There’s a feeling with Sabaton that they’re the thinking person’s metal band. They’ve got their own history channel, for goodness’ sake, and it honestly feels like Lucy Worsley is only days away from joining them. But then, that’s always been their thing – turning history into something loud, proud, and larger than life.
On “Legends,” their 11th studio album and first for Better Noise, they go further back than ever before. Forget tanks and trenches – this time, Sabaton are diving headfirst into the age of emperors, knights, and conquerors. Joan of Arc, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Miyamoto Musashi all get their turn in the spotlight, and it’s handled with the usual mix of bombast, precision, and heart.
“Templars” opens the record like a cavalry charge, all choirs and drums that hit like cannon fire. “Hordes Of Khan” thunders through like a battlefield soundtrack, while “A Tiger Among Dragons” brings a touch of mysticism that somehow feels right at home.
“I, Emperor” is pure theatre – Joakim Brodén at his commanding best, barking orders across the centuries – and “Maid of Steel” soars like a hymn to Joan of Arc, one of the band’s most melodic moments to date. “Impaler” digs into darker ground, brooding and relentless, while “Crossing The Rubicon” could well be the next great live anthem.
What makes “Legends” stand out is how complete it feels. For the first time, every member has contributed to the writing, and that collaboration brings new colour and drive to their already unmistakable sound. It’s still huge, still cinematic, but sharper and more unified than before.
Producer Jonas Kjellgren is back to make sure everything sounds suitably massive, and Peter Sallai’s artwork captures the scale perfectly – a fitting visual for music this grand.
If “Heroes” and “The Great War” were Sabaton telling true stories of modern conflict, “Legends” feels like them building their own mythology. It’s all about the figures who became more than human – the warriors, kings, and visionaries whose names still echo centuries later.
They know what they’re doing, to paraphrase Motörhead, and they do it real well. Not going to get any new fans, and they don’t care – they’re giving the masses what they want.
Rating: 8/10
