OOMPH!

OOMPH! is an industrial metal band from the german Neue Deutsche Haerte Scene.

The band was formed in 1989 in Wolfsburg, Germany. They are (next to KMFDM and Die Krupps) founders of the new fusion of hard metal music and industrial sounds known as Neue Deutsche Härte, though OOMPH! owed a lot to Nitzer Ebb in their first album. (It is interesting to note that Die Krupps and Nitzer Ebb released a single - "The Machineries of Joy" - together in 1989, the same year OOMPH! was founded.)

OOMPH!'s change of style between their self-titled debut (1992) and its successor "Sperm" (1994), leaning more heavily to a guitar-driven metal sound without ever giving up their electronic roots, inspired numerous musicians, most famously Rammstein, to follow their lead. (Rammstein have quoted OOMPH! in several interviews as their main inspiration.)

OOMPH! released their first album on Jor's Machinery label, then releasing their consecutive albums on its sister-label Dynamica. They stayed with Jor, until his labels disappeared during the acquisition by Sanctuary Records at around 1996/1997.

It was Virgin Schallplatten where OOMPH! finally signed, because Virgin had asked way before Rammstein became successful (according to an OOMPH! interview). Between 1998 and 2001 they released three albums on the Virgin label, fulfilling their contract, but did not continue, feeling that the record company never fully explored their potential. With the benefits of major-label status however, OOMPH! gained a larger following, and toured with labelmates Skunk Anansie in 1999.

In 2004 OOMPH! released their first single "Augen auf!" on a new label, this time on Supersonic Records, part of the Sony BMG group of music companies. It marks their first Number One hit ever in Germany, thus eventually bringing forth their major commercial breakthrough. It became part of the FIFA 2005 soundtrack.

The band's ninth record, GlaubeLiebeTod was released in March 2006, including the controversial single "Gott ist ein Popstar" and its follow-up "Das letzte Streichholz", the third single was Die Schlinge.

In 2007, they won the third Bundesvision Song Contest (a contest between the sixteen states of Germany) for Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) with "Träumst du?", which featured Marta Jandová from Die Happy.

It should also be noted that while OOMPH! are not widely known within the United States, the band did perform at a New York festival in 1993. In Europe they have performed at M'era Luna, Ozzfest, Dynamo Open Air and Wacken Open Air.

The members of OOMPH! listen to and have been influenced by a variety of artists including The Beatles, ABBA, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Björk, Garbage, KoЯn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and most notable Einstürzende Neubauten.

OOMPH! consists of:
Dero Goi
Robert Flux
Andreas Crap