NEWS: Aborted head up seven new announcements for Bloodstock 2019

LIKE clockwork Bloodstock every couple of weeks announce another slew of acts for this year's metal extravaganza, topped by Aborted.

Full details below, as well as the full list of Big Green coach pick-ups. (We know many from Norn Iron will just be using the Birkenhead one, with the assemblage at the Brass Buckle on the return)

Here, is the official Bloodstock press release...

Lucky for some, BLOODSTOCK springs into March with news of seven more bands joining this summer’s best metal weekender and a massive thirteen more coach pick-up locations, making it easier than ever to get you, your mates, and all your camping gear to BLOODSTOCK for a very fine metallic time this August.

Belgian death metal kings ABORTED stride onto the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Sunday.  The band tell us, “BLOODSTOCK!  It’s been a while!  We couldn’t be more thrilled to lay waste to thee in the most offensive of manners this coming summer. Prepare my friends, the blastbeat is coming!”  Their current album ‘TerrorVision’ is blazing holes in our speakers over at BOA HQ.  See what we mean via the video for ‘Deep Red’, a track taken from that record here - https://youtu.be/ak4oeZwBfJs.

Cali death metallers, SKELETAL REMAINS join Saturday’s fray on the Sophie Lancaster stage. The band released their third album ‘Devouring Mortality’ last April via Dark Descent/Century Media, and returned to the road for extensive touring, which now includes a run of US dates with Hatebreed and Mexican headline shows this spring. Watch the video for that album’s earthquake-inspired first single ‘Seismic Abyss’, at https://youtu.be/jss2oSGJ604.

Aussie rockers THE LAZYS crash into a Sunday spot on the Sophie stage.  If you love a bit of AC/DC-style classic rock n’ roll, these boys are definitely worth a watch and are sure to bring the party!  The band’s current album, ‘Tropical Hazards’ came out last year, so crack a cold one and check out the video for their infectious tune ‘Nothing But Trouble’ - https://youtu.be/K7ngGOlna0A. 

3 HEADED SNAKE join the Sophie stage bill on Saturday.  The LA-based classic metal band was put together by current Ministry guitarist Sin Quirin and features the soaring vocals of Johnny Ray.  See their video for ‘Wisdom Screams’ at https://youtu.be/VsHERp-0LTg and if you like what you hear, go pick up the five piece’s eponymous 3-track debut EP from iTunes or Bandcamp.

BOSS KELOID land a Sunday slot on the Sophie stage.  With current album, ‘Melted On The Inch’ being released last year on Holy Roar Records to vast critical acclaim (Prog Magazine called it “an extraordinary piece of work”), we’re excited to welcome the prog metallers back to Catton Park.  Witness their musical mastery via the video for ‘Chronosiam’ here; https://youtu.be/PbajHpfW3cs.

German crossover thrash squad DUST BOLT snag themselves a Saturday slot on the Sophie stage. Their brand new album, ‘Trapped In Chaos’ was released last month via Napalm Records.  Check out the video for album opener, ‘The Fourth Strike’ - https://youtu.be/aKryFh-upx8 and warm up those necks for their thrashtastic set in August!

RED METHOD romp into a Saturday slot on the Sophie stage.  The band, comprising former members of Meta-Stasis and The Defiled, are set to release their debut album, ‘For The Sick’ sometime this year.  Investigate their sound by watching the video for ‘Split’ over on their YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/kb_hacCAId0.

Making your travel plans yet and usually come by coach?  We asked you to let the good folks at Big Green Coach know if you wanted a new pick-up point in your town and if there was enough interest, they'd look into it.  They had such great response, they've added an extra 13 pick-up points for their BOA coaches!  Travel direct from your town and get dropped off inside the BLOODSTOCK gates, bringing your camping gear and supplies with you!  Say hello to a total of 34 locations, with prices for a return ticket starting at just £32.  The full list now runs as follows; ABERDEEN, BIRKENHEAD, BIRMINGHAM, BRADFORD, BOURNEMOUTH, BRISTOL, CAMBRIDGE, CARDIFF, CARLISLE, CHESTER, DUNDEE, EDINBURGH, EXETER, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, LANCASTER, LEEDS, LIVERPOOL, LONDON (Victoria Coach Station), MANCHESTER, MIDDLESBROUGH, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, NEWPORT, NORWICH, OXFORD, PERTH, PLYMOUTH, PRESTON, SHEFFIELD, SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDERLAND, SWANSEA, TAUNTON and WORCESTER.   Head over to www.biggreencoach.co.uk/events/bloodstock-festival-tickets-coach-travel to book your seat or your coach + ticket bundle!   Big Green Coach's services were hugely popular last year and many routes sold out in advance of the event, so please book early to guarantee your spot!  If you're coming by train instead and need a shuttle ride from Lichfield City rail station to the festival site, Big Green Coach do those too, so click to their site to secure your place for just £10 (it's more expensive on the day) and get ahead of the rush!

The final allocation of VIP tickets, plus Podpads, Luxpads, Bellepads and Octopads are now on sale, plus a limited number of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased a standard ticket).  For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping. Standard weekend tickets are also in the ticket store, priced £145 (+ fees), snap yours up at http://bloodstock.seetickets.com.

Friday night’s headliner SABATON, Saturday’s top dogs PARKWAY DRIVE and Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, join ANTHRAX, DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, POWERWOLF, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, THY ART IS MURDER, TESSERACT, METAL CHURCH, SOULFLY, DEATH ANGEL, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, SWALLOW THE SUN, EVIL SCARECROW, ROSS THE BOSS, GRAND MAGUS, ROTTING CHRIST, INCITE and HYPOCRISY on the Catton Park stages this August.  With more than 80 bands to go, stay tuned for even more artists to be announced soon!

Subscribe to the BLOODSTOCK e-mailout to get band and news announcements as they happen!  Click through to http://eepurl.com/dKZrG-/ to sign up.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019.  Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

NEWS: Four more added to Bloodstock line-up

RINGING in 2019 Bloodstock has announced Powerwolf, Soulfly, Incite and Swallow The Sun as the latest addition to another burgeoning August festival line-up.

For full details below is the full official announcement...keep going like this they're going to need a bigger poster!

"BLOODSTOCK welcomes in 2019 by announcing four new bands for August’s best metal weekender.

"If you’ve dropped all your money on Christmas and are counting the pennies, the popular ticket payment plan is also now open, breaking that weekend ticket cost into five much more manageable chunks.  First things first though, four more join the fray....

"POWERWOLF land the coveted main stage special guest slot on Friday.  The band tell us "We're looking forward to returning to the mighty BLOODSTOCK Festival after almost ten years to celebrate the metal mass with our friends in the UK - this is going to be a truly wild one!!"  The German power metallers released their seventh studio album, ‘The Sacrament of Sin’ in July of last year, from which spawned the vampire-themed video for ‘Killers With The Cross’; https://youtu.be/cXOAcuNhFS4.

"SOULFLY also step into a Ronnie James Dio main stage spot on Friday.  Frontman Max Cavalera is looking forward to playing at Catton Park, telling us “BLOODSTOCK 2019, get ready!  It will be a Cavalera invasion!  SOULFLY will be playing a lot of songs off our new album, ‘Ritual’.  My son, Richie, is coming with INCITE too and together we will make a day to remember!  Fuck yeah!  Let the Ritual begin!”  SOULFLY released their eleventh studio album, ‘Ritual’ via Nuclear Blast earlier this year.  Check out the groove laden title track here; https://youtu.be/z2LHZs7xx-w.

"As Max Cavalera pre-empted, Phoenix metal squad, INCITE come to Catton Park for the first time, picking up Friday’s hotly-contested main stage opening spot!  With their fifth studio album, ‘Built To Destroy’ landing in stores on 25th Jan via MinusHEAD Records, there’s plenty of catalogue to check out if you’ve not listened to the band before.  Maybe start by watching the video to the new album’s title track here; https://youtu.be/CCoGid3u-wc.

"Finnish prog doomsters, SWALLOW THE SUN grab themselves an early main stage spot on Saturday.  Introduce yourself to their sound with ‘Rooms And Shadows’ - https://youtu.be/0_veG-Hv4I8 - taken from their 2015 album, 'Songs From The North I, II & II'.  The band also released the atmospheric and ethereal ‘Lumina Aurea’ EP on the Winter Solstice in December via Century Media.

"These four bands join the previously announced Friday night headliner, SABATON, Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, together with ANTHRAX, DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, THY ART IS MURDER, TESSERACT, METAL CHURCH, DEATH ANGEL, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, EVIL SCARECROW, ROSS THE BOSS, GRAND MAGUS, ROTTING CHRIST and HYPOCRISY on the Catton Park stages next August.  Stay tuned for more bands to be announced soon!

"BLOODSTOCK’s very popular ticket payment plan is available now, where you can spread the cost of your standard weekend ticket over 5 affordable instalments!  Your first payment of just £36 (initial instalment of £29, plus £7 booking fee) is due at sign up - which you can do at any time until 28th Feb - then four further instalments of £29 will debit your bank account on 3rd April, 1st May, 3rd June, and 2nd July respectively.  Please note, VIP tickets are not available on the deposit scheme.

"The final allocation of VIP tickets, plus Podpads, Luxpads, Bellepads and Octopads are now on sale, plus a limited number of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased a standard ticket).  For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping. Standard weekend tickets are also in the ticket store, priced £145 (+ fees), snap yours up at http://bloodstock.seetickets.com.

"You can also subscribe to the BLOODSTOCK e-mailout to get band and news announcements as they happen!  Click through to http://eepurl.com/dKZrG-/ to sign up.

"BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019.  Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com."

NEWS: Bloodstock reveal Sabaton as 2019 Friday night headliner

BLOODSTOCK has reveaed that Swedish metal warriors, SABATON will headline Friday 9th August in what will be their only UK show in 2019!

Check out what they had to say about returning to Catton Park’s hallowed turf to headline the festival this time around - https://youtu.be/a_m5jrhKUZs.

The band have always been a huge hit with BLOODSTOCK’s crowd in years prior, so we’re excited to see them step into a headline slot.  Remember their 2015 set when they brought their tank?!  Watch them blast through ‘Metal Crue’ here - https://youtu.be/nt2pF7Bf944.

Stay tuned for more band announcements soon!

Standard weekend tickets are also currently available at ‘early bird’ prices (just £132 for four days of metal fun), so grab yours now at the ticket store - http://bloodstock.seetickets. com - if you want to save a few quid.  Camper van passes are also available  in limited quantities, but be quick, half the available spaces have sold already!

For those who want their VIP spot guaranteed, BLOODSTOCK’s first wave of 2019 Serpents Lair VIP tickets are also available, priced at £290.  A second wave, including the Deluxe VIP packages (Luxpads, Bellepads, Podpads, etc) and a limited amount of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased standard weekend tickets) will then become available on 16th December at 9am.  For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/ pages/vip-camping.

We trialled the deposit scheme for VIP tickets in 2018, but please note, there will be NO DEPOSIT SCHEME for VIP tickets this year. 

In other excellent news, BLOODSTOCK is very proud to announce that the 2018 event raised a total of £11,872 for TEENAGE CANCER TRUST, via the guest list scheme, on-site donations and the charity stall at Catton Park.  A great result for a very worthy cause so a giant THANK YOU to everyone who donated.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019.  Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

LIVE REVIEW: Sabaton, Accept and Twilight Force rock Dublin to the core

THERE are somethings that are reliable - atomic clocks, quasars, the seasons, the moons rise and fall, and Sabaton playing in Ireland - north and south - on a regular basis. Joachim and crew are always afforded an exceptional response, but when they played the Academy in Dublin they brought some mates along for the party!

Yep, the Swedish monster arrived in the Irish capital with Accept and Twilight Force, two bands that could earn headline status in their own right.

Playing with vigour and power Twilight Force were quick to get the Dublin crowd to their feet. Interacting with the gathering crowd from the off  'Heroes...' had the audience rising with fists in their air.

However, when Accept mounted the stage it was to rapturous a reception, The Teutonic maestros have been revered on this island for longer than they probably realise.

The opening duo of Stampede and Stalingrad amped up the atmosphere and throughout every song and every note and every exhortation from Mark Tornillo and every gesture from Wolf Hoffman the audience responded.

Whether it was classics such as the tumultuous version of 'Fast As A Shark' or more recent material from 'Blind Rage' Accept were greeted as conquering heroes. The synchronised guitar movements from Wolf and Uwe might be clichéd to the intelligentsia but to the adoring fans it was yet further fulfilment of Accept's stature.

The conclusion - 'Ball To The Wall' - is an inducement to singalong every note and every chant. Accept - come back soon!

As to Sabaton? Well, they do what they do so well. They are the maestros of metallic mayhem. opener 'Ghost Division' was followed by a raft of songs, and the lurking tank...

Sabaton do not glorify war, but they honour soldiers and their heroics throughout the ages. 'Carulous Rex' and 'Night Witches' were among the stand-outs, but the closing tracks elevated the show and the audience's response.

'To Hell And Back'...well no-one does the grandiosity and humour that Sabaton deliver is something special.

Serious in their intent and self-deprecating at the same time the Swedish metal machine may add and take away from their line-up (new members on show for this tour) but they, like Accept, have a presence and power that few can equal.

Pictures and review by Darren McVeigh
Addition editing by Jonathan Traynor

ALBUM REVIEW: Sabaton take a Last Stand to deliver a bulletproof album of epic proportions

SWEDISH power metal blasts onto the world stage once again this year as Sabaton land with “The Last Stand”. Well known for their anthemic metal songs retelling stories of war is this latest album good enough to get your blood up for the battle ahead?

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

NEWS: Sabaton's Joakim and Rhapsody of Fire's Fablio join in the Twilight Force on forthcoming album

SWEDISH ‘adventure’ metallers, Twilight Force, are set to release their new studio album ‘Heroes Of Mighty Magic’ on August 26^th on Nuclear Blast. 

And, the band have now revealed the guest bards on their forthcoming record. Fabio Lione from Rhapsody Of Fire joined them on track 'There And Back Again' and Joakim Brodén from Sabaton on title track, 'Heroes Of Mighty Magic'.

Joakim Brodén said: "When one of the best bands to come out of Sweden in a long time turns out to be your friends and people you have played with many times over the years, it's quite easy to feel proud about being invited to sing on the title-track of their new album, fantastic!"

Twilight Force, as a band, added: "It is an honour to have two of the most powerful, esteemed and renowned voices of the genre appear on ‘Heroes Of Mighty Magic’.Joakim Brodén and Fabio Lione are two very different sonic entities.

“They each bring something very unique and captivating to our tonal landscape. Our old and revered friend Joakim appears on the title track of the album, and provides an excellent contrast to Chrileon's voice, at just the right moment in the song.

“Nothing in the world even comes close to Joakim's unbelievably mighty voice! Fabio did an amazing performance on 'There And Back Again'.

 “He entered the Twilight Forge with a brave and proud mind, emerged victoriously and left us in complete awe. His familiar voice provided the track with an absolutely magical contribution.

 “We feel really humbled and grateful to have been given the opportunity to create something alongside these two titans of the genre!"

COMIN' ATCHA: Norway in Autumn? Well if you're talking Sabaton why not?

IF you didn't know it already, The Distortion Project in the shape of Mr Loveday, has booked Sabaton to play with Alestorm in March, but if you can't wait until then do you fancy going to Norway?

Because between the 1st and 3rd October in Trondheim Sabaton headline a festival jam packed with metallic delights.

They're joined with power Finnish metal legends Stratovarius...along with a host of others.

And, in terms if others...Primordial, Korpilanni, Between The Buried And Me, and quite a few others...

US progressive metal legends Between The Buried And Me, the absolutely fantastic Skálmöld, the hugely entertaining doomsters Sahg, Norwegian black metal crew Iskald, their fellow countrymen, doomsters Tombstones as well as a host of others. No serious, a host of others that we haven't the time to list!

To make matters even more tempting the sixth Trondheim metal fest is being held in the Scandic Lerkendal Hotel - the biggest conference hotel in Norway - and for Trondheim Metal Fest there will be three stages, a metal market area, meet and greets, quizzes, etc etc.

Oh, and did we mention Sabaton? And, Stratovrious? Or Skálmöld?

And, feck all that because Promordial are going to tear the hotel apart.

LIVE REVIEW: Existensial eperience as Tyr and Sabaton roar

THERE are times when the hallowed turf that is the beer-soaked floor of many a venue comes close to an almost existential experience; when the roar of the crowd, and the passion of the audience raises the temperature of even an impartial observer rises to almost unbearable levels.



When Sabaton, Korpiklaani and Tyr appeared in Belfast a significant number of the audience had been recovering from a hangover from Saxon the night before in the same venue [Limelight1] - nevertheless it was a triumphant night for the trio of acts.



There was no doubt that many were there solely for Sabaton, egged on by the excitement of seeing Sabaton's tour bus emblazoned by the 'Heroes' artwork.



It is a significant tribute to Tyr that they attracted a sizeable early audience, and by the powers of Odin they rose to the occasion.  Evolutionary songs rose from the mythos of Nordic legends.



From 'Blood of My Heroes' they engaged everyone, with the heavy melodies of the likes of 'Mare of My Night' and 'Sinklars' showcasing Tyr's ability to take the template and raise it to new levels; the Faroese five-piece producing a fantastic set.



On the flip side the promise of a party Korpiklaani fell flat. Their anthems and rousing drinking chants seemed ailing; the audience seemingly exhausted after Tyr's set.



But there was significant time to recover....



In fact a screw-up with their sound kit meant a lengthy delay before Sabaton took to the stage...which ironically saw a lot of Tyr t-shirts sold


But then again Sabaton can be a force of  nature...



Drawing on both older material and newer songs such as the '7734' come across as old friends...



And, what Sabaton provide is a show - music and stagecraft in synergy, from the moment that the strains of 'The Final Countdown' and 'March to War' herald their arrival Joakim and his troubadours of terror raise the temperature in the Limelight.


Despite the liveried tour bus and lorry, the serious attire, the well-researched lyrics and on-stage professionalism, Sabaton are determined - throughout the tour, not just in Belfast - to provide a little fun for all.


For every historical ode such as 'Carolus Rex' or 'Soldier of Three Armies' the band equally toss a bucket of fun as the evening progresses: from a quick burst of 'YMCA' through to a medley of snippets from 'Smoke On the Water' and 'Master of Puppets'.


What oozes from Sabaton is the sheer class of the band on stage. Like Tyr they rise above the mundane tour schedules that see the same songs performed by them on each night to perform, not like marionettes, but like the 'Heroes' that they celebrate on this tour.

Sweden, Faroe Isles and Finland to arrive in Belfast 7/12 as Sabaton, Korpiklaani and Tyr

THIS is just a wee reminder, for those who have been asleep and constantly ask me about gigs, about an event on 7th December, with the arrival of musicians from the Faroe Isles, Finland and Sweden.


Although it sounds like the sort of World Cup qualifying group Northern Ireland could be drawn in, this is a trio of bands that could be even more entertaining than a kick about at Windsor Park. [Home ground for Northern Ireland's international team.]



They are

• Sabaton;
• Korpiklaani; and,
• Tyr.

They are from Sweden, Finland and the Faroe Isles, and they rock...


No seriously, they do. Sabaton are an armed juggernaut with cautionary tales of war and conflict. told with aplomb. You can read my review of their most recent release, Heroes, here.

 Korpiklaani are a more mysterious beast, merging folk with metal, after being first a folk band...And, a lot of their songs are about boozing: songs like 'Beer, Beer' and 'Vodka'.

They should fit in here in Belfast just fine.

Tyr, as Faroese, present a series of Norse legends, and general allegorical tales linked to myths of days gone by.
Their latest release Valkyrja is a super dose of muscular tales. You can read our review here.

Tickets are on sale now - all the usual outlets.

Heroic tales and massive musical muscular landscapes from Sabaton

HISTORIAN Peter Hart tells the historic sweep of battles such as the Somme and Gallipoli, interspersing each tome with the words of the individuals caught up in the horror and turmoil of the battlefield.

Through their words, their tales, their fears and their raw courage a reader can gauge a sense of what it is like for the ordinary citizen, civilian or solider, when bullets are rending flesh and bombs tearing limbs apart.

In the past Sabaton have recounted the broad sweep of history through mighty muscular music, even going so far on their last album, Carolus Rex, to relate the Swedish Empire's rise and fall from 1561 to 1721, helped by an historian to ensure accuracy.

One this, the band's seventh full-length album Sabaton have turned, like Peter Hart, to the stories of the individual caught in apocalyptic conflicts.

Joakim Broden's vocals are as robust as ever, an edge to each melody, with sing-alongs on the likes of 'To Hell and Back' as if he had a Viking horde chanting behind him. Indeed the template of Sabaton's success has been built on with Joakim's distinctive sound, replete with multi-layered production and well arranged songs.

The core of the band (Joakim and bassist/manager Par Sundstrom) have been added to with guitarists Chris Rorland and Thobbe Englund and drummer Hannes van Daal, which keeps faithfully to the Sabaton sound while adding touches that enhance but don't exaggerate. Indeed, Chris and Thobbe's twin attack (such as on 'Resist and Bite') add to the subtleties many miss amid the strident stomp of Sabaton.

The opening of 'Soldiers of Three Armies' has a Priest like flourish before Hannes powers the pass along with Par's precision playing nailing the tempo down.

It is this musical precision that works together - perhaps better than before - for Sabaton. The entire feel of the band is flamboyant in their 'epic' power metal sound, and as such precision in playing matters more than individual playing. When it suits that flamboyance is there; when it does not the sum of the parts more than exceed that which one could hope to expect.

Lyrically, this is where 'Heroes' stands out. On Inmate 4859 the mid-tempo story of Witold Pilecki, a Polish soldier who walked into Auschwitz voluntarily to ensure the horrors and atrocities could be told to the world, captures the listener through the music as much as the tale, both woven together appropriately and sensitively.

Equally the 'Ballad of Bull' is the story of Corporal Leslie Charles 'Bull' Allen. This piano heavy song is about an Australian stretcher bearer who behaved with unselfish courage in recovering the injured in campaigns from Libya to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and on to New Guinea, walking six miles in one case to ensure transport was available to the injured, and carrying wounded comrades through disease infested jungle. He earned the US Silver Star amongst other citations. He paid through ill-health, what we would now call PTSD and many other issues in later life until his death in May 1982. What Sabaton do with this tale of raw courage is to highlight that it is not just killing that makes heroes, sometime saving men is just as heroic.

Producer Peter Tagtgren manages to balance the tapestry of sound across all the songs, from the delicacy on the 'Ballad of Bull' and the more straightforward 'No Bullets Fly'.

In releasing this album Sabaton have stuck to their own sound, enhanced it, and recorded thought provoking lyrics and a musical landscape worthy of challenging themes.

To assume that battle or power metal is all one-dimensional has always been a mistake, but the Swedes from Falun have once more proved that they can produce powerful sounds and powerful themes; again on Heroes they have set their own agenda and it is one that we can happily join in with.

Come, let us gather round the mid-summer fires and listen to the tales of Heroes!

Heroes is now available on Nuclear Blast Records