Band:	Oomph!
Album:	Wahrheit Oder Pflicht
Style:	Industrial rock
Release date:	February 16, 2004
A review by:	Pierre Tombale

01. Augen auf!
02. Tausend neue Lügen
03. Wenn du weinst
04. Sex hat keine Macht
05. Burn Your Eyes [limited edition bonus]
06. Dein Weg
07. Du spielst Gott
08. Dein Feuer
09. Answer Me [limited edition bonus]
10. Der Strom
11. Nichts (ist kälter als Deine Liebe)
12. Nothing [limited edition bonus]
13. Diesmal wirst du Sehn
14. Tief in dir
15. Im Licht
16. Going Down [limited edition bonus]
+ Video of "Augen auf!" [limited edition bonus]

Among this years most famous song lines out of the German charts is definitely: 'Eckstein, Eckstein alles muss versteckt sein.' With few lines out of a childsplay's song and a great thrilling, but funny video that reminds you of several horror movies Oomph! have made it to no° 1 into the single charts and no° 2 of the album charts.
The lines are unclearly washed between the different styles of the trio from Wolfsburg, it goes something between Elektro, Industrial, maybe a bit of Nu. Anyway Germany has more german singing bands to offer than Rammstein. Though there have been songs released in english and the Wahrheit oder Pflicht limited edition contains english songs, but the regular release is with one hidden track as exception completely sung in german. Sometimes provacaticive and sometimes freaky and in all matters interesting.

In fact Oomph!'s 8th studio album begins with the single Augen Auf! That hit the charts at number one. Not only that the song contains lines from a childsplay, the video is some kind of a horror childs-birthday party, great! The following eleven songs aren't boring either. Even though comparisons with Rammstein may evolve, Oomph! is different in songwriting and technical presence. Where Rammstein appear somehow mechanical and define there own sound, Oomph! follow different styles and are very much more text based. The same in quality (the meaning sometimes camouflaged in metaphors and vague desriptions sometimes explicit), but relative more in quantity (Rammstein has more riff-oriented instrumental parts).
Away from the comparisons, to the remaining tracks.
'Tausend neue Lügen' is somehow a Nietzsche related mockery of question of belief in god.
'Wenn Du weinst' (When you cry) is some kind of a relationship mania, when you say in the beginning you won't let your partner go, but when it comes to a seperation, you really don't let go and hurt each other until you go mad even more? strange and irritating, but powerful and dark at the same time, a great song.
'Sex hat keine Macht' is a very ironic track (translated: sex has no power) about looking from the outward appearance of a person to the inner values. That may of course may lead to misinterpretations or even to nothing at all. The chorus is saying some contradictory things on being bound because of sexual attraction and denying the same thing in the next sentence. Quite tricky to get what was meant to be said, I'm not sure if I have found out the real meaning yet.
The same trickiness goes with the remaining songs, dark, irritating, but rocking very well. Contradictory, hidden meanings, an interesting work for your ears and your head, so to say.
The best songs are the first three ones, the following flow on a lower, but still very high level, with two more highlights at the end, that's why I'd give it an 8 in a whole.
The cover artwork is familiar if you have seen the video of Augen Auf!, several motives from that video make the artwork of the booklet plus some additional photos. The sound of the whole album is familiar when you have listened to the single before, even over the boarders of the different styles, which are at the same time related and mixed under heavy use of effects and some electronic beats.
Not easy to say if you like this album when the only but improper comparison is Rammstein. You might have a listen to this one if you like Rammstein, but there is no guarantee you like Wahrheit oder Pflicht, too. If you just like to try something different, try Oomph!.