Sabaton have established one of heavy rock’s most devoted followings by carving out one of its most singular niches: warfare-themed power metal. In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the Swedish five-piece have trained their sights on a fittingly monumental conflict: World War I. With machine-gun tempos and singer Joakim Brodén’s signature drill-sergeant bark, the opener “The Future of Warfare” sets the scene before delving deeper into individual tales of valour, courage and sacrifice—told at full-tilt speed. From Hill 223 (“82nd All the Way”) to the gas-choked trenches of Osowiec (“The Attack of the Dead Men”), from the sands of Arabia (the anthemic “Seven Pillars of Wisdom”) to the deadly skies above (“The Red Baron”), The Great War chronicles one of humankind’s darkest eras with appropriate doses of bombast and heart.