A difficult album is almost invariably what you wind up with when you have a mass exodus of members, and four of the original six members of Swedish powercheese outfit Sabaton have upped and left since 'Carolus Rex'. There's been a lot of pressure on the band to deliver following that disc, and rightly so.
The obvious question: Is it better than Carolus? Ooooh, short answer 'yes, with an if', and long answer 'no, with a but'. I'll give you a breakdown on this: It's not as thematically complex or cohesive as its predecessor, but then it doesn't have the benefit of being a concept album telling a story arc. This is more in the vein of the 2010 album 'Coat of Arms'. Some risks are taken. Some cheese is matured. At times we venture into full Dorset Blue Vinney level cheese.
The opening number 'Night Witches' is similar to 'Midway' in the construction of the rhythms, but has a simultaneously unique feel, and it's impossible not to sing along once you know the lyrics. It's also one of their more ominous songs, with a chorus reminiscent of the title track off of Carolus. Sabaton's strength has always been constructing albums with a familiar, often predictable feel, but there are enough differences between the songs that it never feels tired. Both 'No Bullets Fly' and 'Smoking Snakes' ramp up the cheese level a notch, with the latter of the two sounding not dissimilar to a hymn, right down to the cheddar ending. We move through (another) song about Auschwitz, and then reach the first real curveball this band has thrown at us for a while: a folksy woodwind lead on 'To Hell and Back'. It shouldn't work. It really shouldn't. But it does. And that melody is infectious.
The highlight of the disc for me has easily been 'Resist and Bite', which hearkens back to the days of 'The Art of War', whilst maintaining a forward-looking approach. I found the closer 'Hearts of Iron' particularly interesting, as it's essentially 'Attero Dominatus' but from the other point of view. The bonus tracks '7734' and 'Man of War' are decent, if not spectacular. The only song I remain unconvinced on is 'The Ballad of Bull', which is basically what you get. A ballad, about Bull. A powercheese band doing a power ballad really does bring the brie, and it can be a little much to stomach, especially for those more used to their faster stylings. Still, you have to respect them for having a crack at it.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable album, providing you don't expect Carolus II. If you do, you'll wind up disappointed. If you don't, you'll find a solid, enjoyable, if very predictable album.
8/10
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