Mutter (album) explained

Mutter
Type:	studio
Artist:	Rammstein
Cover:	Mutter.jpg
Released:	2 April 2001
Recorded:	May–June 2000
Studio:	Miraval (Correns)
Length:	45:02
Prev Title:	Live aus Berlin
Prev Year:	1999
Next Title:	Reise, Reise
Next Year:	2004

Mutter (pronounced as /de/; English: "Mother") is the third studio album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It was released on 2 April 2001 through Motor and Universal Music. The album's cover image is a photograph of a dead fetus, which was taken by Daniel & Geo Fuchs. The album has yielded six singles which, to date, are the most released from any Rammstein album.

Writing and recording

From September to December 1999, the band rented the house Weimar in Heiligendamm on the Baltic Sea for pre-production. The sound recordings took place in May and June 2000 at Studio Miraval in southern France. In advance of the album's release, Rammstein released the song "Links 2 3 4" on their website for download in December 2000. The single "Sonne" was released in January 2001.

Critical reception and legacy

In 2005, Mutter was ranked number 324 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.^[1]

In a 2016 article published by uDiscover, Oran O'Beirne described the album as "one of the most important contemporary releases within heavy metal’s many subgenres."^[2]

In the interview with Noizr Zine, the well-known Swedish producer and musician Peter Tägtgren advised "Mutter" as a reference work for beginner producers:

"I think, if you are not into death metal or something like that, but if you are into metal, I would say maybe Rammstein’s "Mutter" is very good, because it has a lot of different elements, it has orchestra parts, heavy guitars, good drum sound — that could be a good reference."^[3]

Track listing

There are various editions of Mutter, each with different features:

• The Limited Tour Edition had the same cover, but red with the Rammstein logo embossed on the front. It also had a second CD with the following live tracks:

1. "Ich will" – 3:57
2. "Links 2 3 4" – 4:54
3. "Sonne" – 4:42
4. "Spieluhr" – 5:27

• The Japanese edition had "Halleluja" as a hidden track, found after "Nebel" (there is a two-minute intermission of silence). The track was later included in the Resident Evil soundtrack, but does not appear in the film.
• The limited edition had a second CD with just one track, "Halleluja", and a CD-ROM area featuring the "Sonne" video. There is a spelling error on the back album track listing: it is listed as "Hallelujah" but the bonus CD itself has the song listed as "Halleluja", which is the correct spelling.
• A 12" vinyl version and a MC version were released, with the same track list (Side A = 1–6; B = 7–11)
• The Limited Tour Edition was also released as a double cassette set, with the second cassette containing the live tracks (Side A = 1–2; B = 3–4).
• The Turkish cassette release of the album fades all songs out at 3:44.

Note: Some copies that have "Halleluja" as a hidden track can not be played for unknown reasons. On 3 April 2010 Rammstein posted a video with an official translation of "Halleluja" on their Facebook page, "in light of recent events".^[4]

Personnel

Rammstein

• Till Lindemann – vocals
• Richard Kruspe – lead guitar
• Paul Landers – rhythm guitar
• Christian Lorenz – keyboards
• Oliver Riedel – bass
• Christoph Schneider – drums

Guest musicians

• Bobo – background vocals (track 11)
• Khira Li Lindemann – vocals (track 7)
• Olsen Involtini – string arrangements (tracks 1, 6, 11)
• Orchestra parts by the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg, conducted by Gunter Joseck

Production

• Ulf Kruckenberg – engineer
• Dirk Rudolph – sleeve design
• Daniel & Geo Fuchs – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Mutter! Chart (2001)! Peak
position

Europe (European Top 100 Albums)^[5]	2
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)^[6]	9

2023 weekly chart performance for Mutter! Chart (2023)! Peak
position

Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)^[7]	3

Year-end charts

Chart (2001)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[8]	13
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[9]	21
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[10]	54
Europe (European Top 100 Albums)^[11]	38
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[12]	3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[13]	37

Chart (2022)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[17]	73
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[18]	106
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[19]	83

Chart (2023)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[20]	73
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[21]	117
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[22]	82

Notes and References

1. Book: Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. 2005. Rock Hard. de. 3-89880-517-4. 80.
2. Web site: reDiscover Rammstein's 'Mutter' . uDiscover Music . 5 May 2016 . O'Beirne . Oran. 5 May 2016 .
3. Web site: Peter Tägtgren on Pain, Lindemann, Hypocrisy, and work at studio – Interview with Noizr Zine . May 16, 2017.
4. Web site: Halleluja / translation . Facebook . 2 March 2012.
5. Eurochart Top 100 Albums - 21 April 2001. Music & Media. 18. 17. 12. 21 April 2001. 17 November 2021.
6. Hits of the World – Spain. 28 April 2001. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 61. 12 June 2017.
7. Web site: 2023 21-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. 26 May 2023. 26 May 2023.
8. Web site: Jahreshitparade Alben 2001. austriancharts.at. 5 July 2020.
9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2001. Ultratop. 5 July 2020.
10. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2001. dutchcharts.nl. 5 July 2020.
11. Web site: European Top 100 Albums 2001. December 22, 2001. November 17, 2021. Music & Media. 15. World Radio History. August 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200823190032/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2001/MM-2001-12-22.pdf. live.
12. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts. de. GfK Entertainment. offiziellecharts.de. 5 July 2020.
13. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001. hitparade.ch. 5 July 2020.
14. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2002. dutchcharts.nl. 5 July 2020.
15. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2019. Ultratop. 5 July 2020.
16. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021. Ultratop. 5 January 2022.
17. Web site: Ö3 Austria Top40 Jahrescharts 2022. 8 November 2019 . Ö3 Austria Top 40. de. 2 January 2023. 2 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230102173616/https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/3010524/. live.
18. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2022. Ultratop. nl. 14 January 2023.
19. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 2022. GfK Entertainment charts. de. 16 December 2022.
20. Web site: Ö3 Austria Top40 Jahrescharts 2023. 8 November 2019 . Ö3 Austria Top 40. de. 28 December 2023. 28 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231228085855/https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/oe3austriatop40longplay/. live.
21. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2023. Ultratop. nl. 7 January 2024.
22. Web site: Jahrescharts 2023 Album. GfK Entertainment charts. de. 10 December 2023.