Mutter (album)

Mutter (German for "mother") is the third 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.

Mutter
Studio album by Rammstein
Released	2 April 2001
Recorded	May and June 2000
Studio	Miraval (Correns, France)
Genre	Neue Deutsche Härte industrial metal
Length	45:02
Label	Motor Universal
Producer	Jacob Hellner Rammstein
Rammstein chronology
Live aus Berlin (1999) Mutter (2001) Reise, Reise (2004)
Singles from Mutter
"Sonne" Released: 12 February 2001 "Links 2 3 4" Released: 14 May 2001 "Ich will" Released: 10 September 2001 "Mutter" Released: 25 March 2002 "Feuer frei!" Released: 14 October 2002 "Mein Herz brennt" Released: 7 December 2012

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. Already over Christmas 2000, Rammstein released the song "Links 2 3 4" on their website for download. In January 2001 the video was released, in February the single "Sonne".

Critical reception and legacy

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Alternative Press	[2]
The Austin Chronicle	[3]
Blender	[4]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[5]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[6]
NME	5/10[7]
Robert Christgau	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Spin	6/10[10]

In 2005, Mutter was ranked number 324 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[11]

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."[12]

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."[13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Rammstein.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mein Herz brennt" ("My Heart Burns")	4:39
2.	"Links 2 3 4" ("Left 2 3 4")	3:36
3.	"Sonne" ("Sun")	4:32
4.	"Ich will" ("I Want")	3:37
5.	"Feuer frei!" ("Fire at Will!")	3:11
6.	"Mutter" ("Mother")	4:32
7.	"Spieluhr" ("Music Box")	4:46
8.	"Zwitter" ("Hermaphrodite")	4:17
9.	"Rein raus" ("In Out")	3:09
10.	"Adios" ("Goodbye")	3:49
11.	"Nebel" ("Fog")	4:54
Total length:		45:02

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 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".[14]

Personnel

Rammstein

• Till Lindemann – vocals
• Richard Kruspe – electric guitar
• Paul Landers – electric guitar
• Oliver Riedel – bass guitar
• Christoph "Doom" Schneider – drums
• Christian "Flake" Lorenz – keyboards

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 Chart (2001) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 10 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[16] 1 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[17] 7 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[18] 45 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] 14 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] 22 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] 4 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[22] 7 French Albums (SNEP)[23] 23 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] 1 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[25] 33 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[26] 12 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[27] 12 Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[28] 9 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 2 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[31] 86 US Billboard 200[32] 77

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[33] 13 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 21 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[35] 54 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[36] 3 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 37 Chart (2002) Position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[38] 57 Chart (2019) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[39] 124

Certification

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[40]	Gold	20,000^*
Belgium (BEA)[41]	Gold	25,000^*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[42]	Gold	15,193[42]
Germany (BVMI)[43]	2× Platinum	600,000^^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[44]	Gold	75,000^^
Netherlands (NVPI)[45]	Gold	40,000^^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[46]	Gold	25,000^*
Poland (ZPAV)[47]	Platinum	100,000^*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[48]	3× Platinum	300,000^^
Sweden (GLF)[49]	Gold	40,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[50]	Platinum	40,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[51]	Gold	100,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (April 3, 2001). "Mutter – Rammstein". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
2. Alternative Press (6/01, p.81) - 4 out of 5 - "...Chock-full of red-faced thrills....one of the few metal albums just as suited for knocking boots in the bedroom as it is for knocking heads in the pit."
3. Gray, Christopher (May 11, 2001). "Rammstein Mutter (Republic/Universal) – Music Review". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
4. Archived January 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
5. http://drownedinsound.com/releases/2568/reviews/982-
6. Sinclair, Tom (April 6, 2001). "Mutter Review". Entertainment Weekly.
7. Paine, Andre (April 26, 2001). "Rammstein : Mutter". NME. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
8. "CG: Rammstein". Robert Christgau. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
9. Blashill, Pat (April 2, 2001). "Rammstein: Mutter". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 7, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
10. Spin (5/01, pp.144-5) - 6 out of 10 - "...'SPROCKETS'-meets-James Hettfield on fire....bizarre proof that one hit weirdness out-bizarred underground high-concept time and time again..."
11. [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p. 80. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
12. O'Beirne, Oran. "reDiscover Rammstein's 'Mutter'". uDiscover Music. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
13. "Peter Tägtgren on Pain, Lindemann, Hypocrisy, and work at studio – Interview with Noizr Zine". Retrieved May 16, 2017.
14. "Halleluja / translation". Facebook. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
15. "Australiancharts.com – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
16. "Austriancharts.at – Rammstein – Mutter" (in German). Hung Medien.
17. "Ultratop.be – Rammstein – Mutter" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
18. "Ultratop.be – Rammstein – Mutter" (in French). Hung Medien.
19. "Rammstein Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
20. "Danishcharts.dk – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Rammstein – Mutter" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
22. "Rammstein: Mutter" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
23. "Lescharts.com – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
24. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
25. "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2001. 16. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
26. "Charts.nz – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
27. "Norwegiancharts.com – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
28. "Hits of the World – Spain". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 28, 2001. p. 61. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
29. "Swedishcharts.com – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
30. "Swisscharts.com – Rammstein – Mutter". Hung Medien.
31. "Rammstein | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
32. "Rammstein Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
33. "Jahreshitparade Alben 2001". austriancharts.at. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
35. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2001". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
36. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
37. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001". hitparade.ch. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
38. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2002". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
39. "Jaaroverzichten 2019". Ultratop. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
40. "Austrian album certifications – Rammstein – Mutter" (in German). IFPI Austria.
41. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2002". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
42. "Rammstein" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
43. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Rammstein; 'Mutter')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
44. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Rammstein in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Mutter in the box under TÍTULO
45. "Dutch album certifications – Rammstein – Mutter" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 28, 2019. Enter Mutter in the "Artiest of titel" box.
46. "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
47. "Polish album certifications – Rammstein – Mutter" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
48. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 961. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
49. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2004" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
50. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Rammstein; 'Mutter')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
51. "British album certifications – Rammstein – Mutter". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Mutter in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.