Rammstein: In Amerika [Blu-ray] [Region Free] [2015]

Rammstein are one of those bands that are so utterly thrilling live, and so utterly invested in their performance, that any chance to witness them (in the flesh, or on screen) is to be welcomed. This particular set actually dates back to 2010 and the start of the ‘Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da’ tour, so the timing of this release is, perhaps rather strange, but it’s an undeniably electric performance that showcases the German Industrial metallers at their very best and playing America for the first time in almost a decade, which explains the near-hysteria that greets them. Everything about Rammstein, even from the very earliest days, is conducted on a massive scale, as if their mechanistic tunes could survive nothing less than being played on the biggest stages and through the largest PA systems, and when you look at the ecstatic reaction of the monstrous crowd, you can see that the band, seemingly despite their awesome presence, connect on a very primal level for all of the fire and fury that they use to obfuscate their humanity. Filmed in pristine HD (it’s really worth buying the blu ray if you have the means to play it) and in a manner perfectly designed to capture the grandeur of the band’s performance, the direction is perfectly suited to the material, with sweeping long shots bringing a regular sense of perspective and enough close ups to give the viewer a more intimate view of the on-stage antics. It is an incredibly well-filmed set and it’s good to see that the director has chosen a restraint that stands in stark contrast to the deranged behaviour of the band, allowing the enormity of the spectacle to speak for itself rather than trying to augment it with entirely unnecessary effects. No less impressive is the audio which is loud and wonderfully clear. The surround mix is particularly strong and only Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode really compete when it comes to delivering a live surround mix of such depth and clarity. For those with 2.0 set ups only, the uncompressed stereo mix is no less impressive, and Rammstein successfully keep their reputation as one of the tightest live acts on the planet. Opening with the band literally hammering their way through the backdrop and with Till Lindemann looking for all the world like a futuristic version of Pennywise the clown with his illuminated mouth and horrific costume, Rammstein kick start the set with the slow-motion horror of ‘Rammlied’ and immediately the venue erupts. From then on the band waste no time devastating their audience (and each other) in every way possible with a brutal mix of live favourites (‘Benzin’, ‘links 2 3 4’, ‘sonne’ & ‘du hast’) and new tracks from the (then) just released ‘Liebe ist fur alle da’. It’s a heady mix, and although there’s some crossover with the thrillingly comprehensive Volkerball, there’s enough new material here (not to mention the new stage show) to tempt fans out of their hard-earned cash. The stage set is particularly impressive, a horrific glimpse of the future torn straight from a mix of the Terminator, Hannibal Lecter and H. R. Geiger. There’s a gleeful sadism in the band’s presentation, whether it be unleashing fire from mouth-mounted flame throwers, chasing the ever pliable Flake (keyboards) around the stage or coating the front rows of the audience with foam from a giant penis canon, the latter spectacle being equal parts GWAR and Marquis De Sade, and the pulsing, throbbing industrial music provides the perfect soundtrack throughout. Offering not just a concert but an impressive documentary, ‘Rammstein in Amerika’ offers up the eponymous documentary, a two-hour exploration of the band’s continued relationship with the States. It is without doubt one of the most interesting music documentaries produced about a contemporary act and it charts everything from the very first visit of the musicians (not actually in Rammstein at the time) to the USA just after the fall of the Berlin Wall through the early tours in tiny venues to the band’s eventual arrival at Madison Square Garden. It’s an amazing journey with plenty of highs and lows and the film makers did a great job of unearthing a huge amount of archival footage, video clips and live shows to augment the tale. The icing on the cake is that the film offers a variety of talking heads (Kiefer Sutherland, Marilyn Manson, Iggy Pop, Munky and more) all of whom try to describe the difficulties Rammstein faced in their slow climb up the mountain of American opinion. Not only do these stars contribute a very useful commentary on the American music scene, but they all resist the temptation for self-aggrandisement and show real affection and respect for Rammstein in the process. The only people who do not come out of the documentary so well are a couple of industry types who, despite valiantly attempting to appear human, clearly view Rammstein solely in terms of their dollar value at any given time. The only exception is Bob Biggs, the head of Slash records, who demonstrates a genuine passion for music in general and for the exciting, utterly different music of Rammstein in particular, and he stands in stark contrast to the other two who represent all the worst traits of the industry of entertainment. Any concern that a two hour documentary about the band might strain the boundaries of interest is quickly dispelled – ‘Rammstein in Amerika’ proves to be a fantastic film, full of insight and historical details, and it is one of those rare documentary films that is well worth a repeat viewing. Overall you can’t fault the Rammstein in Amerika package – either one of the discs could easily have been released separately and few fans would have complained. The two-hour documentary is absolutely stunning, well-filmed and directed and stuffed with anecdotes and archival clips that really bring the band’s back-story to life. The concert is an HD marvel, beautiful to behold and sonically stunning. With flawless image and sound it is clear demonstration material and the show itself is a spectacular event, a stand-out moment in the band’s career as they return to the US after a ten-year absence to find that their status had grown exponentially in the intervening period. One of the best DVD/Blu ray packages released by any band, this is an absolute treat for Rammstein fans.

This DVD is a must for any Rammstein fan. This German ultra heavy band which mixes the most ear assaulting heavy drop C tuned guitars with the most amazing pyrotechnics, just takes your breath away live. What makes them special is they do not compromise and sing everything in German despite the rock world being english language driven. Does this matter? Not a bit, in fact it makes it even more special and anyway it's the music that matters . This DVD represents the band returning to America after a 10 year absence (the accompanying documentary DVD will explain), and they sell out Madison Square Gardens in 20 minutes. A band singing in German and out of the American tour market for ten years sell out MSG in 20 minutes !! Think about it !! Really quite unbelievable. From the opening number Rammlied I am out of my chair punching the air in front of my TV. This is mega stuff from probably the best live band you will ever see and believe me , I have seen most of them. Yes I have seen these East German born guys too. Go buy this DVD and TURN UP THE VOLUME and get ready to punch the air to Du Hast !!

This is a 2 DVD set, and if you're anything like me, you'll watch the main disc, and probably leave the bonus material as they are generally fillers. However, this is Rammstein, and as any fan knows, any bonus disc has got to be worth a watch. With this set I really would advise watching the 2-hour documentary first and then watching the concert, as it sets the scene. On to the discs. Documentary - we all know the story ofRammstein, however here it is told my a lot of creditable musicians, and mainly about touring and trying to crack America. We have Moby, Steve Tyler, SOAD, Anthrax, and more, giving seriously creditable interpretations of their opinions of Rammstein and some of the more ludicrous interpretations from the mainstream conservative people (sorry, no spoilers in this review). I can only say, in my humble opinion, this is a fantastic documentary. Concert - ah, the concert. As usual, a masterpiece. If anyone went to see the LIFAD tour, you will know what you are getting. In my opinion, there is nothing special about the Madison Square Garden gig, apart from the fact it's a great venue. Every Rammstein gig is special, and they could've released any number of concerts and this DVD would still be awesome. The show is perfection as usual, and if anyone is thinking of buying this DVD, they already know that. 10/10, 5 stars, now please hurry up and release a DVD of the 2011-2012 Made In Germany tour.

As someone who really didn't enjoy the direction of Rammstein's last album (yes there were classics like Waidmanns Heil but P*ssy was just going for shock value) I held off buying this. A concert in America in support of that album just didn't really appeal. However, I bought it on the strength of the documentary and I am glad I did as its the real jewel in the crown of this boxset. Sure for long time fans it includes some old ground (the arrests for instance). However, it is an almost two hour documentary which not only explores the bands relationship with America but also their past. Its fun, enlightening and ultimately a must have. The concert itself is excellent and reminded me of seeing them on that tour. Its not as good as some previous DVD packages but its still Rammstein live, which is hard to beat. I got this on Blu Ray and the sound and visual quality was excellent. This really is a must have for any fan

Ich gebe es zu: Bis zu diesem Sommer lag Rammstein für mich in einer schmuddeligen Musikschublade namens "DUMPF, DOOF und (noch schlimmer) RECHTS". Im Grunde weiß ich nicht, warum: Ich kannte von Rammstein kaum ein Stück. Irgendwie war da immer die Vermutung, ich müsse mich für diese Band ... schämen. Zu teutonisch, zu laut, zu tumbe, zu unanständig, zu geschmacklos, zu brachial, zu ... überhaupt alles. Rammstein ist ein widerliches Zerrbild all dessen, wofür man als "aufgeklärte gute Deutsche" nicht stehen sollte. Genau DAS wurde mir jahrelang immer wieder von den inländischen Medien eingeflüstert. Vielleicht war ich schlichtweg einfach noch nicht reif für Rammstein. Dann aber passierte folgendes: Eines Abends blieb ich mangels Alternativen im Free TV bei der Doku "Rammstein in Amerika" hängen. (Wer sind sie ? Wo kommen sie her ? Wie wurden sie durch die Touren in Amerika beeinflusst ? Höhen und Tiefen. Der finale Triumph im Madison Square Garden.) Da sah ich nun also sechs halbwegs normale Typen auf einer schwarzen Ledergarnitur herum lümmeln und hörte sie offen über ihre mitunter holprigen Anfänge im amerikanischen Musikbusiness berichten. Und das alles so ... geerdet und ohne Starallüren. Allein dass sie zugaben, unglaubliche Sprachschwierigkeiten in Übersee gehabt zu haben, fand ich erfrischend ehrlich. Ergänzt wurde der Bericht durch Konzertmitschnitte und weitere Interviews. Hm, das ist denn doch irgendwie faszinierend, dachte ich, und so überhaupt nicht das, was ich eigentlich erwartet hatte. Ergebnis: Den Rest der Nacht (bis ich komplett erschlagen über dem Schreibtisch einschlief) verbrachte ich im Internet und konsumierte so viel Rammstein wie möglich. Es war fast ein Schock: Rammstein machte mir richtig Spaß ! Metal ist zwar nach wie vor nicht komplett mein Ding, aber ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass mich die Texte von Till Lindemann & Co. und auch die offiziellen Videos dafür so reich entschädigen würden. Dumpf und doof ? Fehlanzeige. Rechts ? Oberflächlich betrachtet vielleicht hier und da, aber wenn man genau zuhört: Meiner Ansicht nach nein. Zugegeben, was Rammstein bietet, bewegt sich sehr oft hart an der Grenze des guten Geschmacks und auch jenseits dessen. Das muss man abkönnen (wichtigste Voraussetzung dafür ist vermutlich, sich selbst und die Dinge im allgemeinen nicht allzu ernst zu nehmen). Das einzige, für das ich mich mittlerweile noch in Bezug auf Rammstein schäme, ist, dass ich mir nicht schon viel früher eine eigene Meinung über diese Band gebildet habe. Das zweiteilige DVD-Set besteht aus besagter Dokumentation "Rammstein in Amerika" (einem guten Einstieg in die Materie, s. meine Erfahrung), einem Mitschnitt des mittlerweile legendären Konzertes im Madison Square Garden und einem Making of "Liebe ist für alle da". Das Booklet ist silbrig, wertig und überrascht innen mit netten Akt-Rückansichten der sechs Bandmitglieder vor US-amerikanischen Orten im Nirgendwo. Die Audio- und Bildqualität ist ansprechend. Ein Kauf, den ich nicht bereue ! Aber dennoch: Ich MUSS Rammstein irgendwann live sehen. Eines können die DVD's nämlich nicht leisten: Das Bühnenfeuerwerk am TV bleibt kalt. Update Februar 2017: Tickets für 4 Konzerte im Sommer gebucht. Ich bin Feuer und Flamme. Na dann mal: LOS !

So many of us became fans of this band because of their incredible concerts and massive stage production. The MSG concert DVD is a video concert that is as good as it gets. The sound is incredible (I dont see how you can do any better for concert sound), many cameras, great set list executed with the professional tightness we expect from these concert masters. If you are a fan, you probably have this already; it is a must have. If you are not yet a fan, I can tell you I found this band years ago hunting on Amazon for great concert DVD's. Its not long before you hear the name Rammstein in connection with great concerts. If you are a fan of superb massive over the top rock stage shows, you wont go wrong with this DVD. Give it a try.

La entrega fue muy buena (aunque hubiera deseado que viniera mas protegido el paquete), la calidad del video es muy buena, el live en si es bueno pero no es el mejor, creo que hay mejores, especialmente volkerball, sin embargo es una compra que vale totalmente la pena si eres fan, de otra manera talvez no sea tanto de tu agrado ya que la relacion precio/calidad, considero es un poco elevada

And its wonderful. My wife likes Take That, and was displeased with my choosing of this DVD, that I bought for myself, to listen to in my car, and watch when my speed is below 3km/h and/or my hand brake is on. But I like it, and I'm an adult, so who cares what Take That lovers say.

パフォーマンス最高、演出も最高。 メイキングも歴史を知ることが出来て良いですね。