered | Standard | ![]() |
Trivia
- The cover artwork caused some controversy, when the media reported that the band had intended to depict themselves as "Herrenmenschen".
- In North America an alternate cover was used.
- The album was the band's second album in the USA, being released after Sehnsucht.
- The booklet has French lyrics for Das alte Leid, Heirate mich and Herzeleid.
- The French version of the album additionally has French lyrics for Weißes Fleisch, Seemann and Rammstein.
- The South Korean version of the album is missing Das alte Leid in the tracklist and the lyrics in the booklet, but the song can still be found on the CD.
- Richard revealed in an interview on Talking Metal's podcast in 2007, that the translation of "Herzeleid" is "Heartbreak", and not, as it correctly would be, "Heartache".
Gallery
Credits
Music & Lyrics by Rammstein
Produced by Jacob Hellner & Carl-Michael Herlöfson for BomKrash Production
Mixed by Ronald Prent at Chateau du Pape
For - Seemann - additional production Emanuel Fialik & Olav Bruhn
Photography & cover idea Praler
Sleeve design by Dirk Rudolph
All songs published by BMG/UFA
Management: Emanuel Fialik for Pilgrim
Contact & Merchandising: Pilgrim, Postfach, 10042 Berlin, Germany
Sources
- ↑ Official Rammstein website
- ↑ RammWiki interviews with Carl-Michael Herlöfsson and Ronald Prent
- ↑ Credits from A Journey Into Sound IV Tape 1
- ↑ Metal Hammer Germany, September 1995
- ↑ Online article "Rammstein 1995 im Pumpwerk Wilhelmshaven
- ↑ Metal Hammer Germany, November 1995, p. 108/109
- ↑ Spark Rockmagazine, p. 65
- ↑ Flower video
- ↑ Qobuz HQ download
- ↑ Herzeleid (Instrumentals) CDr on Discogs