What happens when a guy who has the same name as the villain from Die Hard becomes roommates with a punk whose accomplishments include “bouncing around a mosh pit” and finding time to watch every episode of Street Sharks? They form a band, of course! Throw in a surprisingly coherent drummer (he's secretly a college Dean), a songwriting machine bassist with a liberal approach to fashion, manic hardcore tunes, some conspiracy-fueled paranoia, the occasional Harry Belafonte cover, and the result is Hans Gruber and the Die Hards!

This year saw the release of the band’s first full length record. The 14 song album was recorded in a single weekend at Austin’s Public Hi-Fi studios, and displays some of the band’s diverse influences. From the nihilistic hardcore anthem “It Just Doesn’t Matter” to the apocalyptic church-inspired “Blood Moon,” the album explores the themes of life, death, and taking senior citizens on a shopping trip to the moon. Wherever the forces of darkness appear, whether it be the satanic consumption of Monster energy drinks, the reptilian overlords, or big ol' Texas trucks, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards will continue to party on. "Where will you be when they come!?"

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]