10 Metal Albums That Shouldn't Have Been Great (But Totally Were)

Sabaton was sitting pretty in early 2012. After signing to European label Nuclear Blast Records in 2008, the Swedish power metal outfit had released two of their strongest records, The Art of War (2008) followed by Coat of Arms (2010), and were gearing up for a third banger with Carolus Rex (2012).

However, not only could the album cause a stir in that it was a departure from Sabaton's World War One- and Two-orientated lyricism (instead focusing on the Swedish Empire of 1611-1721 and King Charles XII), but it also hit a monumental snag after recording, as four of the band's six members abruptly left, just weeks before the album was set to see the light of day.

With dissension in the Sabaton ranks, fans were suddenly a lot more pessimistic about the upcoming Carolus Rex. As the album that caused two-thirds of the band to up and quit, it must be pretty terrible, right?

Well, not only is it not terrible, but it is also the best album Sabaton has released to date. It elevates the usually campy power metal genre to grand, intelligent, intriguing heights, introducing diversity and macabre elements to what was a previously upbeat and incessantly over-the-top style.