Sabaton – Legends

Written by on 13-12-2025 at 08:45.

The band that has been raising tens of thousands of fists for decades with just five words (“Through the gates of hell…”) delivers its eleventh offspring. That is, if we don’t count the symphonic edition of their last album The War to End All Wars  (2022) and the instrumental version of its predecessor The Great War  (2019). The group surrounding Joakim Brodén has been deeply immersed in World War I over the past few releases, and with this record that chapter comes to an end—at least for now.  With Legends, the band once again dives into a thematic concept, thus time packed with legends such as Caesar, Joan of Arc, Napoleon and Hannibal. Even a few lesser-known historical figures make an appearance, including Lü Bu (A Tiger Among Dragons), Miyamoto Musashi (The Duellist), Senusret III (The Cycle of Songs), and Gustavus Adolphus (Till Seger). Historically speaking, this means the scope is far broader than the first half of the twentieth century.

By exploring several historical figures who are less familiar to Western Europe, Sabaton is colouring a little outside the lines of predictability on this album. That, of course, cannot be said for the songs themselves, since these Swedes once again unleash their trademark blend of epic power and irresistibly catchy melodies. After a handful of listens, a few of the tracks on this newcomer keep echoing in my head.

The first true earworm tells the story of Caesar crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC. Crossing the Rubicon features that typical The Art of War-style synth that makes the chorus feel so crisp you can’t help but raise your fist, so be careful if you’re drinking coffee near your computer. The Napoleon track that follows, I, Emperor, initially sounded somewhat lacklustre to me, but after a few spins you can almost feel the French Grande Armée marching toward battle again through the cheerful vocal melody and the driving drumline. That same martial stride reappears in the Hannibal-themed Lightning at the Gates and Hordes of Khan, which of course refers to the troops of Genghis Khan. Both are solid songs, though they don’t feel particularly groundbreaking. Maid of Steel, referring to Joan of Arc, does a bit more in that regard, burning brighter, with a chorus that feels downright epic and drum work that carries a sharper sense of menace.

If I’m not mistaken, Templars is the only track that focuses on a group of people rather than an individual. It’s a typical Sabaton song, though it does share some common ground with Powerwolf’s symphonic might. Not that it really sticks with me; the earlier examples on this record are far stronger and more refreshing. If you can even speak of “refreshing” when it comes to these Swedes, of course.

For me, the album’s epic highlight lies somewhere around the middle, because the appropriately dark Impaler, which deals with the historical figure Vlad Tepes, feels a bit like filler. It has a strong chorus, but overall it seems like a step backward. I can’t help but notice that the lesser-known historical figures also tend to get the weaker songs on this new release. For Sabaton’s best samurai work, I’d still return to Shiroyama, and for their Chinese warcraft to the aforementioned The Art of War. Sabaton does however reserve a special touch for the closing track Till Seger, dedicated to the seventeenth-century Swedish monarch Gustavus Adolphus. In patriotic fashion, Brodén sings in Swedish, and instrumentally the track carries a rather baroque flair, with synth melodies that lend the whole thing a playful, almost frivolous character.

Fans already know exactly what they’re getting when they purchase a new Sabaton record. That story will probably never change. It’s also particularly subjective to assign a score to this band, more so than to most others. You either click with their melodies or you don’t, but at least you always know what’s coming your way. That said, I appreciate that the band once again dares to venture into new corners of history, and there are definitely a few tracks here I’ll add to my playlist without hesitation.

Score:

80/100

Label:

Better Noise Music, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. Templars
  2. Hordes of Khan
  3. A Tiger Among Dragons
  4. Crossing the Rubicon
  5. I, Emperor
  6. Maid of Steel
  7. Impaler
  8. Lightning at the Gates
  9. The Duelist
  10. The Cycle of Songs
  11. Till Seger

Line-up:

  • Pär Sundström – Bass guitar, vocals
  • Joakim Brodén – Synthesizer, vocals
  • Thobbe Englund – Guitar, vocals
  • Chris Rörland – Guitar, vocals
  • Hannes Van Dahl – Drums, vocals

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