Carolus Rex (album)

Carolus Rex
Studio album by Sabaton
Released 25 May 2012
Recorded October 2011 - January 2012, Abyss Studios, Sweden
Genre
Length 45:09
Label Nuclear Blast
Producer Sabaton, Peter Tägtgren
Sabaton chronology
Coat of Arms
(2010)		 Carolus Rex
(2012)		 Heroes
(2014)
Singles from Carolus Rex
  1. "Carolus Rex"
    Released: 8 April 2012
  2. "The Lion From the North"
    Released: 2012
Limited edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[1]

Carolus Rex is the sixth studio album by Swedish power metal band Sabaton. It is a concept album based on the rise and fall of the Swedish Empire, whose monarch Charles XII gives it its title. It was released with both English/mixed and Swedish vocals. It is the last album to feature guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mullback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr. It was produced by Peter Tägtgren in Abyss Studios.[2] The album received critical acclaim and commercial success, achieving gold certification in Poland and platinum in Sweden.

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicThemeLength
1."Dominium maris Baltici" ("Dominion of the Baltic Sea")   0:29
2."The Lion from the North"Brodén, SundströmBrodénGustavus Adolphus of Sweden4:42
3."Gott Mit Uns" ("God With Us")Brodén, SundströmBrodénThe 1631 battle of Breitenfeld3:15
4."A Lifetime of War"Brodén, SundströmBrodénThe misery caused by the Thirty Years' War5:45
5."1648"Brodén, SundströmBrodénThe 1648 battle of Prague3:54
6."The Carolean's Prayer"BrodénBrodénThe Caroleans6:14
7."Carolus Rex" ("King Charles")Brodén, SundströmBrodén, Ken KängströmThe crowning of Charles XII of Sweden, his belief in the Divine Right of Kings and the Great Northern War.4:53
8."Killing Ground"Brodén, SundströmBrodén, Ken KängströmThe battle of Fraustadt4:24
9."Poltava"SundströmBrodénThe defeat in the battle of Poltava4:03
10."Long Live the King"Brodén, SundströmBrodénThe death and funeral procession of Charles XII4:09
11."Ruina Imperii" ("Downfall of the Empire")Brodén, SundströmBrodénThe Carolean Death March and the fall of the Swedish Empire3:21
Total length:45:09

A Swedish edition of the album, with Swedish lyrics, is also available.

The limited 2-CD mail-order edition of the album includes the English version with all of the bonus tracks and the Swedish version, as well as alternate artwork.

As of 18 September 2012, the album is certified gold in Sweden, selling over 30,000 copies (20,000 copies sold is needed for an album to be certified gold in Sweden).[3] As of March 2013, the album is also certified gold in Poland.[4] On 18 June 2013, Carolus Rex was certified platinum in Sweden with 40,000 album sales, making it the "most successful Swedish heavy metal album ever" according to the band.[5] The album is the 74th best-selling album in Sweden after 1995.

On 28 September 2018, Sabaton announced that the album had been awarded quadruple platinum status after remaining on the Swedish chart for 326 weeks, and commemorated this with a number of limited edition versions and merchandise. These were set for release on 30 November 2018, the 300th anniversary of the death of Charles XII.[6]

Covers

  • Fellow Falun-based metal band Follow The Cipher, which includes Carolus Rex contributing songwriter Ken Kängström, covered "Carolus Rex" on their 2018 self-titled debut album. Metal Injection's review of the album noted Linda Toni Grahn's version of the vocals sounded "more haunting".[7]

Personnel

  • Joakim Brodén – lead vocals
  • Pär Sundström – bass
  • Oskar Montelius – guitars, backing vocals
  • Rikard Sundén – guitars, backing vocals
  • Daniel Mÿhr – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Daniel Mullback – drums
  • Peter Tägtgren – guest vocals on "Gott Mit Uns"

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Poland (ZPAV)[8] 1× Gold 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[9] 1× Platinum 40,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Sabaton – Carolus Rex review by heavymetal.about.com
  2. ↑ Pain interview - Peter Tägtgren (part 3). YouTube. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Sabaton – Official Headquarters Carolus Rex sells gold in Sweden - Sabaton - Official Headquarters". Sabaton - Official Headquarters. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Sabaton: 'Carolus Rex' Certified Gold In Poland - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Sabaton – Official Headquarters Carolus Rex Sells Platinum! - Sabaton - Official Headquarters". Sabaton - Official Headquarters. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Sabaton To Release 'Carolus Rex (Platinum Edition)' In November". Blabbermouth.net. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  7. ↑ Price, Aaron (1 June 2018). "Album Review: FOLLOW THE CIPHER - Follow The Cipher". Metal Injection. Retrieved 30 September 2018. While the original has more power behind the vocals—this version is more haunting. Grahn adds a different level of depth to the song. The original gave the impression of a song for a destructive ruler; you can hear the power and terror behind that. Yet, Follow The Cipher's version sounds more like a history lesson. This is a ruler who lived in the past, these are the horrible things he did—feel for his victims. It's interesting how giving the same song to a vocalist with a much different style can shift the tone massively.
  8. ↑ "Polish album certifications – Sabaton – Carolus Rex" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
  9. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat" (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Type Sabaton in the top right search bar. Click on "Sok" and select Carolus Rex and see certification.
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