Back

The Aesthetics of Fear - Titel Magazin 17-Dec-02

17 December 2002

The Aesthetics of Fear
by Thorsten Stegemann

Till Lindemann has brought it far. But with the steep rise of the former building joiner, wheel maker, Carpenter, basket maker and Gallery Technician to the front man of the world renowned cult Band “Rammstein”, he has not yet reached the high point. The poetry book “Messer” from Lindemann presents a completely new side to quite considerable fan base their Idol.

However, it only partially succeeds, because the majority of the texts were predominantly developed between 1995 and 2002 and are characteristically and unmistakably closely bound to that highly individual Rammstein-aesthetic, and which represent only a crude line up of archaic and possibly a flood of fear-filled pictures, whilst supposing others similar are behind the whole “Sprengsaetze voller Kompromisslosigkeit” (uncompromising explosions). This beautiful quotation comes from Lindemann’s close friend Gert Hof, who provided the poetry book with highly individual photographs, which pursue the sad hero on his way through a doll populated world. In addition Hof was so obliging as to produce an introduction in the preface of this the opulently arranged book, which might be unparalleled in its perfect lack of detachment. Whoever can stomach preface, must hold that Lindemann is the Alpha and Omega of all poetic efforts.

Hof’s exalted adulation celebrates the verses of his esteemed friend as a “lyrical account”, an “execution”, a “laser scalpel”, “material gathered from passion”, a “storm of flames sweeping high from the north over an oasis”, a “modern exorcism” and “Poetry with no going back”- and thereby itself corresponds rather exactly to the overdone acrobatic language and not much to the plausibility of picture composition of the revered hymn-like texts. As Lindemann arranges his mandatory blood baths and idioms about slashed bodies, broken hearts, festering brains and foreheads or all those fatalistic barriers to hope, which come to nothing, in the usual way it then happens – as a consequence gradually loosing originality – possibly even the most impartial observer is eventually fatigued. To that extent it has to be agreed that Hof - surely always more pleasing than the weepy navel-look of the new lyrical inwardness or the verbal impotence of a politically correct phrasemonger. On the other hand it’s not a book for profit, as its qualities must be refined out from the awkwardness of other publications.

Once again less would have been more here, and nobody proves that more impressively than the author himself, just as the most impressive verses succeed, he is indeed eloquent, but even leaving the fumbling fright inventory aside and the dramatic scenery is dressed in verbal insignificance:

I have a rifle
I have loaded it
a bang
you have a head no more
that I see through the smoke

They knock on the door
now they will ask me Its not my fault
It just went off

Such miniatures are found throughout the 150 page comprehensive Lyric- and photo book - but one must definitely look for a long time for them. For any subsequent book possibly already planned, a higher success rate would be desirable.

Till Lindemann: Messer. Poetry and Photos, Eichborn, 29,90 Euro

© 2005 Sue Lindemann