It's a blog! / Oomph! - Sandmann

Hi!  Hmm, I've never had a blog before, but I've enjoyed reading plenty of other peoples' blogs, so I decided I might as well give it a go myself.  I'll post links to music videos... whenever I feel like it, and I'll tell you about similar bands so you know where to look if you like what you hear.  If you have any requests, want to know more, or want recommendations, let me know.  I'm always happy to promote my favorite bands.  :) 

Whenever I post a song, I'll post an English translation of it... unless I'm stupid and forget. I'm very forgetful.  Another thing you should know: my tastes in music range a lot.  So, if you hate what I post one week, don't worry, I'll probably post something very different the next week.  Just pay attention to tags if you're not a fan of certain genres.  I like metal, musicals, electronica, and many other genres, so I hope you'll be tolerant of what I post.

Enough talk, more music!

My most recent obsession: "Sandmann" by Oomph!  It's basically heavy, melodic Neue Deutsche Härte with (IMO)  better lyrics than Rammstein.  (Translation of the lyrics below the cut in case you're interested)

Poor Germany
Can you see your children?
How they stand in line before the abyss

Sick Germany
Can you understand their fear
When they go to sleep?

La Le Lu,
Only the man in the moon is watching
When the poor children sleep
You sleep too

La Le Lu,
And the small heart freezes over
When the other children ask:
"How much do you have?"

Sandman, Sandman
Turn the lights off
The truth is ugly
So send me a dream

Sandman, Sandman,
Come to me at home
Scatter sand in my eyes
And never wake me up again

Poor Germany
Can you see your children?
How they slowly go to the wolves

Rich Germany
When will your fun die?
When will you understand?

La Le Lu,
Only the man in the moon is watching
When the poor children sleep
You sleep too

La Le Lu,
And the small heart freezes over
When the other children ask:
"How much do you have?"

Sandman, Sandman
Turn the lights off
The truth is ugly
So send me a dream

Sandman, Sandman,
Come to me at home
Scatter sand in my eyes
And never wake me up again

Dry bread makes cheeks red
The young boy lives in need
He has been screaming enough to wound his lungs
The hunger burns in his child’s mouth

Dry bread makes cheeks red
But everyone is in his own boat
Now I’ll show you what affluence is
In the land that forgets its offspring

Sandman, Sandman
Turn the lights off
The truth is ugly
So send me a dream

Sandman, Sandman,
Come to me at home
Scatter sand in my eyes
And never wake me up again

-Lyrics by Oomph!, translation by me

If you like this song, check out "Augen Auf" and "Labyrinth" by the same band, or "Brennende Liebe" (also by Oomph! but features the vocalist from L'Âme Immortelle). If you're looking for other similar bands, check out Rammstein, Eisbrecher, and Megaherz.  ASP (my current favorite band) and L'Âme Immortelle are other bands who sing primarily in German and play music that often falls under the Neue Deutsche Härte label, but to my ears, they have a more original sound. ASP frequently uses instruments like violins and bagpipes to add a beautiful, melodic contrast to their heavy sound, and L'Âme Immortelle has a female vocalist, unlike most NDH bands.