‘Auschwitz awaits’: Different readings on Sabaton’s ‘The Final Solution’ (2010) and the question of irony

Abstract

The Swedish power metal band Sabaton can be referred to as an established act within the international metal scene. Though the band is known for the utilization of war in most of its songs, it is remarkable that Sabaton is one of the few bands in the metal ‘mainstream’ that also address the Holocaust in their output. In this article, I will trace Sabaton’s musical treatment of the Holocaust in the song ‘The Final Solution’, and subsequently question it critically. Using Linda Hutcheon’s model for the analysis of irony in aesthetic products as a frame for this investigation, a trans-medial music analysis of visual, auditive and contextual aspects will be carried out. With the resulting observations on the phenomenon, I will broaden the focus to present four suggestions on how ‘The Final Solution’ can be read, taking into account both metal insider and outsider perspectives, as well as German and non-German points of view.