finetune artist: Die Krupps

German unit Die Krupps has been a pioneering force in experimental music ever since being formed in 1980 by Jrgen Engler (b. 12 October 1960, Germany; vocals, keyboards, guitars) and band spokesman Bernward Malaka (bass, vocals; ex-Male), together with keyboard/vocalist Ralf Drper (b. 11 January 1960, Dusseldorf, Germany; ex-S.Y.P.H and later of Propaganda). Together with Front 242, they formulated the Body Music subgenre of Euro rock, a sound lush in electronics but harsh in execution. Several albums of synthesized material emerged, venerated by a loyal fanbase. However, Engler spent the mid-80s, which were largely quiet for the band, absorbing the new sounds pioneered by Metallica, pushing back the frontiers of metal. When Die Krupps eventually returned in 1992, Engler and Drper added layers of metal guitar. The most famous of two excellent sets in that year included a tribute to the band who had revolutionized Engler's thinking: "Metallica were coming to Germany for some dates and I wanted to present something to them because I really admired what they did. So we put together this tape, and that's all it was intended for, but our label heard of it and wanted to put it out . . ." On II: The Final Option Lee Altus (guitar, ex-Heathen), Rdiger Esch (bass) and Darren Minter (drums) were brought in, and Die Krupps adhered to their bleak lyrical themes, notably on "Crossfire", a reaction to the Yugoslavian conflict. A remix album, with contributions from Gunshot, Jim Martin (ex-Faith No More), Andrew Eldritch (Sisters Of Mercy) and Julian Beeston (Nitzer Ebb, who in 1989 had remodelled the band's classic "Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn"), was also unveiled. On III: Odyssey Of The Mind embraced still further the metallic guitar sound, which now subsumed their distinctive hard dance electronics. Engler said of it: "The guitars are definitely louder on this one. We still get put into different sections in record stores all over the world. In Germany we're in the independent section. In France the techno, and in England in the metal. It's all right, but it's all wrong too. We should be in every section!'. Following one further Die Krupps release, 1997"s Paradise Now, Engler set up his Dkay.Com project.

Listen to Die Krupps at Finetune.

Fatherland(Andrew Eldritch Remix)
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
Isolation
Iron Man