Heroes --- Sabaton --- 2014 (Nuclear Blast)
Seems Swedish lads Sabaton underwent almost a total lineup change in 2012, with four members of the band leaving and only Joakim Brodén and Pär Sundström remaining. Recruiting new men to fill the spaces left by the departed members, they put together their first album since the split, and this is it, their seventh in a career spanning fifteen years (although their first album didn’t hit till 2005 they have been together since 1999).
Taking somewhat of a different tack to other power metal bands, Sabaton decided to write songs about the individuals involved in various war, and each of the songs here is based on a real-life person, and has its own story, which I’ll be detailing as we go along. “Night witches” gets us underway, the story of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Airforce, a squadron of ancient biplanes piloted exclusively by women in World War II. With a Russian-sounding chant to open proceedings the song rocks along on the twin guitar attack of new boys Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund, and they can certainly play. Vocalist Brodén’s voice is just the right side of raw for this sort of music and he sings it with the pride and passion you would expect of anyone involved in this squadron.
Giving hope for humanity, “No bullets fly” is based on the WWII story of Franz Stigler, a Luftwaffe pilot ordered to shoot down a crippled B-17 Flying Fortress but who decided to instead escort it home. A heartwarming and true story, it’s memorialised in a fast rocker with more than a touch of AOR.
”Fly, fighting fair” sings Brodén
”It’s the code of the air/ Brothers, heroes, foes.” An Iron Maidenesque chant at the end takes us into “Smoking snakes”, where we hear of the exceptional courage of three Brazilian soldiers who fought to the death against the Germans and were buried with full honours by their enemies. It was April, 1945. Five more months and the war would have been over.
A rollicking, rocking ride on cannoning drums and twin guitars, it stirs the heart and gets the head moving, with another chorus of vocals, becomes something of a boogie in the last minute with a sweet guitar solo. A gentle keyboard intro brings in “Inmate 4859”, based on the story of Witold Pilecki, leader of the Polish Resistance in 1939 who volunteered to go to Auschwitz and be interned there in order to gather intelligence about the Holocaust, information he transmitted back to the Allies. A slow, pumping guitar then drives the tune, with orchestral hits on the keys, the song a marching cruncher with again that Russian-style slow chant. “To hell and back” remembers one of the most well-known and famous of the heroes of World War II, Audie Murphy, who went on to make many war films based on his experiences. It powers along nicely, with a sort of Ennio Morricone-ish whistling intro, but I find it a little generic, and it’s the first track on the album I don’t really like.
Another hero of World War II, Australian Army Corporal Leslie “Bull” Allen is commemorated in “The Ballad of Bull”, which is in fact the first ballad on the album, with Joakim Brodén excelling both on the piano and organ, and also putting in a fine vocal performance dripping with passion. “Resist and bite” details the bravery of the Belgian Army, with a spiralling guitar intro and almost trancelike drums before the guitar bites hard and the song gets going. Another powerful chant underpins the chorus here, then the strange tale of Lauri Törni, who fought for Finland, Germany and the USA during his life is told in “Soldier of 3 armies” which ups the tempo more and hurtles along nicely.
A big rolling drum pulls in “Far from the fame”, the story of Czech air marshal Karel Janousek, who fought for the RAF and who was later imprisoned by the new Czech government. It’s another sort of marching, rockalong song with a fine solo from one or other of the two new guitarists, couldn’t say which. “Hearts of iron” looks at the other side of the conflict, praising the bravery of the German 12th Army who, as the war drew to a close and the Allies moved in, created a corridor through which they were able to allow many of their people escape Germany and surrender rather than be captured by the advancing Russians, every German’s worst fear, especially the women.
The last two tracks I don’t have information on. “7734” is a real power Metal anthem, flying along on wings of steel, while “Man of war, probably not an ode to Joey deMaio and co --- oh wait! It is! They namecheck just about every Manowar album and some songs, like “All men play on ten”, “Battle hymns”, “Kings of metal” and “Blood of enemies”. Oh so cool! A marching, fist-pumping anthem that Manowar would be proud of, it’s a really strong end to the album, and a fitting tribute to one of the real kings of Power Metal.
TRACKLISTING
1. Night witches
2. No bullets fly
3. Smoking snakes
4. Inmate 4859
5. To Hell and back
6. The ballad of Bull
7. Resist and bite
8. Soldier of 3 armies
9. Far from the fame
10. Hearts of iron
11. 7734
12. Man of war
Yes, it is indeed a strong end to the album, but though Sabaton evidence all the hallmarks of true Power Metal here, there’s something --- I don’t know --- cartoony? --- about the songs. It’s clear the guys believe in what they’ve written and want to honour these fallen heroes, but maybe it’s the way the vocals are handled, or the overcomplicated lyrics. I don’t know. But there’s something that makes it hard for me to really believe in what they’re singing about.
Mind you, that could be the problem. I could be the problem. This album’s songs have such a rich and varied backstory that I’ve really spent more time researching those than listening to the music, and maybe I haven’t given it a fair chance to be judged on its own merits. But on first listen, though I am impressed, I’m not knocked over. This album may very well grow on me with time, but at the moment, with all I have to still listen to for Metal Month, there isn’t room for a second listen, let alone a third.
Sabaton: heroes? Meh, not quite yet. But they may very well be getting there. I’ll keep their medals here in this box for now. It’s quite possible I may need them soon enough.