Sabaton

Sabaton is a Swedish power metal band from Falun, formed in 1999 by vocalist Joakim Brodén, bassist Pär Sundström, guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, and drummer Richard Larsson. The band has experienced multiple lineup changes, with Brodén and Sundström remaining as the only consistent members. Most of their songs focus on historical events, particularly wars and notable battles.

After recording early material at Peter Tägtgren’s studio, The Abyss, the band released the promo CD "Fist for Fight" through Underground Symphony. Their intended debut album "Metalizer" was recorded in 2002 but not initially released. Sabaton later signed with Black Lodge Records and released their debut studio album "Primo Victoria" in 2005, followed by "Attero Dominatus" in 2006. "Metalizer" was officially released in 2007 alongside "Fist for Fight", including the previously unreleased track "Birds of War". The fourth album, "The Art of War", inspired by Sun Tzu’s book, was released in 2008. During this period, keyboardist Daniel Myhr joined the band, allowing Brodén to focus on vocals. Sabaton toured Europe supporting bands such as Edguy, DragonForce and HammerFall.

Their fifth studio album, "Coat of Arms", was released in 2010 after signing with Nuclear Blast and included songs primarily about World War II. The release was accompanied by a European tour and music videos for "Uprising" and "Screaming Eagles". In 2012, the concept album "Carolus Rex" was released, coinciding with significant lineup changes in which Brodén and Sundström were the only remaining members. The departing members formed the band Civil War. Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund joined on guitars and Robban Bäck on drums, later replaced by Snowy Shaw and then Hannes Van Dahl.

The band released "Heroes" in 2014, which reached number one on the Swedish album chart. They performed internationally, including at Download Festival and Loud Park in Japan. Their eighth album, "The Last Stand", was released in 2016, with singles such as "The Lost Battalion". Tommy Johansson joined the band on guitar following Thobbe Englund’s departure, though Englund rejoined in 2024.

Sabaton created the YouTube channel Sabaton History in 2019 in collaboration with Indy Neidell and TimeGhost History, providing historical context for their songs. The same year, they released the single "Bismarck" in collaboration with the video game World of Warships and the concept album "The Great War", centred on the First World War, with singles including "Fields of Verdun", "The Red Baron" and "The Great War". Their 20th anniversary show featured former members and Civil War musicians. In August 2019, the band was involved in a car accident in Tunisia, resulting in the cancellation of some shows. They continued touring with North American acts and livestream performances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sabaton released "Livgardet" in February 2021, a tribute to the Swedish Royal Guard, and followed with the single "Defence of Moscow" in May. Their tenth studio album, "The War to End All Wars", focusing again on the First World War, was released on 4 March 2022, preceded by singles including "Christmas Truce", "Soldier of Heaven" and "The Unkillable Soldier". The band also contributed songs to video games such as World of Tanks and Hearts of Iron IV. They released the EP "Weapons of the Modern Age" in 2022 and "Heroes of the Great War" in 2023, concluding the Echoes of the Great War trilogy with "Stories from the Western Front" and supported these releases with European tours.

In 2024, Thobbe Englund returned to the band following Tommy Johansson’s departure. Sabaton released the concert film "The Tour to End All Tours" in October 2024 and an animated movie based on "The War to End All Wars" in 2023, which was released on streaming platforms in March 2025.

In 2025, Sabaton performed in South America and at Sweden Rock Festival. They announced the album "Legends", released on 17 October 2025, preceded by singles including "Templars", "Hordes of Khan", "The Duelist" and "Lightning at the Gates". The band’s current touring plans include The Legendary Tour in Europe, featuring The Legendary Orchestra. As of 2025, Sabaton has released eleven studio albums, four live albums, five live DVDs and twenty-nine music videos.

Studio albums
Primo Victoria (2005)
Attero Dominatus (2006)
Metalizer (2007)
The Art of War (2008)
Coat of Arms (2010)
Carolus Rex (2012)
Heroes (2014)
The Last Stand (2016)
The Great War (2019)
The War to End All Wars (2022)
Legends (2025)