Night Laser: Raising Hell, Building Dreams, and Bringing Rats in the Cradle to the World

Night Laser: Raising Hell, Building Dreams, and Bringing Rats in the Cradle to the World

Benno Hankers and Rob Hankers discuss the new album, special guests, hard rock heroes, and their hopes of bringing Night Laser to America

Germany’s Night Laser has never been shy about wearing its influences proudly. Armed with massive choruses, electrifying guitar work, and an unapologetic love for classic hard rock and glam metal, the Hamburg-based outfit has steadily built a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting modern melodic rock bands. Their latest release, Rats in the Cradle, finds the band operating at full power, delivering anthems such as “STFU,” “Defenders,” “Blueberry Gin,” and “Heart of the Desert Rose” while welcoming an impressive cast of guest musicians including Johnny Gioeli, Sascha Paeth, and The Voice Of Germany semi-finalist Sebastian Zierof.

Highwire Daze recently caught up with vocalist Benno Hankers and bassist Rob Hankers to discuss the stories behind the songs, the making of Rats in the Cradle, touring alongside Axel Rudi Pell and Freedom Call, and their hopes of finally bringing the Night Laser experience to American audiences.

Introduce yourselves and tell me what you do in Night Laser.
Benno Hankers: My name is Benno Hankers. I’m the lead vocalist and one of the founding members of Night Laser.

Rob Hankers: My name is Rob Hankers. I’m Benno’s brother, actually. I play bass and I’m also one of the founding members of Night Laser.

Where is the band based out of, and what is the music scene like there?
Benno: Originally, we come from Brunswick, which is a fairly small city in Germany that many people outside the country might not know. These days we’re based in Hamburg, and we’ve been living here for somewhere between ten and fourteen years. We’ve honestly lost count.

The music scene in Hamburg, especially the rock and metal scene, is very healthy and alive. There are lots of great bands, lots of shows, and we’re very happy to be a part of it.

Rats in the Cradle is the title of the album. Tell me about that title and the artwork.

Rob: The title itself was inspired by the phrase Cats in the Cradle. Benno actually came up with it.

Benno: The title doesn’t really have anything to do with the original song. I just liked the wording and the play on words. It creates an unsettling feeling because rats really don’t belong in a place where you’d normally tuck in a baby. There’s something disturbing about that image, and it fit the song perfectly.

Rob: We built the entire album artwork around that central theme. The rats in the cradle create a dangerous atmosphere, but there are also a lot of hidden references throughout the artwork. If you take a very close look, you’ll find visual elements connected to many of the other songs on the album.

One of the standout tracks is “STFU.” Tell me about that song and what inspired it.
Benno: There are really two sides to that song: the music and the lyrics.

From a musical standpoint, we wanted a song designed specifically to open our live shows. Our drummer Inge wrote much of the music with that idea in mind. It has that “kick the door open” energy that immediately grabs people’s attention.

It’s also a lot of fun to run out onstage, hit a few big riffs, and scream “Shut the f*** up!” at the top of your lungs. It’s basically our way of saying, “We’re here now. Pay attention!“

Lyrically, it’s about people who never stop talking even when they don’t really have anything meaningful to say. I got the initial inspiration while sitting on a train surrounded by very loud and chatty people. At one point I just thought, “STFU already.”

But the idea extends far beyond that situation. It’s really about the people in life who are all words and no action. Sometimes it’s better to stop talking and simply do your thing.

Let’s talk about “Defenders,” which features Sebastian Zierof from The Voice of Germany. Tell me about that song and how the collaboration happened.
Rob: The connection came through our guitarist Felipe. He also plays in a cover band that performs songs from two well-known German punk bands, and Sebastian is the singer in that project. The two of them have been making music together for a couple of years now.

Whenever we’re thinking about bringing in a guest musician, we don’t just ask somebody randomly. We try to find the perfect song and the perfect moment that really fits who they are as an artist. Once Felipe suggested Sebastian, we started thinking about which song would suit him best, and “Defenders” was the clear choice.

The song itself began with a guitar riff I wrote about four years ago. It stayed in the back of my mind until we started gathering ideas for the album. I finally brought it to the band and suggested we build something around it. As the song developed, Benno contributed a lyrical concept he’d been working on for some time.

Benno: The original idea started in 2022 when the war in Ukraine began. The song was initially called “Defenders of Snake Island.”

Snake Island became famous because a small group of Ukrainian defenders stood their ground against overwhelming Russian forces despite having virtually no chance of prevailing. Their courage inspired me.

The song isn’t strictly about that specific event anymore, but it does carry the same spirit. It’s about standing together against impossible odds, refusing to back down, and staying strong even when the enemy seems unbeatable.

Another standout track is “Blueberry Gin,” featuring Sascha Paeth. Tell me about that song and how that collaboration came together.
Benno: The collaboration came about through our drummer Inge. His girlfriend is friends with Sascha’s girlfriend, so there was already a connection there.

While listening to the song, we felt that the guitar solo needed a different personality behind it. Inge suggested asking Sascha Paeth because we’d always wanted to hear him play something with a bluesier feel.

Most people know him for his work in power metal, so this gave him an opportunity to explore something a little different. When we asked him, he was very excited to be involved.

The song itself came from a funny real-life experience. I had a bunch of blueberries at home and an empty bottle of gin. I didn’t want the berries to go bad, so I dropped them into the bottle and let them infuse.

The phrase “Blueberry Gin” just sounded great to me. It had a cool ring to it.

We ended up tasting the homemade blueberry gin during one of my birthday parties, and let’s just say it had some interesting effects on everyone involved. That got me thinking about turning the experience into a song.

The final version became a story about a guy who’s completely swept away by the music, the woman he’s dancing with, and all that blueberry gin in his head. So while it’s a bit exaggerated, the inspiration definitely comes from a true story.

Johnny Gioeli of Axel Rudi Pell appears on “Heart of the Desert Rose.” How did that collaboration happen, and what is that song about?
Rob: The collaboration was a very natural one. We toured with Johnny and Axel Rudi Pell across Europe for about two and a half weeks, and during that time we became friends.

When we were recording the song, we felt there was a specific section that needed another voice. We started thinking about who would be perfect for it, and Johnny immediately came to mind.

His voice is incredibly melodic and energetic, and everything he does with Axel Rudi Pell reflects that. He was the ideal fit, so we asked him, and thankfully he was happy to participate.

Benno: When people first hear the song, it feels like a love song, and that’s absolutely intentional.

However, it’s really our way of expressing gratitude and respect toward women. The song acknowledges the many challenges women continue to face in society and recognizes the strength and resilience they demonstrate every day.

At the same time, it’s also about appreciation. Despite everything women have had to endure throughout history, many still choose to share their lives with us, and we’re genuinely thankful for that.

Coming from a hard rock and glam-inspired background, we felt it was important to approach these themes from a different perspective. This genre has often portrayed women in a particular way, and we thought it was time to offer a viewpoint based more on respect than stereotype.

I always like to jump to the end of an album and see how things wrap up. The closing track is “You and Me.” Tell me about that song and why you chose to place it at the end of the record.
Benno: I think it’s at the end of the album because it’s so different from everything else. Putting it somewhere in the middle would have felt a little strange.

It’s different for several reasons. First of all, it’s the only song where I wasn’t the sole lyricist. Felipe wrote the first two verses, and I contributed the chorus.

The structure is unusual as well. It doesn’t follow the typical verse-chorus formula. It’s basically verse, verse, and then the chorus repeating almost endlessly at the end.

There’s also a funny story behind it. Felipe and I got together to work on the song, and he already had the first two verses finished. I came up with what I thought was a really good hook for the chorus, but I didn’t have anything to write on. I was out shopping at the time, so I grabbed a piece of cardboard packaging and a Sharpie and wrote the lyrics down right there.

The song may be called “You and Me,” but within the band we still call it “the cardboard song.” I actually still have that piece of cardboard hanging on the wall in our rehearsal room.

Who produced Rats in the Cradle, and what was it like working with them?
Rob: Just like our previous album, Rats in the Cradle was produced by Eike Freese at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg.

The big difference this time was that Eike was involved throughout the entire process. This time, we recorded all of our individual parts with Eike there from start to finish, guiding us through the entire experience.

It was a fantastic process. His approach to music and production was incredibly influential on the final result.

Benno: We should also mention Dirk Schlächter, who remained involved during the pre-production stage. His input was extremely valuable, and he helped shape many of the songs before we entered the studio.

Dirk Schlächter has played on countless Gamma Ray albums. How did he become involved with Night Laser?
Rob: It’s actually a funny story. The connection goes all the way back to around 2015 when we first recorded at Chameleon Studios and happened to meet Kai Hansen.

Over the years, especially Benno and Kai became quite close friends. Through that friendship, we naturally got to know other members of the Gamma Ray family as well.

Eventually Gamma Ray needed a rehearsal space in Hamburg, and they ended up rehearsing in our room. Dirk later asked if he could use the room by himself for practice sessions, so that’s really where our relationship began.

Benno: At one point Dirk was living in Mexico rather than Germany. When he came back for a visit, he was looking for somewhere to stay.

Since I was going to be out of town anyway, I offered him my apartment. Afterward he asked how he could repay the favor, and I suggested that maybe we could work together someday.

For us, that would have been a dream come true. Thankfully, we found a way to make it happen, and that’s how the collaboration started.

What was it like touring with Axel Rudi Pell?
Benno: Amazing. It really was an incredible experience.

For us, it was also pretty stressful because of all the travel involved. Axel’s camp tours with a nightliner, a full crew, and everything runs like clockwork. We, on the other hand, are basically traveling on our own.

Physically it was exhausting, but everybody in Axel’s organization was friendly, professional, and welcoming.

You almost felt like part of a family every night. Their door was always open to us, and their tour manager, Ingo, became a really good friend over the course of the run.

The best part is that we’re doing it again very soon, and we’re really looking forward to it.

What was it like touring with Freedom Call?
Rob: That was incredible as well.

For me personally, it was especially meaningful because I’ve been a Freedom Call fan for nearly twenty years. If someone had told me back then that I’d eventually be touring with them, I never would have believed it.

It’s also how we became close friends with Lars Rettkowitz, who appears on the song “Get Out” from the new album.

What I love most about Freedom Call is that the atmosphere they’re known for is completely genuine. They call their style “Happy Metal,” and that’s exactly what it is. You leave their shows feeling happier than when you arrived.

They’re wonderful people, and we’re grateful to know them.

Has Night Laser ever played in the United States?
Benno: Not yet, but it’s definitely something we want to do.

At our level it’s a major investment, but at some point we have to make it happen.

When we played in the United Kingdom, we realized our style of music connects differently with audiences outside Germany. Heavy metal is certainly big here, but classic ’80s hard rock and glam-inspired music always had a much bigger presence in places like the UK and especially the United States.

We’d absolutely love the opportunity to bring Night Laser to America.

Rob: Maybe not in support of this album, but hopefully by the next one we’ll make it happen. We’ve even talked about combining it with a South American tour. Once we’re across the Atlantic, it makes sense to try and do as much as possible.

Let’s talk about Power to Power, which was released during the height of the pandemic. What was that experience like?
Rob: Honestly, it was really strange.

We originally planned to release it in April 2020, but everything shut down. Tours disappeared overnight, venues closed, and nobody knew what would happen next.

We had a full touring schedule lined up and only ended up playing four of the planned shows.

Eventually we decided to release the album anyway because it was finished and ready to go.

We rented a venue in our hometown and held a release party with limited attendance. We played the album over the sound system, met with fans, and sold copies of the record, but we couldn’t actually perform live.

It was a very surreal experience and not how we imagined celebrating an album release.

Hopefully none of us ever have to go through anything like that again.

Are either of you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Night Laser?
Rob: Nothing major at the moment.

There are plans for me to join the same cover band Felipe is playing with, but that’s still in the early stages.

Benno: We’ve both done different things over the years. Rob filled in on bass for Freedom Call, and I made a guest appearance on a Lord of the Lost album.

But honestly, Night Laser takes up so much time and energy that it’s difficult to imagine adding another major project.

Still, we’re always open to interesting ideas and collaborations.

Do you have any messages for Night Laser fans in the United States or for people discovering the band for the first time?
Rob: Support live music. Go to shows, support your local artists, and support the underground scene. That’s incredibly important.

Benno: And if anyone wants to help bring Night Laser to America, we’d love to hear from you.

Sometimes all it takes is one contact. Maybe it’s a promoter, a venue owner, a festival organizer, or just someone who knows a great rock club that would be interested in booking a band like us.

Every opportunity starts with a single connection, and we’d be incredibly grateful for any help making that happen.

In Conclusion

With Rats in the Cradle, Night Laser continues to prove that flashy hooks, soaring melodies, and larger-than-life hard rock spirit are anything but relics of the past. Whether they’re sharing the stage with legends, collaborating with acclaimed guest artists, or dreaming about their first American tour, Benno and Rob Hankers approach every aspect of the band with passion, humor, and genuine appreciation for the fans who continue to support them.

If their enthusiasm throughout this conversation is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before Night Laser’s explosive blend of melody, energy, and attitude finds an even bigger audience around the globe. And when they finally make their way to Los Angeles and iconic venues like the Whisky a Go Go, there will undoubtedly be plenty of fans ready to welcome them with open arms.

Night Laser’s latest album, Rats in the Cradle, is available now via Steamhammer. For more information, tour dates, and updates, visit Night Laser on social media and streaming platforms.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

Night Laser on Instagram