During a concert Monday night in Moscow, Rammstein guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe kissed onstage in front of a crowd of 81,000 at Luschniki Stadium, Russia's largest football stadium.
Read more: Russia arrests suspect in killing of LGBT+ activist
The band then posted a picture on Instagram and Facebook with the caption, "Russia, we love you."
The gesture from the German heavy metal band was in defiance of Russia's "gay propaganda" law, which makes it illegal to display or promote "non-traditional sexual relations." The law was passed in 2013, ostensibly to protect minors.
Read more: European Human Rights court rules Russian 'gay propaganda' law illegal
Attacks against members of the LGBTQ community are a regular occurrence in Russia. Perpetrators are rarely prosecuted, according to human rights activists.
The kiss in Moscow was not the first time the band members have smooched while performing their song "Ausländer" (Foreigner), nor was it the first sign of support for the LGBTQ community from Rammstein during their current tour.
Read more: Rammstein: Sons of East German punk
At a concert last week in Chorzow, Poland, Rammstein drummer Christoph Schneider was hoisted above the crowd in an inflatable raft waving a rainbow pride flag.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Music made of nightmares
Knowing no taboos, Rammstein have managed to infuse their performances with humanity's darkest nightmares. It's all about violence and murderous fantasies, cannibalism and various unthinkable acts of horror. They delight in crossing the line, and their provocations are celebrated by a legion of fans. Rammstein is one-of-a-kind — and the band members are worldwide stars.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Eastern punk heritage
Come from East Berlin and Schwerin, the members first performed in seminal acts within the East German underground punk scene. Guitarist Paul Landers and keyboardist Flake Lorenz played in Feeling B; singer Till Lindemann was with First Arsch, bassist Oliver Riedel with The Inchtabokatables, guitarist Richard Kruspe in Orgasm Death Gimmick, and drummer Christoph Schneider in Die Firma.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Appearances are deceiving
They actually look like nice guys. This photo was taken in 1995 when the band was one year old. "Herzeleid" (Heartbreak), the first LP, had gruesome texts on issues like child abuse in "Weisses Fleisch" (White Flesh), and necrophilia in "Heirate mich" (Marry Me). All that to harsh guitar riffs, merciless percussion and an edgy electro sound. It reached No. 6 in the German album charts.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
God knows I'm no angel
"Engel" (Angel) in 1997 was the breakthrough. Given much airtime on the MTV and Viva music channels, it was inspired by Quentin Tarantino's film "From Dusk Till Dawn." The second album, "Sehnsucht" (Longing), went platinum both in Germany and in the US. Rammstein's contribution to the soundtrack of David Lynch's film "Lost Highway" kickstarted their career in the US.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
A plea for tolerance in a Hawaiian shirt
Aren't they sweet? The surf boys pose on the Californian beach with pretty bikini-clad girls and sing about the foreigner that is unwelcome. The happy images collide with the hard, rapid industrial beat. When "Mein Land" (My Country, 2011) comes to an end, the candy-colored beach party is over, and it's back to familiar Rammstein imagery with fire and scowling faces.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Inter-generational collaboration
In a crossover phase, German folk music star Heino covered well-known rock and pop songs, including Rammstein's "Sonne" (Sun). In 2013, the group invited Heino to join them onstage at Wacken Open Air. Facing 75,000 metal fans and flanked by flames and smoke, Heino sang together with Rammstein — looking slightly startled. The periodical "Metal-Hammer" tweeted: "Did Heino know where he'd landed?"
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Heroes onscreen
The film of the Rammstein concert in New York's Madison Square Garden, and the documentary "Rammstein in Amerika," premiered in movie theaters on September 24, 2015. The DVD climbed to No. 1 in the DVD charts in 13 countries. Rammstein has conquered four of the world's five biggest music markets: the US, Great Britain, France and Germany.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Cultivated pyromaniac
Rammstein lead singer Till Lindemann likes to shock with his outre makeup. But under the wild man exterior, Till's a sensitive, contemplative soul who published a collection of poetry titled "Messer" (Knife) in 2002. Meanwhile, the 56-year-old got his buff physique from high-performance swimming. And what about his love of fire? Lindemann took a course in pyrotechnics in 1996.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Nuptials from hell
In 2015, Till Lindemann joined up with Swedish metal musician Peter Tägtgren in a side project called "Lindemann." The album "Skills in Pills" is gory and morbid, satisfying Rammstein fans who back then were waiting out the band's hiatus. When they go on tour now, we'll see how the musicians put their downtime to productive use.
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Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Rammstein on tour
The Europe Stadium Tour 2019 starts May 27 at the Veltins Arena in the German city of Gelsenkirchen. The band then goes on to Barcelona, Bern, Munich, Dresden, Copenhagen, Berlin, Rotterdam, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, Prague, Luxembourg, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Oslo and other cities, ending in Vienna on August 22. Of the 30 performances, all but five are sold out.
Author: Silke Wünsch (rf)
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