DIE KRUPPS sign with Dependent Records

DIE KRUPPS sign deal with Dependent Records

Industrial metal legends DIE KRUPPS have inked a multi-album deal with Dependent Records. The German band’s forthcoming new album will be released in 2026 and a large part of their catalogue will also be reissued in digital and physical formats via the label.

DIE KRUPPS have previously announced a European tour. Please see below for all currently confirmed live dates.

DIE KRUPPS comment: “We’re coming full circle and that is a good thing!”, Jürgen Engler points out. “Our first contact with Stefan Herwig goes back about thirty years, before he founded Dependent Records. Back in the days, he hooked us up with Front Line Assembly for the compilation series ‘Remix Wars’ and put us on a tour with them in North America in 1996. Now in 2025, the time has come for Die Krupps and Dependent to join forces in order to write the next chapter in our long history. It somehow feels like a homecoming – a great omen for the successful collaboration that we are very much looking forward to!” 

Ralf Dörper adds: “With the exception of a short detour at a major record company during the early days of our career, we have always been with independent labels”, he states. “Therefore it is quite logical that we are joining Dependent Records in the 45th year of our band history. Particularly as the label is run by a veteran and companion of many years such as Stefan Herwig, who has continually brought new impulses to the scene.” 

Stefan Herwig welcomes DIE KRUPPS to the label: “Die Krupps are a musical legend, perhaps even the most traditional electronic band of their scene to be named in the same breath as DAF and Einstürzende Neubauten”, the Dependent director enthuses. “What sets them apart from many of the peers is the undeniable fact that they are still very much active and going strong. This is exemplified by their highly successful US-Tour with Ministry and Nitzer Ebb, where the band enjoyed a phenomenal reception. We are electrified and thrilled to begin this cooperation.”

DIE KRUPPS have left a massive mark on the German electronic music scene and also created a massive impact around the globe. And they are not done with continuing their work at all. Although in the 45th year of their fascinating career, DIE KRUPPS are ready to take on the world with their forthcoming new studio album.

DIE KRUPPS were formed in Düsseldorf in 1980 by frontman Jürgen Engler and bass player Bernward Malaka, who had already played together in MALE – one of the first German punk rock bands. They were soon joined by electronic musician Ralf Dörper. At their core a German industrial and EBM band, their name was inspired by the famous Krupp steelworks, symbolizing industrial revolution, massive firepower, and the fusion of machine and music that defined the band’s style. Blending elements of electronic rhythms, heavy metal guitar riffs, and socio-political themes, DIE KRUPPS were pioneers of several genres including industrial, EBM, and industrial metal.

The early works of DIE KRUPPS, such as the debut album “Stahlwerksynfonie” (1981), were heavily experimental, drawing on industrial noise and mechanical soundscapes. With their sophomore full-length “Volle Kraft voraus!” (1982) and even more so with the previous single “Wahre Arbeit – Wahrer Lohn” (1981), the Germans delivered a musical blueprint for the developing EBM scene and its leading acts such as FRONT 242 and NITZER EBB.

During the 1990s, DIE KRUPPS incorporated more metal-oriented guitars, leading to a crossover industrial-metal style heard on albums like “I” (1992) and “II – The Final Option” (1993). Their blending of EBM sequences and heavy guitars influenced the German NDH (Neue Deutsche Härte) scene including RAMMSTEIN. This period gained DIE KRUPPS international recognition and collaborations, while the band also included EXODUS guitarist Lee Altus in their line-up at the time.

After a hiatus in the late 1990s, DIE KRUPPS reformed in the 2000s, resuming touring and releasing new material. Later albums, such as “The Machinists of Joy” (2013) and “Vision 2020 Vision” (2019), reaffirmed their position as a longstanding and influential act in the industrial and EBM scenes.

For 45 years, DIE KRUPPS have been synonymous with innovation, energy and uncompromising attitude. What Jürgen Engler as the driving creative force and composer and the visionary lyricist and sound artist Ralf Dörper have created is more than just music – it is a movement, a soundtrack for rebellion and change that has blurred the boundaries between EBM, industrial and metal. They are now joined by drummer extraordinaire Paul Keller and as the latast addition, guitarist Dylan Smith, who is well-known from his time with the legendary THE SISTERS OF MERCY. Smith brings a breath of fresh air and a special dynamic to the group, taking the band’s already powerful sound to a new level.

In 2025, DIE KRUPPS will celebrate this extraordinary anniversary with a new chapter: in 2026, their long-awaited new album will be released!

Line-up
Jürgen Engler – vocals, keyboards, guitars, steelophone
Ralf Dörper – keyboards
Dylan Smith – guitars
Paul Keller – drums

Style: Industrial Metal

Links
www.diekrupps.com
www.facebook.com/diekruppsofficial
www.instagram.com/diekruppsband