SABATON SURVIVOR 2017: Results -> All together... GOTT MIT UNS!
- Thread starter Night Prowler
- Start date
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Into the Fire
Angels Calling
Back in Control
Talvisota
Angels Calling
Back in Control
Talvisota
Eliminated after Round 7:
Firestorm - 7 votes
Into The Fire - 6 votes
Talvisota - 6 votes
Nuclear Attack - 5 votes
Back In Control - 5 votes
Promoted after Round 7:
Primo Victoria
Panzer Battalion
Wolfpack
Attero Dominatus
Rise Of Evil
Angels Calling
Coat Of Arms joins the game!
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
My belated take on The Art of War:
The Art of War
With their first two releases (and a much maligned rerelease demo album of mostly ABBA covers and one track written by J.R.R. Tolkien) Sabaton tackled the basics of heartrending, emotional epics inspired by actual events. Although this formula was quite successful, they take a massive departure on 2008’s The Art of War and provide power metal’s quintessential party rock album.
Sun Tzu Says/Ghost Division
Scattered gunfire and keyboard swirls open the album as a rousing female voice appears – this will be our DJ for the evening, ladies and gentlemen. She’ll be giving brief introductions throughout the party, helping us dance our cares away with catcalls and hollers. The proper first track is Ghost Division, which is basically the greatest dance track ever recorded. The beat is persistent, the lyrics are relatable, and the melodies are downright hypnotic. There’s a killer synth lead break right before the 808 drops in the last minute. Lead singer Joakim Broden cleverly substitutes the word “party” with “blitzkrieg” and demands that we jump right into the dance. We’re with you, bro, we will never retreat! 10/10
The Art of War
The DJ mixes in sounds of marching and promises that we should all know each other or something, but it doesn’t matter because the next song kicks off with epic keyboards and dramatic drum hits. This one is more of a krunk rhythm, but it keeps us all groovin’ and movin’. The big hooky synth leads us in and out of the rousing verses and glittery chorus. Joakim drops a great dance circle song here, especially with the opening lyric, “I stand alone and gaze upon the battlefield.” He’s talking about the dancefloor, folks! Let that circle open up and forge your art of war with your best break dance or shopping cart. The pre-chorus is perfect for choreographed, “Bye, Bye, Bye” style arm movements. We get a moment of reflection during the melodic guitar and keyboard solos before that pre-chorus slays us again and we join in for the final chorus repeat. It’s a true stunner. 10/10
40:1
Another DJ announcement tells us it’s time for the dollar dance, in this instance you get one dance with the person of interest (be it the birthday boy, bride, or just your best mate who threw this whole party together) for the price of $40. The tempo picks up considerably here and it’s a killer change of pace. It’s a typical power metal dance hall tune, but it’s not without its charms. Cleverly name-checking Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” reminds us that we’re really in for a treat. 40:1 demands your fanciest footwork throughout. There’s also a spot for breakdancing right before the guitar solo! The “fallen soldier” chanting bridge helps us give praise to those dudes who couldn’t make it to the party or who puked too soon. Another lighthearted, fun one that keeps the club bumpin’. 8/10
Unbreakable
Thanks to our DJ, we know that this next song might require some waiting before the beat really drops. It’s a nice slow dance for the first half, so grab your steady date, ask that hot chick in the mini-skirt out on the floor, or try to pull that too-cool-for-dancing goth girl away from the corner. Everyone needs to be “ready at arms” for this one. Romance is the name of the game here, at least at first. When the beat kicks up halfway through you get to really bust a move. Man, the way this song builds is just phenomenal. That mother-effin’ 808 drops again at 4:30 and shit gets real! It keeps the party going after giving us a brief reprieve from the unrelenting beat. Unbreakable is like a five-minute recap of every great dance track ever made. 10/10
The Nature of Warfare/Cliffs of Gallipoli
While we hear some announcement or other from the DJ (who really cares at this point, bro, I’m getting pretty buzzed) we all go grab some more beer. A keyboard sweep sample taken from ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” kicks off the next track. The verses are a little reminiscent of Queen’s “The Show Must Go On”, but far more entertaining, dramatic, and inspiring. It’s that part of the night where we need to start chugging drinks and this song truly embraces that vibe. There has never been a song that exemplifies the joy and perils of keg stands better than Cliffs of Gallipoli. Like, bro, I’m doing at least two keg stands every time this song is on. By the time we hit the second chorus, I already know this is the greatest night of my life. The start-stop bridge is killer. Once we all have our fill of beer chugs and high-fives, we make our way back to Party HQ in perfect syncopation with each drum hit before and after that last chorus. God, this is the best! 10/10
Talvisota
DJ 4th Reich (just realized that was her name) leads us back to the Drop Zone (the name of the dance floor) for this next upbeat barn burner. And like, it’s not the most dope song of all time, but it’s still fun. Like, we’ve already heard more dope songs and I think we’re gonna hear more super dope songs, but this one’s alright. We can still have a shit ton of fun here ‘cause of how many Natty Ice’s we just chugged. There’s some neoclassical stuff going on, I think, with those guitar samples. Towards the end of this song I kind of start to realize how drunk I am and how I probably shouldn’t have drank all those brews… 6/10
Panzerkampf
Oh shit, but then here comes the group sing-a-long! This song’s my jam! A perfect bouncing track for the later hours of the night when coordinated dancing might just be a bit too much. That dramatic part in the middle has us all singing to the Motherland like every awesome party should. This one’s also pretty cool, but I think I’m starting to forget where I parked my car. Also, should I drive? Probably not. I dunno. Who cares?! My comrades are standing side by side! 8/10
Union (Slopes of St. Benedict)
Holy hell that was a seamless transition into this more upbeat track! DJ 4th Reich gives us all a shout-out cause she’s awesome. Union is the ultimate drinking song! It’s got swinging melodies, an almost jig-like atmosphere, and just makes me want to have a bloody good time. I’ve heard some Irish drinking songs before, but this one is way more positive in tone and lyrics and makes me want to down some Guinness! There’s a solo that sounds like a guitar, but it could be bagpipes cause those are Irish, right? Oh man, this shit rocks. I can even hear the ghosts of all our dead party friends who fell asleep or actually died in every hit of the keyboard...shit, who spiked my drink? Did I get high tonight? I dunno. This rules! 10/10
The Price of a Mile
DJ 4th Reich just said this will be the last slow dance of the night, so I guess it’s time to chill out a bit. This tune sounds like a great chance to go do some shots of whatever’s left on the bar. Oh damn, the whiskey’s gone? How about tequila? A little bit? Cool, just pour that shit into this cup with the rest of the gin. Can’t taste too bad. Who took my keys? I dunno. Anyway. Man, I’m starting to feel it. I’m finally understanding the price of partying too hard. What a coincidence, cause this song is all about the dangers of partying too hard! Hey DJ, why are you trying to make us think right now?! This song is too real. I imagine Joakim and Par were really, really drunk when they wrote this. Hindsight, bro. Hindsight. 9/10
Firestorm
It’s the last song of the night, guys! DJ 4th Reich is kicking ass: she’s even playing a song about the cops breaking up the party. The “warning’s on the radio” and the cops have choppers out to get the underage drinkers with “death from above.” These Sabaton guys are fuckin’ great at metaphors! Man, this track slays. Let’s tear up the dance floor one more time before I pass ou- 9/10
A Secret
Goddamnit, why are you waking me up with this shit?! Why am I sleeping in a bathtub…..? Where am I? God, what time is it…?
Album rating – 9.0/10
Party rating – 11/10
The Art of War
With their first two releases (and a much maligned rerelease demo album of mostly ABBA covers and one track written by J.R.R. Tolkien) Sabaton tackled the basics of heartrending, emotional epics inspired by actual events. Although this formula was quite successful, they take a massive departure on 2008’s The Art of War and provide power metal’s quintessential party rock album.
Sun Tzu Says/Ghost Division
Scattered gunfire and keyboard swirls open the album as a rousing female voice appears – this will be our DJ for the evening, ladies and gentlemen. She’ll be giving brief introductions throughout the party, helping us dance our cares away with catcalls and hollers. The proper first track is Ghost Division, which is basically the greatest dance track ever recorded. The beat is persistent, the lyrics are relatable, and the melodies are downright hypnotic. There’s a killer synth lead break right before the 808 drops in the last minute. Lead singer Joakim Broden cleverly substitutes the word “party” with “blitzkrieg” and demands that we jump right into the dance. We’re with you, bro, we will never retreat! 10/10
The Art of War
The DJ mixes in sounds of marching and promises that we should all know each other or something, but it doesn’t matter because the next song kicks off with epic keyboards and dramatic drum hits. This one is more of a krunk rhythm, but it keeps us all groovin’ and movin’. The big hooky synth leads us in and out of the rousing verses and glittery chorus. Joakim drops a great dance circle song here, especially with the opening lyric, “I stand alone and gaze upon the battlefield.” He’s talking about the dancefloor, folks! Let that circle open up and forge your art of war with your best break dance or shopping cart. The pre-chorus is perfect for choreographed, “Bye, Bye, Bye” style arm movements. We get a moment of reflection during the melodic guitar and keyboard solos before that pre-chorus slays us again and we join in for the final chorus repeat. It’s a true stunner. 10/10
40:1
Another DJ announcement tells us it’s time for the dollar dance, in this instance you get one dance with the person of interest (be it the birthday boy, bride, or just your best mate who threw this whole party together) for the price of $40. The tempo picks up considerably here and it’s a killer change of pace. It’s a typical power metal dance hall tune, but it’s not without its charms. Cleverly name-checking Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” reminds us that we’re really in for a treat. 40:1 demands your fanciest footwork throughout. There’s also a spot for breakdancing right before the guitar solo! The “fallen soldier” chanting bridge helps us give praise to those dudes who couldn’t make it to the party or who puked too soon. Another lighthearted, fun one that keeps the club bumpin’. 8/10
Unbreakable
Thanks to our DJ, we know that this next song might require some waiting before the beat really drops. It’s a nice slow dance for the first half, so grab your steady date, ask that hot chick in the mini-skirt out on the floor, or try to pull that too-cool-for-dancing goth girl away from the corner. Everyone needs to be “ready at arms” for this one. Romance is the name of the game here, at least at first. When the beat kicks up halfway through you get to really bust a move. Man, the way this song builds is just phenomenal. That mother-effin’ 808 drops again at 4:30 and shit gets real! It keeps the party going after giving us a brief reprieve from the unrelenting beat. Unbreakable is like a five-minute recap of every great dance track ever made. 10/10
The Nature of Warfare/Cliffs of Gallipoli
While we hear some announcement or other from the DJ (who really cares at this point, bro, I’m getting pretty buzzed) we all go grab some more beer. A keyboard sweep sample taken from ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” kicks off the next track. The verses are a little reminiscent of Queen’s “The Show Must Go On”, but far more entertaining, dramatic, and inspiring. It’s that part of the night where we need to start chugging drinks and this song truly embraces that vibe. There has never been a song that exemplifies the joy and perils of keg stands better than Cliffs of Gallipoli. Like, bro, I’m doing at least two keg stands every time this song is on. By the time we hit the second chorus, I already know this is the greatest night of my life. The start-stop bridge is killer. Once we all have our fill of beer chugs and high-fives, we make our way back to Party HQ in perfect syncopation with each drum hit before and after that last chorus. God, this is the best! 10/10
Talvisota
DJ 4th Reich (just realized that was her name) leads us back to the Drop Zone (the name of the dance floor) for this next upbeat barn burner. And like, it’s not the most dope song of all time, but it’s still fun. Like, we’ve already heard more dope songs and I think we’re gonna hear more super dope songs, but this one’s alright. We can still have a shit ton of fun here ‘cause of how many Natty Ice’s we just chugged. There’s some neoclassical stuff going on, I think, with those guitar samples. Towards the end of this song I kind of start to realize how drunk I am and how I probably shouldn’t have drank all those brews… 6/10
Panzerkampf
Oh shit, but then here comes the group sing-a-long! This song’s my jam! A perfect bouncing track for the later hours of the night when coordinated dancing might just be a bit too much. That dramatic part in the middle has us all singing to the Motherland like every awesome party should. This one’s also pretty cool, but I think I’m starting to forget where I parked my car. Also, should I drive? Probably not. I dunno. Who cares?! My comrades are standing side by side! 8/10
Union (Slopes of St. Benedict)
Holy hell that was a seamless transition into this more upbeat track! DJ 4th Reich gives us all a shout-out cause she’s awesome. Union is the ultimate drinking song! It’s got swinging melodies, an almost jig-like atmosphere, and just makes me want to have a bloody good time. I’ve heard some Irish drinking songs before, but this one is way more positive in tone and lyrics and makes me want to down some Guinness! There’s a solo that sounds like a guitar, but it could be bagpipes cause those are Irish, right? Oh man, this shit rocks. I can even hear the ghosts of all our dead party friends who fell asleep or actually died in every hit of the keyboard...shit, who spiked my drink? Did I get high tonight? I dunno. This rules! 10/10
The Price of a Mile
DJ 4th Reich just said this will be the last slow dance of the night, so I guess it’s time to chill out a bit. This tune sounds like a great chance to go do some shots of whatever’s left on the bar. Oh damn, the whiskey’s gone? How about tequila? A little bit? Cool, just pour that shit into this cup with the rest of the gin. Can’t taste too bad. Who took my keys? I dunno. Anyway. Man, I’m starting to feel it. I’m finally understanding the price of partying too hard. What a coincidence, cause this song is all about the dangers of partying too hard! Hey DJ, why are you trying to make us think right now?! This song is too real. I imagine Joakim and Par were really, really drunk when they wrote this. Hindsight, bro. Hindsight. 9/10
Firestorm
It’s the last song of the night, guys! DJ 4th Reich is kicking ass: she’s even playing a song about the cops breaking up the party. The “warning’s on the radio” and the cops have choppers out to get the underage drinkers with “death from above.” These Sabaton guys are fuckin’ great at metaphors! Man, this track slays. Let’s tear up the dance floor one more time before I pass ou- 9/10
A Secret
Goddamnit, why are you waking me up with this shit?! Why am I sleeping in a bathtub…..? Where am I? God, what time is it…?
Album rating – 9.0/10
Party rating – 11/10
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
40:1, Panzerkampf, Coat of Arms, Screaming Eagles, Aces in Exile, Saboteurs, Wehrmacht, Metal Ripper.
I don't understand the hate for Midway, especially on an album full of middling-to-clunkers. Midway has the coolest building chorus in the discography.
I don't understand the hate for Midway, especially on an album full of middling-to-clunkers. Midway has the coolest building chorus in the discography.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
The only four songs from the album I truly love are Uprising, Final Solution, Wehrmacht, and White Death. If I had to pick the next tier, it would be Screaming Eagles and Midway (followed by maybe the title track).
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
It's not my favorite, but I like it far better than the musically similar 40:1.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
So after listening to Coat of Arms album all week, Midway and Screaming Eagles have both grown on me immensely and I regret voting for them. The title track is also better than I remember it, and I prefer it to the similarly-themed Sparta. Aces in Exile is decent but clearly filler, and Saboteurs is just bad. Finally, I'm very happy that this was the last album in which the band decided to write a cliche metal lyrics song. I'm sure they had fun with it but they're unbelievably lame and cringe worthy to listen to. I'm also glad they've stopped playing these songs live.
Ariana
Black-and-white leopard
One would think you and @MrKnickerbocker were somehow related...
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
... but not like Niall & Cried are related.
Coat Of Arms
Beginning is quite epic. Verses and choruses are cool on their own, but they shouldn't have gone with the gallop for both; it's monotone. Therefore it's probably one of the weakest songs on the album.
Midway
This song is quite cool, but it sounds too short and unfinished. If they put in some more work into it, it would've been the best song on the album. Probably the catchiest chorus on the album though.
Uprising
Chorus is cool, but the verses are ripped off from some older song.
Screaming Eagles
First truly awesome song on the album (also the best one). Kickass headbanger in the vein of the songs from the first two albums.
The Final Solution
One of their better ballads, altho the blunt lyrics make me cringe at times...
Aces In Exile
Worst song on the album. Another song where they rip off themselves; you can easily sing the lyrics of Attero Dominatus to the verses of this song... Also the bridge is taken from Panzerkampf.
Saboteurs
Chorus is OK, but the song is really nothing special.
Wehrmacht
Finally a slower atmospheric song. Awesome stuff. Chorus is epic and the solo section is pretty good too. 2nd best song from the album.
White Death
3rd best song on the album. Some awesome guitar work on this song and a pretty cool chorus as usual.
Metal Ripper
Opening of the song with prominent keyboards and the chorus vocal melodies are the only good things about this song. Everything else is pure shit. Shitty ripoff lyrics. So many songs ripped off both lyrically and musically. What the fuck were they thinking? Metal Machine and Metal Crüe are Hallowed Be Thy Name compared to this.
Voting for the songs in bold and 40:1, Panzerkampf, Union and Swedish Pagans.
Beginning is quite epic. Verses and choruses are cool on their own, but they shouldn't have gone with the gallop for both; it's monotone. Therefore it's probably one of the weakest songs on the album.
Midway
This song is quite cool, but it sounds too short and unfinished. If they put in some more work into it, it would've been the best song on the album. Probably the catchiest chorus on the album though.
Uprising
Chorus is cool, but the verses are ripped off from some older song.
Screaming Eagles
First truly awesome song on the album (also the best one). Kickass headbanger in the vein of the songs from the first two albums.
The Final Solution
One of their better ballads, altho the blunt lyrics make me cringe at times...
Aces In Exile
Worst song on the album. Another song where they rip off themselves; you can easily sing the lyrics of Attero Dominatus to the verses of this song... Also the bridge is taken from Panzerkampf.
Saboteurs
Chorus is OK, but the song is really nothing special.
Wehrmacht
Finally a slower atmospheric song. Awesome stuff. Chorus is epic and the solo section is pretty good too. 2nd best song from the album.
White Death
3rd best song on the album. Some awesome guitar work on this song and a pretty cool chorus as usual.
Metal Ripper
Opening of the song with prominent keyboards and the chorus vocal melodies are the only good things about this song. Everything else is pure shit. Shitty ripoff lyrics. So many songs ripped off both lyrically and musically. What the fuck were they thinking? Metal Machine and Metal Crüe are Hallowed Be Thy Name compared to this.
Voting for the songs in bold and 40:1, Panzerkampf, Union and Swedish Pagans.
Eliminated after Round 8:
Metal Ripper - 9 votes
Saboteurs - 8 votes
Aces In Exile - 7 votes
Voting for 40:1, Panzerkampf, Union, Swedish Pagans, Coat Of Arms, Midway, Uprising and The Final Solution.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
I'm quite happy you agree with me on this song. I love it. The 5/4 bridge is one of the catchiest things the band has ever done, and the tempo is mood-setting and straight up evil. Panzers on a line!
You can fix it now
