History & Biography Sabaton from Falun in Sweden has delved into the glory of metal and fantasy topics, but the act has been centred on war and its history more than any other. The band's titles, lyrics and image has been war-oriented, which has meant that the group has dealt with accusations of glorifying misery and death. Regardless, the band has become a commercial success and is one of the bigger bands of the heavy metal circuit. To solidify its status, the band and its label sell many EPs and live releases in addition to its full-lengths.
The band was founded, first as Aeon, in 1999 before becoming Sabaton in the same year. A self-titled demo arrived in 2000. The 2001 demo, entitled Fist For Fight, was pressed by Underground Symphony in 2002. The band, however, signed with the Swedish Black Lodge Records and its self-financed debut album emerged in early 2005. The album featured singer and keyboardist Joakim Brodén, guitarists Rikard Sundén and Oskar Montelius, bassist Pär Sundström and drummer Daniel Mullback. Keyboardist Daniel Myhr joined in 2005 so Joakim could focus on the vocals. The band remained on Black Lodge until Coat Of Arms, which appeared on Nuclear Blast Records. The song Metal Ripper ripped phrases from a number of other band's metal songs. The band's tour of 20 countries was dubbed World War Tour. In the interim, however, Metalizer of 2007 was comprised of an early shelved album, recorded in 2002, and the Fist For Fight demo material. It was recorded and mixed at Abyss Studio by Tommy Tägtgren and Mats Brännlund. It had gone unreleased by Underground Symphony. The group toured Sweden in the autumn of 2006. The band also opened for Lordi. 2007 touring was with Thunderbolt. The Art Of War was based on Chinese philosopher Sun Tazu's ancient book. The band toured Europe as opener for fellow Swedes Hammerfall, played Bloodstock and toured with DragonForce. The members participated in a football tournament, called Metallsvenskan, alongside musicians from Tiamat, In Flames, The Haunted and more in 2009.
Coat Of Arms was based on the Winter War of 1939 between Finland and the Soviet Union. The group appeared at Hellfest in 2010 and toured as opener for Accept. There were concerts with Powerwolf. The Sabaton Re-Armed Editions was Nuclear Blast reissuing the group's Black Lodge Records' albums after the group purchased the rights from its former label. 2011 touring saw the band on the road with France-based Nightmare. With Rikard Sundén staying at home, in anticipation of becoming a father, Sabaton hired DragonForce's guitar-for-hire and bassist Frédéric Leclercq on guitar. The group visited North America next opening for Evergrey. Carolus Rex was sold with alternate English or Swedish lyrics.
The band lost four members, guitarists Rikard Sundén and Oskar Montelius, drummer Daniel Mullback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr, in 2012. They founded a new band called Civil War. The reason for the departure was reportedly work-life balance and a desire to tour less on the part of the departed members. The band announced immediate replacements, but used samples of Mÿhr's work on the road. The group announced its participation at Bandit Rock Awards 2012 and several concerts as openers for Iron Maiden (including in Russia). The Swedes were on the 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise in 2013 and again in 2018. Sabaton supported Heroes by appearing at Download Festival and travelling to Japan to participate in Loud Park. More controversy and questionable actions were recorded when the band travelled to occupied Ukraine and played a show in Crimea. The band would, however, make amends when it objected to the expanded Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier, the band was accused of nazism with a Russian concert the subject of protests. North Americans saw the band on stage with Skeletonwitch and Amon Amarth. 2015 had the band with Dutch popsters Delain. Moreover, the band had its own Open Air Germany, Sweden and cruise. Frontman Joakim Brodén was walking some 500 kms to Trondheim Metal Fest after losing a bet to fellow band members! The Last Stand jumped on the Japanese bandwagon, which was running its course through the scene, and featured a song called Shiroyama, which sang of samurai and bushido. The band was in South America in 2016. Guitarist Thobbe Englund left the band in 2016. His last show was the band's own recurring Sabaton Open Air. The man would rejoin in 2024. In the interim, Tommy Johansson of ReinXeed was the newest guitarist. The half-Czech Joakim Brodén came in fifth in the Czech national singing competition Český Slavík in November 2016. The band toured North America with Kreator. The band was back touring with Hammerfall in 2019. The band toured Sweden in 2021 not minding the pandemic. That year also brought a report that Sabaton founders vocalist Joakim Brodén and bassist Pär Sundström were ordered by the Swedish tax authority to pay substantial back taxes for not paying the right amounts previously The members pleaded ignorance and blamed their accountants.
The quintet had an EP trilogy entitled Echoes Of The Great War. This trilogy featured songs specifically regarding World War I. The trilogy was comprised of Weapons Of The Modern Age, Heroes Of The Great War and Stories From The Western Front. The band toured again With Lordi, as well as Babymetal, in 2023. The Tour To End All Tours concert film premiered in select cinemas on October 11th 2024. It was filmed during the group’s European Tour at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome in 2023. Moreover, In conjunction with its animated film, The War To End All Wars - The Movie, Sabaton launched a campaign entitled History Rocks in support of interest in history and to encourage visits to museums. Judas Priest invited Sabaton to open shows in 2024.The bands were to tour in 2020 initially, but the pandemic had ended that idea. After parting ways with guitarist Tommy Johansson, who wanted to focus on his own activities, Thorbjörn "Thobbe" Englund was welcomed back into the fold in 2024. The band was heading to Argentina (Wars And Wolves Metal Fest), Brazil and Colombia in May 2025. Sabaton announced The Legendary Tour for Europe for 2025. The act and The Legendary Orchestra covering Sabaton were to tour Europe in the autumn.
2019's Soundtrack to the Great War was the so-called orchestral digital version of The Great War album. The band repeated the idea with 2022's The Symphony To End All Wars. The band had also tapped that well in 2017 by appearing on stage with Zlín Philharmonic Orchestra. The band has also been involved with war-related video games and military-related videos. The group commemorated its 20th anniversary through an appearance at Wacken Open Air in 2019. The members were in a car accident, while filming a video, in Tunisia in 2019. A concert in Poland was consequently cancelled. The 2023 annual Sabaton Open Air was cancelled with the band promising a return at some point in the future. The group signed with Better Noise Music. It uploaded a new song and video called Templars in 2025. It was recorded, mixed and mastered at Black Lounge Studios by Jonas Kjellgren.
Sabatons are the armoured footwear of mediaeval knights. The band has called itself "war crew."
Reviews SABATON - PRIMO VICTORIA - BLACK LODGE
Sabaton is a Swedish band with a keen interest in history and war. As much as the preferred subject matter here is contemporary this band's sound, music and vocals are reminiscent of Manowar and Running Wild. The comparisons are undeniable. Sabaton has a character mostly its own though which makes it all endurable. The band specializes in riff-oriented heavy metal although has sadly included background keyboards on certain tracks. The melodies work with the guitar solos, in particular, which help in that particular area. Another element worth pointing out is the easily understood words emanating from the comprehensible vocals. Be it fast or mid-paced songs, Primo Victorio is all about world war operations and more as heard on songs like Stalingrad, Panzer Battalion and Reign Of Terror. - Ali "The Metallian"
SABATON – THE LAST STAND – NUCLEAR BLAST 
Few European bands have risen in popularity as much in recent years as Sabaton has. Yours truly saw them supporting Edguy once in Germany for the Rocket Ride tour, and I thought: “Well, not bad, but also not very original.” But they worked hard on improving their songwriting and toured like hell. The reward: now playing in major arenas in Europe that bands like Deep Purple or Iron Maiden would normally book. Sabaton has two things going against them for metal purists: they use keyboards – a lot. Also, they only write about war – mostly about historical battles or military campaigns. It is their band concept and limits them lyrically, but their songs are often captivating. The recent album only deals with famous last stands – songs titled Sparta, Blood Of Bannockburn, Rorke's Drift, Shiroyama – all are famous battles where one side was completely obliterated. The variety is great – Blood Of Bannockburn features bagpipes and a very optimistic atmosphere (the Scots were outnumbered against the English, but defeated them anyway), Rorke's Drift is fast and almost progressive in its structure, Shiroyama is epic (the last 500 Samurai were wiped out by guns and heavy opposition in that battle). The album's highlight, however, is the title track about a little-known battle of the Vatican Swiss Guard against marauding Holy Roman Empire soldiers in 1527. All 189 soldiers of the Swiss Guard died protecting Pope Clement VII. to help him escape to Castel Sant Angelo. The song is fantastic – it opens with church bells, rises up to an epic chorus, has a great melodic solo, and the final chorus is half an octave higher than the previous ones. Think of a mix between Demon at their best and Savatage during their most symphonic years. For those who do not know the band, singer Joakim Broden has a mid-range voice closer to people like Dio or Jeff Scott Soto. He rarely uses falsetto and is the counterpart to the melodic elements of the band. - Andreas Herzog
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