:Wumpscut:

Germany's :wumpscut: is one of the electro-industrial scene's most prolific, influential acts. The brainchild of Bavarian musician Rudy Ratzinger, :wumpscut: is best known for producing harsh, terror-inducing industrial dance tracks with strong melodies and unflinching lyrics, titles, and artwork that explored provocative subjects such as genocide, cannibalism, torture, and pornography. However, the project also records dark ambient and ethereal pieces, and is never afraid to experiment. Early releases such as 1993's Music for a Slaughtering Tribe helped lay the groundwork for the aggro-tech scene. Albums since 1999's Boeses Junges Fleisch were somewhat more accessible, with a greater focus on melody and song structure, but still with relentlessly dark lyrics. Though Ratzinger announced that he was retiring from making music in 2017, he returned in 2021 with the full-length Fledermavs 303, and continued releasing EPs such as 2023's Giftkeks.