The sounds of German industrial metal filled the streets of Glasgow at the start of the month, as Rammstein tribute band Mörderstein took to the stage of the Classic Grand.
Those familiar with Rammstein will be accustomed to their massive sound, as well as their equally impressive performances. Anyone attending a Rammstein gig will expect a firework or two to be shot over their head, and to feel the heat of the flamethrowers on stage and surrounding the venue. The band love their pyrotechnics, as well as their dark humour on stage, setting their band mates alight or ‘cooking’ them in a pot. Of course, these shows are hosted in large stadiums or similar venues across the globe, and so the idea of seeing this in a local Glasgow haunt seems miles away. Until Mörderstein introduced themselves.
Mörderstein bring the heavy rock sound of Rammstein to more intimate and accessible spaces. Saturday 3rd February was a prime example of this. Mörderstein took to the stage of the Classic Grand in Glasgow, looking and sounding like the German rockers themselves. They have been working with their current six piece lineup since 2022, which consists of Brüno Stahl on vocals, Arrön Clarke on Bass, Töny Small on drums, Ian Schofield on keyboards, Paul Howcroft and Paul Glover on Guitar.
On the night, the band were on top form. The setlist included crowd pleasers such as ‘Du Hast’ and ‘Feuer Frei!’ which brought a great head banging energy from the crowd. It was also great to hear some tracks which are not commonly featured on Rammstein’s own set such as ‘Mutter’, a fantastic opportunity to hear these in a live setting. They incorporated fire with smaller intermittent pyrotechnics at the front of the stage, paired with certain songs and drum beats. Another Rammstein staple they did not forget was crowd surfing. The crowd were keen to get involved as the band threw their dinghy out onto the heads of their audience and hopped on for a risky ride around the room before being passed back to the stage.
Mörderstein brought all the elements of a Rammstein gig, visually and audibly, but with the added magic of an intimate venue. The effort they have put into their sound is distinctively clear, and they have managed to pull off the look and style of the iconic German band. As tribute bands go, they have managed to avoid being ‘cheesy’ or seeming silly, and come across in a professional manner. Under the dim stage lighting, and after a few beers at the bar, you could be taking a second look, questioning whether the German rockers themselves had flew in to play the iconic Glasgow venue.
At this time, Mörderstein are set to return to Scotland for a set in Bathgate’s Dreadnought venue on July 12th. If you are not managing to jet off to Europe for your Rammstein fix, or even if you are but can’t get enough, this is definitely worth checking out.
Keep up to date with Mörderstein below.