Die Krupps – Will Nicht – Muss / Collision Course (Digital/CD/Vinyl EP – Dependent Records)
Originally intended for exclusive sale during their recent anniversary tour—celebrating 45 years of Die Krupps—the EP was re-released following its success and is now also available on vinyl.
The EP features two main tracks on which Die Krupps sound harder and more relentless than ever. Crushing guitars collide with driving electronic backdrops, while one track even incorporates a catchy, whistled classical motif. At times, Die Krupps evoke comparisons to Rammstein more strongly than ever—but when the result is this effective, it hardly matters. The cover artwork, depicting the American president in profile, leaves little room for interpretation and underscores the band’s unmistakable way of expressing political and social discontent. The release is completed by four remixes, including contributions from John Bechdel and Cesar Soto, both known for their work with Ministry, among others.
Serving as a preview of the new album announced for 2026, this EP makes one thing abundantly clear: Die Krupps have lost none of their power or relevance, and what lies ahead promises to be nothing short of explosive. (Rating:8).
Side-Line first covered the record as a tour-only EP ahead of this vinyl edition.
Watch the clip for “Will Nicht – Muss!”:
About Die Krupps
Die Krupps formed in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1980 around Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka, soon joined by Ralf Dörper. Engler had come out of the Düsseldorf punk band Male, while Dörper later co-founded Propaganda. Early records appeared on the ZickZack label, including the debut “Stahlwerksynfonie” (1981), and the 12-inch “Wahre Arbeit – Wahrer Lohn” (1981) pushed metallic percussion into a club context.
“Volle Kraft voraus!” (1982) moved toward sequenced synths, and “Entering the Arena” (1985) introduced English-language material. Over the following decades the band shaped a hard blend of guitars and electronics associated with EBM and industrial metal. This EP marks 45 years of Die Krupps and previews a new album announced for 2026 on Dependent Records.
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