![[symbols] by KMFDM, album cover](/img/57bfc32b-4b60-37cc-bd75-a83936127361/600)
[symbols]
KMFDM's ninth studio album carries no ordinary title. Instead it is named with a string of five non-alphabetic symbols, which is why most people simply call it Symbols. In some markets it is listed just as KMFDM. It came out on 23 September 1997, following Xtort from the year before and preceding Adios in 1999.
The German industrial band had by then built a catalogue stretching back to Opium in 1984, and this record sits in the middle of that run. Its sound belongs to industrial rock and electro-industrial, with electronic and EBM leanings too, so it makes a good place to hear the band's blend of guitars and machines. Metropolis Records is credited as the label, while the introduction names Wax Trax! as the original home, a small wrinkle in the album's story worth knowing if you go hunting for copies.
[symbols]: tracklist and credits
10 tracks · 56:33Tracklist
- 1MegalomaniacKonietzko, Schulz, Esch6:08
- 2Stray BulletKonietzko, Schulz, Esch5:30
- 3Leid ElendKonietzko, Schulz, Esch6:09
- 4MercyEsch, Konietzko, Schulz5:00
- 5TortureSascha Konietzko and Ogre7:04
- 6Split SpermEsch, Konietzko, Schulz, Watts4:46
- 7AnarchyEsch, Konietzko, Rieflin, Schulz, Skold5:34
- 8Down OutEsch, Konietzko, Schulz, Travis6:40
- 9UnfitEsch, Konietzko, Schulz, Watts6:01
- 10WasteEsch, Konietzko, Rieflin, Schulz, Travis3:41
- Produced by
- KMFDM, Chris Shepard
- Recorded at
- Bad Animals, Seattle, Washington, Luftschutzbunker, Seattle, Washington, Edelweiss Tonbetriebe, Kelowna, Studio 1001, New York City
- Engineered by
- Günter Schulz
- Labels
- Metropolis Records, Wax Trax!/TVT
- Length
- 56:33
Line-up
- Sascha Konietzko · sampler, vocals, background vocals, percussion
- Günter Schulz · guitar, background vocals, percussion
- En Esch · vocals, percussion, slide guitar, background vocals, cymbal, tambourine, guitar, sampler, piano
- Abby Travis · background vocals, bass guitar, vocals
- Michel Bassin · guitar, percussion
- Ogre · lead vocals · guest
- Bill Rieflin · drums (drum set)
- Raymond Watts · lead vocals · guest
- Skold · lead vocals · guest
- Amy Denio · saxophone · guest
Singles
- “Megalomaniac” · 1997
- “Anarchy” · 1997
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 23 September
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More from KMFDM
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The best of 1997
All of 1997 →
More on Metropolis Records
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 23 September 1997 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 23 September 1997 | |
| Wikidata | 23 September 1997 | |
| US release | 23 September 1997 | earliest US date |
7 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | XW | Metropolis Records | 782388048767 | other |
| 23 September 1997 | US | Wax Trax! Records | 016581724549 | original |
| 23 September 1997 | US | Wax Trax! Records | 016581724525 | original |
| 26 September 1997 | DE | Dragnet | 5099748897121 | other |
| 10 December 1997 | JP | motorod | 4945817170354 | other |
| 2007 | RU | Союз | 4601250350073 | other |
| 8 May 2007 | US | Metropolis Records | 782388048729 | remaster |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |