EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH PAR SUNDSTROM OF SABATON !!
Swedish War Machine, SABATON Are On Their Way To The Absolute Top Of The Heavy Metal World With Amazing New Record “The Last Stand”!!
DISC REVIEW “THE LAST STAND”
メタルが多様化の道を歩む現代において、純度100%の Power Metal を送り続けるスウェーデンの5人組 SABATON が新作 “The Last Stand” をリリースしました!!
昨年の Loud Park において、初来日ながら圧倒的なパフォーマンスを披露し、日本のファンに強烈な印象を残した彼ら。弊誌でもライブ直後にインタビューを行い、大きな反響をいただいたことは記憶に新しいですね。あれから約1年。サバタリオンの元に届けられた新作は、この地で新しく得たファンをさらに魅了することでしょう。
“The Last Stand” は歴史上の偉大なラストスタンド、最後の戦いにフォーカスしたアルバムです。偉大なミュージシャンであると同時に、優れたストーリーテラーでもある SABATON。エピカルな歌詞を伴った大仰なボーカルと、クリアーでキレの良い演奏によって、リスナーはスコットランド革命から第二次世界大戦まで、鮮明な戦いのイメージを脳裏に浮かべることでしょう。
壮大な “The Last Stand” を象徴するような楽曲、”Sparta” で戦いの火蓋は切って落とされます。古代ギリシャのスパルタを題材としたオープナーは、シンフォニックなキーボードでドラマティックに幕を開け、鳴り響く地響きのような雄叫びは、まるで何万人もの兵士が間近に存在するかのよう。メロディアスでキレの良いリードプレイも白眉で、典型的でアグレッシブな SABATON のスタイルを提示しています。
日本のファンにスペシャルなプレゼントもあります。 “Shiroyama” はなんと西南戦争、西郷隆盛最後の戦いについて書かれた楽曲なのです。”Bushido Dignify. It’s the Last Stand of the Samurai”、武士道は尊く、これこそが侍のラストスタンドだ!と高らかに歌われるキラーチューンは、彼らの日本に対する敬意、愛情と共に私たちに目頭の熱くなるような感動をもたらしてくれますね。
Joakim の巻き舌ボーカル、常にツッコミ気味でシャープなドラムスと共に、SABATON が他の Power Metal アクトを置き去りにしている理由。それはメロディーの充実度、キャッチーさです。その側面にフォーカスしたのが “The Last Battle” でしょう。80年代のヘアメタルや JOURNEY さえ想起させる軽快なオープニング、ふんだんに使用される POP なキーボードサウンド、タッピングにスイープを織り交ぜた派手なシュレッド、全てが印象的で耳に残ります。
同時に、”Blood of Bamnockburn” のバグパイプを使用したエピカルな演出は美しくも見事ですし、”The Lost Battalion” は BLIND GUARDIAN へのリスペクトをオペラティックに表現し、結果として、アルバムはアグレッション、キャッチー、エピックのバランスが素晴らしい作品に仕上がっていますね。
今回弊誌では Par に再度ご登場願い、新作について語っていただきました。なお、SABATON Open Air を最後にギタリストの Thobbe Englund がバンドを去り、新たに RainXeed の Tommy Johansson が加入しています。どうぞ!!
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH Pär Sundström OF SABATON !!
“Veni, Vidi, Vici”!! SABATON has just conquered Japan at LOUD PARK 2015!! Definitely, best act of the festival, Pär Sundström of SABATON talks about Japan, past, and future of the band!!
SET LIST
1. Ghost Division
2. To Hell And Back
3. Carolus Rex
4. Swedish Pagans
5. Resist and Bite
6. The Art of War
7. Night Witches
8. Primo Victoria
9. Metal Crue
【INTERVIEW WITH Pär Sundström】
Q1: Hi, Par! Thanks a lot for giving us this great opportunity!! Sabaton really knocked us out at Loud Park 2015!! Lots of Japanese Metal fans choose you as best act of Loud Park. Please let me know your impression about Japan, Japanese Metal fans, and Loud Park.
【 Pär 】: We are very impressed by all of Japan. Of course the fans who are very loyal but also we are impressed by Japan as a country. We had a fantastic time even if the jetlag made sure we slept early in the evenings and sadly missed all of Tokyos nightlife. Next time!
Q1: SABATON は LOUD PARK 2015のまさに台風の目でしたね!多くの日本のメタルファンが SABATON をベストアクトに選んでいました。まずは感想を聞かせてください。
Q2: The tank was on stage!! Tank!! We couldn’t believe that. haha. Joakim’s vest, What a nice !! All members wore same military pants. These army like stage effects reminds us WWⅠ, WWⅡ. What made you so? And what is past world war to you?
【 Pär 】: Actually we sing about history. And to fit into our own theme a bit more we take some theatrer effects onto the stage. It becomes more intense and exciting to have the stage a part of the show.
Of course Sabaton does not need to hide behind tanks and stagesets but its a nice addon to a show.
Q3: This is first interveiw with you, so could you tell us about the band? How did Sabaton start? And what’s the meaning of your band name Sabaton?
【 Pär 】: Well, its a long story. Lots of people in Japan I guess have recently discovered Sabaton and thinks its a new band. But we have been going on for 16 years and today the band is headlining some of the biggest festivals in Europe and has several gold and platinum awards for sales.
The band was formed in 1999 in Falun, Sweden. Since we signed to a small local label the first 10 years we had to do all ourselves. This has led to that we are now a well functioning band that does not even need a management on this level. We are self managed. Even though the original lineup was intact for 13 years we had finally a break in the band in 2012. Since some of us wanted to work even harder and some wanted to step down a bit.
Sabaton is a very hard touring band. I have been on the road for 300 days in 12 months.
Q4: So, your latest release “Heroes” is definitely your masterpiece. Especially, I was really impressed by “Inmate 4859” That is the song about Witold Pilecki, hero of Poland. Also from the title of the album, I felt you focused on kind of “Heroism” at the “Heroes”. How about that?
【 Pär 】: We focused the album on people who went beyond the call of duty and did something that put them into great harms way to make it short and simple. It was a perfect theme for Sabaton we thought.
The song Inmate 4859 was actually the first story we started with, it became the leading star when writing the album.
Q5: “Ballad of the Bull” is really beautiful and emotional song. I really love the song because it shows your melodic aspect deeply. But lot’s of fans surprised at your ballad. What made you record this kind of song?
【 Pär 】: Sabatons music is very wide spread. There are trashmetal songs, ballads and all kinds of technical stuff. So for us we are not bound to any limitations when writing a song. This song we had no idea on how to proceed when we first wrote it so we took help of some old friends who had the whole idea of the arrangement.
Q5: 対して “BALLAD OF THE BULL” は非常に美しくエモーショナルなバラードですね。あなた達のメロディックな側面を深く表したような楽曲です。ただ、ファンはこういった楽曲に驚いたでしょうね?
Q6: At 2012, four original members left the band. And “Heroes” is the first album with new lineup. What’s the difference between these two lineups?
【 Pär 】: Indeed. After 13 years with original lineup 4 bandmembers decided to quit. I simply said we have to tour more and work harder. And some were not willing to do that due to different reasons which I totally understand and support. No hard feelings but me and Joakim went on with Sabaton and they formed Civil War which is their band today.
Q7: Anyway, “Primo Victoria” was played at Loudpark, off course. Melody and lyric of the song is loved much by your fans and it’s like Anthem of Sabaton. Looking back now, what’s “Primo Victoria” to you?
【 Pär 】: Primo Victoria means the first victory and I guess it sums up what it means. The song gave us our first real record deal and thats where it all began!
We are looking forward to Come back to Japan!! Sorry it took 16 years for us to come. We promise we come back quicker next time!
Actually the show at Loud Park was over our expectations and I am already looking into ways to coming back soon!!
日本に戻るのが待ち切れないんだ!!初来日に16年もかかってしまってゴメンね。次はもっと早く戻ると約束するよ!実際、LOUD PARK のショーは全くもって期待以上だったし、すでに僕は早く日本へ戻れるように交渉を初め始めているんだよ!!