OOMPH! (0.0 Miles Per Hour) is a German Neue Deutsche Härte group.

The band

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.

Albums and style

OOMPH! Incorporates many styles of music such as Metal, Industrial, Alternative Rock, Electronica and Gothic to create their sound.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 to follow their lead.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. Between 1998 and 2001 they released three albums on the Virgin label, Unrein of 1998, Plastik in 1999 and Ego from 2001 , 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, later opening for the Finnish rock band HIM, which Dero admits was not their most pleasant experience. Dero's rant @ OOMPH! SupernovaIn 2004 OOMPH! released their first single "Augen Auf!" (Eyes Open!) 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 (FaithLoveDeath) was released in March 2006, including the controversial single Gott ist ein Popstar (God Is a Pop Star), its follow-up Das letzte Streichholz (The Last Match) , Die Schlinge (The Noose) and Träumst Du? (Do You Dream?).In August 2006 Virgin Schallplatten released the compilation album Best of Virgin Years. It contains tracks from OOMPH!'s three Virgin albums and few rarities including Monolith, This Time (previously released only on Unsere Rettung single), Niemand, Swallow (unplugged) as well as live versions of Gekreuzigt (Crucified) and Unsere Rettung (Our Salvation). The band distanced itself from this best-of release and asked the fans not buy it as the band's current label GUN had scheduled a best-of compilation as well.On 1st of December 2006, OOMPH!'s official best-of called Delikatessen (Delicacies) was released under the GUN label. The songs on it were hand-picked by the band itself. It contains tracks from all 9 OOMPH! albums, b-sides, remixes and never-heard before tracks like The Power of Love and Gekreuzigt'06. It is available in a single disk form with 19 tracks, and a limited edition two-disk digipack with the original 19 tracks plus a second disk with 19 more b-sides and remixes. By 17th of November 2006, OOMPH! released those two songs in a form of double single to promote the new compilation release.On 9th of February 2007, the band released their latest single Träumst Du? featuring Marta Jandová in the song. Along with the female vocalist from Die Happy, OOMPH! performed the song live the same day at the 2007 edition of Bundesvision Song Contest, representing Lower Saxony in the competition, coming in first place.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 among many more.

Future

The band plans to concentrate the rest of the year to release a new album in early 2008. At the moment, they just released their first DVD - Rohstoff, which is packed with live footage consisting of 23 songs, most of the Video Clips the band has created as well as making-of videos and an exclusive interview. The DVD was released on July 20, 2007. Oomph! come up with first live DVD. New song and the first single from the band's tenth album (due for early 2008 release) called "Wach Auf!" is to appear in Requiem movie, while the CD release will occur on 4th January 2008. The band has written 25 new songs, while 12-16 will make it on the album. Rest of tracks will be released as b-sides on new singles.

Influences

The members of OOMPH! listen to and have been influenced by a variety of artists including Metallica, The Beatles, ABBA, Depeche Mode, DAF, Nine Inch Nails, Björk, Garbage, Korn and Mozart.

Discography

Studio albums

• OOMPH! (1992)
• Sperm (1994)
• Defekt (1995)
• Wunschkind (1996)
• Unrein (1998)
• Plastik (1999)
• Ego (2001)
• Wahrheit oder Pflicht (2004)
• GlaubeLiebeTod (2006)

Compilation albums

• The Early Works (1998)
• Best of Virgin Years (2006)
• Delikatessen (2006)

DVDs

• Rohstoff (2007)

Singles

• Ich bin du (1991)
• Der neue Gott (1992)
• Breathtaker (1993)
• Sex (1994)
• 3+1 (1994)
• Ice-Coffin (1995)
• Gekreuzigt (1998) (Germany #81)
• Unsere Rettung (1998)
• Das weisse Licht (1999) (Germany #46)
• Fieber (1999, feat. Nina Hagen)
• Supernova (2001) (Germany #80)
• Niemand (2001) (Germany #94)
• Augen Auf! (2004) (Germany #1 five weeks, Austria #1 four weeks, Switzerland #21)
• Brennende Liebe (2004, feat. L'Âme Immortelle) (Germany #6, Austria #11, Switzerland #35)
• Sex hat keine Macht (2004) (Germany #31, Austria #57)
• Gott ist ein Popstar! (2006) (Germany #12, Austria #14, Switzerland #93)
• Das letzte Streichholz (2006) (Germany #27, Austria #37)
• Die Schlinge (2006, feat. Apocalyptica) (Germany #51)
• Gekreuzigt 2006 + The Power of Love (2006) (double single) (Germany # 54)
• Träumst Du? (2007, feat. Marta Jandová) (Germany #9, Austria #48)
• Wach Auf! (2008)

Remixes

• Upperworld - Syntec
• Ich sehe dich - Such A Surge
• L 'Oasis - La Floa Maldita
• Good God (The Mixes) - Korn
• Und...ich lauf - Joachim Witt
• Painful Reconstructed EP- Sin
• Freedom - De/Vision
• Sheila - Rauhfaser
• Here Comes The Pain - Farmer Boys
• Silver Surger - Such A Surge
• Keilerkopf I - Keilerkopf
• Hülle - Keilerkopf
• Traumschloss - Keilerkopf
• Monochrom - Herzer
• Glas - Herzer
• Supergestört und Superversaut - Joachim Witt
• Krieger - And One