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The War To End All Wars

    
       
       
       
     
             
Sabaton are a heavy metal band from Sweden formed in 1999, releasing ten albums, all featuring lyrical themes based on war, historical conflicts, and acts of bravery and heroism. The bands name is a reference to a sabaton - the part of a knights body armour that covers the foot. Sabaton have won many awards, performed (and headlined) at major festivals and sold-out venues all around the world, amassed a worldwide army of loyal fans, and even have their own history channel on YouTube - combining the power of music and storytelling to dive into the true-life stories behind every Sabaton song. Often wrongly perceived as a power metal band, bass player Par Sundstrom has commented (in an interview with Loudwire media magazine) that "the two main attributes of power metal are high pitched vocals and fantasy lyrics, and Sabaton have neither of those. We simply play our version of heavy metal - what heavy metal is to us".    
             
So there you have it - Sabaton, a (defiantly) heavy metal band, boasting an incredible discography of historical war reference to rival that of some of the worlds largest libraries! The bands tenth album 'The War To End All Wars', released in 2022, features eleven songs that delve into the atrocities, miracles, and events surrounding World War I. So grab yourself a coffee, and prepare to be taught more about World War I than any history lesson at school ever did! With stories detailing the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the seemingly "indestructible" British army officer Sir Adrian Carton De Wiart, and the incredible moment of battlefield peace between British and German soldiers on Christmas Eve 1914 - Sabaton take centre stage for forty five harrowing, yet epic minutes...    
             
...starting their history lesson with 'Sarajevo', featuring a spoken word narration spliced with their bold and majestic, on the edge of a knife, tension filled anthemic metal style. The way the band build a crescendo of atmosphere behind the narration is spellbinding, and grabs your attention right from the start. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28th 1914 prompted the first declaration of war - Sabaton delivering a chilling yet rousing musical backdrop to the cause of World War I. And then Sabaton let rip with the furiously paced 'Stormtroopers' - and not the Star Wars kind! These stormtroopers were the German soldiers of World War I that crossed no-man's land and invaded key points of enemy territory, like the trenches. The frantic pace at which Sabaton deliver 'Stormtroopers' is probably on a parallel with the frantic scurrying the soldiers had to do to evade detection, and ultimately death.    
             
Dreadnought was the British battleship of the early 20th century, and Sabaton pay tribute with 'Dreadnought' - a menacing, heavy foot stomping anthem that is a perfect match to the sight and sound of an advancing battleship sailing into war. The instantly recognisable voice of singer Joakim Broden brings a boldness to the bands sound, creating an atmospheric edge of fear. For when he sings - you listen! And to be honest, if Broden had been my history teacher back in school, I would have paid so much more attention in class than I did, and probably gained an "A", instead of the dismal "F" that I actually got. Now, what do you call a soldier who survives gunshots to his eye, skull, hip, leg, stomach, ankle, and ear? "unkillable" that's what! 'The Unkillable Soldier' is Sabaton's tribute to Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton De Wiart, VC, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO. In his 1950 memoir, Sir Carton De Wiart wrote "frankly, I had enjoyed the war" when describing his experiences in the first World War. Such a positive and happy outlook of a very traumatic time, has been endorsed by the band as they deliver their lively, up tempo and energy driven homage to a war hero.    
             
The mid tempo mighty anthemic style that has become so familiar with Sabaton, is in full swing with 'Soldier Of Heaven', a thunderous and very bold swagger that again has some menace and fear blended beautifully in with its feel good vibe. 'Soldier Of Heaven' recounts the thoughts of a battlefield casualty standing guard at a mountain pass who died in an avalanche and took the "stairway to heaven". It's also fair to say that it is heavily keyboard led, giving it a very different feel to so many of the other songs on offer. 'Hellfighters' - dedicated to the famous 369th regiment made up primarily of African American and Puerto Rican soldiers - is lively and up tempo, full of energy and oomph, and allows for some proper head banging. Sabaton are really mixing up the styles of metal, swinging from fast bruisers to hymn-like anthemic monsters at the blink of an eye. Such variety is enthralling, keeping listeners hooked with every twist and turn.    
             
And talking of hymn-like monsters - 'Race To The Sea' recounts the battle of Yser River in Belgium, that took place in October 1914. The mid tempo pace is rousing, the pounding rhythm is fist pumping, and you get a real feel of a defiant call to arms, with a mighty "we're gonna win it" mentality. And win it the Belgians did, putting a stop to the advancing Germans. The heroic story of Serbian Milunka Savic, who took her brothers place in the army, disguising herself as a man, and becoming one of the most decorated soldiers of the war, is told through 'Lady Of The Dark' - a heavy yet melodic mid paced romp. The vocals of Broden are once again very bold, replete with a "you will listen to me" authority about them, planting the seed of fearful repercussions if you don't. The battle of Doiran - which took place towards the end of the war in 1918 - gets the Sabaton rabble rousing treatment, along with an up tempo and full of energy gallop that just oozes a traditional "foot on the monitor" feel. Any arguments over whether Sabaton are a power, or heavy metal band are now surely null and void. Heavy metal is what pumps through their veins.    
             
The poignant "moment of battlefield peace" between British and German soldiers on Christmas Eve 1914, is told in truly mesmerising style with 'Christmas Truce' - a piano led hymn with so much passion and emotion, many listeners may be reduced to tears. The story of the temporary Christmas Eve ceasefire is incredible, with the accompanying video a fantastically shot film that totally conveys the magical moment of unexpected peace ever seen on a battlefield:- "today we're all brothers, tonight we're all friends, a moment of peace in a war that never ends". Simply superb. The final song, 'Versailles', deals with the Treaty Of Versailles, which heralded the beginning of the end of World War I. And just like the opening song 'Sarajevo', the band mix spoken word narration with their bold and majestic, on the edge of a knife, tension filled anthemic metal style.    
             
Overall, a fabulous and enthralling march of metal, Sabaton have delivered an infectious history lesson via the power of music.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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