Heavyweight metal heroes Sabaton have announced details of their new album. Due for release via Nuclear Blast, 'The Last Stand' drops on 19th August 2016.
Issuing an update on the album, bassist and founder member Pär Sundström says: "We once work again with Peter Tägtgren in his newly upgraded and top class Abyss studio in Sweden to record, produce and mix the album. The mastering will be done by Jonas Kjellgren who also works in the same building in nice Pärlby on the countryside of Sweden.
The bassist adds: "Both 'Carolus Rex' and 'Heroes' were done in the same way and we feel very comfortable to return to the same place and people again. Fans will recognize the sound of the album as Sabaton, but we really feel we took it a step forward this time",
The artwork for the album, which can be viewed below, has once again been created by Peter Sallaí. A long time collaborator with the band, his paintings have adorned every Sabaton release since 2012's Carolus Rex'.
Comments Sundström on the striking imagery: "We had the idea to make an image reflecting soldiers of different times representing the different historical battles we sing about on the new album. This only reveals a small part of the album topics though".
Offering his take on the album title meanwhile, vocalist Joakim Broden says: "The concept of a last stand has always fascinated me, and both me and Pär were all in excited about the subject so it was an easy choice to make".
The front man continues: "We always have several ideas for albums to work with. Since there are countless different views and angles of war, we will unfortunately never run out of ideas. We kinda felt that the last stand was something perfect for Sabaton. Something we really wanted to do. Heroes was a perfect theme and The Last Stand is right down our alley too. It was exciting to do the research".
The singer concludes: "Did any other artist ever say ”Our new album is the best we ever made”? That’s not for us to decide, that’s up to our fans".
Taking to the stage in August 2015 at Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton made an entrance worthy of headline status when they arrived on stage with a fully laden armoured tank. Playing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage just ahead of bill-toppers Trivium, the Swedes put on a show to rival even that of the main attraction.