“The Great War” is Sabaton’s Haunting Epic
By Connor Danz, Junior Creative Editor
“The Great War” is the 9th and latest studio album release from the Swedish Heavy Metal band SABATON, released July 19th, 2019. This album tells the haunting story of World War I, from the first shots of 1914 to the final victory of 1918. This album contains eleven tracks. Some of the tracks featured include:
The Future of Warfare is a strong album opener, giving the listener a taste of the themes they’ll be seeing later in the album. The major problem I have with the song is it is the musical black sheep of the album. The majority of the songs on this album contain fast-paced rifts with speedy drums while this song has a stop and start motif and a slower pace that doesn’t match the rest of the album. Thanks to the booming vocals of Joakim however, it still is a great listen. 6/10
Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the second song on the album, opening with a rocking drum beat by drummer, Hannes van Dahl, which is met moments later by a speedy guitar by guitarist, Tommy Johansson, and continuing on for the rest of the song. The name of the song comes from the book released by Thomas E. Lawerance, better known as Lawerance of Arabia, a British officer and diplomat in Arabia. This is about him and the Arab revolt and Arabia’s part in the war, The song is full of great instrumentation and lyrics. 7/10
82nd All the Way is track number three on the album, kicking off with an immediately striking guitar hook and more pounding vocals by Joakim. The song itself is a highlight of another heroic individual in the war, Sgt. Alvan York from Tennessee. The lyrics recount his attack on October 8th, 1918 when he led 16 men to a German machine gun nest on hill 223. Like most of the other songs on the album, tight instrumentation and infectious melodies are a staple. Also like Seven Pillars of Wisdom the tone of the track is much more upbeat due to it being about the triumph of war heroes. 7/10
Attack of the Dead Men is the fourth track, kicking off a distinct tonal shift in the album, changing from stories of heroism to the horrors of war. The song is about a German lead assault in 1915, facing Russian men, disfigured and diseased from war, that looked like the dead or “Zombies”. The song keeps to the new tone, opening with a plucked guitar that is combined with Joakim on keys, leading into another great rift with an amazing guitar solo by Johansson being a highlish of the song. 8/10
Devil Dogs is the fifth track, hitting the listener with another immediate, hard hitting opening hook of drums. The song tells of a U.S Marine Corps nicknamed the “Devil Dogs” and their role in the Battle of Belleau. Despite the opening hook and great instrumental, the song seems to blend in when comparing it with the other songs on the album. It doesn’t have something musically unique about it, while being listenable, it feels like the closest to filler the album gets. 5/10
The Red Baron is the halfway point of the album, kicking off with a piano solo from Joakim which leads to more great drums and more prominent guitars in the background that leads to a better sounding song than the track before it. As the title suggests, the song is about “The Red Baron”, also known as Manfred A Freiherr and his terror of the sky with 80 confirmed kills. This song contains great instrumentation accompanied by more spectacular vocals. 8/10
The Great War is the 7th and title track of the album and it certainly deserves its name. This track has a powerful opening, introducing a background choir matched with an oppressive drum beat behind it. The song is just about the horrors of an average soldier, but the combined vocals, drum beat, guitar riffs, and Pär Sundström on bass, elevates this song above every other track before it. 9/10
A Ghost in the Trenches is the 8th track and an obvious step down from the masterpiece that preceded it. The song is about Francis Pegahmagabow, a deadly Canadian sniper. This is still a good addition to the album, but I feel that it suffers from the same problem as Devil Dogs and a bit forgettable. 6/10
Fields of Verdun is the 9th track and is not only the best track on the album, but is the best piece of music they have written in their careers. Taking the booming instrumentals and strong vocal performances from The Great War, and giving those elements more of a focus. In this situation, the lyrics tell the haunting tale of the Battle of Verdun, when the French fought off the Germans for 303 days, the longest battle in human history. Between the vocal transitions, lyrics, and instrumentals, Fields of Verdun not only stands as the best song SABATON has ever written but as one of the best metal songs of all time, standing amongst classics like Iron Maiden’s Run for the Hills and Dio’s Holy Diver. 10/10
The End of the War to End All Wars is a fitting epitaph to not only the Album but for World War One in general. It opens with a slow, 40 second piano instrumental until the choir and drums slam in, bringing the metal with them. The song recounts the losses during the war and the ultimate end of the war at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. 8/10
In Flanders Fields is both the final and shortest track of the album. It sets itself distinctly apart by featuring only a choir and no instrument. The song is about those lost at the Battle of Ypres in Flanders, Belgium, where it was noted that poppies grew over all the graves of the lost. It is a very soft and Melconlic song that does feel like a fitting end to the album that preceded it.
“The Great War” is a haunting epic, firmly depicting both the heroism and horror of one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. While one or two songs fall below the others, they still pull their weight creating an aligned experience and the album would be much worse without them. I believe this album is the best in SABATON’s 21-year career with percussion, guitars, and keys never being more refined all capped off with the haunting vocal of Joakim elevating this to one of my favorites and one of the best metal albums ever made.
8/10