The Great War
by Sabaton
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
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  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jul 25, 2019
    80
    The barrage of noise that results is undeniably epic, oddly stirring and gloriously daft. [Aug 2019, p.81]
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  2. Kerrang!
    Jul 25, 2019
    80
    Stories unfurl with an infectious nerdiness that undulates between giddy Boys’ Own exuberance and a museum curator’s painstaking attention to detail. [20 Jul 2019, p.57]
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Jul 25, 2019
    80
    If you’re a fan of this stuff – powerful, bruising, operatic, performed with absolutely no sense of irony whatsoever – then there’s no question that Sabaton are amongst the best of the best. ... This is the album that could take Sabaton upwards.
  5. The Guardian
    Jul 25, 2019
    60
    Sabaton’s choruses are certainly catchy, although the barrage of gutturally sung lyrics (“Fire and brimstone, heading your way!”), proggy keyboards and twiddly solos can sound overwrought.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 26
  3. Negative: 1 out of 26
  1. liambrowning
    Jan 27, 2020
    9
    Basically everything you could want in a power metal album, it's pretty rare when every song in an album is an absolute belter.
  2. SuperPantsBG
    Sep 9, 2023
    9
    One of their best albums for sure!
    There are some songs that may get boring with time, but most of them are absolute bangers. It's really    One of their best albums for sure!
    There are some songs that may get boring with time, but most of them are absolute bangers. It's really great that also every single song in the album has something that makes it significantly different from the others while sounding great or even beautiful.
    Basically if you are into power metal you are gonna absolutely love the album and if you aren't then you will probably think it's mediocre at best.    … Full Review »
  3. Kai82
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    A good album from Sabaton. For those who don't know: Sabaton is a Swedish heavy metal band. Their themes are about military history, futilityA good album from Sabaton. For those who don't know: Sabaton is a Swedish heavy metal band. Their themes are about military history, futility / cruelty of wars, heroes and battles. The album “The Great War” is about World War I and has many great tracks. Also they perform on English which gave them more momentum in the music business. Lets give a summary: “The future of warfare” is about the introduction of tanks into warfare. “Seven pillars of wisdom” is about the Arabic revolt against the Ottoman Empire and Lawrence of Arabia (He wrote a book of the same name that I actually own but have to read). By the way they got betrayed by Britain and Sabaton made an awesome music video.”82nd all the way” is about Alvin York an American war hero. “The attack of the dead man” is the inspiration for all zombie soldier myths. They got attacked with deadly chemicals and had no protection. Some survived and counterattacked in a state looking like zombies. “Devil Dogs” is about the battle of Belleau Wood where many US marines died because of poor reconnaissance. “Red Baron” is about the legendary Manfred von Richthofen aka Red Baron. He is a pilot with 80 victories, respected by friend and foe and immortalized as ultimate flying ace. My favourite song of the album. “Great war” about the true face of war aka cruelty, dying for nothing, dirt and suffering. “A ghost in the trenches” is about native Canadian war hero Francis Pegahamagabow. “Fields of Verdun” is about the battle of Verdun. This was a meat grinder that killed over 600.000 soldiers without archiving anything for both sides. A true statement of the insanity of war. Great video and my second favourite song of the album. “The end of the war to end all wars” is another song abut the price and cruelty of war. Lastly “Fields of Flanders” is what I read based on a poem by John McCrae a veteran who lost his friend in another battle that neither side accomplished a victory (Other will claim it was one but I look at the casualties and wont rate this as victory). The album fully delivers and is what I expected. Overall a really good album. Not my favourite by Sabaton but a 9/10 seems fair.… Full Review »
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