Knorkator

A highly satirical and comedic industrial metal act paying lip service to the more theatrical aspects of metal, including the over-the-top vocals and arrangements, Germany's Knorkator is the self-described "Deutschlands meiste Band der Welt," or "Germany's most band in the world," to give one a glimpse into their absurdist humor. Their discography includes cult favorites such as Tribute to Uns Selbst (2000), Ich Hasse Musik (2003), and Widerstand ist zwecklos (2019). The group celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025 with the release of Weltherrschaft für alle. Knorkator formed in 1994 but stayed in the Berlin area for the first chunk of their career. They released two albums, 1997's The Schlechtst of Knorkator and 1999's Hasenchartbreaker, before getting their first real bit of national -- and Continental European for that matter -- exposure with their entry in the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest, "Ick wer zun Schwein" (or, in English, "I'm Turning Into a Pig"). That same year, Knorkator followed up with another full-length, Tribute to Uns Selbst. More albums followed, including 2003's Ich Hasse Musik, and 2007's Das Nächste Album Aller Zeiten, before the bandmembers announced they would be calling it quits in 2008. Their retirement proved short-lived, though -- seeing the hole their absence had left, Knorkator decided to re-form in 2011. The new lineup, which featured vocalist Stumpen, guitarist Buzz Dee, keyboardist Alf Ator, drummer Nick Aragua, and bassist Rajko Gohlke, began touring and working on new material, with the album Es Werde Nicht arriving later that year. Aragua left the following year, with drummer Sebastian Meyer stepping in to keep time. Knorkator continued to tour and record prolifically, issuing albums such as We Want Mohr (2014), Ich bin der Boss (2016), Widerstand ist zwecklos (2019), Sieg der Vernunft (2022), and their 30th anniversary opus Weltherrschaft für Alle! in 2025, which blended new material with reimagined classics. ~ Chris True