Hanzel Und Gretyl is an american industrial metal band formed by members Loopy and Vas Kallas. They formed in 1993, sharing a vision of the future which focused on the rise of machines to power over Earth, and having the tools needed to turn that vision into music.
Their first album Ausgeflippt was released on Energy Records. The album, translating to "flipped-out" in German, received great reviews, while their dance single "Shine 2001" reached #1 position on the Alternative press Dance Chart. The duo formed a live band, recruiting Ginger Bread on bass and Pat 5000 on drums.
After receiving lots of positive reviews, Hanzel und Gretyl were coined as the "metal industrial band with a great sense of humor" who stood out amongst all the rest. Marilyn Manson took an interest in them and invited them on tour as support with "Clutch" in 1995 and in direct support in 1996. This opportunity catapulted them into the public eye with great admiration.
Transmissions From Uranus was released, and that tour took them through-out the USA as a headliner, and as direct support for bands. This song "9D Galactic Center" was then played on K-rock radio stations and "Robot Logik" on the Howard Stern show during station ID's, used in the blockbuster movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and played during the 1997 MTV Music Awards.
HuG paved the way for USA newcomers, Rammstein, at the CMJ Music Festival in NYC, solidifying the Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft. It opened the doors for success on Rammstein's first ever American tour, with HuG direct support in 1998.
After the close of Energy Records, a new day dawned for HuG leaving them legally free, and signed with Metropolis Records.
Their much anticipated third epic album, Uber Alles saw the light of day, as well as an entirely new live band line-up, including the additions of Anna K. and Jon Osterman. "Über Alles", served up in the style of a misplaced Wagnerian space-metal opera lost in time, chewed up by distorted synthetic filters and pummeled by a million homicidal robot drums manipulated by mastermind Loopy, and the much feared Vas Kallas. The album received rave reviews musically, pulled Four Star Reviews in Kerrang.
Scheissmessiah was released on Metropolis Records. In 2004 bringing them into the world of the Industrial genre, bringing another step of their music and shows with dazialing affects.
Oktotenfest 2006 was released in 2006 by Metropolis Records.
Zwanzig Zwolf, the next album, was released February 5th, 2008. HuG continues on their path of tongue in cheek content with songs like "Heil Hizzle Mein Nizzle" and "Number 1 in Deutschland".
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 in Hildesheim, Germany. Streamlined to a 2 piece band in October and November 2010, Hanzel und Gretyl capped off the year with their "Bierhaus Blood Tour 2010" which included select dates in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Finland and the U.S. ending with a final show in Chicago on December 30, 2010. Hanzel und Gretyl kicked off 2011 supporting Genitorturers' "Sexxx U 2 Death Tour" in February and March. And in October through to December, 2011 Hanzel und Gretyl will once again tour North America on their "More German Than German Tour".
Born To Be Heiled Hanzel und Gretyl's 7th full length CD and 6th CD release is slated for a November 27, 2012 launch 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. Born To Be Heiled features an eclectic blend of death metal, black metal, doom metal, classic rock, electronic and industrial elements all tied together with the band's unmistakable "ersatz" German affect now coupled with strong outlaw biker motifs. Beginning in June 2012, HuG followed up the completion of Born To Be Heiled with multiple extensive headlining tours including Australia, New Zealand, U.S.A., Canada, Russia, and Europe.
Hanzel und Gretyl Fur Immer an album comprised entirely of remixes of their previous CD, "Born To Be Heiled", was completed by "KyzrWölf", Kaizer Von Loopy's electronically based solo project, in July of 2013 and was released by Metropolis Records on October 8, 2013 .
Current lineup:
Kaiser Von Loopy: guitar, VOX, programming
Vas Kallas: VOX, bass
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
