Hanzel Und Gretyl Scheissmessiah
Metropolis Records October 2004
By Russell Garwood
An American industrial metal band singing in German. For ten points, who can guess Hanzel Und Gretyls biggest influence?
Well, just in case you didnt get that, here we have some fairly blatant Rammstein worship. Further parallels can be drawn with both KMFDM, and pretty much any other recent industrial metal bands you care to mention. So, is it derivative? Completely and unashamedly. And is it worth listening to, I hear you ask. A question I dont think Ill answer quite yet.
As you may expect, the guitars here are crunchy, melodic and simplistic, but above all, insanely catchy. Expect a few solos, memorable rhythm work and some nu-metal leanings. Below this we have tight, programmed drums, and some solid bass. Occasional samples are effective, and classical instrumentation (and compositions) are often hilarious. Industrial keys and programming helps create the immediately accessible sound, while the vocals are relatively heavy for the genre, being a harsh shout. But what makes Scheissmessiah so entertaining, is the tongue-in-cheek approach lyrics mixing religion and pseudo-Naziism (Handels Messiah overdubbed with a mock-Fascist rally) in an attempt to shock the listener; it all drips irony. There dont seem to be any genuine political or religious ideals behind the music - the almost-Nazi-but-not-enough-to-be-offensive outfits, overly theatrical German vocals, omnipresent bombast, and a pervasive trashy, over-the-top feel all combine in an pure attempt to shock and scandalise. And as a result, this release is non-stop entertainment.
So, back to my unanswered question is this worth listening to? Well, if youre after originality, depth and skilfully crafted, ever-changing compositions, probably not. But if you want some light hearted, entertaining music, then you dont get a great deal more so than this. A most worthy guilty pleasure.
7/10
Official Metropolis Records website
Official Hanzel Und Gretyl website
Metropolis Records October 2004
By Russell Garwood
An American industrial metal band singing in German. For ten points, who can guess Hanzel Und Gretyls biggest influence?
Well, just in case you didnt get that, here we have some fairly blatant Rammstein worship. Further parallels can be drawn with both KMFDM, and pretty much any other recent industrial metal bands you care to mention. So, is it derivative? Completely and unashamedly. And is it worth listening to, I hear you ask. A question I dont think Ill answer quite yet.
As you may expect, the guitars here are crunchy, melodic and simplistic, but above all, insanely catchy. Expect a few solos, memorable rhythm work and some nu-metal leanings. Below this we have tight, programmed drums, and some solid bass. Occasional samples are effective, and classical instrumentation (and compositions) are often hilarious. Industrial keys and programming helps create the immediately accessible sound, while the vocals are relatively heavy for the genre, being a harsh shout. But what makes Scheissmessiah so entertaining, is the tongue-in-cheek approach lyrics mixing religion and pseudo-Naziism (Handels Messiah overdubbed with a mock-Fascist rally) in an attempt to shock the listener; it all drips irony. There dont seem to be any genuine political or religious ideals behind the music - the almost-Nazi-but-not-enough-to-be-offensive outfits, overly theatrical German vocals, omnipresent bombast, and a pervasive trashy, over-the-top feel all combine in an pure attempt to shock and scandalise. And as a result, this release is non-stop entertainment.
So, back to my unanswered question is this worth listening to? Well, if youre after originality, depth and skilfully crafted, ever-changing compositions, probably not. But if you want some light hearted, entertaining music, then you dont get a great deal more so than this. A most worthy guilty pleasure.
7/10
Official Metropolis Records website
Official Hanzel Und Gretyl website
