Sunmancer is hitting the road with August Burns Red and Fuming Mouth in May and are poised to shake the foundations of the metalcore scene with their latest video single “Chasm Darkly”.
Feuerschwanz is a German medieval rock and metal band, that uses comedy and folk sounds in their music. The band’s name refers to a fire dragon tail, due to the fact that their lyrics deal with dragons, Vikings, epic battles and other things related. They have released their eleventh studio album, Fegefeuer(Purgatory) with Napalm Records.
Band’s line-up:
Hauptmann (Captain) Feuerschwanz – Vocals Johanna von der Vögelweide alias Stephanie Pracht - Violin, Hurdy-Gurdy Hans der Aufrechte alias Hans Platz – Guitar Prinz R. Hodenherz III alias Benjamin Metzner - Acoustic guitar, flutes, whistle, bagpipes, vocals Jarne Hodinsson alias Jan Jamaszyk – Bass Rollo H. Schönhaar alias Rolf Hering - Drums Mieze Musch-Musch - Performance & Tanz Mieze Myu alias Jenny Diehl - Performance, Tanz, Harfe
The album's songs consist of the following:
1. 'SGFRD Dragonslayer': about Siegfried the Dragon Slayer.
2. 'Bastard von Asgard': (Bastard of Asgard) features beautiful guest vocals from Fabienne Erni of Eluveitie. It has a catchy chorus, a very powerful track reminiscent of Rhapsody with fast guitar and violin. It’s about Loki’s bastard son, from Nordic mythology.
3. 'Berzerkermode': this is a funny song and video. It deals with the idea that you have to be manly with big muscles to party like a Viking. In the video, they train Jesus to be like one of them.
4. 'Knochenkarussell' (Bones Carousel) has a dark tone, it's sinister and epic with an explosive chorus that repels the darkness of their verses.
5. 'Fegefeuer' (Purgatory), is the title track, it's an ironically happy song that reminds us that we, the sinners we will burn in purgatory.
6. 'Die Horde': this is a celebration song. We’re not going to Hell or Heaven, we prefer to keep drinking and celebrating.
7. 'Uruk-Hai': this track talks about how there’s no tomorrow for Mankind.
8. 'Highlander': this track has a great guitar solo. A warrior condemned to immortality and to fight, until the last man dies.
9. 'Morrigan': this is a short but heavy track. It's about the Celtic goddess of death and destruction; a dark, seductive queen who rules the night.
10. 'Eis & Feuer': (Ice & Fire), a song to cheer one up before the battle.
11. 'Valkyren': (Valkyries) this track is about a fallen warrior who died in battle. With his last breath, he asks the Valkyries to take him to Valhalla and to Odin.
The album is available in various formats, with an edition that contains some live tracks from their show in Wacken, 2022.
It is an energetic and fast-paced album. It’s short to listen to but the Vikings and dragons stories are fun and epic. The band’s sense of humor shows in songs like “Berzerker Mode”. It has a power metal tone, accompanied by technical guitar solos, crowned with catchy choruses. Besides their dark lyrics, the songs themselves are happy and celebratory. Pipes and violin lead you to face the battle and then to enjoy the party afterward. It’s a reminder to enjoy every moment.
Rating: 9/10 Release Date: July 21st, 2023 Released By: Napalm Records FFO: Saltatio Moris, Fiddler's Green, Subway to Sally
