Eisregen is a German
death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
/
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
band formed in 1995. The members are from
Tambach-Dietharz
Tambach-Dietharz is a town in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 19 km south of Gotha.
Mayor
Since 2012, Marco Schütz (independent) is the mayor. His predecessor was the former lieutenan ...
, a village in
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
.
History
In English, Eisregen translates to "ice rain". By using morbid German lyrics unlike those of other bands of this genre, Eisregen got the attention of German authorities, causing the ban by the
Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons
The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (german: link=no, Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien or ''BPjM'') is an upper-level German federal censorship agency subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Family Affair ...
of three of their albums in Germany.
Eisregen originally planned to disband after releasing a final album called ''Menschenmaterial'' ("human resources", as in mineral/natural resources, a dehumanizing reference to "spendable" humans), but announced that they will continue to work together.
Musical style
Eisregen's old albums were more
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
-influenced than the newer ones. The violin parts, now typical for the band, came with 1998's ''
Krebskolonie'' ("cancer colony"), considered the band's best album by many of their fans.
Censorship
Unlike regular banning (referred to as "indexing"), which prohibits playing the songs in public, selling to minors and any kind of advertisement, ''
Krebskolonie'' is not allowed to be sold at all in Germany. The reason given by the
Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons
The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (german: link=no, Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien or ''BPjM'') is an upper-level German federal censorship agency subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Family Affair ...
were the lyrics, which were described as cruel, inhuman, misogynistic and brutalising. The band could not fight the ban as their label Last Episode (which they left afterwards) did not inform them.
Interviews show the reasons giving for the ban differ from lyricist Michael Roth's intentions. As an example, an excerpt from the ban report referring to the song "Futter für die Schweine" ("food for the pigs"):
: ''"Dieses Lied weist daneben auch Bezüge zur Frauenfeindlichkeit auf. So ist der Sänger der Meinung, dass das Leben einer Prostituierten so gering zu schätzen sei, dass sie nur als Schweinefutter tauge"'' (translates to: "This song also contains misogynistic references. In the singer's opinion, a prostitute's life has so little value that she is only fit to be pig food.")
Roth himself stated:
: ''"Die Menschheit nimmt sich prinzipiell immer viel zu wichtig und stellt sich eben immer an die Spitze der Nahrungskette
€¦ Es war einfach ganz interessant, daß man mal ein Wesen darüberstellt. Den Mensch eben auch mal zum Futter degradiert
€¦ Das Thema hab ich auch wieder bei 'Futter für die Schweine' aufgegriffen, daß sich die Nahrungskette eben mal anders darstellt, als sie gemeinhin aufgefaßt wird. Die Geschichte ist aus einer ziemlich kranken und zynischen Sicht geschrieben."'' (translates to: "Mankind normally takes itself far too serious and sees itself as the top of the food chain
.. It was interesting to put another creature there
.. I used that topic for 'Futter für die Schweine' and showed the food chain in different way than it is generally seen. The story is told from a quite sick and cynical view."
)
![Eisregen at Hatefest (Martin Rulsch) 09](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Eisregen_at_Hatefest_%28Martin_Rulsch%29_09.jpg)
The ban of the 2001 album ''
Farbenfinsternis'' ("color darkness"), which along with ''Krebskolonie'' was one of their most important releases, inflicted financial damages to Eisregen. The album ''Menschenmaterial'', originally thought to be their sixth and last album, was not released. The band announced to release one more album called ''
Blutbahnen'' ("bloodlines") before, as they found new motivation to make music.
On 1 February 2007, their release ''
Wundwasser'' ("water from wounds") was banned due to "youth endangering and condemnable contents".
In order to circumvent the banning rules, Eisregen retitle songs when playing them live. "Meine tote Russische Freundin" and "Futter für die Schweine" became "Meine schwedische Freundin" and "Nonnen für die Schweine". "Krebskolonie" is often played as "Leprakolonie" ("leper colony").
Reception
Although Eisregen were criticized for their horror and splatter lyrics, their songs also have a certain (often morbid and humorous) background and sometimes even deal with social or historical topics (e.g. "Schwarze Rose", "vom Muttermord", "
Ripper von Rostow", "
Eisenkreuzkrieger", "
17 Kerzen am Dom") in a fictional way.
Band members
;Current
* Michael "Blutkehle" Roth – vocals
* Michael "Bursche" Lenz – guitars, bass
* Franzi "Dr. Franzenstein" – keyboard
* Ronny "Yantit" Fimmel – drums, electronics
;Former
* K. Matthes – bass (1997–1998)
* Michael "Der Hölzer" Brill – bass (1999–2000)
* Sebastian "Berg" Morbach – bass (1996–1997, 2000–2005)
* Theresa "2T" Trenks – violin (1997–2006)
* Daniel "DF" Fröbing – keyboard (1995–1999 and 2007)
* Birgit Lages – bass (2005–2006)
* Jan-Vincent Simmen on ''Demo '95''
Discography
* ''Promo 96'' (demo, 1996)
* ''
Das Ende des Weges'' ''(The End of the Path)'' demo (1996) (limited to 333 copies)
* ''Fleischhaus'' ''(Butcher's Hall, House of Flesh)'' (vinyl, 1997) (limited to 1,000 copies)
* ''
Zerfall'' ''(Decay)'' (1998)
* ''
Krebskolonie'' ''(Cancer Colony)'' (1998)
* ''
Leichenlager'' ''(Morgue, lit. Corpse Store)'' (2000)
* ''Fleischfestival'' ''(Festival of Flesh)'' (EP, 2000)
* ''
Farbenfinsternis'' ''(Darkened Colours, lit. Colour Darkness)'' (2001)
* ''Lager Leipzig'' ''(Camp Leipzig)'' video (2001)
* ''
Zerfall'' re-release (2004) (bonus: ''
Das Ende des Weges'' demo) (remastered)
* ''
Wundwasser'' ''(lit. Wound Water)'' (2004)
* ''Hexenhaus'' ''(Witch's Cottage)'' (EP + DVD, 2005)
* ''
Blutbahnen (Blood Trails)'' (2007)
* ''Eine Erhalten'' ''(Give It to Me,'' lit. ''Receive One)'' (EP, 2007)
* ''
Knochenkult'' ''(Bone Cult)'' (2008)
* ''Bühnenblut'' ''(Stage Blood)'' (live CD, 2009)
* ''Schlangensonne (lit. Snake Sun) (2010)''
* ''Madenreich – Ein Stück Rostrot'' ''(Kingdom of Maggots – A Little Rust-red)'' (EP, 2011)
* ''
Rostrot'' ''(Rust-red)'' (2011)
* ''Krebskollektion'' ''(Cancer Collection)'' (compilation, 2012)
* ''Todestage'' ''(Dates of Death)'' (2013)
* ''Flötenfreunde'' ''(Friends of Flutes)'' (EP, 2014)
* ''Brummbär'' ''(
Brummbär
The ''Sturmpanzer'' (also known as ''Sturmpanzer 43'' or ''Sd.Kfz. 166'') was a German armoured infantry support gun based on the Panzer IV chassis used in the Second World War. It was used at the Battles of Kursk, Anzio, Normandy, and was deploy ...
)'' (EP, 2015)
* ''Marschmusik'' (''March Music'') (2015)
* ''Fleischfilm'' ''(Meat Movie)'' (2017)
* ''Satan liebt dich'' ''(Satan Loves You)'' (EP, 2018)
* ''Fegefeuer'' ''(Purgatory)'' (2018)
* ''Leblos'' ''(Lifeless)'' (2020)
* Bitterböse ''(Vicious, lit. bitterly evil)'' (Split, 2021)
* Wiedergänger ''(Revenant)'' (EP, 2022)
* Grenzgänger ''(Border crosser)'' (2023)
Side projects
Ronny Fimmel founded a
gothic metal
Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...
band called Ewigheim in 1999 (Michael Roth and Theresa Trenks were featured as session musicians). Michael Roth and Michael Lenz play in a
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
band called Eisblut since 2004, and Ronny Fimmel and Theresa Trenks founded Transilvanian Beat Club in 2005.
References
External links
Official website*
*
{{Authority control
German death metal musical groups
German black metal musical groups
Musical groups established in 1995