I have gotten my hands on the new Sabaton album "Coat of Arms" and it seems Sabaton has outdone themselves again. "Coat of Arms" is a triumph of heavy metal excellence. The variety and depth that this band seems to be able to reach with each new release is astounding. To anyone who doubts Sabaton as the kings of power metal, give "Coat of Arms" a listen and those doubts will fly away like dry leaves in a hurricane.
The album opens with the titular powerhouse single "Coat of Arms". The epic nature and demanding presence of the music yet to come is communicated immediately in this track. Not to mention a killer chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. This is Sabaton doing what they do best.
The next track, "Midway" is short but sweet. A crunchy, gritty guitar riff starts off a fast-paced heroic recounting of the Battle of Midway. The shortness of it makes it feel a little cut-off, but overall it is undeniably fun.
"Uprising" tells the tale of the Warsaw Uprising. Bearing striking resemblance to "The Price of a Mile" from their last album, it is nevertheless a powerful track, though probably the least original of the entire album.
Recalling the Siege of Bastogne, "Screaming Eagles" blazes with the power of the American 101st Airborne of the same name. Uncompromising pace and excellent hooks make it a perfect follow-up to "Uprising".
The synth lines in "The Final Solution" are downright eerie and the song recalls a tone similar to "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits thanks to some snazzy synth work and a few bluesy guitar licks.
Sabaton throws in some Celtic inspired composition with "Aces In Exile", a very upbeat number with quite a bit of arrangement variety, about pilots of the Battle of Britain.
"Saboteurs" starts off with a very different guitar lick that is very reminiscent of the recent work of Muse. Excellent diversion for the band and a great telling of the Norwegian sabotage of Vermork.
"Wehrmacht" has a strangely evil and downtrodden feel to it which fits perfectly considering the song's description of the terrible effects Nazism had on the common German.
Notorious sniper Simo Häyhä is immortalized in "White Death", which features classic British new wave metal stylings with a Sabaton twist. You could almost believe this is a cover of an Iron Maiden song.
The album comes to a familiar end with an homage to the genre. "Metal Ripper", in classic Sabaton style, is a grand thank you to great metal acts of the past.
All in all, "Coat of Arms" serves up one delight after another. With bluesy rock, Celtic bounce, alt-rock licks, 80's new wave, and pure metal fanfare, "Coat of Arms" delivers a variety and depth greater than anything Sabaton has brought before. I find it to be their best album yet. Count on these Swedes to be melting faces and banging heads with their tunage!
[/rant]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment