Review: Sabaton – Heroes on Tour DVD

Heroes on Tour is a 1CD and 2DVD/BluRay collection. The two shows filmed for the DVD are Sabaton’s recent Wacken set, and their own festival headliner in Falun – both from the current Heroes run, so up to date in terms of set list. The CD recording is the audio from Wacken.

I’ve actually sat and watched both videos right through and thoroughly enjoyed them. Yes, the setlists clash a bit so there’s some repetition, but they’re presented with the typical Sabaton showmanship and humour so despite the songs being similar, they are different performances. Both DVDs have some introductory mumblings from band and crew members, but as I’m reviewing from a stream I don’t get subtitles so I can only understand the mad English guy who does their stage design. I’m sure this won’t be a problem on the final release! Same goes for the Falun show where Joakim mainly (and understandably) speaks in Swedish for the majority of the between-song banter.

Sound and camera angles are spot on for both videos, and the Falun show has the choice of “stage” or “studio” views, though – again a limit of the review stream – I couldn’t check out the studio one. I’d rather be watching the fireworks and crowd anyway. When you get the right camera view, it’s staggering how big the Wacken stage is. Falun’s isn’t small but it’s dwarfed by the enormous German offering.

Both shows feature fireworks, tanks, daft poses and incredible light shows. Hell, Sabaton without impressive stage decor is as hard to imagine as Rammstein without explosions and face-melting flame-age.

The Wacken DVD is probably my favourite of the two and partly due to the fact that it starts in daylight but ends after nightfall – reminiscent of most festival headline sets I’ve seen. Falun’s is all in the darkness, but looks all the more intimate for it. The crowd in that one, being a bit smaller, also seems to be that bit more into the show in terms of interaction. Oh, and there’s the fact that I can understand Joakim throughout. Maybe I should learn Swedish, just to be fair!

What comes across in both, though, is something that every Sabaton fan knows – this is a band that lives to play its songs live and does it incredibly well. I know I’m not the only member of the Crew here to think that they rank as one of the best live acts in terms of quality, music and sheer fun. It’s not unusual to see bands enjoying themselves up there, but few manage to do it looking as happy as Sabaton.

For the price of a gig ticket, you have here two shows which many of us would have loved to have been at (or maybe you were and want a souvenir) with the added bonus that you can play them over and over again. After all, the only bad thing with a Sabaton show is that it has to end. Problem solved – just hit “repeat”.

The running lists are below so you can check them out, and I’ve popped a video for “Resist and Bite” from the Wacken DVD right down the bottom as well. And don’t forget that Sabaton are touring with Alestorm and Bloodbound in a few weeks. WHOOP!

A variety of Nuclear Blast exclusive formats can be pre-ordered now. Heroes on Tour is released on March 4th, 2016.

Heroes On Tour – Tracklists:

DVD/Blu-ray1

01. Final Countdown
02. The March To War
03. Ghost Division
04. To Hell And Back
05. Carolus Rex
06. No Bullets Fly
07. Resist And Bite
08. Far From The Fame
09. Panzerkampf
10. Gott Mit Uns
11. The Art Of War
12. Soldier Of 3 Armies
13. Swedish Pagans
14. Screaming Eagles
15. Night Witches
16. Primo Victoria
17. Metal Crüe
BONUS MATERIAL
– Noch ein Bier
– SABATON With Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague
01. The Art Of War
02. The Final Solution

DVD/Blu-ray2

01. Final Countdown
02. The March To War
03. Ghost Division
04. To Hell And Back
05. Carolus Rex
06. Panzer Battalion
07. Wolfpack
08. Attero Dominatus
09. 7734
10. Union
11. The Art Of War
12. Saboteurs
13. Coat Of Arms
14. En Livstid I Krig
15. Resist And Bite
16. Swedish Pagans
17. Night Witches
18. Primo Victoria
19. Metal Crüe

CD

01. The March To War
02. Ghost Division
03. To Hell And Back
04. Carolus Rex
05. No Bullets Fly
06. Resist And Bite
07. Far From The Fame
08. Panzerkampf
09. Gott Mit Uns
10. The Art Of War
11. Soldier Of 3 Armies
12. Swedish Pagans
13. Screaming Eagles
14. Night Witches
15. Primo Victoria
16. Metal Crüe

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