Canadian folk-pop duo Fionn were recently featured on Musora’s “Covers” series, which challenges artists to cover a song — usually of a different genre than their own — upon hearing the original track for the first time.
The group’s twin sister singers Alanna and Brianne were in for a shock when the Musora producers revealed the song they would have to cover, though their guitarist was quick to recognize the imitable voice of Serj Tankian.
“System of a Down,” he exclaims as the song “Toxicity” begins to play.
According to the duo’s official bio, Fionn’s own brand of folk-pop is inspired by the sisters’ “Celtic roots,” and they immediately grasp that recognizable musical strain in the song’s opening verse.
“It sounds pretty Celtic in this part,” remarks one of the sisters.
From there, Fionn embark on their cover rendition, deconstructing the arrangement and transposing it to their own musical style, eschewing SOAD’s alt-metal aesthetics for softer sounds. The Musora video lets the viewer in on this process, as the musicians deliberate on how to effectively render the song.
The final performance is shockingly professional and clean, and the twin sisters’ voices are well-suited for Tankian’s commanding vocal. While not metal in the slightest — this is a folk act, after all — the band still manages to nail the song’s buildups and climax, injecting the aforementioned Celtic flavors. Assigning the guitar solo to the keyboardist was an especially crafty touch, and the overall volume of the original song is maintained throughout.
You can watch the full clip of Fionn learning and covering System of a Down’s “Toxicity” below.