Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Oomph! - Sperm (1994)

Need some Oomph in your German industrial rock/metal? I don't. The idea of producing a German mix of the industrial of the Laibach, the metal of Pantera, and the in-between of Ministry doesn't cut it for me. Nonetheless, the then-newly created subgenre of Neue Deutsche Härte would motivate bands like Die Krupps and KMFDM to push their metal direction further and spawn the second NDH band and the most popular, Rammstein!

Only a few tracks in the album stand out for me, one of them being the best here, "Sex". Another good track is "Feiert das Kreuz" (Celebrate the Cross), though the intro sample makes me think of a Hitler-Exorcist crossover. "Breathtaker" is indeed what the title suggests. "Ich Bin Der Weg" (I'm the Way) is quite underrated and deserves some listening.

As interesting as it is to hear an innovative start of Neue Deutsche Härte, Sperm exemplifies why it's not for me. The lack of consistency in the writing, along with the German sex-ridden lyrics, can be a struggle most of the time. Nonetheless, I can witness how influential the album is at starting something different....

Favorites (only ones I like): "Sex", "Feiert das Kreuz", "Breathtaker", "Ich Bin Der Weg"