The Great War (Sabaton album)

The Great War
Studio album by
Sabaton
Released19 July 2019
RecordedNovember 2018 – February 2019
GenrePower metal[1]
Length38:27
LabelNuclear Blast
ProducerSabaton
Sabaton chronology
The Last Stand
(2016) 		The Great War
(2019) 		The War to End All Wars
(2022)
Singles from The Great War
  1. "Fields of Verdun"
    Released: 3 May 2019
  2. "The Red Baron"
    Released: 13 June 2019
  3. "Great War"
    Released: 27 June 2019
  4. "82nd All the Way"
    Released: 20 July 2019
  5. "The Attack of the Dead Men (feat. Radio Tapok)"
    Released: 10 May 2020

The Great War is the ninth studio album by Swedish power metal band Sabaton. It was released on 19 July 2019.[2][3] It is the first studio album to feature guitarist Tommy Johansson.[4] Like many of Sabaton's albums, it is a concept album, this time about World War I, often known as the Great War. The songs cover multiple stories from the war, including those of Manfred von Richthofen, T.E. Lawrence, Alvin York, the Attack of the Dead Men, the Battle of Verdun, and others.

The album's first single, "Fields of Verdun", was released on 3 May 2019.[5] The album's next single, "The Red Baron" was released on 13 June.[6] The title song, "Great War", was released as a single on 27 June.[7] A music video for the track "82nd All the Way" was released on 20 July.[8] A music video for "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", in which Indy Neidell plays the role of T. E. Lawrence, was filmed in the Tunisian desert in early September,[9] and was released on 21 December.[10] A live video and single for "The Attack of the Dead Men", recorded during a 13 March 2020 performance in Moscow that included Russian-language metal cover artist Radio Tapok singing the verses, were announced 8 May 2020 for a 10 July release.[11]

The album was released in four separate editions: the standard release,[12] a history edition with contextual narration preceding each track,[13] a soundtrack edition featuring instrumental orchestral versions of the songs,[14] and a Sabaton History Patreon exclusive release containing narration by Indy Neidell.[15]

The recorded lyrics for "82nd All the Way" mistakenly attribute Sergeant Alvin York to the 338th Regiment rather than his actual assignment to the 328th Infantry Regiment.[16] The band corrects the mistake during live performances of the song.[17]

  1. ^ Flynn, Niki. "Sabaton - "The Great War" [Album Review]". puregrainaudio.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  2. ^ "This Is The Great War!". Sabaton. 2 April 2019.
  3. ^ "SABATON 'The Great War' Album Track Listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Sabaton welcome new guitarist Tommy Johansson". Metal Hammer. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Sabaton Debut 'Fields of Verdun' Music Video". Loudwire. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Sabaton: Lyric Video For New Song 'The Red Baron'". Blabbermouth.net. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Great War - 3rd single - Out now - Watch & Listen". Sabaton.net. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  8. ^ Munro, Scott (22 July 2019). "Sabaton share striking lyric video for 82nd All The Way". Louder Sound. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  9. ^ Munro, Scott (2 September 2019). "Sabaton injured in car crash in Tunisia". Louder Sound. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  10. ^ Munro, Scott (22 December 2019). "Watch Sabaton traverse the Sahara desert in video for Seven Pillars Of Wisdom". Louder Sound. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  11. ^ "SABATON - release live version of 'The Attack Of The Dead Men' featuring RADIO TAPOK + announce new tour dates for Russia and Belarus!". Nuclear Blast. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  12. ^ "SABATON - the great war".
  13. ^ "SABATON - the great war HISTORY EDITION".
  14. ^ "Sabaton - The Soundtrack To The Great War (Nuclear Blast Records)". geni.us. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  15. ^ The Great War 'History Channel Edition' – Sabaton History Announcement [Official]. YouTube. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021.
  16. ^ "82nd All The Way - Lyrics". Sabaton.net. Sabaton. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Wacken 2019: Sabaton". MagentaMusik 360. Deutsche Telekom. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.