Neue Deutsche Härte: Subgenre of rock music

It started from Neue Deutsche Welle and the term was used by the music press after the release of Rammstein's first album Herzeleid.

Neue Deutsche Härte
Rammstein on stage at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on 18 November 2004
Other names	New German hardness (English translation) NDH Tanzmetall dance-metal
Stylistic origins	Neue Deutsche Welle alternative metal groove metal electro-industrial techno
Cultural origins	Early-to-mid 1990s, Germany and Austria
Typical instruments	Vocals electric guitar electric bass guitar drum kit electronic musical synthesizer electronic musical keyboards drum machine music sequencer samples
Regional scenes
Germany Austria
Other topics
Popular music in Germany industrial metal nu metal industrial music industrial rock krautrock progressive rock progressive metal rivetheads

Neue Deutsche Härte is a crossover style from Neue Deutsche Welle, alternative metal, and groove metal. They merge it with elements from electro-industrial and techno music. Most NDH bands have an electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals. They may also have keyboards, synthesizers, samples and sometimes drum machines. NDH uses guitars that are distorted and tuned low (drop D or drop C). In most NDH songs, there is an importance of showing predominance. This is done by overpronouncing some syllables and sounds (such as the uvular [sound made with the uvula] or alveolar trill [sound made with the tongue touching or near the alveolar]). The vocals are usually in German, sung by a deep, male voice. Some bands use screaming and death growls, used in songs by Oomph!, Rammstein, Joachim Witt, Megaherz, and Eisbrecher.

The basics of the NDH style were set up by Oomph! on their second album, Sperm (1994), and by Rammstein with their first album Herzeleid (1995). Oomph!'s biggest impact was from groove metal bands such as Prong, Pantera, and Sepultura. Rammstein, who takes inspiration from many bands, such as Depeche Mode and Ministry, is one of NDH's most influential bands. NDH is specially successful in continental Europe; Rammstein having sold almost four million records in Germany, and earning gold and platinum records in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Finland.

Oomph! got a gold record for their 2004 single "Augen auf!" in Austria and Germany. Eisbrecher's 2004 self-titled debut album came at No. 13 on the Deutschen Alternative Top 20 Chart, while their second album came at No. 85 on the German main chart.

In 2011, comedian and musician Bill Bailey released a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair" in the NDH style. The lyrics are directly translated, sparking controversy from German audiences.

Platz, Nym, and Balanck show Neue Deutsch Härte as a strong and powerful mix of German metal and hardcore influences and elements of techno – all coming together with the abilities of modern music production.