Eisregen

German death metal band Eisregen is chiefly notable for singing in their native language rather than English and for being "indexed" by Die Bundesprüfstelle für Jugendgefährdende Medien (i.e., the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons). For example, the band's album Krebskolonie (1998) is prohibited from being played in public for audience members under the age of 18, a fate known as verbreitungsverbot, on account of its lyrics, which were deemed "grausamen, menschenverachtenden, frauenfeindlichen und verrohenden" (i.e., cruel, human-despising, misogynistic, and brutalizing). Other Eisregen albums, including Farbenfinsternis (2001) and Wundwasser (2004), were indexed as well — actions that severely limited the band's commercial ability while at the same time engendering infamy. In fact, it was in the wake of Wundwasser's indexing that the band enjoyed its best chart debut to date, as Blutbahnen (2007) entered the German album chart at number 32.

Eisregen was formed in Tambach-Dietharz, Thuringia, in 1995 by vocalist Michael "Blutkehle" Roth, guitarist Michael "Bursche" Lenz, keyboardist Daniel "DF" Fröbing, and drummer Ronny "Yantit" Fimmel. Rounds of demo recordings preceded the band's official debut release, the 7" single "Fleischhaus" (1997). A recording contract with Last Episode resulted, and Eisregen went about recording Zerfall (1998), their full-length debut for the label. Next came Krebskolonie (1998), which, as aforementioned, was later indexed by the BPJM in August 2003 upon its reissue. Krebskolonie is notable as well for its inclusion of violinist Theresa "2T" Trenks, who would contribute to the band's albums henceforth (until her departure in 2006, that is), and the album remains a fan favorite.

After a few more releases — "Fleischfestival" EP (1999), Leichenlager (2000), Farbenfinsternis (2001) — Eisregen left Last Episode, which was facing insolvency, and signed a new contract with Massacre Records. The label first reissued a couple back-catalog items — Krebskolonie in conjunction with the "Fleischfestival" EP in 2003, and Zerfall with the Das Ende des Weges demo in 2004 — and then finally released the first all-new album by Eisregen in three years, Wundwasser (2004). It was the band's first to chart, spending one week at number 87. A CD-EP/DVD, Hexenhaus (2005), followed not long thereafter, and in 2007 Eisregen returned with another full-length (Blutbahnen) and follow-up EP (Eine Erhalten).