That’s right everyone, this summer I’m covering one of Sweden’s finest exports, and for good reason. As of this past January, these guys have been together as a band for a full quarter century, and thus it was only right to give them a look. From their humble roots in 1999, to headlining stadium shows alongside metallic titans like Judas Priest fairly recently, they’ve carved their own unique niche of Power Metal, and they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. So, as a way to show tribute to a band I love with all my heart, I’m devoting this summer to them.
I do have 1 rule, however. I will not be re-reviewing any Sabaton albums I’ve already looked at. This summer will be devoted to the records I haven’t looked at, or at the very least barely talked about. That’s still a fair amount considering the ones I’ve already made posts about, but I will shake things up in July to stretch things out. In any case, let’s take a look at the band’s second album, Attero Dominatus, and see if the gas from their first release will keep them going. Let’s begin.
Background
Taken from my Sabaton Overview in 2017:
“After arming themselves with a righteous beginning record, Sabaton continued their march for militaristic Power Metal conquest, and 2006 was to be another victory for the band, thanks to their 2nd record, Attero Dominatus. Released on July 28, 2006, the band actually recorded the album from March to May of that year, which is pretty fast if you ask me. The band also managed to get a music video of the title track recorded, with help from Nocturnal Rites' drummer Owe Lingvall (Another Power Metal group from Sweden).”
Basic Description
A step up.
Let’s get this out of the way: Primo Victoria is good. Damn good in fact. As a way to start a career, you could not do any better than the record I mentioned above. That being said, you can tell that it’s almost 2 decades old this year. As an absolute blast as their starting release is, you can tell it’s age rather easily (Ironic, since it was harder to tell when it was just a decade old). Attero Dominatus definitely takes things to the next level. Fresher production, fresher recording, and Sabaton’s historical identity comes across as more solid on here. There are definitely some hiccups to be sure (More on that a little later), but it’s obvious upon listening to the first track that something about this release comes across as a little fresher than the one that came before. Again, Primo Victoria is a bona-fide classic, but the band’s second release comes across as just a little fresher.
Best Track
Like I said waaaay back in 2017 in my overview on the band, I had to give credit to the title track of this album. Singing about the Battle Of Berlin, the song is loud, bombastic, and triumphant, yet things don’t fly off the rails at any point. Like a big military operation, it’s precise, and it carries a lot of heavy firepower. Can’t get much more badass than that!
Attero Dominatus
Worst Track
Also like I said in the overview, I didn’t think there wasn’t a single bad song on Attero Dominatus. On occasion you might get a hint of bad audio, but otherwise this release is great! That being said, it now shows it’s age. Coming in on nearly 20 years old next month on the 28th, you can tell that the band is still trying to find their footing, and the recording & production are still being worked on (Although it’s definitely improved on here).
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link above:
Attero Dominatus (w Re-Release Bonus Tracks)
Overall Impression & Rating
Attero Dominatus was definitely a step up from it’s already fantastic predecessor. The recording & production, though dated by today’s standards, was certainly improved over Primo Victoria, and the band’s dedication to the historical subject matter they draw inspiration from is solidified more here. Do yourself a favor, and set some time to the side to listen to this album. You won’t regret it!
Attero Dominatus gets 9.5 a out of 10.
So that was my look at Sabaton’s 2nd release, Attero Dominatus. Despite the near 2 decades of age, it shows that the band was solidifying their identity more & more with each note. Though their dedication to World War 1 & 2 history (For the most part) was still taking shape, you can tell their focusing on it a little more closely on this release. So, with the engines revved up a little more, join me around the middle of the month, when I’ll be taking a look at the black sheep of the Sabaton discography. See you then!
No comments:
Post a Comment