Stahlmusik is the debut album of the German Industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten

Einstürzende Neubauten

Einstürzende Neubauten is a German post-industrial band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N.U...

. One of the earliest and rarest Neubauten albums, Stahlmusik was recorded live

Live television

Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...

-to-tape in a pillar of the Stadtautobahn Bridge in West Berlin

West Berlin

West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...

 on June 1, 1980, and was released on cassette in October via Blixa Bargeld

Blixa Bargeld

Blixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...

's "Eisengrau" shop, where the earliest incarnations of the band would often rehearse. Musically, the sound of the album is more conventional than the band's next album, Kollaps

Kollaps

Kollaps was the first official LP by Einstürzende Neubauten, released in 1981 on ZickZack as #ZZ 65. The album was reissued in 2002 with Stahldubversions, originally released in 1982.Blixa Bargeld, N.U. Unruh, and F.M. Einheit appear on the album....

, mainly because percussionist N.U. Unruh

N.U. Unruh

N. U. Unruh is a German musician, experimental percussionist and instruments inventor, probably best known for his work with German music group Einstürzende Neubauten.-Biography:...

 had not yet abandoned his drum-kit for the miscellaneous scrap metal of later releases; The songs are more akin to the material on the double 7" Schwarz

Schwarz

Schwarz is a common surname, derived from the German , , meaning the color black. It may refer to:-People:*Alan Schwarz , American writer*Albert Schwarz, Russian-born American theoretical*Annette Schwarz, German pornographic actress...

, released prior to Kollaps but nearly a year after Stahlmusik, in particular the EP's title track.

A version of "Für den Untergang" from these sessions appeared as "Stahlversion" on the B-side of the Für den Untergang 7", and was later reissued on Strategies Against Architecture 80-83

Strategies Against Architecture 80-83

Strategies Against Architecture '80–'83 is a compilation album of live tracks and B-sides by the German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten recorded from 1980 to 1983 and released in 1984...

.

Track listing

1. Energie - 6:19
2. Eisenmolekül - 3:20
3. Alphabet - 4:46
4. Tier - 5:21
5. Schönheit der Gewindigkeit - 2:16
6. Arbeit - 1:12
7. Kein Bestandteil Sein- 9:25
8. Kristallines Eisen - 0:51
9. Gut (mit dem Kopf an die Wand) - 5:22

Personnel

• Blixa Bargeld
  Blixa Bargeld
  Blixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
  
  : Guitar, Vocals, Noises
• N.U. Unruh
  N.U. Unruh
  N. U. Unruh is a German musician, experimental percussionist and instruments inventor, probably best known for his work with German music group Einstürzende Neubauten.-Biography:...
  
  : Percussion, Noises, Vocals on "Alphabet"