Falun, SE · power metal

Sabaton

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Swedish power metal's war historians — tank included, choruses drilled to parade-ground precision, history lectures you can mosh to.

Sabaton was formed in Falun, Sweden, in December 1999 by singer Joakim Brodén, bassist Pär Sundström, guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, and drummer Richard Larsson. The band built a career on power metal devoted almost entirely to military history, with albums such as Primo Victoria, Carolus Rex, Heroes and The Great War drawn from individual battles, campaigns and soldiers. Carolus Rex focuses on the Swedish Empire and was released in both English and Swedish versions.

Early demos were compiled on the promo disc Fist for Fight, and a first album, Metalizer, was recorded in 2002 but shelved for two years before the band moved to Black Lodge Records. Their proper debut, Primo Victoria, followed in 2005. Brodén later said its title track set the band's historical direction, and Sundström traced the shift toward war themes to watching Saving Private Ryan.

The sound combines mid-tempo riffing, heavy keyboard orchestration and choral, unison choruses, fronted by the baritone of vocalist Joakim Brodén. Keyboardist Daniel Myhr joined in 2005, freeing Brodén to concentrate on vocals. Later records sharpened the historical concept further: The Art of War built its lyrics around Sun Tzu's treatise on strategy, while Coat of Arms turned largely to the Second World War, including the Winter War.

Brodén and Sundström remain the only members to have stayed with Sabaton through its many lineup changes. The band's stage production has long included a tank-shaped drum riser, and Sabaton also runs its own festival in Falun. Their music has found a large audience through history-minded online content as well as the metal circuit.

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power metal