Sabaton

It’s a solid song, but to me it sounds just like Night Witches with a shuffle feel. That’s fine and all, but Sabaton has been missing something post-Carolus Rex. Maybe the songs just aren’t long enough anymore? I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Heroes had some cool tunes (I’m partial to Soldier of 3 Armies), and so did The Last Stand, but the magic of tracks like Wolfpack, Cliffs of Gallipoli, Uprising, Screaming Eagles, The Final Solution, Gott Mit Uns, and Carolus Rex just isn’t present anymore.

That said, I love Bismarck. I think it’s easily one of the best songs they’ve ever written.
 
I really think that Sabaton has started to forget how to make songs with the caliber of their older material and now only know how to make typical Sabaton-esque songs. Bismarck was a lovely call-back to the old days and a refreshing sign that they still had it, but if this new song is anything to go by, then perhaps they just aren’t putting enough energy into their writing anymore.
 
I think Pär has a sound in mind for Sabaton that he wants to perfect, and that's what the last 3 albums have been about, perfecting that sound. He perfected the Art of War/Coat of Arms sound on Carolus Rex, and now he is trying to get this style of more poppish songs right. The hope is that he feels the need to innovate after this album, definitely. While there are some all-time classic Sabaton tracks from this era (Night Witches, To Hell and Back, Shiroyama, Winged Hussars, and The Last Stand for sure), there's also a lot of filler, akin to the Primo Victoria/Attero Dominatus era.
 
It is definitely a Sabaton song. The intro is kinda pointless, the verse begins with zero buildup and sounds spliced in, and the brief instrumental section doesn't land because it has zero context. I don't mind short songs, but there has to be some kind of buildup and context for the lyrics and the music. This is just words and chords that sound like Sabaton.
 
I’ve not heard the IE song but Death Or Glory is an awesome rocker from modern Maiden and far and beyond better than Sabaton’s attempt here.
 
Death or Glory is easily the most well-rounded, enjoyable song of the bunch.

IE and Sabaton are tied. One is technically a better song, but has Ripper singing, while the other is far more fun, but complete fluff.
 
I have to say I really like this new one. Sure, it recycles melodies from The Price of a Mile and Night Witches and a dozen other Sabaton songs, but it doesn't really matter. 8.5/10
 
Apparently this is a year old, but whoa buddy have I never seen this terrible lunacy before...


Joakim is finally a Metal Machine!

Best part is 2:50 when they cut to the rhythm guitarist for the entire (incredibly simple) guitar solo.
 
Nothing else they put out is even remotely good or fun, that one song is the apex of their existence.
 
The Blood Of Bannockburn style of keyboards gives this song a bit more of a cheesy feel than usual. For me, it's the weakest of what we've heard so far.

Also, the beginning parts of the verses sound quite a bit like Night Witches to me.

"Man and machine and nothing there in between.
A flying circus and a man from Russia"
"Pushing on and on. Their planes are going strong.
Air force's number one"
 

Sabaton have something coming on June 28th. I was initially cynical and thought it would be something like a Sabaton beer, but www.sabaton.net/june28 says that it's the same date that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated so hopefully it'll be something quite interesting. Perhaps it'll be a beer named after Franz though, or a song about the assassination.
 
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