┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│■ ■│
│ .-/ .-. │
│ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │
│ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │
│ / || (:/:| \ │
│ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │
│ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │
│ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │
│ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │
│ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │
│ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │
│ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │
│ \:-~ ~-:/ │
│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Sabaton - Carolus Rex + │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Dec-09-2012 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2012 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 12 cd2: 11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.sabaton.net ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Sabaton Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Carolus Rex Label : Nuclear Blast ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ When I first heard that Sabaton was working on ║ │
│║ Carolus Rex I have to say that I was kind of ║ │
│║ excited. WeÆve all heard a lot about medieval ║ │
│║ Scandinavia because of the folk and viking metal ║ │
│║ movements, but early-modern Sweden, which is ║ │
│║ SwedenÆs only period of military mightùthe so ║ │
│║ called Great Power period of Swedish history ║ │
│║ (Stormaktstiden)ùis something probably seems ║ │
│║ insanely foreign to most people thinking of ║ │
│║ Sweden as the home of ABBA, Pippi Longstocking ║ │
│║ and a policy of neutrality that kept Sweden out ║ │
│║ of the greatest wars of the 20th century. In ║ │
│║ fact, Sweden has not been to warùaside from ║ │
│║ peacekeeping missions they now engage inùsince ║ │
│║ 1814. Norway got its independence from the ║ │
│║ country without a bullet fired in 1905, and ║ │
│║ since then the country has turned into what it ║ │
│║ is today. All of that said, despite being so ║ │
│║ long ago, Stormaktstiden is a bit of a touchy ║ │
│║ subject for Swedes. Swedes generally feel ║ │
│║ uncomfortable with the use of Karl XII (also ║ │
│║ known as Charles XII or by his latinized name ║ │
│║ Carolus Rex) and the Swedish flag because they ║ │
│║ have been associated with nationalistic ║ │
│║ movements, neo-nazis and anti-immigration ║ │
│║ sentiments. So I was very curious to see how ║ │
│║ these Falun-based Swedish power metallers would ║ │
│║ thread this needle between writing something ║ │
│║ interesting and historically unique in the world ║ │
│║ of heavy metal, while simultaneously being ║ │
│║ cautious about subject. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ LetÆs skip the subject matter for a while and ║ │
│║ just talk about the music. Compared to ║ │
│║ everything IÆve ever heard by this band, I think ║ │
│║ that Carolus Rex is easiest the bandÆs most ║ │
│║ inspired record ever. The songs are pummeling ║ │
│║ power metal, laced with choirs and keyboard ║ │
│║ orchestras that move at a million miles a second ║ │
│║ most of the time, but drop into crushing groove ║ │
│║ that is entirely too addictive. That is to say, ║ │
│║ this isnÆt something you havenÆt heard before. A ║ │
│║ fan of Blind Guardian? Falconer? Nocturnal ║ │
│║ Rites? You know the drill. But SabatonÆs trick ║ │
│║ is vocalist Joakim BrodΘnÆs baritone, which is ║ │
│║ the first thing that separates the band from the ║ │
│║ others. His performance is slightly raw at ║ │
│║ times, but he isnÆt your classic wailer and it ║ │
│║ gives Sabaton the balls that a band like ║ │
│║ Stratovarius has never been able to muster. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ On a compositional note, Carolus Rex is actually ║ │
│║ quite impressive, which isnÆt something this ║ │
│║ Angry Metal Guy has previously thought about ║ │
│║ Sabatonæs material. While not wandering outside ║ │
│║ the realms of orchestral or classic power metal, ║ │
│║ the record is chalk full of super catchy ║ │
│║ melodies and harmonies. While songs like ôGott ║ │
│║ Mit Unsö (thatÆs German ôGod with Usöùthink ║ │
│║ Thirty YearsÆ War) and ô1 6 4 8ö are really just ║ │
│║ cookie cutter meanderings into power metal, the ║ │
│║ superiority of the melodic constructions, ║ │
│║ choruses and bridges differentiate this band ║ │
│║ from the common chattle. But the stuff that ║ │
│║ really gets me excited, is when the bands break ║ │
│║ out into the kind of melodic, groovy and ║ │
│║ rhythmic use of choirs and keys like they do in ║ │
│║ ô1 6 4 8ö or ôKarolinens B÷nö (ôThe CaroleanÆs ║ │
│║ Prayer). This shows a kind of musical ║ │
│║ sophistication that I never would have accused ║ │
│║ the band of previously. And the quality of the ║ │
│║ musicianship shows up throughout the album, the ║ │
│║ guitar-work of the now-departed leads Rickard ║ │
│║ SundΘn and Oskar Montelius is fantastic, with ║ │
│║ some memorable leads but never really taking up ║ │
│║ too much space. Bassist Sundstr÷m and now- ║ │
│║ departed drummer Daniel Mullback also work ║ │
│║ together well, holding down the low end of these ║ │
│║ records but never seriously showing off. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ But, of course, the primary focus of this record ║ │
│║ is still the concept. The album tells the story ║ │
│║ ùthough I donÆt have the lyrics so this is a bit ║ │
│║ of an assumption of placesùof the rise and fall ║ │
│║ of the Swedish imperial period. Starting with ║ │
│║ Gustavus Adolphus (Gustav II Adolf) who was ║ │
│║ known as the Lion of the North (ôLejonet frσn ║ │
│║ Nordenö / ôThe Lion from the Northö) and moving ║ │
│║ through the end of the Thirty YearsÆ War in 1648 ║ │
│║ (ô1 6 4 8ö). While all these songs are great, ║ │
│║ one of the highlights of this section is the ║ │
│║ remarkably anthemic ôEn Livstid i Krigö (ôA ║ │
│║ Lifetime of Warö). Then the focus shifts towards ║ │
│║ the rise of the next royal house, using ║ │
│║ specifically the Caroleans (Karolinerna) who ║ │
│║ were the elite fighting unit of Karl XI and Karl ║ │
│║ XII. After the young and inexperienced King had ║ │
│║ brought all of the enemies to knee but the ║ │
│║ Russians after the start of the Great Northern ║ │
│║ War, he and the Caroleans were routed at Poltava ║ │
│║ in 1907 after the Russians used scorched earth ║ │
│║ tactics to starve them out (Karl XII apparently ║ │
│║ never heard the wisest of all sayingsùôNever ║ │
│║ fight a land-war in Asiaö). On ôKungens LikfΣrdö ║ │
│║ (ôLong Live the Kingö) they deal with KarlÆs ║ │
│║ untimely death as he tried to take back Norway ║ │
│║ from the Danish king, with the goal to take it ║ │
│║ back before turning his forces back to deal with ║ │
│║ Russia. At this point the Great Power period of ║ │
│║ Swedish history is done, ônever to returnö ║ │
│║ (ôaldrig σtervΣnderö from ôRuina Imperiiö). In ║ │
│║ fact, for those interested, the period that ║ │
│║ followed is also fascinating. For half a century ║ │
│║ Sweden had a parliamentary rule which was unique ║ │
│║ to the world, one assumes as a strong reaction ║ │
│║ to the Karl XIIÆs militaristic adventurism which ║ │
│║ brought the empire to ruin. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Dealing with these lyrical themes is quite well ║ │
│║ done on the Swedish version. While I donÆt have ║ │
│║ all the lyrics, they sound like a substantial ║ │
│║ improvement over the bandÆs previous material. ║ │
│║ This is, of course, because theyÆre in Swedish, ║ │
│║ so the lyrics take on a whole different ║ │
│║ dimension than the English lyrics. While the ║ │
│║ English version of ôA Lifetime of Warö is an OK ║ │
│║ but slightly polemical song about power ║ │
│║ imbalances between kings and peasants, the ║ │
│║ Swedish version is poignant and smartùfocusing ║ │
│║ on the drafting of peasants who were drawn into ║ │
│║ wars far from home, leaving their often bitterly ║ │
│║ poor families back in Sweden. The lyrics to ║ │
│║ title track ôCarolus Rexö are another example, ║ │
│║ fantastic in the Swedish, subtly inferring the ║ │
│║ ritualistic and religious aspects of the ║ │
│║ autocratic king by using biblical language (ôVet ║ │
│║ att sσdan Σr min vilja, och dΣrmed ska det ║ │
│║ skeö), while in English are flat and ôfactualö ║ │
│║ and leave much to be desired. I understand that ║ │
│║ there are tensions between language choice and ║ │
│║ international success, but this is a good ║ │
│║ example of why bands often should just write in ║ │
│║ their mother tongue. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ But even with the flat English lyrics, thatÆs ║ │
│║ pretty much my only complaint. The music is ║ │
│║ fantastic, the Peter TΣgtgren production is ║ │
│║ mighty and beefy and really world class and the ║ │
│║ concept is well worked out and, as you can see ║ │
│║ from this monster of a review, educational. All ║ │
│║ the initial feelings of discomfort surrounding ║ │
│║ what could be a ônationalisticö feel disappeared ║ │
│║ as I listened to the record, which seem much ║ │
│║ more about telling a story than making any kind ║ │
│║ of point about SwedenÆs politics. IÆve actually ║ │
│║ pre-ordered it despite getting it for free from ║ │
│║ the label. By now I hope you have, too. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Joakim BrodΘn - Vocals ║ │
│║ PΣr Sundstr÷m - Bass ║ │
│║ Oskar Montelius - Guitars ║ │
│║ Rikard SundΘn - Guitars ║ │
│║ Daniel Mullback - Drums ║ │
│║ Daniel M hr - Keyboards ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 - English Version [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Dominium Maris Baltici [00:29] │
│ 02 - The Lion from the North [04:43] │
│ 03 - Gott mit uns [03:16] │
│ 04 - A Lifetime of War [05:45] │
│ 05 - 1648 [03:55] │
│ 06 - The Carolean's Player [06:14] │
│ 07 - Carolus Rex [04:54] │
│ 08 - Killing Ground [04:25] │
│ 09 - Poltava [04:04] │
│ 10 - Long live the King [04:10] │
│ 11 - Ruina Imperii [03:21] │
│ 12 - Twilight of the Thunder God [03:59] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 - Swedish Version [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Dominium Maris Baltici [00:29] │
│ 02 - Lejonet frσn Norden [04:43] │
│ 03 - Gott Mit Uns [03:16] │
│ 04 - En Livstid i Krig [05:44] │
│ 05 - 1 6 4 8 [03:56] │
│ 06 - Karolinens b÷n [06:14] │
│ 07 - Carolus Rex [04:54] │
│ 08 - Ett Slag FΣrgat R÷tt [04:25] │
│ 09 - Poltava [04:03] │
│ 10 - Konungens LikfΣrd [04:10] │
│ 11 - Ruina Imperii [03:21] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [94:30 minn │
│ │
│ │
│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘