Silhouettes & Soundwaves: Eric Hanhart on the Rise of Violet

Silhouettes & Soundwaves: Eric Hanhart on the Rise of Violet

Few modern bands capture the spirit of classic ’80s AOR with the sincerity and fire of Germany’s Violet. Formed in 2020 by bassist Eric Hanhart, guitarist Manuel Heller, and keyboardist Filip Kuzanski, the band has quickly carved out a place in Europe’s melodic rock scene with their soaring hooks, glossy keyboards, and unmistakable love for the genre’s golden era. With two full‑length albums already under their belt and a new EP, Silhouettes, on the way, Violet is stepping confidently into their next chapter — one that includes major festival appearances, growing international attention, and a steadily expanding fanbase.

I caught up with Eric to talk about the band’s origins, the stories behind the new songs, their upcoming performance at the legendary Keep It True Festival, and their dream of one day bringing Violet’s high‑energy live show to the United States. What follows is a candid, enthusiastic look into the heart of a band determined to keep melodic rock alive — and do it with authenticity.

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Violet, and how long the band has been together.
Hi, I’m Eric, the bass player of Violet. We’ve been together since around 2020. The band was originally formed by me, Manuel, and Filip — our guitar player and keyboard player. This year we’ll be releasing our first EP, although we’ve already put out two full‑length albums, one in 2022 and another in 2024. I’m really looking forward to what’s coming next.

Where is your band based, and what is the music scene like there?
The band is based in Stuttgart, Germany, in the southern part of the country. We’re actually a bit spread out across Germany: three of the guys — Maurice (drums), Manuel (guitar), and Filip (keyboards) — all live in Stuttgart. Jamie is in Nürnberg, about 200 kilometers away, and I’m in the western part of Germany, in Nürnburg, roughly 50 or 60 kilometers south of Cologne. So for me, it’s about a 300‑kilometer trip to Stuttgart.

But honestly, that doesn’t matter. We really wanted to fulfill a dream with Violet — to create the most authentic ’80s AOR we possibly could today. Sometimes it’s tough to organize rehearsals with all five of us, but it’s absolutely worth it.

As for the music scene: Stuttgart is probably the strongest city in Germany for melodic rock. For example, the closest major city to me is Cologne, and while there’s a popular hair‑metal party there once a month, I only know maybe five to ten people in that area who are really into AOR. When we play shows in Stuttgart — like our two release shows — we get around 200 to 300 people. If we tried that in Cologne, I’m not sure we’d draw nearly as many.

How did you end up signing with Metalopolis Records?
Funny enough, when Manuel, Filip, and I first formed Violet, the CEO of Metalopolis, Eddy Freiberger, reached out to us. He had a young female singer and wanted to build a band around her. We thought that was pretty cool, because we were just starting out and were also looking for a singer. Everything lined up perfectly.

Eddy arranged a meeting with her, and he gave us four songs to rehearse together. If we could pull them off well, he said he’d sign us. The songs were “Barracuda” by Heart, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship, “Kiss Me Deadly” by Lita Ford, and “Crying” by Vixen. We rehearsed them, performed a little showcase for Eddy and his label partner Nico, and everything went great. I think it was the very next week that we got signed.

Let’s talk about Silhouettes. Is there an overall story or concept behind the title?
If you’ve seen the “Somewhere, Somehow” video — where each band member turns into a mannequin — that was originally just a concept for the video. But we really liked the mysterious, metaphorical vibe behind it, so we expanded it into the album title. The mannequin imagery, the silhouettes… it all fit together nicely. We were tossing around ideas for titles, and “Silhouettes” just felt catchy and right.

The EP opens with “Set Me Free.” Tell me a little about that song.
“Set Me Free” was actually the first song I ever wrote for Violet. I think it was about three years ago. I remember writing it right here at my desk — my ex‑girlfriend was still living with me at the time — and she said it reminded her a bit of “Games People Play” by The Alan Parsons Project. I thought that was pretty cool.

Once I finished the demo, I sent it to Manuel. He changed a few things and added his own touch. If we’re talking writing credits, it’s probably about 60% me and 40% Manuel. I really love what he did with it — he gave it more drive, and there’s this little George Lynch‑style guitar vibe in there that I absolutely love. I’m really proud of how it turned out, and of our collaboration on it. I think it was the first Violet song that Manuel didn’t write entirely on his own.

“Dangerous You.” Tell me about that one.
“Dangerous You” has a pretty interesting history. The song was originally called “Sia,” and the chorus was completely different — only the verses stayed the same. It was actually meant to be on Mysteria, but we weren’t happy with the original chorus, so we held it back. Then out of nowhere, Manuel came up with a brand‑new chorus, and we all thought, “Wow, that’s it.” Suddenly the song felt complete, and we knew it belonged on the EP.

We talked a little about “Somehow, Somewhere” already. Let’s do “Calling for You.” Tell me about that one.
“Calling for You” is one of the very first songs we ever wrote as Violet. I think it goes back to late 2019. Manuel, Filip, and I were in the rehearsal room, and at that time Filip was already our keyboard player, but for some reason I was playing keyboards while he was on guitar. A few months later, in early 2020, Filip wrote the opening keyboard riff — the ding ding ding ding ding ding ding — and that really set the tone.

It actually took quite a while to finish the song. I think we completed it after we had already released Illusions. Otherwise, it might have ended up on that album. Instead, we released it as a single between Illusions and Mysteria.

How did you decide which live songs to include on the EP?
For me, choosing “Sex and Harmony” was obvious. It was the opening track of the night, and I’ve always been fascinated by which song a band chooses to open with live. Funny enough, when we played the Mysteria shows afterward, we switched the opener to the title track “Mysteria.” But for the release show, we opened just like on the album — with “Sex and Harmony.”

I love the energy of that song, especially the audience reaction. When the intro starts, we walk onstage, and you hear the crowd screaming — it’s such a powerful moment. So that one was an easy pick.

What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming Keep It True Festival in April?
It’s going to be the biggest show we’ve ever played — around 3,000 people — so that alone is huge. But for me, it’s also a dream come true. I first went to Keep It True in 2018, and I never imagined I’d play there. It’s a real honor, because Oliver Weinsheimer, the festival organizer, is very selective. He doesn’t book just any band; his audience is extremely picky, and the whole festival is built around authenticity — keeping the spirit alive, like Judas Priest’s “Defenders of the Faith.”

When we formed Violet, I never thought we’d fit the festival’s direction, since we’re a bit different stylistically. But Oliver came to our show in Nürnberg in early 2025 and told us he really liked both of our albums. Later, in a YouTube interview, he even said that very few bands have more authenticity than Violet. Hearing that was a huge honor.

And of course, I’m also excited to share the stage with Magnum — they’re one of my favorite bands.

You played the Nordic Noise Festival. What was that experience like?
That was in 2024, in Copenhagen. It was funny because the day we played was also the Eurovision Song Contest, which is massive in Europe. The whole city was packed, and people actually thought we were there for Eurovision. But we played in a theater — I think it held around 400 to 500 people — and it was a great show. We shared the stage with Bullet, and the whole experience was really cool.

A year later, we returned to Scandinavia to play Malmö Melodic, and that opportunity came about because the organizer saw us at Nordic Noise.

You also did some shows with Osukaru. What was it like sharing the stage with them?
They were incredibly kind — great guys. We toured Spain with them for four dates, and we learned a lot from them. They were very friendly and helpful. For example, before one show we had a breakdown with our car — a wheel needed fixing — so we arrived two or three hours late. They even offered to let us headline because of the delay, which was very generous.

But we didn’t take the offer, because they had a 90‑minute set and we had just released Illusions, so our set was only about 30 minutes. It would’ve felt strange. So we said, “No, no, we’ll hurry — we’ll open.” They’re great musicians and great people.

For those of us who haven’t seen you yet, what can someone expect from a live Violet show?
You can expect a very energetic show. We move around the stage a lot, we interact with the crowd, and we always try to give people the best experience possible. We aim to play the songs just like they are on the record, but still deliver a great, lively performance. That’s our goal every night.

Has Violet ever played in the States, or is that something you’d like to do in the future?
It would be a dream come true for us. I visited the States in late 2024 — I was in Texas — but playing a show there would be incredible. If we ever get an offer from a festival or promoter, we would absolutely come over.

Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of Violet?
Filip plays live for a band called Cave, who are also on our label, but it’s not his main project. I play in a cover band, mostly to gain more live experience — and because it’s fun — but Violet is the priority. The other guys are 100% focused on Violet, and Filip and I are too. We’re not starting any new bands because Violet deserves all the time and attention we can give it.

If Violet could open for any band, past or present, who would it be and why?
Well, if we’re talking about the biggest possible crowd, then of course The Beatles or Led Zeppelin. But if we’re talking about what would make the most sense musically — a great package — then let’s travel back to 1985 or ’86 and have Violet open for Night Ranger on the Seven Wishes tour. That would be amazing.

What do you hope the rest of 2026 brings for you and for Violet?
A lot of shows — maybe even a tour. We’re currently talking with our booking agency about the possibility of touring with an ’80s band who’s doing an anniversary run. I can’t say who it is yet, but they released some really cool records back then. Hopefully we can join them for the European leg.

I also hope the new EP sells well, and of course I’m really looking forward to the Keep It True show. It’s going to be huge for us. I’m already a little nervous, but mostly excited.

Do you have any messages for your U.S. audience who may be reading this?
First of all, thank you. It’s honestly insane to think that four guys and a girl from Germany make music, and people on another continent — especially in a great country like the U.S. — are listening to it. It’s an absolute honor, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I really hope we can come to the U.S. someday, whether it’s a tour or just a few shows, so we can meet you. We love our audience, and there’s nothing better than playing live. We’d love to do that for you.

In Conclusion

Violet may be rooted in the shimmering nostalgia of classic AOR, but everything about their journey feels forward‑driven. With a new EP on the horizon, a major festival appearance ahead, and a growing fanbase stretching far beyond Germany, the band is proving that melodic rock still has plenty of fire left in it. Eric’s enthusiasm is unmistakable — whether he’s talking about songwriting, touring dreams, or the simple joy of stepping onstage and hearing a crowd roar back.

If Silhouettes is any indication, Violet’s rise is only just beginning. And for fans of big hooks, glossy keyboards, and heartfelt authenticity, that’s very good news. Wherever the road leads — from Stuttgart to Scandinavia to, hopefully, the United States — Violet is carrying the spirit of the ’80s into a new era with passion, precision, and a whole lot of heart.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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