Hell yeah, it is!
This album is finely crafted round inspiring songs of
heroism, struggle and battle. This album is filled with songs of battles
throughout history where hope has gone and all that is left is the steely
resolve of the stubborn warrior spirit.
Each track on this album has razorsharp riffs, pounding drum patters,
catchy choruses and deep melodies - intense, bombastic and invincible.
This immediately becomes clear with the first track “Sparta”
recounting the battle of Thermopylae where the Spartans valiantly resist the
oncoming swarms of the Persian horde. This is Millar’s “300” in metal form and
it delivers in classic Sabaton manner even down to the HOO HAA running through
the chorus. It’s wonderfully epic in scope.
Next is “Last Dying Breath” retelling of the 1915 defence of
Belgrade which blasts through the explosive laden battlefield full of
crescendos and a driving metal melody.
Then comes a strange one for Sabaton as refrains of bagpipes
come through laying the way for a fast paced catchy song recounting the Battle
of Bannockburn with “Blood of Bannockburn”. And just as you come to terms with
the bagpipes you will be assailed with the sound of Hammond organs almost as if
Deep Purple have come along for the fight too. Strange but as a song it works
beautifully as a whole. This will be a rallying call for live shows for sure.
Leading on from this is a very stirring narrative interlude
“Diary of an Unknown Soldier” describing the dark horror of war at the battle
of Argonne in World War One over a driving hard industrial beat to take you
into “The Lost Battalion” as Broden’s powerful voice rallies the troops for the
final assault. The industrial beat continues to drive the song onwards through
the fog of war whilst the chorus exhorts you to stand your ground and do or
die, there is no surrender. A superb anthem that will resonate round any gig.
Next you travel from the earth packed trenches of Europe to
the sun burnt savannah of southern Africa with “Rorke’s Drift”, a fast paced
song recounting that famous battle between a Welsh regiment of the British Army
at an Irish Farmstead fighting heroically against overwhelming odds of a large
army of brave Zulu warriors. On this
track Sabaton deliver a fast paced song, swift as a spear and is on target with
metal laden hardness. This song shows no mercy.
The title song “The Last Stand” is a prodigious metal track
with heavy guitar and keyboards delivering the story of the 1572 battle of the
Swiss Guards on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. Sabbaton deliver a superb
heavy chorus laden tune that will have you singing along and air guitaring and
headbanging away to yourself in your house or car.
Coming next, “Hill 3234”
stamps heavily onto a dusty Afghan hilltop with an weighty uptempo track
retelling the story of the 9th Company 345th Independent Guards Airborne
Regiment of the Russian Army battling against the Mujahidin. Again Sabaton deliver an outstanding
blistering song.
The song “Shiroyama” takes you to the sweeping landscape of
Japan in 1887 where the ancient warrior caste of the Samurai faced their last
battle as the way of the Bushido came to a bloody end. This keyboard loaded
song rumbles along with a driving force and a fantastic pumping chorus.
Talking of pumping choruses the next song “Winged Hussars”
also has pumping verses like the heavy gallop of a thousand warriors on
horseback. It tells of the Battle of Vienna in 1683 where the Holy Roman Empire
fought against the Ottoman Empire and is recorded as having the largest cavalry
charge in history. Something you really get a sense of this throughout this
song. Sabbaton just keep delivering powerful heroic metal and this is no exception.
It is incredibly catchy, and you will
headbang to this beauty.
The final track is appropriately entitled “The Last Battle”
and recounts the strangest battle of World War Two as members of the Wehrmacht
fought alongside the US Army to defeat a contingent of Waffen-SS assaulting
Castle Itter in north Tyrol. Another rousing rendition from Sabaton of epic
proportions. Superb stuff.
The album is out now and whether you are new to Sabaton or
not, this is a cracking album with no dud tracks. All 11 songs are absolutely
fist pumpingly epic. Just like Sabaton themselves this album is bulletproof.
You need to buy “The Last Stand”. End of.
Review by Ivor Whitten
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