What does Sabaton have in common with World War II?
Here is the answer....
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From absolute deep silence to absolute chaos of bombs...
Moving on to the main issue, Sabaton released in May 2014 the album "Heroes".Heroes is a thematic album that focuses on heroes of World War II. Each song tells a story of bravery and sacrifice from different countries and war fronts. We could analyze each song individually because as is unprecedented, each song has its own story. But we will focus on the one and only "Night Witches".
"Night Witches" takes us back to the quiet nights of the World War that ended in total chaos. The Soviet Union's military had to confront the German air force and develop strategies that would allow their forces to strike their enemies from the air, despite significant shortfalls in technology and resources. In 1941, the Soviet Air Force created a unique unit called the "Red Army".The "Red Army" was composed entirely of women. Although their ability to operate airplanes and perform dangerous missions was initially questioned, they soon proved their worth. The pilots, the majority of whom were women, carried out night missions in old and slow Polikarpov Po-2s, a double monoplane used mainly for training and transport purposes. These women were the first to use night bombing tactics in such a successful way. They flew their planes in the dark of night, not easily detectable by German radar. When they approached the target,they switched off their engines, making the planes almost silent, while the German soldiers heard only the rustle of the air. This sound reminded them of the witches of tradition, which gave them the nickname "Night Witches".
This unit had considerable success in attacking German strategic positions, warehouses, supply lines and even military bases. Despite the constant adversity and cold temperatures of the Eastern Front, the pilots continued their missions, causing confusion and fear among German soldiers.
Marina Raskova, was one of the best-known leaders of the swarm and is considered a national heroine in Russia. Raskova helped organize and train many women pilots. During their career, the Night Witches carried out over 23,000 missions and dropped more than 3,000 tons of bombs. Many of the female pilots, such as Paulina Grindiko and Nadia Gorba, received titles and awards for their heroic actions.
So Sabaton creating "Power Metal" and as a tribute to these women who caused fear and terror to the German Troops, they perfectly capture the spirit and ferocity of their attacks, with lyrics like:
“Undetected, unexpected, Wings of glory, tell their story”
“Canvas wings, as silent as the night”
The intensity of the music reflects the anguish and determination of these women who flew into one of the most dangerous war zones of World War II.
📝: Evangelos Mertzanidis
