The power to shock: Perceptions of visual and textual horror in Rammstein's performance aesthetics

Abstract

The use of monumental imagery, period clothing, German Romantic texts and guttural chants, which include nasal gestic speaking, all combine to make up what I regard as the Rammstein "formula". This formula has been apparent on all of Rammstein's recordings since Sehnsucht (1998) and in their stage performances, such as those in the DVDs Live aus Berlin (1999) and Volkerball (2006). Prior to this study, my research into Rammstein's aesthetics in performance had not extended to the band's use of album cover artwork, and it is also worth noting that the band's texts follow the darkly humorous and theatrically gothic themes that are used in their cover artwork and stage performances. There is a consistent thematic lineage between all Rammstein cover artwork that is "on point" and linked to song texts, the combination of which I argue, is designed to shock.