20. 1914 - "Virubus Unitis"

Imagine Sabaton, but if they were obsessed with one particular conflict and used metal to illustrate the horrors of that conflict as opposed to rousing tales of brave deeds in bad situations. Hailing from Ukraine, 1914 write specifically and exclusively about the First World War. Their barbaric and brutal take on blackened metal fits the subject matter well, creating heart and heart-wrenching tales that fully articulate the horrors of that particular conflict.

“Viribus Unitis” takes its emotive storytelling to a new level by focusing its narrative on one soldier’s journey through the war. The infantryman in question is a Ukrainian soldier fighting in the Austro-Hungarian army. The concept flows over tracks that tell both of his suffering and imprisonment at the hands of the Italians. By also covers the camaraderie he feels and the feelings of enthused excitement he gains from the conflict.

It is a superb piece of work, epic but also human. By concentrating on one individual's journey through the war, they manage to deal with the atrocities of conflict in an insular and contained manner. This is not a sensational work; instead, it is a measured and restrained story of one man’s war, and it is fascinating because of that level of forensic detail. An absolute triumph.