Sara Hammerzmith

I’ve started several new blogs, about the boat, about Avatar, that is yet to be finished. But I have to pause everything I’m writing about currently to talk about something a lot heavier that reached our news today.

After 13 years of service, Mr OX is no longer a member of Lordi.

I… Don’t even know where to begin this entry. I’ll be honest and tell you all, I never thought I’d write an entry like this again, but then it hit me that the only option would be an entry about the band disbanding and it’s like choosing between the plague and the black death.

So. It took me some time to remember, but it just hit me. My first memory ever of him. And I’ll just skip the whole “I almost died during the show” kind of stuff and head straight to the meet and greet.

This was the first time ever I met Lordi, which is you know, 13 years ago now. Shy as we were, as we were approaching OX and Kita who were the two to call me and Lina over, I was looking down at the floor, and walking. As Kita grabbed me (once I reached him) I was stopped. And I saw a big pair of boots, and I slowly raised my eyes until I looked UP to a massive hellbull who was looking straight down at me. Haha. Had I taken just one more step I would have bumped straight into him. Thanks Kita almighty for saving that.

I do have a few small memories with him despite him perhaps being the member I notice the least over the years. I remember an incident more specifically in Italy, 2013, during “To Beast” tour. Or Awca, as I’d call it. I was asking each and every member if I could have a hug (this is from my fangirl days, you know) and I couldn’t quite reach him – in case you guys haven’t noticed… he’s pretty big with them boots.

Some other memories I, we, I guess, cherish with the hellbull himself is the bassolo he conducted during Monstour, that continued on through Sextourcism. His funky bassolo that really, and truly, lived up the mood during the shows. I might perhaps be speaking simply for myself, but still.

In a way, I was very very surprised to see him leave, but on the same time I guess it kind of made sense. I don’t know if perhaps this has to do with age, that it ain’t as big of a deal as it was when you were younger, or if it is because you think about it – he’s been in for some time, and maybe he’s just over it. I guess the surprise moment rather comes from the fact that this line up seemed to be so steady. It’s been the same for seven years, and I guess there is where the torn comes.

With that said, all the best to you OX!

So, it is time finally. FINALLY Sabaton has unveiled what is going to be the next album – titled “The Great War”. And I can’t even contain my excitement.

So, this is the coverart for the new album. Unlike previous albums, I’d actually dare to say that this cover is one of the heaviest yet. A bit macabre, if you ask me. The smoke turning into skulls, the soldier crying (crying blood or simply bleeding through his hands is up for your own interpretation) on top of fallen soldiers of war… It’s macabre. It’s the only word I can really use.

“The Great War” is for those who might be a bit uninformed, World War I. So, they continue along the path of concept albums, a path they walked down since “Carolus Rex”, the aforementioned being about the Swedish Empire, “Heroes” which covered stories about unique soldiers in war, and “The Last Stand” about the battles that ended whatever war they were from.

And I love concept albums, so bring it on. And I’m glad the focus has shifted from WWI to the first one. Now, they have of course covered WWI before occasionally, but not like this.

Which leads me to the second point of the post, the snippet of the first song “Fields of Verdun”.

“Fields of Verdun” covers the battle of Verdun, which is said to be the longest and most lethal combat of World War I. It was fought between German and French armies, and it lasted for a bit over nine months, with the French standing as victors in the end. That is, as far as there is any “victory” in war – it’s all just a bloodbath to me.

So.. about the snippet. There is a 10 second snippet that came with the History Channel Episode… And… Yeah.

It’s not that it’s bad. So far it sounds good, and it sounds very typical Sabaton. It’s very hard to judge something simply based of a few seconds – but these seconds are extremelt similar to “Poltava”. I was even able to sing along with the melodyline. It gives me flashbacks to when I heard “Winged Hussars” the first and were about to flip my shit. So let’s hope that it was just a temporary thing.

But despite that… I am so excited I can’t even wait!!! And on my name day of all day!! July 19th!

// Sara