Das Ich

Biography

Das Ich is a German dark wave/gothic-industrial band formed in 1989. The group, fronted by Stefan Ackermann and Bruno Kramm, were one of the prominent founders of and contributors to "Neue Deutsche Todeskunst" (New German Death Art) a musical movement in the early 1990s. The band is known for having a classically inspired gothic-industrial style, for their on-stage theatrics, and their almost exclusive use of German-language lyrics. The German term Das Ich makes reference to the Freudian concept James Strachey translated as "ego" (lit. "The I").

History

Bruno Kramm and Stefan Ackermann met in Bayreuth, Germany in 1989 at a nightclub called the "Crazy Elephant". Bruno had already been involved in several band projects, and after some hours of socializing the two decided to begin a project together.

In 1989, the members of Das Ich founded the Danse Macabre record label which released their first EP, Satanische Verse×Satanische Verse1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Gottes Tod8:122Des Satans neue Kleider6:023Kain und Abel4:534Jericho5:10, and their first album, Die Propheten×Die Propheten16 August 1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Es ist ja Krieg...5:59A2Kain und Abel5:37A3Die Propheten7:23A4Des Satans neue Kleider6:11B1Gottes Tod8:09B2Der Haß7:12B3Lügen und das Ich3:44B4Frevel5:59. Die Propheten was released in Germany in 1991 and was reissued in the US in 1997, selling over 30,000 copies. Their second album, Staub×Staub1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Sagenlicht5:192Unschuld Erde6:063Von der Armut4:594Im Ich5:475Gier2:126Dein Leben5:177Aura5:168Staub5:27, was released in 1994 and charted in Germany for 11 weeks. 1994 also saw the release of the Stigma EP which featured a more industrial-dance sound with remixes of the album track "Von der Armut." The band played many live shows in Europe but made its first US tour in June 1995 and a second, longer US tour of 13 shows, in 1997.
In 1998, the album Egodram×Egodram30 January 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Egodram2:472Kindgott4:203Firmament5:184Destillat4:195He Mensch5:086Schwanenschrei6:017Krieger3:178Dorn3:049Chroma4:4010Reflex3:3011Blutquell15:4812[untitled]0:05, saw the group moving towards a more rhythmic, industrial dance-oriented sound, resulting in the club singles "Kindgott×Kindgott19 January 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Kindgott4:192Kindgott (Childhood mix)3:463Kindgott (extended version)5:034Gott ist tot (Nietsche mix)5:38" and "Destillat×Destillat30 March 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Destillat (club version)4:042Destillat (X-tended version)5:053Destillat (original version)4:204Chroma (Soldano version)4:28". The album was followed by a tour in 1998 in the US and Mexico. Later in 1998, the band released their next album, Morgue×Morgue13 November 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Mann und Frau gehn durch die Krebsbaracke4:562Kleine Aster2:413Saal der kreisenden Frauen3:074Drohung1:115Curettage3:326Schöne Jugend3:267Requiem3:028Negerbraut3:029Mutter2:3610Kreislauf2:2411Der Arzt I1:4712Der Arzt II1:2813Der Arzt III1:2914Erde ruft4:40, a concept album with lyrics based on the poems of expressionist writer Gottfried Benn.
In 1999, they released a remix album, Re-Laborat, that included Das Ich songs remixed by popular electro-industrial bands including And One, Funker Vogt, Wumpscut, and VNV Nation. The album ranked #31 on the German Alternative Chart's Top 50 Albums chart for 1999, while the U.S. re-issue peaked at #7 on the CMJ RPM Charts in 2001. Bruno Kramm released his solo spin-off Coeur in 2000.
In 2002, Das Ich released the album Antichrist, which is a critical reflection on world politics post-9-11. In 2003, the best-of album Relikt×Relikt2003 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Kindgott (extended version)4:222Von der Armut (extended version)6:183Kain und Abel5:334Das dunkle Land5:495Schwanenschrei6:006Gott ist tot (Kindgott version)5:387Erde ruft4:428Garten Eden6:479Hass7:0910Destillat (new club version)4:1711Re_animat4:2612Unschuld Erde6:0713Die Propheten7:2714Jericho3:30Disc 21Dem Ich den Traum4:502Warrior3:233Sodom und Gomorra (Relikt version)4:064Destillat (single version)4:285Der Schrei (The Ancient Gallery remix)4:396Lügen und das Ich (live)3:40 was released.
In 2004, they released the double album Lava, made of:Lava:Glut: Disc with more instrumental than industrial tracks.Lava:Asche: Disc with dance versions of songs from Lava:Glut.Lava:Addendum: Bonus DVD packaged with some versions of the release.

In 2006, they released an additional dual album:Cabaret×Cabaret31 March 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Moritat5:082Atemlos4:323Macht6:124Paradigma4:545Fluch (Ahnung)5:046Opferzeit4:487Schwarzes Gift5:388Nahe5:059Zuckerbrot & Peitsche5:1510Cabaret8:04: Disc with circus style songs, like the name implies, and more instrumental.Varieté: Disc with versions of songs from Cabaret remixed by bands including Stillste Stund, Metallspürunde, FabrikC, etc. In the same year, they released a new DVD, Panopticum.
After 2010, the band underwent a short hiatus due to the health problems suffered by lead singer Stefan Ackermann, but the band had a revival with their performance at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in 2013.
In 2017, the band remastered and re-released their first EP, Satanische Verse, as a limited-edition (500 copies) vinyl with additional tracks.
In 2018, an announcement about creating new album appeared on official website, originally scheduled for release in 2017 or 2018, that has yet to be released.
In March 2023, the band announced a South American tour — the seventh of their career — beginning in São Paulo, Brazil.
On 20 June 2025, they announced the date "31.10.2025" through a short video on social media pointing that they would release a new album titled Fanal×Fanal28 October 2025 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Menschenfeind4:522Lazarus4:493Was bin ich?4:434Vanitas6:045Dantes Hölle4:406Brutus5:297Prometheus5:198Genesis (Urknall)13:119Brutus (Imperator mix)5:2310Lazarus (extended Himmelfahrt mix)6:17 on October 31st after nearly two decades without new music. Later on, in August and September they released two singles: Lazarus and Brutus, which featured a female voiceover at the beginning stating that they would not release Fanal on Spotify or any streaming platforms. The voiceover was later removed. The album explores topics such as misanthropy, nihilism, societal decay, and the critique of power. They cite Friedrich Nietzsche, Gottfried Benn, and the German Expressionist movement as direct influences. Band member Bruno Kramm has stated that Fanal is a response to our post-factual age and a time "when belief counts more than facts".
Kramm died on 25 September 2026, at the age of 58, shortly after performing in Granada, Spain.

Band members

Stefan Ackermann – lead vocals (1989–present)

Live band members

Stefan Siegl (Sissy) (2006)
Kain Gabriel Simon (2000–2006, 2016)
Daniel Galda (1994–1999)
Chad Blinman (1994–1996)
Jakob Lang (1998–1999)
Michael Schmid (1999–2000)
Ringo Müller (2006)
Damian "Plague" Hrunka (2000–2008)
Martin Söffker - keyboards, backing vocals (2008–present)

Past members

Bruno Kramm – keyboards, synthesizers, programming, backing vocals (1989–2026; his death)

In film

Music by Das Ich made up the soundtrack of the movie Das Ewige Licht ("The Eternal Light"), directed and produced by Hans Helmut Häßler. The soundtrack was released as Das innere Ich×Das innere Ich17 January 1997 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Das ewige Licht5:102Zweisamkeit4:503Mikrokosmos6:044Das innere Ich6:505Kokon4:316Das ewige Licht II4:227Epilog2:138Bin ich es denn... (Dem Ich den Traum)5:31 in 1996.

Studio albums

1990: Satanische Verse ("Satanic Verses")
1991: Die Propheten ("The Prophets") (re-released in 2009)
1994: Staub ("Dust")
1998: Egodram
1998: Morgue
2002: Anti'christ
2004: LAVA:Glut ("LAVA:Ember")
2006: Cabaret (limited box set issued featuring remix album Varieté and DVD Panopticum)
2025: Fanal

Remix albums

2000: Re-Laborat
2004: LAVA:Asche (remixes of Lava:Glut; "LAVA:Ash")

Singles

1994: "Stigma×Stigma5 June 1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Von der Armut (single edit)5:322Von der Armut (extended edit)6:213Der Schrei5:354Von der Armut (reverse edit)4:05"
1998: "Kindgott×Kindgott19 January 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Kindgott4:192Kindgott (Childhood mix)3:463Kindgott (extended version)5:034Gott ist tot (Nietsche mix)5:38" ("Child God")
1998: "Destillat×Destillat30 March 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Destillat (club version)4:042Destillat (X-tended version)5:053Destillat (original version)4:204Chroma (Soldano version)4:28"

Soundtracks

1996: Das innere Ich ("The Inner Self")
1997: Wing Commander Prophecy Video Game OST ("The Awakening")

Compilations

1999: Re-Kapitulation (compilation, US only)
2003: Relikt (compilation; "Relic")
2007: Alter Ego (best-of compilation)
2007: Addendum (compilation of remixes, rare tracks and alternate versions)

Side projects

1995: Die Liebe (feat. Atrocity, LP; "The Love")
2000: Coeur (CD) (solo project released as "Kramm")