SABATON SURVIVOR 2017: Results -> All together... GOTT MIT UNS!

Are you satisfied with the results?


  • Total voters
    10
This one was hard to review, as my eyes have been opened...

Coat of Arms
We finally come to the inevitable. After the success of their stunning, carefree, and spirited album, The Art of War, Sabaton fans the world over had high hopes that the follow-up effort would be equally as joyous. With Coat of Arms, however, Sabaton’s true colors show. Gone are the upbeat themes of tossing back beers with your mates, dancing with the hottest girl at the party, and winning every game of flippy cup, and in their place is the brainwashing musical scheme of the neo-Nazi party.

Coat of Arms
We kick things off with the title track, which has a keyboard hook so trippy that it’s almost like the band is trying to confuse our senses. The traditional power metal chug and double bass kick in to convince us that we’re in for some more fun times. The lyrics seem to side with the Greek offensive during the Greco-Italian War, describing the noble Greeks who stood tall against Italians even while facing certain death. Do some digging, however, and you’ll find that these men did not survive, despite what Joakim Broden’s dulcet tones might have you believe. The Nazis arrived to reinforce their Italian friends and slaughtered the Greeks, proving that not even those serving for the “glory of Hellas” or those with the “blood of King Leonidas” can withstand the stronger, more righteous Axis powers. 8/10

Midway
A rousing riff and a drumbeat like endless gunfire bring us deep into the second track. This short and sweet track details America’s defeat of Japan in a decisive naval battle during, you guessed it, World War 2. The first chorus sounds empty until we get to the second chorus and the backing vocals fill in the gaps like variety hour at the German equivalent of a USO show. It seems like our fears our assuaged for a moment; maybe the Sabaton gents aren’t Nazis after all. But then again: why is this song so short? Is it to prove that although the Allies won here, they can never stop the true reign of the Nazi agenda? Why is the final line of the bridge, “A blood red sun is on the rise?” Do they want to leave us with impending dread for all the ethnic cleansing to come? It’s not hard to read between the lines with this song, despite the subtlety with which we can usually attribute to Sabaton’s songwriting. 9/10

Uprising
Swirling tones of mind-mapping open this powerful track and lull us into a false sense of melancholy. The songwriters are clearly reveling in the defeat of the innocent Poles as the Nazis execute them by the hundreds of thousands. In the opening lines they paint the Allies as cowards who turn their backs on their friends. Women, men, and children die “willingly” according to Sabaton, who blatantly begin pushing their Aryan agenda against all who oppose them. The guitar solos are magnificent and seek to blur the lines with the listener between good music and soul-sucking propaganda. The chanting section gets me singing along every time until I realize that I’m harmonizing about broken streetlights with the souls of dead Polish citizens while Joakim Broden and Par Sundstrom sit back and cackle. 10/10

Screaming Eagles
Another rousing track of WW2 combat with pummeling double bass, soaring vocal chants, and heavy keyboards. This time, we hear of an American airborne infantry regiment dropped into France who are quickly outnumbered and pinned down by the superior German forces. You can hear the smile in Joakim’s voice as he belts out lyrics describing the “lightning” and “thunder” of the Nazis, while the Screaming Eagles are described as “dying in their holes.” The message is clear: Nazis are powerful heroes and the Americans are vermin. It’s a barnburner of a track, but the true purpose behind these songs is becoming harder and harder to ignore. 8/10

The Final Solution
Here it is, the centerpiece of the album, the song Sabaton no doubt waited years to finally release. This is the ode to their fearless leader’s master plan, the song that rejoices in an idea that, if Joakim Broden had his way, would have succeeded. The slinky keyboard hook is an earworm designed to capture your attention and propel Hitler’s hero journey into the spotlight. According to this song, Hitler was a man seeking reasons to end the despair of his country and we should salute him for his brilliant plan. You almost got me, Joakim! Almost. Instead of a sad refrain of loss and hopelessness, the chorus sounds positively lively. The song drips with excitement as the members of Sabaton wish for “millions to burn” and “perish in flames.” They event chant the chorus a cappella towards the end and it sounds like a heartwarming gang of friends standing tall for their homeland. When Joakim Broden sings, “Enter the gates – Auschwitz awaits!” I fully believe he is imagining himself sentencing some poor Jewish souls to death. 10/10

Aces in Exile
Aces in Exile is a rather nondescript, paint-by-numbers song as far as the music is concerned. The lyrics are confusing in context because they seem to have no ulterior motive to foster the outreach of the Nazi Party. When you listen more closely, however, it all becomes clear. Joakim sings about fighter pilots from many different countries who came together to battle the Nazis in the treacherous skies, but he sings with all the enthusiasm of a sleeping tortoise. His delivery during the verses is positively yawning, as though he recorded the vocals on a double dose of Quaaludes. Aces in Exile may actually be the slyest song on the whole record. Underneath all the pick squeals and group shouting, the band pulls a fast one on the listeners. They portray these Allied pilots as men simply going about their duties. These aren’t heroes, these are cogs in the machine and certainly they are nothing like the proud, vibrant soldiers of Germany! 5/10

Saboteurs
In a similar fashion, here we learn about the single greatest act of sabotage in all of World War 2 and yet this song could not be more half-hearted and uninspired. The music is tired, the vocals literally whisper at one point, it’s all very contrived: and that’s the point! Don’t you see what they’re doing, guys?! Sure, these Norwegian saboteurs were heroes in a way, but didn’t the Holocaust still happen? Didn’t Hitler come dangerously close to fulfilling his dream world? Conceptually, this and the previous track are firing on every post-modern, genius cylinder. Conceptually, Sabaton succeeds. For a couple moments, they hoodwink us into believing that someone other than a Nazi could be a hero, but therein lies the rub! Kudos, you sly Nazi bastards. Kudos. 5/10

Wehrmacht
Let the subtle digital signals trickle into your brain…no, it isn’t brainwashing…I mean, HEY THAT’S A BADASS HEAVY RIFF! This band rules! Yeah! Wehrmacht has some of the most interesting, groovy music on the album. The throbbing drums and bass, the weird effects, the melodic and wavy guitar solo, and that pounding chorus…and then they are chanting! Sabaton continues to impress here with their positive message of Our Fuhrer’s Ultimate Grand Vision. The pummeling music only proves how powerful the leader will become- wait a minute. WTF? They got me! Goddamnit. This whole album is just backmasking to recruit more Neo-Nazis! 7/10

White Death
Ok, I’ll admit it. The power of this band roped me in during the previous eight tracks. The art of metal compelled me to believe what they were saying, even though it feels harmless on the surface. Do not be fooled: Sabaton are Nazis. This song, with its stadium-ready rock riff and World War 2-adjacent lyrics seek to gloat about that fact. Broden and Sundstrom write about a skilled Finnish sniper who killed 505 men. If you haven’t yet figured it out: Simo Häyhä is the living embodiment of The Holocaust! He gets you in his sights and you’re dead, just like the Jews. He kills without remorse and he should be glorified in song, exactly what Sabaton believes of Adolf Hitler! The chorus may be catchy as hell, the solo may be blistering and sweet, but the lyrics literally continue to yell things like, “time to die” and “say goodbye” and “White Death is heading your way!” He’s literally talking about the return of The Holocaust, people. See through the lies! Push through the charade! The White Death, i.e. The Death By White People! 9/10

Metal Ripper
And here, Sabaton tries to put a ceremonial Band-Aid on the proceedings. This song is a river full of crocodile tears. It’s the band trying to cover up their intense Nazi leanings with something way out of left field. Another “metal song for metalheads” is just what the doctor ordered, they believe, to sweep the previous 9 songs of White Supremacy under the rug. Metal Ripper is the equivalent of running over your sister’s dog and then making up for it with a penis-shaped birthday cake. You think a silly romp will distract us from the audio atrocities you have committed for the previous 40 minutes? We will never forget, Sabaton. Ok, we might. 1/10

Album rating – 7.2/10
 
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Eliminated after Round 9:
Panzerkampf - 8 votes
Midway - 6 votes
Wehrmacht - 6 votes
40:1 - 5 votes
 
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Eliminated after Round 10:
Swedish Pagans - 6 votes
Unbreakable - 5 votes
Cliffs Of Gallipoli - 5 votes
The Price Of A Mile - 5 votes
Screaming Eagles - 5 votes

Promoted after Round 10:
Ghost Division
The Art Of War
Union (Slopes Of St. Benedict)

Carolus Rex joins the game!

Bonus song info:

Carolus Rex (Limited Edition) bonuses:

Not in the game:

Metalus Hammerus Rex:
 
I'm sorry, I'm really struggling to find time to listen to this. I'll probably finish Opeth by the end of the week and then I'll focus on this completely. Promise! :)
 
Sorry for the ridiculous delay. Voting for Coat, Dominium, Lion, King, Ruina and Harley. Update incoming at last!
 
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Eliminated after Round 11:
Harley From Hell - 9 votes
Dominium Maris Baltici - 8 votes
1648 - 7 votes
Ruina Imperii - 7 votes
A Lifetime Of War / En Livstid I Krig - 5 votes
 
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Eliminated after Round 12:
The Carolean's Prayer / Karolinens Bön - 5 votes
Killing Ground / Ett Slag Färgat Rött - 5 votes
White Death - 4 votes
The Lion From The North / Lejonet Från Norden - 4 votes

Promoted after Round 12:
Coat Of Arms
Uprising
The Final Solution

Heroes joins the game!

Bonus song info:

Heroes (Limited Edition) bonuses:

Not in the game:
 
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