Sabaton

Introducing Sabaton, a Swedish power metal outfit that almost exclusively draws upon military history for lyrical content. The track I've posted above, Resist and Bite, for example is dedicated to the Casseurs Ardennais. The Casseurs Ardennais (French for "hunters from the Ardennes") is a Belgian infantry outfit that, during WWII, was engaged in fierce resistance against German invading forces. The song's title, Resist and Bite, is the English translation of the motto of the Chasseurs Ardennais. This is probably more detail than I need to get into for a discussion of the band itself. It should suffice to say that Sabaton takes inspiration not just from themes of war, but from specific military groups, persons and events.

As for the music itself, it's pretty standard power metal fare. For the record, I mean that as the highest praise. Power metal is great, and Sabaton is a shining example of everything I enjoy about the genre. Power ballads? Check. Choir chants? Check. Symphony and organ perfectly accenting guitar and vocals? Check. Excellent melodies? Clean vocals soaring over the mix? Epic lyrical content? Check, check and check. Having listened to both their older and newer content, I can assure you that, based off of their latest album Heroes, they don't seem to be running out of steam any time soon.

Bottom line: in a genre where epic fantasy tropes are employed to the point of becoming passe, it's refreshing to see acts like Sabaton attacking completely different subject matter. At the same time, Sabaton feels fresh while staying close to the stylistic roots of the genre. The end result is a group that, in its current incarnation, is a well-oiled musical machine that simultaneously cuts its own niche while reminding me why I enjoy the power metal genre as a whole. Bravo.

You can find Sabaton's works for download on iTunes.