Album Review: Feuerschwanz – Todsünden (Napalm Records)

Following their most recent, successful #1 charting album, Memento Mori, German medieval folk rockers Feuerschwanz are back with more mischief and a surprise for their fans in the form of a cover album, entitled Todsünden, set for release via Napalm Records on December 30th, 2022.

What a ton of fun this is. Covers vary, of course. It’s not just about the talent of the band covering iconic songs. It’s also about the song choices and what the band does with them. Change it too much and it loses the essence of being a cover. Don’t’ change enough and the question of why even bother becomes prevalent.

Of course, if you have an inordinate amount of hatred for a particular track, it’s unlikely that any cover will change your mind about that song. So, if you’re going to do a full album of covers (16 tracks here), variety is key and bloody hell, do Feuerschwanz offer up a lot of variety.

From ABBA to Amon Amarth, to Ed Sheeran, Manowar and The Weeknd. Feuerschwanz also paying tribute to their homeland with covers of other German artists likes Die Toten Hosen, Die Ärzte and Rammstein. There are a lot of bands and artists given the medieval folk rock and metal treatment here and it’s a blast.

There are a lot of highlights but some of the more notable ones include a thrilling version of Amon Amarth’s Twilight of the Thunder God. Feuerschwanz transforming it into a power-driven classic heavy metal anthem. Then there is grin-inducing folk-infused punk energy of Bloodhound Gang’s The Bad Touch and a rollicking version of the Ghost smash-hit, Square Hammer.

How about Feuerschwanz hitting us with three banger covers in a row? Namely Powerwolf’s Amen & Attack, Rammstein’s Engel and Sabaton’s Gott Mit Uns? They’re clearly having a lot of fun but in no way ‘half assing it’.

Enjoy it for exactly what it is.

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