It has been three years since fans last heard new music from Swedish Power Metal force Sabaton. Last offering fans the World War I concept album The Great War back in 2019, it was another chart topping record for the band, and truthfully, a pretty hard act to follow. Together now since 1999, it has been a long journey for Sabaton and over time they have amassed a hardcore following, headlined festival, and steadily risen in popularity. Now well-seasoned veterans, band return with their tenth overall studio album entitled The War To End All Wars.
Released on Friday, March 4, 2022 via Nuclear Blast, The War To End All Wars was recorded during the worldwide pandemic lockdowns and serves serves as a sequel to Sabaton’s aforementioned The Great War. Another concept piece focusing on war, it’s atrocities, and history, the 11-track album has its peaks and valleys. You have songs like “Stormtroopers” which feature a symphonic guitar driven attack. Something not often witness in modern Metal intros, dive bombing guitars open proceedings, and while it might not be the most captivating, it still features the typical elements found in Sabaton’s sound. That said, the song has already gained over three million streams on Spotify…so it is certainly in good stead with listeners.
Moving onward, “The Unlikable Soldier” is a strong effort that comes across as a rehash of previous material found on The Great War. In a nutshell, it has a power in chorus, but lacking the edge that invites more attention. Then there is the most tasteful song of the album entitled “Solider Of Heaven.” Featuring more of a synth wave vibe, it is turning point on The Great War where the music begins to progress some. From here you have songs like “Christmas Truce,” a single which was released in 2021 and is accompanied by a fitting music video. Another noteworthy pick from this new collection, it is beautiful concept that ignites the imagination as the subject in hand is the Christmas truce of World War I. There there is “The Valley Of Death” along with the earlier cut “Hellfighters” offering a ’80s Metal style that again makes a stronger impression which will stand out to current and new fans alike.
To be fair, The War To End All Wars might not be the strongest album in the Sabaton discography, but it will certainly satisfy fans of the genre. Some might argue it does not have the edge or the stamina of previous releases, but all in all it is still a strong effort. Beyond the songs discussed above, there are also other standout moments which include both “Lady Of The Dark,” about Milunka Savić (a female Serbian Soldier), along with “Race To The Sea,” about Albert I of Belgium fighting alongside Belgian soldiers in the Battle of the Yser. Featuring solid production and well-developed orchestration and synth sections, Cryptic Rock Gives The War To End All Wars 3 out of 5 stars.
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