Oomph! (pronounced as "oomf") is a German rock band that was formed in Wolfsburg, Germany in 1989. The band is considered to be the original Neue Deutsche Härte musical group. In the 23-year history of the band, there have been no line-up changes.

History:

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 giving up their electronic roots, inspired numerous musicians, most famously Rammstein, Megaherz and Eisbrecher to follow their lead.

Oomph! released their first album on Jors 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 in 1998, which would become their debut album on the Media Control Charts peaking at #37 and the Austrian top 40 at #38.

A single called Gekreuzigt was released in 1998 to promote Unrein and became the bands debut single on the German charts, peaking at #81.

Plastik in 1999, which peaked in Germany at #23 and Ego in 2001, Peaking at #21 in the Media Control Charts, 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 in the fall of 2001.

In 2002 Oomph! played at the Ozzfest in Germany, playing alongside Black Label Society, Tool and Ozzy Osbourne on May 20. The band would also appear at the With Full Force Festival on July 5, 2002. And on December 19, 2002 Oomph! would open for Apoptygma Berzerk.

In 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, from their eighth album Wahrheit oder Pflicht. It marks their first Number One hit in Germany, thus eventually bringing forth their major commercial breakthrough. Their 8th album hit number 2 in the Media Control Charts.

In June 2004, Oomph! played Two major European music Festivals. The Dynamo Open Air Festival on June 5, in the Netherlands and on June 25 at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium.

"Augen Auf!" would become part of the FIFA 2005 soundtrack. Oomph! would appear for the first time at Wacken Open Air on August 4, 2005.

The bands ninth album, GlaubeLiebeTod (FaithLoveDeath) was released in March 2006, including the controversial single Gott ist ein Popstar! ("God is a Popstar!"), its follow-up Das letzte Streichholz, Die Schlinge and Träumst Du?.

In August 2006, Virgin released the compilation album 1998-2001: Best of Virgin Years. It contains tracks from Oomph!s three Virgin albums as well as a few unreleased tracks. The band distanced itself from this best-of release and asked the fans not buy it as the bands current label GUN had scheduled a best-of compilation as well.

On June 15, 2006 Oomph! played the Nova Rock Festival in Austria.

On 1 December 2006, Oomph!s official best-of album, Delikatessen (Delicacies) was released under the GUN label. The songs on it were hand-picked by the band itself. It contains tracks from all nine Oomph! albums, b-sides, remixes and never-heard before tracks like The Power of Love and Gekreuzigt06. By 17 November 2006, Oomph! released those two songs in a form of double single to promote the new compilation release.

On 9 February 2007, the band released their final GlaubeLiebeTod single - Träumst Du?, featuring the female vocalist from Die Happy, Marta Jandová. The single peaked at number 9 in the media control charts. 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.

On July 6, 2007 Oomph! would open for Metallica in Vienna, Austria.

Oomph!s first DVD was Rohstoff, which contains live footage consisting of 23 songs, most of the videos the band has created, making-of videos, and an exclusive interview. The DVD was released on July 20, 2007.

A new song called "Wach Auf!" appeared in the movie Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem; the single was released on 4 January 2008. Oomph! would make their first appearances at the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park Festivals on June 6, 2008.

Oomph! released their 10th album Monster, on August 22, 2008, which peaked in the Media Control Charts at number 8. The bands most successful single from the new album is "Labyrinth", released in September 2008, which peaked at number 26 in the Media Control Charts. The remaining tracks were to be released as B-sides on the upcoming singles. The first and only was "Sandmann", released in February 2009. Monster was reissued in June 2009 to include "Sandmann".

Oomph! opened for Marilyn Manson on June 24, 2009 in Linz, Austria.

On February 26, 2010, the band released their fourth compilation album, Truth or Dare, with their German songs re-recorded in English. Then, from April 24 to October 22, the band toured Europe to promote the new compilation album.

On September 10, 2010, Oomph! debuted the song "Sieger" (German for "Winner"), which was written for the ESL Pro Series 17, to a worldwide audience. The song had previously only been heard at the Gamescom 2010 trade fair.

Flux announced on October 8, 2011, on the official Oomph! Facebook page, that recording of a new album would be finished by the end of November. Dero also said that after so much time, only 20 tracks would be chosen and then they would select 12 or 14 of the best of them.

Announced on the bands official website, the new album is titled Des Wahnsinns fette Beute (Fat Booty of Madness), to be released in Spring, 2012. Oomph! will then go on a European tour starting in May and continuing into October. Countries confirmed so far are Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and France. Festivals confirmed so far are Nova Rock Festival, Wacken Open Air and the Summer Breeze Open Air festivals.

The first single is "Zwei Schritte Vor" and was released on May 4, 2012. The album was released on May 18, 2012.

Source and authors: Wikipedia / list of authors