Lindemann is a German-Swedish metal band formed in 2013 by Rammstein’s lead vocalist, Till Lindemann, and Hypocrisy’s multi-instrumentalist, Peter Tägtgren. Despite the two banding together two years ago and the album leak they experienced back in March, the band’s first studio album, “Skills in Pills” wasn’t released until June 19, 2015 which featured their début single, “Praise Abort”.
Although Lindemann’s native tongue is German, the entire album is performed in English–a fair change of pace from his work with Rammstein in which only a fraction of their songs are done in another language. Regardless, the vocals throughout the album highly complement that of the ranging instrumentals which includes an orchestra partly composed of an organ, a number of stringed instruments, and a choir. The incorporation of classical instruments from an orchestra or symphony in metal music is certainly not new, so this wasn’t exactly innovative or unique for the band. However, the steadfast notes mixed in with the dramatically intense ones, which can only emphasized by Lindemann’s deep vocals, make even the most dull parts of this eccentric album rather engaging.
Even though the lyrics are incredibly sexual and crudely presented, with the blunt story-telling and dark imagery, its presentation can also be so sensationally fast-paced that it can be distracting–especially for those who focus more on the sound of the music. This combination, however, may have lead to a much more balanced album than expected with the outlandish lyrics countered with equally striking instrumentals. It doesn’t necessarily demonstrate genius or talent, but it can draw out a sense of appreciation from audience members.
As a whole, Lindemann’s album “Skills in Pills” is highly enjoyable although not recommended for everyone. Even though the album isn’t meant to provoke people, the content itself is grotesquely mature given the topics of interest, with “Praise Abort” and “Fat” being prime examples.
