Swedish band Sabaton recently visited Heugh Battery ahead of the launch of its new album. John Ash spoke to founder member Pär Sundström about the band’s connection to the battery and interest in British history
There was supposed to be a loud bang, followed by the clanking of the mechanism and the jingle of an empty brass case. Instead, they depressed the gun to its lowest elevation and burnt away the unused charge. This was in solidarity for the people of Ukraine, they said, too many guns are already firing – we’ll come back and do this another time.
It was more powerful a symbol than the firing of the 25-pounder field gun that I had travelled halfway up the country to see. But that is Sabaton all over, the metal band’s songs may cover the heroics and gallantry of war but underpinning that is an underlying recognition that history must be learned from. It is something this Swedish group is extremely passionate about.
