OOMPH! is a German Neue Deutsche Härte group.

Albums and style

OOMPH! incorporates many styles of music such as metal, industrial, alternative rock, electronica and gothic to create their sound. OOMPH!'s change of style between their self-titled debut (1992) and its successor Sperm (1994), leaning more heavily to a guitar-driven metal sound without ever giving up their electronic roots, inspired numerous musicians to follow their lead.

OOMPH! released their first album on Jor's Machinery label, then releasing their consecutive albums on its sister-label Dynamica. They stayed with Jor, until his labels disappeared during the acquisition by Sanctuary Records at around 1996/1997.

It was Virgin Schallplatten where OOMPH! finally signed. Between 1998 and 2001 they released three albums on the Virgin label, Unrein of 1998, Plastik in 1999 and Ego from 2001 , fulfilling their contract, but did not continue, feeling that the record company never fully explored their potential. With the benefits of major-label status however, OOMPH! gained a larger following, and toured with labelmates Skunk Anansie in 1999, later opening for the Finnish rock band HIM, which Dero admits was not their most pleasant experience.

In 2004 OOMPH! released their first single "Augen Auf!" (Look Out!) on a new label, this time on Supersonic Records, part of the Sony BMG group of music companies. It marks their first Number One hit ever in Germany, thus eventually bringing forth their major commercial breakthrough. It became part of the FIFA 2005 soundtrack.

The band's ninth record, GlaubeLiebeTod (FaithLoveDeath) was released in March 2006, including the controversial single Gott ist ein Popstar! (God Is a Pop Star), its follow-up Das letzte Streichholz (The Last Match), Die Schlinge (The Noose) and Träumst Du? (Do You Dream?).

In August 2006 Virgin Schallplatten released the compilation album 1998-2001: Best of Virgin Years. It contains tracks from OOMPH!'s three Virgin albums and few rarities including Monolith, This Time (previously released only on Unsere Rettung single), Niemand, Swallow (unplugged) as well as live versions of Gekreuzigt (Crucified) and Unsere Rettung (Our Salvation). The band distanced itself from this best-of release and asked the fans not buy it as the band's current label GUN had scheduled a best-of compilation as well.

On 1st of December 2006, OOMPH!'s official best-of called Delikatessen (Delicacies) was released under the GUN label. The songs on it were hand-picked by the band itself. It contains tracks from all 9 OOMPH! albums, b-sides, remixes and never-heard before tracks like The Power of Love and Gekreuzigt'06. It is available in a single disk form with 19 tracks, and a limited edition two-disk digipack with the original 19 tracks plus a second disk with 19 more b-sides and remixes. By 17th of November 2006, OOMPH! released those two songs in a form of double single to promote the new compilation release.