Sabaton Live Report

Just a few days on from Poets and I re-assembled at the Brixton version of the Academy clan to bare witness to those pesky Swedes, Sabaton once again. It's basically like an annual pilgrimage going to see the Saba boys. I am not sure how many times I've seen them but it's probably around 7-8 since I first saw them in the Purple Turtle in front of 150 all those years back. This time there was the added draw of legends Accept and new comer adventure metallers Twilight Force.

Sadly even though I got in the venue not much after the allotted 7 o'clock door time, Twilight Force were already well into their set and were in fact playing their last song, their namesake Twilight Force. A sorry state of affairs indeed and I am not sure how they started so early.

Anyway I have seen those guys before and hopefully I'll see them again if they play a headline slot here soon.

Next up were legends Accept. The guitar sound was immediately much thicker and better than the one song I heard for TF. The band is a well oiled machine these days. I think it's safe to say that they sound better on the Tornillo era songs than they do doing the classic era. I recently saw UDO performing his final Accept song shows and it was so much better than how Tornillo sounded to me. The metal heart was stronger and the whole vibe sounded cooler though maybe that's just me. Accept were god even great if you like but I was here for my dose of the Swedish war machine and I wanted to hear some new tunes!

The all important setlist has thankfully been changed since the last time. They still open with Ghost Division which is getting very old now but I guess it's a just great rabble rouser of a song and they wanna stick with it. However of course on this tour we would be getting many new songs from The Last Stand.

The band sounded as good as ever and new guitarist Tommy from Reinxeed fits in like a glove. In fact he makes the band sound a bit more musical and I hope they let him contribute to the song writing next time round as the guy is a great writer of power metal tunes in his own right. The night flew by in a flash as we were treated to many cool tunes and a couple of surprises even.

My fave tunes were Blood of Bannockburn, Carolus Rex with it's mighty chorus, Winged Hussars which sounded amazing live, the acoustic version of The Final Solution which was one of the surprises I was talking about, Night Witches and the almost unknown little played Union from a few albums back.

The encore started with the set staple Primo Victoria which will probably be played from now until the last ever Sabaton show, the magically catchy and fun tune Shroyama and the flute laden and extremely catchy To Hell and Back.

And so the night was over and everyone is left with smiles and horns as they leave having played their biggest ever show in the UK to probably close to 2000 people although the venue was not sold out as I was expecting. Sabaton is a band that seemingly unites the metal community here in the UK at least. Even those hardcore black metal guys can smile and wave a fist at a Sabaton gig..well for a minute or two at least!

Intro..In the Army Now
The March To War
Ghost Division
Sparta
Blood of Bannockburn
Swedish Pagans
Carolus Rex
The Last Stand
Far From The Fame
Winged Hussars
The Final Solution (acoustic)
Resist and Bite
Night Witches
The Lion from The North
The Lost Battalion
Union (Slopes of St. Benedict)

Encore:
Primo Victoria
Shiroyama
To Hell and Back