Hanzel und Gretyl

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hanzel Und Gretyl
Img_capt = Hanzel Und Gretyl, circa 2003. Left to right: Kaizer Von Loopy, Vas Kallas
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Origin = New York City
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Genre = Industrial rock, Industrial metal
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Years_active = 1993 - present
Label = Energy Records (1994-1998) Metropolis Records (1998-present)
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URL = [http://www.hanzelundgretyl.com Official Site]
Current_members = Kaizer Von Loopy Vas Kallas Jon Osterman
Past_members = Anna Kjellberg (Drain STH, Revolting Cocks) Mark Baker (Ministry, Revolting Cocks)
Notable_instruments =

Hanzel Und Gretyl are an industrial metal group, formed by members Kaiser Von Loopy and Vas Kallas. They formed in 1993, sharing a vision of the future that focused on the rise of machines to power over Earth. They are often mistaken for a German band due to their heavy use of German lyrics and German sounding pseudonyms, but are actually based in New York, to which founding members Kaizer Von Loopy and Vas Kallas are native.

Musical career

In 1994, they recorded a demo named "Kindermuzik", and were signed by Energy Records, a small record label based in New York City. They recorded and released their first full-length album Ausgeflippt in 1995. In 1997, they released their second full-length album, Transmissions From Uranus, which and gave the band broader exposure.

In 1998, Energy Records went out of business. Hanzel und Gretyl continued to promote their CDs after the label's collapse. In 2002, the band signed to Metropolis Records and immediately began recording for their long-anticipated third album, Über Alles, which was then released in 2003. Following the release of the album, the band toured for a few months, and returned to the studio to record a new album.

In September 2004, the band released their fourth album, Scheissmessiah!. The band is still currently signed to Metropolis, and toured extensively upon the release of the Oktötenfest 2006, which was a teaser for their 5th full-length album, "Zwanzig Zwölf" [ [http://www.myspace.com/hanzelundgretyl MySpace.com - Hanzel und Gretyl - New York City, New York - Metal / Industrielle / Death Metal - www.myspace.com/hanzelundgretyl ] ] released in February 2008. [ [http://hanzelundgretyl.com/ Hanzel und Gretyl ] ] The album's central motif follows the Mayan theory that the world will end in 2012, and the band posits the subsequent extinction of the human race following one last rock concert. [ [http://www.metropolis-mailorder.com/product.php?prodnum=MET+519 Metropolis Mail Order: 2012: Zwanzig Zwölf ] ]

Throughout their rise in the music business, Hanzel Und Gretyl have performed with such bands as Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Prong, Ministry, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Methodical, Bella Morte, Rammstein and most recently Cradle of Filth on their 2007 UK Tour with Frosthold.

Hanzel Und Gretyl's first two albums, Ausgeflippt and Transmissions From Uranus, are very much techno-industrial albums, with little focus on guitars. Their most recent albums, Über Alles, Scheissmessiah! and , are industrial metal with more focus on Loopy's aggressive guitar playing, and drumming.

There was a very sparse use of German lyrics on their first two albums (especially "Transmissions From Uranus", which had virtually all-English lyrics), while their next three albums feature German lyrics on virtually all their tracks.There has also been controversy regarding Hanzel und Gretyl's references to Nazism in such songs as SS Deathstar Supergalactik and Third Reich From the Sun. Many fans argue that their use of World War II era Germanic imagery is intended as tongue-in-cheek parody, but nevertheless a number of skinheads appear at their concerts. Fact|date=August 2008When asked about this via email by fans, Hanzel und Gretyl have typically responded with "We deal in rock fantasy. Keep it uber, mein mensch!"

Members

*Kaizer Von Loopy - Vocals, lead guitar, programming
*Vas Kallas - Vocals, guitar,

Discography

*"Kindermuzik", Independent release, 1994
*"Ausgeflippt", Energy Records, 1995
**"Shine 2001", Energy Records, 1995
*"Transmissions From Uranus", Energy Records, 1997
**"Take Me to Your Leader MCD", Energy Records, 1997
*"Über Alles", Metropolis Records, 2003
*"Scheissmessiah!", Metropolis Records, 2004
*"Oktötenfest 2006", Metropolis Records, 2006
*"", Metropolis Records, 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.hanzelundgretyl.com/ Official Website] .
* [http://www.myspace.com/hanzelundgretyl Official MySpace Page]
* [http://www.fukkenuber.com/ Fansite]
* [http://lyricwiki.org/Hanzel_Und_Gretyl Lyrics]
* [http://deviantnation.com/magazine/article/Hanzel-und-Gretyl/Running-With-the-Devil/ Interview on Deviant Nation]