Rammstein had a major breakthrough in America with their hit single "Du Hast," and while that song does indeed rock, the rest of the album was a little inconsistent. Mutter is a major step forward, with better songs, more variety and more complex arrangements. You can really hear the band maturing as artists throughout this release.
A Wagnerian epic quality is very much present here, with soaring choruses, passionate string sections and of course the thundering power chords. Most of the songs have moderate tempos, which works well to emphasize the sense of the majestic. "Mein Herz Brennt," "Sonne," and the title track are all great examples of this style.
However, the speed metal fan should not despair either, since there are a couple of truly great faster songs. "Links 2 3 4," although not super-fast, is certainly uptempo and provides the obligatory military feel utilized by so many German metal bands. "Adios" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, with a rapid-fire thrash-metal style guitar part.
Rammstein haven't lost touch with their industrial roots, and electronic programming is sprinkled liberally throughout the record, although it functions mainly as part of the background texture rather than as an essential feature of the songs. As powerful as most of the material is, it does seem to run out of a steam a bit towards the end. "Zwitter" and "Rein Raus" are okay, but nowhere near as impressive as what came before. Luckily, Rammstein were smart enough to make sure the last couple of tracks were winners, making it easier to forget the weaker ones sandwiched inbetween.
Overall, Mutter is a very strong, if not quite perfect, example of Industrial Metal. Guaranteed to get your blood pumping.