The rest of the line-up has now been in place since 2013 - meaning that there has been a fair bit of stability since the big split of 2012 which saw much of the original line-up leave. This stability has further helped to solidify the Sabaton core sound - which is very much on show during opening cut Templars. Opening with dramatic choral vocals, it is not long before a mid-paced drum groove and guitar riff kick in - with the heavy, mid-paced track creating a hypnotic feel from the off. The riffing feels chunky, harking back to Sabaton's heavier moments, whilst parts of the verses feel a bit more stripped back to allow Pär Sundström's bass playing to dominate - whilst the synths provide a cold depth and some counter-melodies, particularly during the Accept-like, rhythmic chorus. Frontman Joakim Brodén sounds as good as ever here. His verses vocals feel smooth, the storytelling lyrics as evoking as ever, whilst the chorus, backed by the aforementioned choir, feels punchy - with subtle gang vocals and some big drum hits creating a powerful, fists-in-the-air vibe. Chris Rörland's later guitar solo is full of melody, too, as he pulls back from the band's usual shredded approach to instead deliver something fluid to fit the song's tone. Upping the pace, Hordes of Khan showcases the slightly thrashy edge which Sabaton occasionally employ. Clearly Sabaton have never been a thrash band, but their guitar tones and relentless double bass drumming at times can create an edge - and this is one of those fast-paced power metal anthems which has such. The main riff is heavy, although a guitar lead is placed over the top to create some melody - whilst the verses again sometimes see the riffing drop away to leave Brodén alone against a bass and drum backing. Even these parts of the verse still feel urgent, though, as the pace never lets up - and when the guitars kick back in the song only feels more powerful. The chorus builds on such, and the pace means that it is one of the hookiest and most hard-driving here. It is up there with Sabaton choruses of the past - and the pace is sure to make the song a winner live. Both guitarists get a chance to solo here, too, and the dual shredded approach has been key to Sabaton's sound over the years. Going for a more dramatic and theatrical sound, A Tiger Among Dragons immediately goes for something a bit more expansive. Drummer Hannes Van Dahl lays down a slow-burning and percussive drum groove to open things up - over which occasional guitar and synth stabs create some early drama. These interjections are the only heaviness early on, though, as the song is a slow-burner - with Brodén singing over this groove and an added bassline as the first verse gets going. The song slowly builds, cinematically, towards its chorus, which utilises the stabs from the opening to create a bombastic and powerful moment with plenty more gang vocals and and some symphonic touches. It is another chorus which is very easy to sing along with, meaning that the track will likely be another live favourite, whilst elsewhere there is some more variety thanks to a faster riff which kicks in later to create a potent bridge section - alongside another busy guitar solo. Ensuring that a more dramatic sound is kept up with, Crossing the Rubicon returns to a more mid-paced sound, similar to how the album opened, but the bombast of the previous song is retained - with more big synths and an infectious mid-paced groove. Sabaton have always done these mid-paced songs well, and Van Dahl's drumming often adds an edge. He rarely just lays down a basic beat, with his subtle twists allowing the band's songs to have a subtle groove. This is the case here, with even the fist-pumping chorus feeling a little different from the norm due to some shuffling hi-hat work. As is typical of Sabaton's core sound, the verses are a bit more stripped back, but guitar leads are used to keep the interest up - and the chorus explodes from this base with symphonic synths and Brodén's gritty vocals. The final chorus sees a classic 1980s key change employed - a welcome trick
Returning more to a more typical mid-paced sound, with less of the bombast of the previous track, I, Emperor is much weightier thanks to a stronger guitar presence and less synths overall. The synths are still there, adding a bed to the smoother verses, but generally this feels like a much riffier song - with a big riff opening things up and subtle guitar melodies throughout the verses. There is plenty of crunch here as a result, then, and the influence that bands like Accept had on Sabaton can be heard throughout the stomping grooves of the chorus and the gruffer vocal performance that Brodén adopts here. The chorus is another hooky one, but it is not one that stood out immediately. It is a chorus that does feel a little clunky melody-wise at times, but over repeated listens it has stuck - and the weighty song has gone up in my estimations as a result. Maid of Steel ups the pace again, with the track returning to that thrash-adjacent sound that Sabaton do well at times. Keeping up the heaviness of the previous track, too, the synths are once again largely relegated to a supporting role. They make their presence felt during the hooky chorus, adding some colour, but the song's main intro and verses are just pure guitar power. The fast-paced riffing of Rörland and Englund really helps the song tick, whilst the fast footwork of Van Dahl allows that old-school thrash/speed metal sound to fester. It is fitting, too, that this fast-paced, guitar-heavy song allows both guitarists to shred. The section, which follows more of a mid-paced bridge with chunky riffing and anthemic vocals, is high-octane and fit for a heavy power metal band like Sabaton. Impaler slows the pace down somewhat, going for a hard-hitting, mid-paced sound - with Eastern-tinged guitar melodies which, very briefly, evoke Ritchie Blackmore. Sabaton have done songs with Eastern melodies before, but the main guitar leads here very much showcase that sound - whilst synth swells further fuel this vibe. The bigger use of synths and choral vocals here, particularly during the foot-stomping chorus, make this song feel less tough than the previous two - and the cinematic side of the band is more on show here. The verses feel varied and deep, with piano melodies coming through at times, whilst the sparser arrangement allows the vocals to shine - before choral vocals and the aforementioned guitar melodies fill the somewhat off-kilter chorus. Rörland's guitar solo is another which reins in the pace somewhat to instead deliver something more melodic - which is fitting given the more precise approach to guitar leads utilised elsewhere during the song. Moving on to the next song, Lightning at the Gates, it is time for a moment of negativity. Sabaton often get accused of self-plagiarism, and this is certainly a downside of sticking very rigidly to a core sound, but this is something that many bands are guilty of. As such, I do not point out when a brief passage sounds familiar to something else - but with Lightning at the Gates the similarity of the song to Hearts of Iron cannot be ignored. The two songs are almost identical - from the bombastic melodies during the synth-heavy chorus to the verses which have a strangely emotive quality for Sabaton. I do not like to be negative, especially as I do like this album a lot and it feels like a bit of a return to form following the lacklustre previous effort - but Lightning at the Gates showcases the band's lazy side. They must have realised how similar the two songs are - and Lightning at the Gates should have never made it past demo stage as a result.
Thankfully, this is the only real low point on the album, as The Duelist returns to the higher quality which generally fills the rest of the album. The mid-paced song is another guitar-heavy track - with a hypnotic and hooky main guitar riff which drives the song throughout, sitting in the background of the verses as Brodén's gritty vocals do their thing. Even the chorus, which feels a bit more bombastic thanks to a slight upping of the pace and some stabbing guitar patterns, keeps the synths to a minimum - which allows the song to sound heavier as it otherwise would. I like how the band have utilised such a bit more on this album. The synths add a lot when they are used well, but they can sometimes overpower the guitars. The decision to pull back on the synths a little here ensures that the album feels a bit heavier - and The Duelist is a song which very much benefits from that approach, with some of the snappiest and ever-present riffing on the album. The Cycle of Songs is another more cinematic and bombastic piece - and it was put together by Brodén and Jonas Kjellgren (Dellamorte; Carnal Forge; Centinex; Scar Symmetry; Ironmaster; Nekrodawn), who has worked behind the scenes with Sabaton in an engineering and mixing capacity for years at this point. Kjellgren also plays the song's guitar solo - but despite the outside help here the song is very much classic Sabaton. It is similar to I, Emperor in pace and groove - but the overall feel is much grander thanks to a big synth presence and a symphonic edge. The chorus explodes thanks to the pulsing synths and the massive choral vocals used throughout - whilst clean guitar melodies during the verses, alongside an ever-present synth bed, also help the song to feel a little different. The riffing and overall bombast is very typical of Sabaton, though, and the chorus immediately feels familiar thanks to the band's trademark rhythmic approach. Kjellgren's solo is perhaps a little different from the norm, though, his prog metal background on show during a melodic passage which is suitably cinematic. Sabaton do this bigger sound well, and The Cycle of Songs is the latest mini-epic to showcase it. The album then comes to a close with a upbeat Till Seger - which is sung in Swedish. Sabaton have done songs in Swedish before, but the musical hooks here ensure that even non-Swedish speakers can get into it. The chorus is one of the most upbeat and feel-good moments on the album. There is a real bounce to the chorus, with synths and a hooky guitar lead backing Brodén's gruff vocals - whilst Englund's guitar solo has a slight folky edge to some of the melodies to fit in nicely with the overall melodic nature of the song. There are some folky synth melodies which follow the solo, too, and the song cannot help but raise the mood as the album comes to a close. It is also notable as it is the first 'proper' song which Van Dahl is credited with co-writing. He co-wrote a slightly jokey bonus track in the past - but this song shows his creative side as a member of the band, with his up-tempo grooves a big part of why the driving song ends the album on a folky and bouncy high. Legends does not really do anything different for Sabaton's core sound, but some strong songwriting and a slightly heavier overall approach make the album an engaging listen. I hoped that they would come back strong from the weaker previous effort - and they have done so quite significantly. It is an album which is up there with The Last Stand as a very enjoyable and moreish recent Sabaton effort - with a number of songs which are destined for the stage. Sometimes that is enough, and I am pleased to be back on the Sabaton train with this album.
The album was released on 17th October 2025 via Better Noise Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Hordes of Khan.
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