Sabaton have earned their place as one of the biggest power metal acts globally. All this without having any hit singles as such, without varying their style and arguably releasing ten albums that were each pretty similar to the ones that preceded them and with a frontman who seems to have been wearing the same stage outfit for 25 years.
The important bits to add to that flippant observation is that each and every one of their ten studio albums to date has been of a consistently high quality lyrically, musically and everything else that goes with it.
Add to this a reputation as one of the best live bands on the circuit and one that has always put the gruelling toilet tours in for years before being considered big enough to head out as a headliner in their own right, they are now reaping the regards for that strategy.
Add to this a reputation as one of the best live bands on the circuit and one that has always put the gruelling toilet tours in for years before being considered big enough to head out as a headliner in their own right, they are now reaping the regards for that strategy.
They have a legion of fans wherever they go, and who will now pack out the arenas anywhere and everywhere they choose to go, and respect once again for the fact that they still put in full tours in most countries when not just doing a festival run.
Their normal approach is a loose concept album based on either historical events or people, with wars and acts of heroism associated with them the subjects of the songs themselves (OK, the exception is their debut Metalizer, but considering that got blocked by their first label it actually came out third, by which time the band had crystalised on their historical arc approach).
Their normal approach is a loose concept album based on either historical events or people, with wars and acts of heroism associated with them the subjects of the songs themselves (OK, the exception is their debut Metalizer, but considering that got blocked by their first label it actually came out third, by which time the band had crystalised on their historical arc approach).
The last two albums have deeply and darkly explored the Great / First World War and have been amongst the grimmest and emotive of their twenty-five year career. Legends, their eleventh release, is a little different from all its predecessors in a few ways. Coming after two back-to-back dark and gritty releases (although amongst their best so a tough self-set benchmark to follow), something lighter was definitely needed.
Legends delivers this in spades, with eleven tracks of upbeat anthemic power metal that continues their reputation for quality delivery. If anything it’s dialled up to eleven, with a rich, reverb heavy and orchestrated feel to the whole record. Lyrically the concept is a thematic one, picking different historical figures to focus on with a track of their own, but delivered with fist-pumping and upbeat mood that manages to deliver a celebratory feel to the subject matter of the song.
Legends delivers this in spades, with eleven tracks of upbeat anthemic power metal that continues their reputation for quality delivery. If anything it’s dialled up to eleven, with a rich, reverb heavy and orchestrated feel to the whole record. Lyrically the concept is a thematic one, picking different historical figures to focus on with a track of their own, but delivered with fist-pumping and upbeat mood that manages to deliver a celebratory feel to the subject matter of the song.
And their lies the clever twist, because not all of these characters are the heroic and savoury type that normally appear in Sabaton’s music. Even the Knights Templars (despite the fact that fellow genre and country-mates HammerFall have made a career out of glorifying their antics) are a controversial bunch, but they’re probably the most accessible ones, with Vlad The Impaler, Genghis Khan’s Hordes and Napoleon getting turns in the limelight. But then one person’s hero is another’s devil, and history didn’t always get written by their fans…
It’s rich, well-delivered and hits the mark throughout. Is it a different feeling record from the band? Yes. When you add the upbeat feel, and the rich production, the overall feeling is that this would make a fantastic movie soundtrack, as it really feels like that this is the Marcel Cinematic Universe version of Sabaton. Is it going to alienate existing fans? Absolutely not. This feels like a logical expansion of their unique style whilst keeping one foot in recognisable territory.
It’s rich, well-delivered and hits the mark throughout. Is it a different feeling record from the band? Yes. When you add the upbeat feel, and the rich production, the overall feeling is that this would make a fantastic movie soundtrack, as it really feels like that this is the Marcel Cinematic Universe version of Sabaton. Is it going to alienate existing fans? Absolutely not. This feels like a logical expansion of their unique style whilst keeping one foot in recognisable territory.
Oh, and given how their stature has grown, they might just be able to take that large choir delivering the backing vocals out on the road, and do so with style. And they might just outgrow the arenas this time round. 10/10
Biohazard - Divided We Fall (BLKIIBLK) [GC]
Legends feels like a word that is banded about way too frequently nowadays, it should really be saved for people who deserve it and this review is about a group of people who deserve it, Biohazard!
Biohazard - Divided We Fall (BLKIIBLK) [GC]
Legends feels like a word that is banded about way too frequently nowadays, it should really be saved for people who deserve it and this review is about a group of people who deserve it, Biohazard!
They were at the forefront of the NYHC scene from the late 80’s and have released some truly iconic records. It’s been a very long time since the original line up have recorded and released music but in 2025, we get Divided We Fall and I for one cannot wait to hear what they have to offer up!!
It doesn’t take long for Fuck The System to remind us exactly what they are all about they have the metallic riffs that collide with the swaggering NYHC, and gang vocals thrown around like confetti all tied together the unique way that Biohazard have made their signature sound!
It doesn’t take long for Fuck The System to remind us exactly what they are all about they have the metallic riffs that collide with the swaggering NYHC, and gang vocals thrown around like confetti all tied together the unique way that Biohazard have made their signature sound!
Forsaken is a rousing punk fuelled song that still manages to mix in a big heaping dollop of metal and screaming solos. You wonder if time has dulled their edge but every individual member sounds re-energized and just as angry as they ever have done and its fantastic to hear it transferred to the music. Eyes On Six has a more paired back beginning but from about a minute in there is nothing held back, there is groove and some of the hip hop influence they are known for takes hold of the main verse and creates a hulking monster sounding song.
Death Of Me is one I’m not too sure about, it’s a bit up and down there is the slower more thoughtful bits mixing with a few faster bits here and there but it just feels like it sort of wanders aimlessly in places and lacks that killer edge, Thankfully this is just a slight blip and Word To The Wise gets things going again with a bit more vigour and violence, its hardcore punk mixed with metal and has a very nostalgic throw back style to it and is sure to make any old school fans very happy.
Fight To Be Free is another rabble rousing track that has no business sounding as good as it does, this is another slightly slower track but it gets everything right this time around, with the slower parts executed with precision and the hardcore flowing through the heavier parts although I’m sorry to say I am not sure about the whoaaa oooh oohh ohhhs that are in there, they sound way to cheesy and for me, probably could have been left out!?
War Inside Me turns out to be another decent mid-paced track that fits into the whole album well and shows that it doesn’t need to be full on all the way, there are of course faster parts but most of it feels a little more relaxed and still has a beautiful and heavy groove. S.I.T.F.O.A really does nothing for me, as its very hip hop heavy and just feels like its out of place, it’s an ok track but I am just not fully getting in to it, maybe in a few more listens it will click but right now its not.
Tear Down The Walls is back to what I want, driving guitars that mix metal, punk and hardcore to perfection, its got the pace back after slight lull in proceedings and the groove takes hold here and really gets everything going again and it’s the same story with I Will Overcome, it just sounds just like Biohazard should sound, there’s solo’s flying about, a punky and pounding drum performance mixed with the gang vocals and hardcore influences drip from every second of this track.
Its nostalgic but not dated in anyway and Warriors is the perfect way to round the album off, its got an epic yet simple feel, there’s a heart to what’s been played that comes with experience and knowing how to please your fanbase and this is peak Biohazard and will do just that and just leaves you wanting more.
If I am being 100% honest, after all this time away I really wasn’t sure what to expect from the OG line up but Divided We Fall is a glorious return to form and provides a timely reminder that if you ever liked them before then there is always room in your life for Biohazard. 8/10
An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City (Willowtip Records) [Spike]
There’s a quiet power in The Sleeping City that demands you adjust your expectations. This isn’t about speed or shock; it’s about pulling the listener into a world shaped by atmosphere, tension, and weight. With this release, An Abstract Illusion lean deep into their progressive death/black hybrid DNA, conjuring soundscapes that feel both expansive and intimate, shards of melody cast over tremors of darkness.
The album opens with Blackmurmur, a track that whispers before it blooms, layering guitars, synths, and distant pulse until the tension cracks open. It’s a fitting introduction: you feel you’ve walked into something half-lit, something watching you just as much as you watch it. Then comes No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons, where the guitars sharpen, the rhythms harden, the emotional stakes rise. It’s an immersive shift, one moment talking, the next screaming.
Like A Geyser Ever Erupting and Frost Flower both showcase the band’s mastery of contrast. These tracks swell and breathe, carrying moments where the dynamics edge toward quiet, almost too fragile to last and then snap you back into crushing weight. It’s in that push and pull that The Sleeping City finds its heart: not in uniform density, but in breath, suspense, and release.
By Emmett, you feel the narrative arc bending inward. The piece builds more insistently, the tension sharpened, as if all the threads from earlier tracks are pulling toward a convergence. Then Silverfields steps in, a calmer but dark reflection, creating space to absorb what’s come before. And finally, The Sleeping City closes the album, weaving light and shadow around sharp, final chords that feel like both ending and beginning.
What I find most striking is how the album combines architectural precision with emotional gravity. The production doesn’t flatten the edges, it preserves grit, texture, and space. The instrumentation occupies its room: keys, guitars, rhythm all have voice without trampling each other. The layering is so deliberate you feel like you’re navigating subterranean passageways. The moments of quiet don’t feel like placeholders, they heighten the weight of what comes next.
This is perhaps their most atmospheric and heavy work to date, and it leans fully into that identity. The band clearly understand that power isn’t always measured in volume, it can be in restraint, in the silence that makes sound echo longer. The Sleeping City asks you to enter slowly, listen carefully, and let the darkness show you the shapes hidden inside. Dark, precise, and immersive, The Sleeping City demands presence and gives back richness. 8/10
High On Wheels - Monkey (Klonosphere Records) [Rich Piva]
French stoner rock is what you get from the trio High On Wheels. There is nothing you have not heard going on here, except for a song called The Monkey Who Dipped His Balls In My Whiskey which is only unique because of the title, not because of the sound. Does that make it bad? Not at all. Just know that you are getting exactly what you may expect going into the seven tracks on their new record, Monkey.
Let’s start with the good stuff. I love the fuzzy guitar tone, like on the opener, Get Down. I love the band’s energy and vibe as well, like on the aforementioned Monkey song and on a track like Wolf & Dog. I like how they can bring the heavy, too, as the bass can shake your foundations. I like their groove as well, like on Sinking Too Much, which is probably my favourite track on the record.
If I am being 100% honest, after all this time away I really wasn’t sure what to expect from the OG line up but Divided We Fall is a glorious return to form and provides a timely reminder that if you ever liked them before then there is always room in your life for Biohazard. 8/10
An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City (Willowtip Records) [Spike]
There’s a quiet power in The Sleeping City that demands you adjust your expectations. This isn’t about speed or shock; it’s about pulling the listener into a world shaped by atmosphere, tension, and weight. With this release, An Abstract Illusion lean deep into their progressive death/black hybrid DNA, conjuring soundscapes that feel both expansive and intimate, shards of melody cast over tremors of darkness.
The album opens with Blackmurmur, a track that whispers before it blooms, layering guitars, synths, and distant pulse until the tension cracks open. It’s a fitting introduction: you feel you’ve walked into something half-lit, something watching you just as much as you watch it. Then comes No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons, where the guitars sharpen, the rhythms harden, the emotional stakes rise. It’s an immersive shift, one moment talking, the next screaming.
Like A Geyser Ever Erupting and Frost Flower both showcase the band’s mastery of contrast. These tracks swell and breathe, carrying moments where the dynamics edge toward quiet, almost too fragile to last and then snap you back into crushing weight. It’s in that push and pull that The Sleeping City finds its heart: not in uniform density, but in breath, suspense, and release.
By Emmett, you feel the narrative arc bending inward. The piece builds more insistently, the tension sharpened, as if all the threads from earlier tracks are pulling toward a convergence. Then Silverfields steps in, a calmer but dark reflection, creating space to absorb what’s come before. And finally, The Sleeping City closes the album, weaving light and shadow around sharp, final chords that feel like both ending and beginning.
What I find most striking is how the album combines architectural precision with emotional gravity. The production doesn’t flatten the edges, it preserves grit, texture, and space. The instrumentation occupies its room: keys, guitars, rhythm all have voice without trampling each other. The layering is so deliberate you feel like you’re navigating subterranean passageways. The moments of quiet don’t feel like placeholders, they heighten the weight of what comes next.
This is perhaps their most atmospheric and heavy work to date, and it leans fully into that identity. The band clearly understand that power isn’t always measured in volume, it can be in restraint, in the silence that makes sound echo longer. The Sleeping City asks you to enter slowly, listen carefully, and let the darkness show you the shapes hidden inside. Dark, precise, and immersive, The Sleeping City demands presence and gives back richness. 8/10
High On Wheels - Monkey (Klonosphere Records) [Rich Piva]
French stoner rock is what you get from the trio High On Wheels. There is nothing you have not heard going on here, except for a song called The Monkey Who Dipped His Balls In My Whiskey which is only unique because of the title, not because of the sound. Does that make it bad? Not at all. Just know that you are getting exactly what you may expect going into the seven tracks on their new record, Monkey.
Let’s start with the good stuff. I love the fuzzy guitar tone, like on the opener, Get Down. I love the band’s energy and vibe as well, like on the aforementioned Monkey song and on a track like Wolf & Dog. I like how they can bring the heavy, too, as the bass can shake your foundations. I like their groove as well, like on Sinking Too Much, which is probably my favourite track on the record.
What do I struggle with? To start, the vocals. I am cool with a good growl or whisky soaked approach, but I am not sure what to call what is going on here on Monkey, only that it doesn’t really connect with me. Just an overall feel of “been there heard that” resonates across the seven tracks.
Not that I need something new and unique every record I listen to, but there are other albums that sound like this I would turn to first before I would think about listening to Monkey again. Also, a note to all stoner bands, unless you are Sons Of Arrakis, we do not need any more Dune related songs, especially one called Arrakis, like we have for the closer on here.
This album is fine. Monkey is what it is. High On Wheels is good at fuzzy stoner rock, but so are a lot of bands. Others may enjoy this more than me, but there is nothing that stands out to me, but it is a solid effort nonetheless. 6/10
This album is fine. Monkey is what it is. High On Wheels is good at fuzzy stoner rock, but so are a lot of bands. Others may enjoy this more than me, but there is nothing that stands out to me, but it is a solid effort nonetheless. 6/10
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