Hanzel und Gretyl
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Hanzel und Gretyl are an American
industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine In ...
band founded in New York City by Kaizer von Loopy and Vas Kallas in February 1993.


History


''Machines Good People Bad'' (1995–1999)

Hanzel und Gretyl formed in early 1993. In April 1994, they completed a demo entitled ''Kindermusik''. Of the 200 cassette tapes manufactured, most were sent to record labels and fanzines and some were sold on consignment at a local music store called Bleeker Bob's. In January 1995, after refusing offers from at least one major label to resubmit their demo with only English lyrics, they signed with Energy Records, an independent record label based in New York City. HuG recorded and released their first album, '' Ausgeflippt'', in October 1995. The single "Shine 2001" topped the
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...
dance chart at No. 1 shortly after its release. Performing only several local shows on Manhattan's lower east side, they were recruited to provide support on two US tours in 1995 and 1996 with
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...
. In 1997, they released their second full-length album, '' Transmissions From Uranus'', that featured a video game in which the object was to transform Loopy and Vas into alien-like insectoid space creatures. The enhanced CD was again cited for its progressive-minded musical stylings and groundbreaking technological advances. This led the band to tour the US extensively with
Tommy Victor Thomas M. Victor (born 1961/1962) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for heavy metal band Prong, which he founded in New York City in 1986, as well as the guitarist for ...
's
Prong Prong or Prongs may refer to: * Prong, synonym of tine (structural), a branch or spike of various tools and natural objects * Prong (band), an American metal band * Prong (company), an iPhone accessories company in New York City * Prongs, British ...
, giving them even broader exposure nationally. In between shows on Prong's Cold Fusion tour, Hanzel und Gretyl headlined a Halloween show in Des Moines, Iowa with hometown band Slipknot in direct support. During the same year, Hanzel und Gretyl's song "9D Galactik Center" appeared in
New Line Cinema New Line Cinema is an American film production studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and is a film label of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye as an independent film distribution company; later becoming a film studio after acq ...
's '' Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' and was also played at the 1997
MTV Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
. Furthermore, the song "Robot Logik" from the same album was used in radio commercials for the ''
Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was radio syndication, nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WINS-FM, WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The sho ...
''. In 1998, clad in custom-made lederhosen, Hanzel und Gretyl toured the US in direct support of Germany's
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...
on the band's first ever headlining tour of the states after meeting and playing with the band at a
CMJ Music Marathon CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
show in New York City. HuG also supported
Rob Halford Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has b ...
's 2wo in Los Angeles during the Rammstein tour. In 1999, Hanzel und Gretyl completed a full-length CD entitled ''Oz Faktor'' that is currently unreleased by Energy Records. The CD depicts a displaced Hanzel und Gretyl lost in a quasi-" Wizard of Oz" type setting.


''Fukken Über'' (2003–2013)

After a long hiatus due to the dissolving of their label, Energy Records, the band signed to
Metropolis Records Metropolis Records is a record label founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 by the late Dave Heckman. The label's all-electronic format closely tracked with European contemporaries, such as Off Beat, and, since 1995, has been instrumenta ...
in 2002 and immediately began recording for their long anticipated third album, '' Ãœber alles''. Described by Kaizer von Loopy as a "futuristic Wagnerian rock opera" and released in 2003, it marked a distinct stylistic change for the band favoring heavy guitar riffs and Germanic themes over the more genre expanding electro-metal style for which they had become known in the 1990s. The CD was met with a fair amount of controversy over its parodic cross-referencing of both German and American stereotypes set against a surreal and spaced-out WWII backdrop but nevertheless attained a four out of five star review in
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
magazine and equally high praise from New York City's prestigious ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
''. Following the release of the album, the band toured the US as a headliner on their aptly named "Fukken Uber Tour" and later in direct support of The
Genitorturers The Genitorturers are an American industrial metal band with influences extending into the 1990s hardcore punk and electronic music. They proclaim themselves to be "The World's Sexiest Rock Band". History Originating in Orlando, Florida, the ...
in the states and Canada after which they returned to the studio to record a new album. In September 2004, the band released their fourth album, '' Scheissmessiah''. The album was immediately hailed as required listening for fans of industrial metal alongside
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
,
KMFDM KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as "no pity for the majority") is a multinational industrial band from Hamburg led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art project. ...
and Ministry by
Revolver Magazine ''Revolver'' is a heavy metal music and hard rock magazine, published in North America. It has been in print since 2000, and is about both established acts and up-and-comers in heavy music. In the fall of 2017, ''Revolver'' underwent a brand re ...
. The band continued to grow harder and heavier touring the states in support of
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult (often shortened to Thrill Kill Kult or TKK) is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based in Chicago and founded by Groovie Mann (born Frankie Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (born Marston Daley). ...
and
Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...
for a three-month stint on their "Evil Doer Tour" throughout the US and Canada. Hanzel und Gretyl co-headlined, along with
Slick Idiot Slick Idiot is a German electronic and industrial band. History Slick Idiot was formed by former KMFDM members Günter Schulz and En Esch, following the 1999 breakup of KMFDM. Before taking on the name Slick Idiot, Esch and Schulz contribute ...
, the first Gothicfest at the
Odeum Expo Center The Odeum Expo Center was a convention center located in Villa Park, Illinois. It featured of exhibit space at the North Hall and of exhibit space at the South Hall. Both halls had pitched roofs as high as . The South Hall was also used as ...
in Illinois. In 2006, the band toured North America for the release of their four-song EP ''Oktotenfest 2006'' with label mates
Bella Morte Bella Morte is a gothic rock band that was formed in 1996 in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. They incorporate elements of metal, dark wave, deathrock, alternative and synthpop. The band's name means "beautiful death" in Italian. Acco ...
as direct support. Also in 2006, they provided direct support on
Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their ly ...
's UK tour. February 2007 saw the release of '' 2012: Zwanzig Zwölf''. Drawing more and more from
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
and
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
sentiments, ''2012'' is HuG's heaviest offering thus far leading to HuG's first-ever headlining shows overseas beginning in Moscow, Russia in September 2008. In January 2009, Hanzel und Gretyl kicked off their extensive headlining "World Fukken Tour 2009" including shows throughout the US, Europe, UK, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine, New Zealand and Australia ending with a final show in New York City on December 19, 2009. On August 8, 2010, with the number 87 as the numerical representation of the band and the words "More German Than German" found on their backdrop and T-shirts Hanzel und Gretyl performed to a capacity crowd on the main stage at
M'era Luna Festival The M'era Luna is a rock festival that encompasses a number of different styles such as metal, future pop, aggrotech, synthpop, gothic rock, dark wave, and ebm. It is held annually on the second weekend of every August, in Hildesheim, Ge ...
in Hildesheim, Germany. '' Born to Be Heiled'', Hanzel und Gretyl's sixth full-length CD release on November 27, 2012 was launched as a debut release for the newly formed Metropolis Metal Records, a subdivision of Metropolis Records that focusses on their more metal based electronic and industrial bands. Beginning in June 2012, Hanzel und Gretyl followed up the completion of ''Born to Be Heiled'' with multiple extensive headlining tours including Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, Russia, and Europe. '' Hanzel und Gretyl für immer'', an album composed entirely of remixes of their previous CD, ''Born to Be Heiled'', was completed by Kaizer von Loopy in July 2013 and slated for worldwide release by
Metropolis Records Metropolis Records is a record label founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 by the late Dave Heckman. The label's all-electronic format closely tracked with European contemporaries, such as Off Beat, and, since 1995, has been instrumenta ...
on October 8, 2013.


''Grimm Shiza'' (2014–2017)

October 2014 saw the release of HuG's 7th album, Black Forest Metal and the beginning of a new era for the band. Perhaps their darkest and most metal sounding release to date, BFM employs satanic themes cross-referenced with forest motifs from the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale. U.S. and European tours followed the release. 2015 found Hanzel und Gretyl playing select dates in the US and returning in October to Europe, UK, Russia and also Greece for the first time in the band's history. September 25, 2015, Hanzel und Gretyl appears in the DVD / Blu-ray release ''
Rammstein in Amerika ''Rammstein in Amerika'' is a live concert video album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It documents the sold-out show the band played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 11 December 2010. Most of the footage was recorded ...
'', being interviewed amongst the likes of artists
Steven Tyler Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...
,
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
,
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...
,
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
,
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
,
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...
and others discussing
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...
's first shows in America with Hanzel und Gretyl in 1997 and 1998 and eventual ascent which led to Rammstein's sold out show at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
on December 11, 2010.


2017–present

On July 26, 2017, Loopy released the solo album ''Reichstar'' under the name 'KyzrWölf', also stating a new HuG album coming in 2018. On February 24, 2018, a new album titled ''Satanik Germanik'' was available for pre-order, with another album titled ''Hexennacht'' being released in 2019.


Members

* Kaizer von Loopy / KyzrWölf – guitars, programming, vocals * Vas Kallas – vocals, bass


Discography

;''Machines Good People Bad'' *'' Kindermusik'', (200 cassette tapes) independent release, 1994 *'' Ausgeflippt'', Energy Records, 1995 *'' Transmissions from Uranus'', Energy Records, 1997 *''Oz Faktor'', Energy Records, *unreleased* 1999 ;''Fukken Ãœber'' *'' Ãœber alles'',
Metropolis Records Metropolis Records is a record label founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 by the late Dave Heckman. The label's all-electronic format closely tracked with European contemporaries, such as Off Beat, and, since 1995, has been instrumenta ...
, 2003 *'' Scheissmessiah!'', Metropolis Records, 2004 *''Oktötenfest 2006 EP'', Metropolis Records, 2006 *'' 2012: Zwanzig Zwölf'', Metropolis Records, 2008 *'' Born to Be Heiled'', Metropolis Records, 2012 ;''Grimm Shiza'' *'' Black Forest Metal'', Metropolis Records, 2014 *''Satanik Germanik'', Metropolis Records, 2018 *''Hexennacht'', Metropolis Records, 2019 ;''KyzrWölf'' *'' Hanzel und Gretyl für immer'', Metropolis Records, 2013 *''Reichstar'', Self Release, 2017


Filmography

*'' Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' –
New Line Cinema New Line Cinema is an American film production studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and is a film label of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye as an independent film distribution company; later becoming a film studio after acq ...
– soundtrack – 1997 *''
Rammstein in Amerika ''Rammstein in Amerika'' is a live concert video album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It documents the sold-out show the band played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 11 December 2010. Most of the footage was recorded ...
'' –
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...
– live concert video and documentary – 2015


References


External links


Official Hanzel und Gretyl websiteOfficial Hanzel und Gretyl Facebook page
{{Authority control American industrial metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1995 Heavy metal duos Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state) Metropolis Records artists