Karat

Formed in 1975 in East Berlin, Karat belongs to the East German rock movement, developing a style that sits between melodic rock, progressive rock and German-language pop rock. The lineup coalesced around singer Herbert Dreilich and composer/keyboardist Ulrich "Ed" Swillms, with songwriting marked by metaphorical lyrics and a strong poetic dimension. Karat gained attention on GDR stages in the late 1970s and soon began performing in West Germany as well, allowing them to operate within both German musical contexts before reunification. Key records include Albatros (1979), which features the song "Über sieben Brücken musst du geh’n", and Der blaue Planet (1982), an album that reinforced their turn toward accessible rock addressing social and environmental themes. After 1990 Karat continued to work with lineup changes and adapted their repertoire to the new German scenes, increasing concerts and re-recordings. From 2005 the vocals have been handled by Claudius Dreilich, son of the original singer, which anchors Karat in a generational continuity while maintaining the group's sonic identity between rock ballads, progressive arrangements and more pop-oriented formats.