Herzeleid

Herzeleid is the debut studio album by the German band Rammstein, released in 1995 by Motor Music in Germany. The title roughly translates as Heartache. Recorded during 1994–1995, the album was produced by Jacob Hellner in collaboration with Rammstein and features the band's early blend of heavy metal guitar riffs, industrial textures, and electronic elements, a sonic approach that would become central to the Neue Deutsche Härte movement. Till Lindemann's deep baritone provides the vocal core, complemented by the distinctive guitar work of Richard Z. Kruspe and Paul Landers, and the rhythmic foundation laid by Oliver Riedel (bass), Christoph Schneider (drums), and Flake Lorenz (keyboard).

Herzeleid produced the successful single "Du riechst so gut," which helped the band establish an aggressive, theatrical image that complemented their live performances. The album was well received in German-speaking markets and contributed to the emergence of a new wave of German-language industrial metal in the mid-1990s. It paved the way for Rammstein's international breakthrough two years later with Sehnsucht (1997) and the wider success that followed. The release solidified the band's lineup and set the template for their signature fusion of heavy riffing, electronic sampling, and provocative presentation.