What a show, what a show! I’ve wanted to see Hanzel Und Gretyl for a while, but the opportunity never came up at the right time. How great that it did this time and believe me, I wasn’t disappointed one bit. I heard about the forceful shows they put on and how loud and deafening their instruments sound, but I have to be honest, those words couldn’t even begin to describe what I heard.
After work I picked up a friend and off we went to the Key Club. Once we got there we immediately went downstairs to check out what kind of merch they had to offer. I had an interesting conversation with Anna, the merch girl, about the Genitorturers and also a few words about Hanzel Und Gretyl’s new album, coming in 2007, with drummer Jon Osterman. I ended up buying a zip-up hoodie, which I know I shouldn’t have but did anyway. We went back upstairs and caught the last few songs from The Heroes of the F.E.D.E.R.A.T.I.O.N. I know I’ve seen them before, I just can’t remember where, when and with whom. They’re not all that bad, but not really my thing. As soon as they finished, it was time for Bella Morte. I heard so many good things about them that I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Needless to say, I wasn’t too impressed. They played a few of their old songs, as I heard the lead singer say and those were the one’s I liked. They had a solid punk sound to them like a throwback to classic Misfits a la Glen Danzig days. There was one song called “Where Shadows Lie” that sounded like something out of an 80’s new wave-punk club. That turned out to be my favorite song of theirs and I would easily buy the album it came off of just for that one song. They were all right, but I don’t think they lived up to the hype I thought they would. I’d say they are more for fans of Gothic Rock than Industrial.
H.U.G. time! Originally slated to go on at 10:30, I guess they decided to take their time and went on at about 11:00. Little did I know it was going to be a long set. The lights dimmed and some back-lighting on the drums blared toward the crowd. Mark came out and stood on his seat riling up the audience. After what seemed like 5 minutes, Kaiser Von Loopy and Vas Kallas filed out onto the stage with both of their guitars. I was a bit unnerved at the fact that Anna K. (bass) didn’t walk out. I’m sure there would be a reasonable explanation, and there was later on. They started out with an instrumental and just kept yelling out “Fukken Uber”. After that intro they started into, what seemed was new song because I didn’t recognize it. 
I didn’t catch the title, but I can say that it’s harder than any of the other songs they’ve put out. Next up, “Disko Fire Sheiss Messiah”. I love that song because it sounds like an anthem for an army of industrial heathens ready to march on the steps of this capitalistic region. Fourth song in was “Third Reich from the Sun”. Sounds like something Hitler might describe right? No, they’re not some Nazi sympathizer group. It’s music. You don’t have to explain why it sounds like that. It just does and it sounds great. Onward to the next song, “Komm Zu Uns”. There are what, seems to be, hip-hop flavored loops in there, but it really works for the song. The guitars they put in their music are so crunching and riveting. They just drown out anything that might seem iffy in the song.
The next few songs are what I like to call, the “Fire Portion” of the evening. It started off with “Fikk Dich Mit Fire”. Fast-paced and powerful, it not only threw the crowd into a frenzy, but could have easily woken up anyone who decided they were just here for Bella Morte and thought they might stay on for Hanzel Und Gretyl. I don’t care who you are, that song would have an effect on you or even a dead person. I had a bit of a headache after that one from all the movement my head was experiencing. Next up was a new song. They didn’t really bother naming any of the songs they performed because they assumed the audience would know them. I knew all of them except for the ones on their new E.P. Like I said, the new songs are a lot harder that what I’ve heard from them previously. If these songs are a precursor for what’s to come, I can’t wait! Onto “Blut! Sex! Fire”. All I can say is damn that Vas Kallas! She can scream bloody murder! I like it. My all-time favorite H.U.G. song came up next, “Ich Bin Uber Alles”. Why do I like it so much? The guitars have great hooks. There aren’t very many lyrics to it, but the music makes you feel like it will engulf you with the sound. A great sounding song on the album and an even better sounding song live. So ends the fire portion.
Let the galactic portion begin! It started off with “Let the Planets Burn”. That’s exactly what the song sounds like. It starts out with some drums and a creepy, alien-type synth effect. It’s as if you’re taking a tour through space and all you see is a black wasteland of planets. Next up is “SS Deathstar Supergalactik”. It’s easy to say that is the biggest crow-pleasing song and their biggest “hit”. The best way I could describe it would have to be like the soundtrack to a movie that fused Star Wars, Blade Runner and Tron. Since Vas did most of the singing, it was Loopy’s turn to shine. He did so with “Kaiser Von Shizer”. But just before the song started, he brought Anna K. out for about half a minute just so she can say hi to the 
crowd. From what I could remember, Loopy said she didn’t feel good. Up started the Jon’s drums and the symphonic loops and Loopy began with “eins, zwei, drei, fier” and everyone roared out the rest of the lyrics with him. I was almost expecting him to break out a podium and address us as if we were his army. After that came “Transplutonian Annihilation”. It began with sitar and quickly crunched in with heavy guitars and drums. Throughout the verses you can hear the Indian loops. In the chorus, Vas just screams then comes in with “annihilation”. That screaming though, it just doesn’t get out of your system. She does it so well. Some women in music, I guess you can say, just don’t know how to scream in a song. That’s not the case with Vas. The double bass-drum sounds awesome towards the end of the song as does the very last couple of seconds again with the sitar. Next up was a new song. I can’t really describe, in depth, what the new songs sound like because they sound like Hanzel Und Gretyl songs, just heavier. I need I listen to them a few more times before I can really say something about them. But from what I heard that night, I liked them a lot. Last but not least was “Fukken Uber Death Party”. I know that’s a new song, but I had heard it before. Loopy and Vas decided to bring everyone on stage. Not only from other bands, but from the audience as well. It seemed like they picked out who they wanted up there getting the rowdiest crowd-goers and the most energetic of the band members. When the song ended, they all shook hands with the remaining audience members and went to start the after party.
2 hours and 15 songs later, I was tired, thirsty and ready to crash! I felt like I just survived a German apocalypse through space. I really enjoyed myself. Hanzel Und Gretyl have toured with the likes of the Genitorturers, Rammstein and KMFDM. I can see why those bands would want them around. They have so much energy on stage, they like to interact with their fans and their music is like brick wall coming at you hard and fast. Whenever they come to your town, go see them! For more tour and band info, you can visit their website at www.hanzelundgretyl.com.
