Sabaton (band)
Sabaton is a Swedish power metal band from Falun. The vast majority of their albums are written about historical events, mainly wars and significant battles. Sabaton has been referred to as one of the "big four" power metal bands, along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, and DragonForce.[1]
Sabaton
Falun, Sweden
1999–present
- Underground Symphony
- Black Lodge
- Nuclear Blast
- Joakim Brodén
- Pär Sundström
- Chris Rörland
- Hannes Van Dahl
- Thobbe Englund
- Oskar Montelius
- Rikard Sundén
- Richard Larsson
- Daniel Mullback
- Daniel Mÿhr
- Robban Bäck
- Tommy Johansson
History[edit]
Formation and first albums (1999–2009)[edit]
Sabaton was formed in December 1999. After the first songs were recorded in Peter Tägtgren's studio, The Abyss, Sabaton was contacted by a couple of record labels. The band signed with the Italian label Underground Symphony, which then released, internationally, the promo CD Fist for Fight. The disc, distilled from two demo tapes recorded between 1999 and 2000, was intended to promote forthcoming Sabaton releases. In 2002, a new album, Metalizer, was recorded and was supposed to be distributed by Underground Symphony as the band's debut album. After two years of waiting, during which the band held various performances across Sweden, the album was abandoned.[2][3]
Lyrical and musical style[edit]
The band's main lyrical themes are based on war, historical battles, and acts of heroism, influenced by bands such as Iron Maiden.[51] Their name is a reference to the sabaton, a form of medieval foot armor. The armor and battle theme is heard in most songs on almost every album except Metalizer. In their albums The Great War and The War To End All Wars, which were released on 19 July 2019 and 4 March 2022, all the songs were based on World War I. Lyrical content drawn from World War I, World War II and other historical conflicts is prevalent and lyrics often recite stories of heroic deeds by men, women, and armies, such as the song "White Death", honoring legendary Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä.[52][53]
Sabaton is often referred to as a power metal band by both music critics and the general public, deemed "a major force in the power metal field since the mid-2000s."[54] However, the band has traditionally rejected the label, preferring to consider themselves a unique form of heavy metal.[55] Bassist Pär Sundström said in an interview: "I don't think Sabaton can only be categorized as power metal, as the two main attributes of power metal are high pitched vocals and fantasy lyrics and Sabaton have neither of those. We simply play our version of heavy metal—what heavy metal is to us. I'm sure that has impacted our reach, in addition to the fact that we don't give up after only a few tries! That, and Sabaton's music appeals to people of all ages."[56]
Controversy and Ukraine[edit]
The band performed at a show organized by Putin loyalist motorcycle club Night Wolves in Russian-occupied Crimea in 2015, and bassist Pär Sundström stated in an interview with Sweden Rock Magazine in 2016, when he was asked about that trip, “If you go to (Crimean city) Sevastopol, you hardly feel they feel occupied,” adding, “All these years they’ve felt like Russians but treated like a small piece of Ukraine.”[57] Pär has since specified that his original quotes were referring to “how I experienced the situation there and then”, adding, “That someone invades or occupies another country is against international law.”
In 2022, Sabaton received the Public Educator Award from the Swedish Skeptics Association, for the historical information which they publish on their homepage and through one of their YouTube channels.[58] (The award is traditionally presented to academics, authors, journalists and media outlets that go above and beyond what is expected in order to educate people.) The concert and comments mentioned above, and the resultant public debate in Sweden, caused the Swedish Skeptics Association to review the award, but the association didn't find justifications to withdraw the given award after their investigation.[59]
Sabaton distanced itself from the war and participated in a demonstration[60] (in Hartlepool, England) against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 3 March 2022, very shortly after the beginning of the invasion.[61] They also released an official statement on 15 March 2022: "Our upcoming album 'The War To End All Wars' deals with a conflict that ended over a century ago, and we’re deeply saddened to now see mankind repeat the mistakes of generations past. There has been more than enough bloodshed throughout history. No need for more."[62] Aside from these, Sabaton has in recent years kept to their longstanding official policy of actively avoiding politics, religion, ongoing wars and other current (and divisive) topics.
Current
Former
Former touring musicians
Recording timeline
Timeline
