Sabaton

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And an angry pony...
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Maturin said:
Being a Swede myself, Sabaton gives me a lot of bad associations. Let me explain.

I live in a country where some schools in areas with a high percentage of immigrants have banned the national anthem at the traditional end of the school-year celebrations. Why? Because singing the anthem is associated with nationalism. We can't have that. That's the political climate here.

Then comes Sabaton. A band with lyrics about the days of the Swedish Empire. Just that fact cements them as nationalists. When we then look at what they wear - military cargo pants - Yeah, they're full blown neo-nazis for sure!

I do exaggerate for the sake of argument.

I have nothing against their music in general. It bombastic and a bit too cheaply dramatic for my taste, but otherwise it's fine. But I am not sure how political they are, which makes me feel ill at ease and therefore I stay away.
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What I don't get in your post, is what you think about this avoidance of singing the anthem, displaying the flag, et cetera. As a Norwegian and your closest neighbour, I find it weird. Sweden is a country that has done good things and bad things throughout history, basically like every independent nation. These days it seems like many Swedes are afraid to show pride in the good things, while at the same time avoiding talk about the bad ones. The Swedish facade is so neutral it becomes hard to comprehend it, even for Norwegians.

However, that's on the surface. When I talk to Swedes (which happens frequently, many Swedes work here in Oslo where I live) they all seem to find this silly. When Swedish journalists try to ride on the white horse of politically correct righteousness, they shake their heads. As far as I can see, many Swedes don't get this aversion of flags, anthems etc.

On a personal note, I find it quite sad that every celebration of anything Swedish is seen by some as nationalism in the worst sense of the word.

On to Sabaton themselves: If they were neo-Nazis, would they write songs about the invasion of Normandy or the destruction of Berlin, seen from an Allied point of view? I think that by making an album like Carolus Rex, with banners flying on the cover, they are in fact reacting to this afore mentioned fear of showing pride in their country. That doesn't make them nationalists, far less neo-Nazis. They are a metal band, and thus don't give a fuck about political correctness.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
On a personal note, I find it quite sad that every celebration of anything Swedish is seen by some as nationalism in the worst sense of the word.
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As I was discussing with the lady friend of late, there is a difference between patriotism and nationalism. Swedes, I think, have moved so far into neutrality that they are concerned about taking any sort of patriotic stance out of fear that it become aligned with nationalism. Nationalism has done bad things in Europe in the past - but Sweden just traded with the bad things.

True patriotism is accepting the glories and the stains of the past. All countries have horrors in their histories, but that doesn't make remembering the victories bad either. They simply are.
 
I found this interview with Sabaton addressing just this, talking about why they chose to play the national anthem at Sweden Rock 2012:

http://www.svd.se/kultur/darfor-spelar-sabaton-nationalsangen_7258149.svd

I'll translate the last two questions and answers:

Interviewer: Would you call yourselves nationalists?

Joakim Brodén: No, I don't care about where people come from or what colour their skin is at all. Politics and religion are two things that people who are brighter than me should meddle with. I like playing hard rock.

Interviewer: Playing songs about Carl XII and the national anthem are things you would expect from a "white supremacy" band. Aren't you afraid of being linked with that genre?

Brodén: A little afraid, but there's also raising your fist and saying that Swedish history and the national anthem should not belong to no political group what so ever. Many around us have wondered whether we are crazy, but nine out of ten understand and think that this is good.
 
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Perun said:
How paranoid do you have to be to see Carolus Rex as a white supremacy statement. Next thing I hear is my mirror is racist because it only shows me a white face whenever I look into it.
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Mainly because some Swedish nationalists have made Carl XII into some sort of an idol.

@Ariana: Sorry about the typo.
 
I'll forgive you this time.

I thought this was a mistake in the interview. Sorry, Wingman! :blush:
 
Ariana said:
I'll forgive you this time.

I thought this was a mistake in the interview. Sorry, Wingman! :blush:
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The interview was in Swedish, and the Swedish language doesn't add a suffix to verbs when the subjective is a plural, so that error was mine and only mine. I've fixed it now. Thank you for correcting me.
 
This is simply the most random, cool, ridiculous thing ever:



Sabaton performed in a Swedish gym, in a spinning class, while exercising.

WHAT?!!!!?!!!?!
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
What I don't get in your post, is what you think about this avoidance of singing the anthem, displaying the flag, et cetera. As a Norwegian and your closest neighbour, I find it weird. Sweden is a country that has done good things and bad things throughout history, basically like every independent nation. These days it seems like many Swedes are afraid to show pride in the good things, while at the same time avoiding talk about the bad ones. The Swedish facade is so neutral it becomes hard to comprehend it, even for Norwegians.

However, that's on the surface. When I talk to Swedes (which happens frequently, many Swedes work here in Oslo where I live) they all seem to find this silly. When Swedish journalists try to ride on the white horse of politically correct righteousness, they shake their heads. As far as I can see, many Swedes don't get this aversion of flags, anthems etc.

On a personal note, I find it quite sad that every celebration of anything Swedish is seen by some as nationalism in the worst sense of the word.

On to Sabaton themselves: If they were neo-Nazis, would they write songs about the invasion of Normandy or the destruction of Berlin, seen from an Allied point of view? I think that by making an album like Carolus Rex, with banners flying on the cover, they are in fact reacting to this afore mentioned fear of showing pride in their country. That doesn't make them nationalists, far less neo-Nazis. They are a metal band, and thus don't give a fuck about political correctness.
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I wonder why I should sing of past glories in war and conquering with an anthem that was composed in 1844, in a totally different time. The words seems so far removed from today. The flag? I wouldn't wave it around. I see no point in that kind of thing. It isn't neutrality to me, it is a different kind of view of what matters. This is what happens when no-one has known war for generations. I am totally against sending soldiers to Afghanistan and the like. I do however see a problem in the political correctness, which limits the room for any kind of discussion regarding sensitive issues like immigration.

I am proud of living in Sweden, but it is the everyday things that matters to me. The flag and the anthem represents something else entirely.

Perun said:
How paranoid do you have to be to see Carolus Rex as a white supremacy statement. Next thing I hear is my mirror is racist because it only shows me a white face whenever I look into it.
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Well, Karl XII or Carolus Rex is the Jesus of Swedish neo-nazis and racists. They celebrate him on November 30th, something which not seldom turns into violence. There isn't a single person in the history of Sweden to write an album about which would be more of a nationalist statement. Next thing would be Rammstein naming their next album "Adolf Hitler".
 
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