Sabaton - The War to End All Wars

The Great War and the Not-So-Great album.

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on March 12th 2022)

You know, I always try giving things a second chance. Whether it’s food, video games, or in this case, music, I think revisiting something with a different mindset at a later time might help you find something you enjoy in something which didn’t inspire you originally. Such is my case with the topic of today’s review, Sabaton. I had originally acquainted myself with the band back in 2019 with the release of The Great War after a friend of mine had recommended the album to me. I was never particularly into the band (or EUPM for that matter) but I decided to take his word for it and give them a shot. I ended up being indifferent to the album, but when The War to End All Wars was announced, I couldn’t help myself and give it a listen. Maybe, just maybe, things would be different and I’d finally be able to see what everyone else sees in Sabaton’s music.

Nope, turns out it’s the exact same as last time, if not worse. For the umpteenth time in their career, Sabaton delivers the same tired pop metal formula that makes an attempt at being epic, with big choruses and overblown synths, perfect for the festival crowd. Every song follows the same simplistic structure of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo, and are primarily composed of plodding mid-tempo riffs that try to instil a feeling of grandeur in the listener. Hell, sometimes I’m questioning whether there are any riffs to begin with, seeing as some songs feature synths so prevalent you’d think ABBA wrote these songs. “Soldier of Heaven” and “The Valley of Death” are the most egregious examples of that, with the verses outright lacking any sort of noteworthy guitar work, making one wonder where the “power” in “power metal” went.

The production is what one would expect from a power metal band that is signed on Nuclear Blast in the year of our lord 2022, but I might as well bring it up. We’re being graced with a very sterile job, absolutely bereft of any life whatsoever, leaving us with a shell of an album. Toothless, bright guitars, an unobtrusive drumkit that merely pitter patters away in the background, and a bass that may as well not even be there. Oh and how could I possibly forget the synths, seeing as they’re so loud and in-your-face they’re only overtaken by the vocals themselves. It’s just a botched production, whose aim is to not offend or elicit a strong reaction out of anyone, in order to get as many people listening as possible, regardless of whether they like heavy metal or not.

That being said, there are some notable moments sprinkled throughout the album, and even then, it might just be me grasping at straws in an attempt to get some enjoyment out of this album. “Stormtroopers” is actually one of the few songs here that has some energy to it, even though it’s just a generic fast power metal song, a better version of which appears later on the album, that being “Hellfighters”. While this song, again, follows the same structure and formula as every other track here, it actually boasts a very urgent and powerful pre-chorus, thanks to Joakim Brodén’s gruff, commanding mid-range voice. “Sarajevo” and “Versailles” mirror each other, both in their structure and position in the tracklist, which is something I appreciated in the context of the album, even though both songs are primarily narration driven.

Seeing as we’re talking about a Sabaton album, I have to discuss the lyrics, which are at the core of the experience, and arguably my biggest gripe with The War to End All Wars as a whole. This is their second album following The Great War that tries to tackle World War 1, and it carries the same problems as that one in the lyrical department. The period from 1914 to 1918 saw one of the most brutal conflicts in mankind’s history, with millions of men being thrown in what could only be described as a meat grinder. It’s simply not something you can make happy-go-lucky songs out of, because unlike World War 2, it’s not a war in which there was a clear “villain” the world united against. I’ve no issues with Sabaton writing their bland power metal songs about fighting Nazis, because at least in that case it makes sense to make heroes out of those who fought them. World War 1 just isn’t that, it’s a conflict no person wanted to participate in and one where there are no heroes, only victims.

The only song present here that thematically fits Sabaton’s musical template is “Christmas Truce”. It’s not a particularly good song, in fact it’s probably one of the weakest ones here, but at the very least it fits. The event of the Christmas Truce is one of the few moments of joy that were felt during the war, and it actually makes sense for the band to write a joyful and happy song, because that’s probably how the soldiers themselves felt in that moment. It’s the one time where Sabaton’s tactlessness and predisposition for happy sounding power metal works in their favour. Shame the track isn’t any good.

Let’s be honest, The War to End All Wars might not be particularly good, but it’s still going to be a smash hit, with millions of people listening to it and Sabaton themselves embarking on what will most likely be a successful tour in support of it. But for me, and any seasoned metal listener, there are both better power metal bands, and better World War 1 themed bands. If you absolutely need a WW1 fix go listen to 1914 or Bolt Thrower, they actually treat the conflict with the respect and humility it deserves. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go listen to ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”.

“Highlights”: Stormtroopers, Hellfighters

 Rating: 25%