INDUSTRIAL PIONEERS: 45 YEARS OF DIE KRUPPS

They are regarded as the inventors of industrial metal and have been pushing the boundaries of hard electronic music since the early 1980s. Their unique blend of driving EBM beats, metallic guitar riffs and socially critical lyrics has made Die Krupps an icon of the industrial and electro scene. In September 2025, the legendary formation returns to Pratteln, bringing Erdling and Johnny Tupolev along as special guests.

Critics around the world place Die Krupps alongside Kraftwerk and Einstürzende Neubauten as pioneers of the EBM and industrial genres. Bands such as Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb have cited them as a major influence, and their musical ideas have spread across a remarkably wide spectrum – from Depeche Mode to the pioneers of Detroit techno. Krupps mastermind Jürgen Engler is a visionary who has shaped the German music landscape for decades. He founded Die Krupps in 1980 and, together with his creative partner Ralf Dörper, developed an avant-garde sound that became a driving force of the industrial and EBM movement. When the scene itself was absorbed by the mainstream in the 1990s, the Düsseldorf-based band integrated hard thrash guitars into their sound and, alongside Nine Inch Nails and Ministry, became one of the most important catalysts of electro metal – also inspiring numerous bands of the Neue Deutsche Härte movement. Die Krupps move confidently between electronic aggression and metallic power while remaining consistently innovative. With albums such as Stahlwerksinfonie (1981), II – The Final Option (1993) and Vision 2020 Vision (2019), Die Krupps have created musical milestones that have had a profound impact on both the electronic and rock worlds. Their songs often address socio-political issues and act as a rebellious voice against injustice and social imbalance. Live, the four musicians – alongside Engler and Dörper, drummer Paul Keller and guitarist Dylan Smith (ex-The Sisters of Mercy) complete the line-up – deliver a high-energy experience that fuses raw industrial force with intense stage presence.