Hanzel und Gretyl
American industrial metal band formed in New York City in 1993.
Hanzel und Gretyl is an American industrial metal band that started in New York City in February 1993, founded by Kaizer von Loopy and Vas Kallas. The duo made a demo called *Kindermusik* in 1993, with a small run of cassettes that went mostly to labels and fanzines, with a few sold at Bleeker Bob's. In January 1995, they turned down offers from major labels that wanted only English lyrics and instead signed with the independent Energy Records. Their first album, *Ausgeflippt*, came out in October 1995. Their known singles include "Third Reich from the Sun" and "Uber Alles". After a few local shows on Manhattan's Lower East Side, they opened a U.S. tour for Marilyn Manson in 1995.
Their second album, *Transmissions From Uranus*, released in 1997, included an enhanced CD with a video game. The enhanced CD was noted for its progressive sound and tech innovations. This led to a national tour with Tommy Victor's Prong. During that tour, Hanzel und Gretyl played a Halloween show in Des Moines, Iowa. That same year, their song "Robot Logik" was used in radio ads for the Howard Stern Show. In 1998, wearing custom lederhosen, they toured the U.S. as direct support for Rammstein's first headlining American tour, after meeting them at a CMJ Music Marathon show in New York. They also supported Rob Halford's 2wo in Los Angeles during that tour. In 1999, they finished an album called *Oz Faktor*, which Energy Records never released; it imagined the band lost in a *Wizard of Oz*-like setting.
After Energy Records dissolved, the band went on a long break. They signed with Metropolis Records in 2002 and began work on their third album, *Über alles*, released in 2003. Kaizer von Loopy called it a "futuristic Wagnerian rock opera." It marked a shift toward heavy guitar riffs and Germanic themes, moving away from the electro-metal style of the 1990s. The album stirred controversy for parodying German and American stereotypes against a surreal WWII backdrop, but it got a four-out-of-five-star review in *Kerrang!* and praise from *The Village Voice*. After its release, they headlined the "Fukken Uber Tour" and later supported The Genitorturers in the U.S.
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Background
- group_or_band
- Alias
- "HuG"
- Origin
- New York City, United States
- Genre
- Industrial metal, Neue Deutsche Härte, industrial rock (early)
- Years Active
- 1993–present
- Label
- Energy Records, Metropolis Records
- Current Members
- Kaizer von Loopy / Vas Kallas
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hanzel und Gretyl formed in early 1993 and completed a demo titled Kindermusik in 1993. After refusing major-label offers to use only English lyrics, they signed with independent Energy Records in January 1995 and released their debut album Ausgeflippt in October 1995. They toured with Marilyn Manson in 1995, and with Prong in 1997, during which they played a Halloween show in Des Moines, Iowa. Their song 'Robot Logik' was used in Howard Stern Show radio commercials.
Reader's Guide
Hanzel und Gretyl's significance lies in their role as a bridge between industrial metal and mainstream metal audiences, particularly through high-profile tours with Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, and Ministry. Their 1997 album Transmissions From Uranus featured an enhanced CD with a video game, showcasing early multimedia integration. The band's stylistic shift in 2003 with Über alles toward heavier guitar riffs and Germanic themes sparked controversy but earned critical praise from Kerrang! and The Village Voice. Their later work, including 2012: Zwanzig Zwölf and Black Forest Metal, incorporated death and black metal elements, expanding their sound. They appeared in the 2015 documentary Rammstein in Amerika, discussing their role in Rammstein's early US shows. Despite lineup consistency, the band's output remained steady through label changes, with Metropolis Records releasing most of their post-2002 albums. Their legacy includes influencing industrial metal's theatrical and multimedia dimensions.
Did You Know?
- Their 1997 album Transmissions From Uranus included a video game where players transformed band members into alien-like insectoid space creatures.
- They headlined a Halloween show in Des Moines, Iowa in 1997 with Slipknot as direct support.
- Their song '9D Galactik Center' was played at the 1997 MTV Music Awards and appeared in Mortal Kombat Annihilation.
- They performed at M'era Luna Festival in Germany in 2010 with the number 87 representing the band and the phrase 'More German Than German' on their backdrop.
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