Review: Hanzel Und Gretyl – 'Satanik Germanik'

HANZEL UND GRETYL

'Satanik Germanik'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Four years after the darkest and heaviest album in the band's back catalogue, pseudo-teutonic metal duo Hanzel Und Gretyl return with another black and death metal-tinged release in the form of 'Satanik Germanik'. With 2014's 'Black Forest Metal' the band's trademark tongue-in-cheek themes and industrial elements take a back seat to relentless riffs and a more Satanic theme. And this is where their latest offering picks up.

Opening with the Wagnerian pomp of 'Golden Dämmerung' as a nice nod to their long-running Germanic obsession, the band soon drop a heavy riff and half-growled vocal with the head-banging 'We Rise As Demons' to open up a ferocious track list. Hard riffs, symphonic elements, snarling vocals and bludgeoning drums recall the likes of 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia' by Dimmu Borgir and 'Volcano' by Satyricon with a hint of their previous NDH style occasionally sticking it's head above the parapet.

Tracks such as 'We Rise As Demons', 'Black Six Order', 'Weisseswald', 'Hellfire Und Grimmstone', 'Sonnenkreuz', 'Unter Alles, '13 Moons', and 'Kinamreg Kinatas' give the album it's solid back-bone of symphonic/industrial edged black metal tracks. Characterised by slow sludgy riffs, and thunderous drums it's as focussed and serious as the band have ever sounded.

There are a couple of respites from the grim and gritty nature of the album with 'I Am Bad Luck' providing a slow, bass-heavy relief that strips the album's sound back a little. There's also 'Trinken Mit Der Kaizer (Die Bierz From Hell)', the most overtly tongue-in-cheek title of the album and the one track where they most cut loose and get a little crazy.

In terms of production the album feels sharp and focussed. The symphonic and industrial embellishments are still there but there is a more guitar-centred approach which gives the album a much heavier sound than before.

'Satanik Germanik' is a solid statement from Hanzel Und Gretyl. Heavy, strong and captivating from start to finish the album is a standout in their back catalogue, while long-time fans may lament the silliness of older material and the minimising of the electronic elements, this album still has enough to appeal to them. And while black metal may be a predominant influence the band's Germanic obsession still means that a good pun is still never too far away.

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Review: Hanzel Und Gretyl – 'Black Forest Metal'

HANZEL UND GRETYL
'Black Forest Metal'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Everyone's favourite pseudo-Teutonic industrial metal duo Hanzel Und Gretyl are back with a much darker and heavier outing than usual. Continuing on with the black and death metal themes that were incorporated into their 2008 outing 'Zwanzig Zwölf' and their last full-length album 'Born To Be Heiled' in 2012, 'Black Forest Metal' sees the tongue-in-cheek themes and industrial elements take a back seat to relentless riffs and a more Satanic theme running throughout.

The opening track 'Hoia Baciu' is perhaps the most over-the-top track on the album with it's infernal incantation setting up the album, but after this we see a more focussed attack. Songs such as 'Black Forest Metal', 'Blood Of My Horns', 'Hexencraft', 'Mavro Metalliko', 'Pentegram Sky', and 'Grimm Job' owe more to Satyricon than Rammstein with their leaner blackened metal sound.

There are still the odd tongue in cheek moments, such as on the more typically titled 'More Metal Than The Devil', 'Evil As Fukk', 'Burning Witches For Satan', and 'Big Bad Kyzrwolf' (which features a fun sample from 'Peter And The Wolf'). But even these are played quite straight, and are therefore just as enjoyable as the other tracks on the album.

In terms of production the album does drop some of the more familiar industrial metal veneer of previous albums in favour of a more black metal construction that recalls the likes of Satyricon's 'Rebel Extraveganza' and Mayhem's 'Chimera' in particular.

'Black Forest Metal' is an interesting but not wholly unexpected progression for the band. They have been increasingly opting for more guitars and heavier production with every new release. Each time it has worked well, and once again this is the case. It's a shame that the electronics are taking up a smaller roll these days, but if that means there is another opportunity for Kaizer von Loopy to unleash his remixing skills on the album, as he did on 'Hanzel und Gretyl Für Immer', in the near future then we are sure to get the best of both worlds.  

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Review: Hanzel Und Gretyl – 'Für Immer'

HANZEL UND GRETYL 

'Für Immer' 

METROPOLIS 

It's hard to believe that the duo of Kaizer Von Loopy and Vas Kallas (AKA pseudo-Neu Deutsche Härte act Hanzel Und Gretyl) have been around for nearly 20 years now. With a handful of interesting albums to their name in the 90s, they gained international infamy due to the playfully parodying of albums such as 2003's 'Über Alles' and 2004's 'Sheissmessiah'. Now off the back of their sixth album 'Born To Be Heiled' comes the companion EP, featuring tracks remixed by Von Loopy's electro side-project KyzrWölf.

One criticism of HuG has been that, although their music has a lot of variety, it often seems to quickly become unfocussed as there are so many influences vying for control. What this remix album brings to the table though is a more focussed and linear style that maintains the unpredictability of the originals.

Purists can pick on the band for their lack of grammatical correctness (and believe me... they will ad nauseam), however there is something undeniably fun about singing and dancing along to tracks like 'More German Than German', 'Unterztützung 87', 'Born To Be Heiled', and 'Holy Shiza' with their cheesy and parody orientated titles. The fact that these are all electronic remixes as well gives the band back their club-orientated sound that has become increasingly over-shadowed by their various metal influences in recent years.

The remixes have a nice modern edge that gives a nod to the band's early electro-industrial style, while also dropping in nods to more recent trends such as dubstep. It's a solid effort that will undoubtedly yield some club hits to keep both DJs and old school fans more than happy.

This is a kind of “best of both” situation. HuG have a pretty solid fanbase that expect the heavy guitars and metal posturing of the last decade’s worth of albums has presented. Yet, with what is quite a well thought out and reconstructed remix album, the band are able to tap back into the dance/club market once again and widen their appeal. Hopefully this is a trend the band will continue on future releases.

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Hanzel Und Gretyl to storm the UK

The US industrial metal duo Hanzel und Gretyl  have announced the release of a remix companion album to the band's 2012 outing 'Born To Be Heiled' entitled 'Hanzel und Gretyl Fur Immer', which will be released via Metropolis Records on 7th October 2013.

In support of the album, the band will precede its release with a five-date UK tour starting on 25th September in Edinburgh, and finishing in London on the 29th.

Tour Dates:

25.09.13    EDINBURGH  Bannerman
26.09.13    BIRMINGHAM  Eddies
27.09.13    SHEFFIELD  Corporation
28.09.13    CARDIFF  Bogiez
29.09.13    LONDON  Underworld

'Hanzel und Gretyl Fur Immer' is availble to pre-order now via Metropolis Records. For more information on the band, please visit their official website.

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