Album Review: Sabaton – Heroes On Tour

Sabaton – Heroes on Tour
Release Date: March 4, 2016
Label: Nuclear Blast

The first time I ever saw Sabaton live, I remember being absolutely astonished.  Playing in this small club in Atlanta, watching Sabaton perform was akin to Iron Maiden, today, playing a small club in front of about 100 or so people.  You get the picture right?  Since 2005, Sabaton has released eight studio album and, pulling from the Iron Maiden play book,  three live albums (so far) with the most recent one being this year’s Heroes on Tour.  One may ask, “Why would they release so many live albums?”  Well, I can’t totally answer that question for the band but as a fan I can say that I believe it’s because they are such a great fucking live band.  I mean, when you are this fucking good live, you want the world to hear it and that is exactly what Sabaton has achieved with Heroes on Tour.

Recorded at Sabaton’s monumental set at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival, Heroes On Tour caught Sabaton while on tour behind their album Heroes and has the band playing one of the single best live performances I have ever heard.  Kicking things off the band’s now traditional opening song, “Ghost Division”, Heroes on War captures Sabaton delivering a powerful set spanning their nearly 17 year career.  The live versions of songs like “To Hell and Back”, “Gott Mit Uns” and “The Art of War” far exceed the studio versions.  We also get to hear fan favorites such as “Swedish Pagans”, “Primo Victoria”, and “Metal Crue” but it’s this version of “Carolus Rex” that I feel is the real show stopper here.  This is a song performance of a very powerful song and the chorus of this song that grabs me and makes me feel.  What a feeling.

Heroes on Tour absolutely succeeded in capturing Sabaton’s passion and energy perfectly.  Heroes on Tour is also a great testament to how strong this line up of Sabaton is.  After losing 4/6 of the band back in 2012, the future of Sabaton seemed a bit bleak but with this current lineup featuring Thobbe Englund (guitar), Chirs Rorland (guitar), and Hannes van Dahl (drums), Sabaton is as strong as ever and delivering not only their best shows to date but some of the best metal shows out on the road hands down.    Sabaton is a band that has found a way to create a strong, unbreakable bond with their fans by creating songs that are full of melody, dynamic musicianship and lyrics that sing some of the most untold and unsung stories of world war history.  It’s like going to school only way more fun, and way more loud.

About The Author

Don

I have been running this blog since 2009. AKA as the Great Southern Brainfart, Southeast of Heaven is my baby now and forever. I’ve had my ups and downs with bands over the years but they are all great experiences and memories. My Swedish friend Charlie said once, “Don is known for being one of the meanest bastards in American rock journalism.” It’s nice to be loved.

I also once took a shit in Anthrax’s dressing room toilet and didn’t flush.

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