German death metal horde ENDSEEKER have unleashed one of the most unexpected covers of the year: a thundering rendition of David Hasselhoff's "True Survivor," recorded with fellow Germans LORD OF THE LOST. The track — and its accompanying video — arrives as the closing cut on the band's farewell EP, "Coffin Born," released June 19 via METAL BLADE RECORDS.
Originally written for the 2015 cult action short "Kung Fury," "True Survivor" is pure neon-soaked 1980s synth-pop cheese — exactly the kind of guilty-pleasure material ENDSEEKER have long had a soft spot for. In their hands it's reborn as a battering, tongue-in-cheek death metal anthem, with LORD OF THE LOST piling on extra muscle and theatrical flair.
The fun, however, comes with a bittersweet sting. "Coffin Born" is no ordinary release: the five-track EP marks the end of the road for ENDSEEKER, a final glimpse of the Hamburg outfit before what the band has described as a premature retirement. The original, unaltered lineup caps its career in uncompromising style, with a tracklist that runs "Enemies Of Peace," "No After. No Before.," the title track "Coffin Born," "Life Breeds Death," and the closing Hasselhoff cover.
That sequence captures everything that made ENDSEEKER a beloved fixture of the modern German death metal scene — punishing, old-school riffing balanced by a sense of humor few of their peers share. Choosing to bow out on a Hasselhoff cover featuring one of Germany's biggest dark-rock exports is a fittingly irreverent way to say goodbye.
"Coffin Born" is out now on digipak CD with a 12-page booklet, on digital, and on vinyl in several limited color variants via METAL BLADE RECORDS. For longtime fans, it's both a celebration and a farewell — proof that even the heaviest bands can grin while they nail the coffin shut.