Why are SABATON so big?
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- Опубліковано 19 гру 2022
- In this video I discuss how Sabaton's unique twist on Power Metal has helped them become the biggest band of the entire genre, by far!
Why are they so popular? And what is it that draws so many unsuspecting people to their music?
![Amon Amarth | Twilight Of The Thundergod [Instrumental Cover]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dpKlCwv7cxY/mqdefault.jpg)
As a history major and lover of power metal, Sabaton checks every possible box. Their music is phenomenal, and most of the stories they tell would never have been exposed on such a scale otherwise. Nearly every song they release teaches me something I didn’t know prior about the character or event at hand.
That's so true, Sabaton have enlightened me to so many stories and history of war from all around the world!
Plus their history channel is great
As a Fellow Historan i whole heartly agree with you. It has led me to do research on areas I never though about doing before.
Same here man. Finished last december with a history major and I'm a metal head, combined two of the things I love into something utterly spectacular. Even got a couple of my buddies invested in learning about history just by listening to their stuff and them wanting to know what the song they were listening to is about.
The only story I knew of before hand was the lost battalion only because of the movie which I had watched beforehand
Three things that makes Sabaton so great. 1. Telling historical events without taking a side ( Better than any history book ever written) 2. Joakim`s singing voice what is close to spoken, so you always want to sing a along. 3. their stage presence is some of best I have seen.
iirc, the only time they took a side was when they sung the Rise Of Evil
The melody is catchier than a Disney movie. I kind of think that is important.
@@erichvondonitz5325 Don't forget their diss track on terrorists
@@twinzzlers Who in the right mind would be for terrorism?
@@theskarletpinkernel5745 Terrorists
They're modern day bards
I find them to be the masters of simplicity and consistency.
Thats a very interesting way to define... and i agree.
No, bards where more skilled.
@@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 - Kpop Lover detected
@@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 your opinion is bad
@Baltu Lielkungs Gunārs Miezis Sure they were
I'm 60+, never listened to Metal in my whole life and definitely not interested in military things. Didn't even know they were Swedish like me until I stumbled on a music video on UA-cam and now I'm hooked. Going to my first metal/Sabaton concert next year, tickets purchased. Surprising my grown-up children who wonders what hit their mother.
Just saying, they play good music on interesting subjects that turned my world around.
Hell yeah!!! I'm 22 and very much wanting to see them! Rock on and enjoy!!!
Du kunde inte ha valt ett bättre band att se live. I min bok har de bara toppats av rammstein, men det är från ögonen av en metal lyssnare. Sabatons konserter är bara sjukt roliga, speciellt i Sverige. Om jag får ge ett råd så skulle jag rekommendera att du lär dig de viktigaste grejerna för en moshpit så att du vet vad som händer när alla börjar springa omkring som galningar. Ha det kul på konserten. God jul allihopa
@@walterwallman3566 tack för de orden. Jag skall ta med svärsonen, han får lära mig. Min julklapp till honom. Han lyssnar till dem - men jag upptäckte dem själv,han var inte inblandad alls. Jag har fått lära honom om Tommy Johansson och Majestica.
You will not be disappointed. They sound amazing live. Shows are full of energy, crowd engagement and band antics on stage are fun to watch. I've seen them twice now and will definitely see them the next time the swing through here.
My friend, you are going to have an absolute blast. Also, welcome to the Sabaton family.
On interaction with the crowd, in Chicago (the tour in this video where he yelled “they’re fucking Swedish!,” which was not the only time he playfully interrogated anyone with a Swedish flag) he pointed out a child in the front of the crowd, asked him if he had ever been to a Sabaton concert, and when Joakim heard that this was his first he
_gave the kid his sunglasses._
Joakim strikes me as a power metal band frontman who loves his fans as much as his fans love him, if not more.
He's done that with kids several times. It's so lovable it hurts
Sabaton is getting people into two of my most favorite things.... Metal and history! They are teaching important story's from history and getting people to want to know more. I might not listen to them much but I still love this bad and what they do and will continue to do.
Yes! I like Metal and war history so Sabaton is the perfect uinion of that.
This. So much this.
What I like about Sabaton compared to other metal bands is that their songs actually sound good to listen to. Most metal bands seem to be a competition to whether the lead singer's throat or the guitar was give out and break first. Sabaton is catchy and Joakim's voice doesn't make my throat hurt just listening to it. It's kinda the same reason I like Powerwolf, catchy songs and lyrics without devolving into screaming and ear bleeding.
It's funny how so many Sabaton fans love Powerwolf, and how so many Powerwolf fans love Sabaton. They both serve as excellent catalyst for getting people into the metal genre. I used to hate metal and was more of a rock guy. But after discovering Sabaton and Powerwolf, I was instantly hooked by metal.
I agree, when I first heard about Sabaton I was worried that they'd have a singer who was screaming the lyrics and the instruments would sound like pots and pans banging together. I'm very glad that it's easy to understand the lyrics because they focus on telling a story more than just being loud.
@@howardbaxter2514 I got into Powerwolf first, and then got into Sabaton after seeing The Last Stand memes, such a brilliant bridge between the two bands.
That's just how Power metal sounds. Metal subgenres are extremely diverse. Seems like death metal, black metal, grindcore etc are not up to your tastes, and that's fine, but don't call it "most metal bands". I recommend a channel called "Pagefire" for the brief and extremely funny introductory videos about metal subgenres.
Yeah, it helps a lot that their lyrics are easy to understand. Also their music is nothing too fancy, but something that Joakim can sing perfectly even when completely pissed. I love a couple of show-off metal bands, but their live performances are miles behind the studio versions while Sabaton is almost identical. Same with Powerwolf, although there Attila is a beast of a singer to match their studio recordings.
Some might say… they’re a metal machine
*applause* Boooooo!
Yes
IT'S CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT AND HE'S BARKING AT THE MOON!
I'M A METAL MACHINE!
@@colbynorthcutt8837 THE RAINBOW IN THE DARK IS SHINING
Sabaton is definitely unique. IIRC, the daughter of Audie Murphy thanked Sabaton for not making another country ballad about her father. then the grandson of the german pilot in No Bullets Fly is a huge Sabaton fan, who's mother thanked Sabaton for covering the topic
To Hell And Back is such a great song to honor Audie Murphy. Whenever that whistle starts I get goosebumps.
I think there's another big reason : the sheer amount of respect the band has for their fan base and for the audience. The fact that they do things their own way in everything (even merch is dealt by the band). I discovered them at the Download 2016 festival in Paris ; it was raining like hell...Joakim went to the far front of the stage to be under the rain like his audience...basically saying "we're all a team in the same sh1t". The more I hear things about them, the more I like them. Awesome band (which doesn't mean I like every song they do).
"the sheer amount of respect the band has for their audience"
Until that audience wants them to play Swedish Pagans of course lol
Also, besides the history aspect of their music, their fan interaction is top teir. Both at concerts and online!
Sabaton have something of a cult following in the US lower enlisted, especially the history buffs. I once had the opportunity to see them during their US 21 tour, which ended up being special; it was the Denver concert, after Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest had a heart issue that forced them to cancel their US tour. Pär contacted a local theater that was willing to take them last minute, and I got tickets to the event.
Those three hours going completely ham with other fans was one of the best experiences of my life. I will never forget everything from making them play Swedish Pagans three times, to Joakim shredding on a Hello Kitty guitar.
Ahh yes, everyone just starts the chanting and they eventually cave. I swear they don’t even put that song in their setlists they just get bullied into it lol
I was there too, one of the happiest days of my life. I brought my best buddy who I had just gotten into them, everyone got that sweet tour shirt for free with those tickets and it was an orgy of Sabaton magic. I hope I get to see a show that long again, I'd go a thousand times to see Sabaton play all by themselves.
I was there too, so much fun. I'm glad that was my first Sabaton concert, me and my little brother had a blast.
I have to see them live before I die
My wife and I have seen Sabaton 5 times so far, including this most recent tour they just wrapped up. The Palladium in L.A. was sold out! Seriously, they NEVER disappoint. In their stop in Colorado, they met a WW II veteran who flew cover for the B-17 Ye Olde Pub from their song No Bullets Fly. In a previous tour, they went to Canada and met the family of Franz Stigler, the German ace that spared the 'Pub from destruction. He and Charlie Brown, the pilot of the 'Pub became best friends.
I was at the one in LA and I loved it it was my first concert ever and it was the best
I wish i could convince my partner to come see Sabaton just once... She hates them 😅
@@MetalHealthTV I got lucky. My wife got me into Sabaton since she's almost as much of a history nut as I am. I'd never heard of them before she introduced me to their music with Primo Victoria. She usually listens to R&B but she thinks Joakim has a lot of soul. lol
@@MetalHealthTV lmao sounds about right
i'm gonna go see a sabaton concert in luxembourg in april
The "nerdiness" of their music is actually one of the things that attracted me. I'm a huge history nerd. I like metal, but I also like epic orchestral music. Sabaton combines these things together nicely and the best part for me is that they don't sugarcoat anything. They sing it how it is. And they tell stories from perspectives no one ever gives much thought to. History is written by the victors, but Sabaton's music serves as a constant reminder that there are always two sides to every conflict. In my opinion, understanding the enemy's perspective on the war is just as important as understanding your own side's perspective, and Sabaton does this nicely. Telling the stories that need to be told, but often get overlooked because they're stories from the enemy.
I disagree with Sabaton being the band you switch your brain off to and let the show entertain you, because their songs are more emotional and deeper than most because of the real life elements and feelings involved.
I'd say they are more like Starship Troopers, a really fun movie that you CAN switch off your brain to but underneath it turns out it's a much deeper thing and far more meaning than a mindless action movie, even if it can be enjoyed as such ;)
I think you're right there! That explains it better than how I tried haha!
you mean that it is like the book Starship Troopers. The movie is basically a cartoon while the book gives you a lot of things to think about.
I mean I do kinda get what he's saying. I've been known to describe Sabaton as "comfort food metal", i.e. consistent, fun, and you don't have to work too hard to enjoy it.
@@angelrivera2339 The movie is a deliberate satire of the book formatted as an ultrapatriotic war propaganda film. Verhoeven was hired to make the movie before he'd read the book, and wasn't able to finish reading the book and had his assistants do it for him because the militarism reminded him too much of his childhood in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.
The book is a piece of crap.
@@starsword-c2534 I am not sure if I like the book myself, but it gave me a lot to think about. I got that the movie is satire, but I never appreciate when people make a cheap imitation of a book I read. I find it disrespectful to me as a reader of books and movie fan.
I was a “normie” when I discovered Sabaton back in 2019 and they’re the perfect band for history nerds like me. They’re lyrics are great and when listening to them I’ll get a lot more emotional fulfillment listening to real and important stories than when I’ll listen to songs about love or break ups. Joakim also has a great voice for this as you can understand what he’s saying, which is necessary due to the subject matter being portrayed.
They’re also the band that has been the most consistently good with all the artists I’ve listened to. I mainly listen to pop and pop rock and whenever a new album would come out, I’d only like a few good songs on it while the rest would be mid or trash. However Sabaton has been consistently good and they’d usually have only one or two mid songs on an album. Their latest two albums: Great War and War to End All Wars, are the only two albums I know of where every song is good.
They’re also not just a cheap gimmick band, but they actually care about the history they talk about. I saw them in Cincinnati this fall and they made a point on how America heavily contributed to ww1 and raised money to build a ww1 memorial in DC. There’s also the history channel which I’ll definitely play for my students when I become a teacher. They also contribute to history education and a lot of people including myself have learned a lot from their songs. I knew next to nothing about Alvin York until I listened to 82nd All the Way, which led me to research him and make a trip to visit his house a few years ago.
TL;DR Sabaton is a great band because of the meaningful subject matter they sing about, how they contribute to education, and also because I love most of their songs.
listening sabaton doesnt change that fact. Sabaton is a cheesy commercial metal act with four chord songs only one step away from pop music. But in their defense they could be a good entry band for the world of metal.
@@zsoltbocsi7546 If you're a metal purist, fine, that's your thing, and I understand that, and if the history doesn't draw you in, then you should ignore Sabaton. People listen to Sabaton for the unique combination of metal AND history. If it wasn't the history hook, they'd be just another metal band. They do what they do very well, and that's why it works.
@@zsoltbocsi7546 Elitist Trash; gate keeping goes against the very spirit of metal. It’s a genre defined by welcoming those who aren’t comfortable elsewhere, and rising up in and against the the very industry that keeps so many out. Like what you like, but don’t hate others for their favorite Genre
@@zsoltbocsi7546 well we’ll continue to enjoy good music and you can continue to be a jackass good day to you sir.
@@zsoltbocsi7546 cope and seethe dumbass
Fun fact, the croweds when Sabaton played 40:1 was so huge, so if everyone showed up at the fight, it would still be 40:1... but in the other direction (well almost)
I love the story telling of their songs. They manage to reach the spiritual aspect of conflict rather than the political.
It’s about bravery, tragedy, sacrifice and triumph, not whether the cause was just.
For me, they tell the stories of people involved. Wars are not fought by monsters, they're fought by people and their unbiased telling of history reminds me that on all sides, it was _people_ dying. _People_ fighting. _People_ mourning their brothers in arms.
Thats the aspect that I love most when learning about history. Sure the political side is important too but I'd rather hear about the bravery of individuals or groups, and the tragedies from what they emerged from.
Some lyrics make you feel the raw power. Examples:
Ghost Division:
They are the Panzer Elite!
Born to compete
Never retreat!
Ghost Division!
Dreadnought:
The grand fleet prepares their guns
Unleashed as the dreadnoughts clash, at last!
Devil Dogs:
2nd to none
A marine and a gun
And foes run in fear of their name.
Those power lyrics with the intensity ramping up can't be conveyed by text alone. It just sounds, Powerful. Unmatched. Unrestrained.
Sabaton manager to make you extremely patriotic to countries you have never set foot.
And I don’t believe a person who says they can watch “livstid I krig” live from Gothenburg without getting goosebumps
true
that'd be Winged Hussars for me
i'm latin american, but during Winged Hussars i become polish.
Agreed, that whole album really
@@itsdokko2990 I personally like Lady of the Dark and Swedish Pagans, though Counter Strike and Cliffs of Gallipoli can’t ever go wrong either
Only sabaton can make you respect a ship that if not for an injury, would have deleted you two generations ago. RIP those that died in the Hood-Bismarck conflicts.
For me, I actually got interested into SABATON from "Attack of the Dead men" bc I was starting to like military history at the time.
That song is one of my favorites. I love the eeriness of the opening, and how it gives an almost "zombie-like" feel to it.
Yes, another one who's first was Attack of the Dead Men!
I do not remember the first time I heard them, likely when I was developing my taste for power metal. The first time I became really interested in them was when I heard Wolfpack in a DLC for Hearts of Iron 4 (a WWII strategy game having Sabaton’s music as DLC, that’s the kind of reach Sabaton has). Wolfpack’s chorus which lists the U-Boats will be one of my all-time favorite parts of Sabaton songs.
Same bro
Mine was the Winged Hussars and Bismarck
They've taken off in the US and Canada they're playing venues 4000+ regularly now. And the largest show had over 8000 people at it this last NA tour and many shows 6000-7000. They're breaking into markets that no one would of thought.
In France, Sabaton were actually higher up the festival billing than Bring Me The Horizon recently 🤣🤣
So the band record for "largest non-festival show they headlined" is still safe for Czech Republic and its roughly 19500. Though you Americans get a honorary mention on that. The show was as part of celebrations of anniversary of liberating Pilsen, one of few Czech cities liberated by US troops, rather than Soviets.
@@MetalHealthTV Yeah well Bring Me The Pop? they were great once, but now BMTH is not that good anymore.
Only thing left for Sabaton is opening and touring with some of the metal giants like Metallica or Iron Maiden
@@biblicaladrian6007 they opened for iron maiden in Sweden, during their flight 666 tour. so in a sense they already have
Sabaton was a complete accident for me. UA-cam recommended it back in Highschool during a CAD class because I was looking for background music to play and up popped Panzerkampf. I listened to it, and boom, I had to hear more.
Same story, in my first year of high school I discovered them through UA-cam and my first song that I knew was winged hussars, but the one that hooked me was panzerkampf
I'm most definitely in that "Normie" category and discovered Sabaton from fan created music videos using video games. If I have the radio on its tuned to country music but Sabaton has a definite spot in my playlist. Anyone who claims Sabaton has glorified war has never listened to the songs "Price of a Mile" or "Fields of Verdun". There are other songs where they talk about how the war isn't worth the cost and how the soldiers are never remembered and cast aside for claims of glory by their countries.
Lifetime of war can also be put into that category
I think that’s what I love as well - it’s never really about the wars, it’s about the people who did incredible things during them
Killing ground also counts.
Don't forget Christmas Truce. The music video is especially touching.
@@blazikenking Hear canons in the trenches, we sing O Holy Night
Sabaton has such a unique sound to them nowadays given the metal scene, I went to my first metal festival this year (The Good Things Festival in Sydney, Australia) and listening to all the other bands, there wasn't any band like Sabaton, between every song the entire crowd was chanting their name non-stop, I never heard that with ANY other band that day. They're loud, they're powerful and they don't take themselves too seriously, they stick to the words Joakim says before every show: "We are sabaton, and we play heavy metal". and its always a blast
Oh my God I was their too! And I can support your statement they were able to draw in a massive crowd when they stared off with not a large crowd.
I got to see them live in Nashville last October. It was my first metal concert, and I was blown away by their performance. There’s no way to put into words what being in their audience feels like, it’s something you have to experience.
I went to see them in Minneapolis while on a family vacation, and my parents went to the bar next to the venue. They said they could tell whenever the band wasn't singing because they could just hear the crowd chanting their name
I have never seen/heard the entire crowd chanting sabaton. Usually they chant "noch ein Bier"
@@_aullik we did at the concert I attended. Part of the reason I couldn’t speak the next day.
One thing that Sabaton fans love to remember is when they first discovered the band. I liked metal years ago (Death Angel's Seemingly Endless Time), but had matured and moved on, mostly to classical lute songs from the Renaissance. During the "lock down" I started watching Westerns non-stop, and liked "The Kid from Texas" about Billy the Kid. The actor was unknown to me, and through online research, I learned about Audie Murphy, the WW2 reluctant hero turned movie star, turned advocate for PTSD. Audie's son has a website that mentioned that a Swedish band had made a song of one of Audie's poems "To Hell and Back." I watched a video of their performance and was stunned to see a stadium full of people singing this song and knowing all the words. So, I wanted to see this song live. No one would go to see Sabaton with me, so I drove to Portland by myself, and went to the concert and sat on the side of the state next the the speakers. I saw their tank, named "Audie." Then, they started playing Ghost Division with so much energy met by the crowd! They ended the concert with "To Hell and Back." My life has never been the same since. I feel years younger, and love listening to their songs! My new motto: No whining is allowed.
I saw Sabaton first when they opened for Nightwish, and I thought that they’d be harsh and violent and I’d just get through it - but they put on such an amazing show that I immediately bought their Heroes album from the merchandise table and spent the whole next day Googling WW2 articles because they’d made it so interesting :) It’s fascinating to hear these stories about people who did amazing things, and you can tell that the band themselves are just really good people :)
You saw Nightwish and Sabaton live both at the same time!? What an event! :)
Sabaton is the band that got me into metal. They are still my favourite metal band but i have been introduced to all the different sub genres because of them.
I managed to see these guys live in Philly back at the start of October, and after having consumed their music and only seen them through a computer screen, seeing these Swedish metal gods on stage only four feet away from me felt like I was witnessing royalty and that they were indeed real. Their looks, their stage presence, the hard hitting drums with shredtastic guitar solos, all helping deliver a story of something from the past; They're the whole deal. You know how in medieval times there were bards to sing about the accomplishments of knights and other heroes? Well, Sabaton are modern day bards telling us the stories of past heroes and events.
I wasn't really into much metal but after buying EU4 it had loads of their songs in the game soundtrack. An absolute blast that really enhances the feel of the game
A great example of how Sabaton draw in so many different people!
EU4 is how i found Sabaton too
Same! Hearing Lion From The North just made me so hyped whenever I was fighting a war and I would play that game for 4+ hours at a time. Opening the music player and finding what the song was called, then going to youtube and finding Sabaton was one of the best things I ever did.
Anti war, pro soldier. That´s what Sabaton is
Sabaton definitely has some of the best fans in the world. Everyone is just happy to be here and have more in the club.
Sabaton brings more eyes to history that needs to be remembered. Brings us closer to it, and to our ancestors that fought and bled to make it.
The more we forget the past, the more we degrade the present and doom the future. Never let these songs or the stories they tell die.
Very well put! They do indeed.
I enjoy sabaton because their music is very catchy and not cluttered, very clear, and the lyrics are also equally clear instead of being a mulch. All of these are positives.
Simple explanation:
THEYRE FUCKING AMAZINGGGG 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
I learned about Sabaton, back in 2009, when i was still a kid, i found their music funand energetic. After some time, when my english became better and my love for history grew, so did appreciation for the band. So far i was only on 1 of their concerts, back in Warsaw 2013, but i still remember it as amazing experience.
What in my opinion drives people in, are the topics, general vocals (Like, Joakim's voice is just amazing, and im a man!) Not to mention, the general honest vibe, the band gives of. They are just a bunch of passionate people, that want others to learn new things, about the past. Im now 23, doing my PhD in History and i still listen to them, from time to time, anf when they releases new album.
Wow good luck with your PhD!
Sabaton is one of (if not) my favourite bands. I first saw them support Dragonforce around 2008 and from the reaction of the crowd (who I'm guessing most were also new to the band like me), you would think THEY were they headliners supporting Dragonforce instead. To me, their success comes from hitting a niche and sticking to it as you mentioned, but its not only that. If you watch any Sabaton History episode you will see how much they love the topic they are singing about, and they have SO MUCH support for their fans. The power (no pun intended) of their success is shown by this next point. I was a Sabaton fan first and this got me more and more into military/war history. But next year im going to see them with my bro-in-law and his friend, who firstly was a history fan and he discovered Sabaton the opposite way round. He happened upon them through the Sabaton History channel, which came about from watching the TimeGhost history channel. I can't think of any other band that would be able to get new fans this way. Anyway, nicely put together video. I'm surprised you didn't mention the Sabaton Cruise at the end, or the fact they have such a wide range of Merch available (including a board game!)
My first Sabaton concert was from that same Dragonforce tour, and I think Sabaton put up a much better show than Dragonforce, despite being the support act. Dragonforce were very uncoordinated and sloppy, while Sabaton played tight and focused. I see this as the main reason I stopped listening to Dragonforce and will go to my 8th Sabaton concert next year.
I don't listen to metal but I love sabaton. It's honestly because I can actually hear their lyrics and I enjoy how clear they are.
As someone who's been a fan for years and attended their concerts I'm mostly attracted by how powerful, insightful and respectful their songs are. Cliffs of Gallipoli, 40:1, Inmate 4859, Christmas Truce, if you listen to the lyrics it's impossible not to be brought to tears. They take a historical ,,event'' and tell a whole story through great music.
Edit because the more I watch the more I feel like adding: not only can they draw in outsiders, they are the very first band that got me into metal music. Afterwards sure, I discovered Powerwolf, Hulkoff, Raubtier, In This Moment, etc. They also charmed my mother pretty fast XD We actually go to their concerts together.
Sabaton and Babymetal is what got me not only into metal but also just music in general back in 2016-17, I barely listen to either of them anymore but I'm grateful to them for making me appreciate music so much. Prior to that I only listened to videogame music and nowadays I listen to music all day long and make a big effort to go look for new music and to seek beyond my comfort zone. Me listening to Sabaton and Babymetal had the butterfly effect of inadvertedly making me a fan of Opeth, Lady Gaga, Ichiko Aoba, Alcest, Peremotka etc and I could go on and I've also picked up the guitar. So thank you to these bands (and UA-cam recommendations lol) for sparking my passion for music by showing me The Last Stand and Gimme Chocolate!! as a gateway for so much more.
ROFL baby metal, god i just know theres some elitest dickheads who just had a conniption. frankly as an intro, both are strong showings. nothing like that first dive into a new genre!
@@FUBARGunpla they're so skilled! i wish i could see them live some day
@@sliftylovesyou god i almost had the opportunity i'm bummed i didn't take it, i just wanna hear gimme chocolate live lololol i've been into metal my entire life, i will never understand peoples hatred for bands like em
I still can't believe Joakim was featured in Baby Metal
Sabaton and Baby Metal go on tour in Europe next year!!
Never been a metal fan but when I found Sabaton… well just know I was at the October concert in Dallas ! Looooove those guys. Almost every song hits. And they write so well for the topics they cover. They have me singing my loyalty to Carolyn’s Rex and Gustavus Adolphus.
Yeah they really get me as a history and war history guy. Love listening to them when I play games like total war and men of war. Plus these guys even have a soundtrack in hearts of iron 4! I’ll for sure be playing their music when I walk through the war zones of France next year.
PLUS you cannot forget their collaboration with Indy Nidel on all those historical songs where they actually made it documentary style. Loved that.
I think that you may have missed a point. Especially at the moment, when there are so many things in the world that we don't feel in control of, they remind us of the huge acts of bravery and daring that people have carried out before, and give us something to perhaps in some small way aspire to and emulate.
They also have their own cruise! I've been to 3 of their cruises, it's mostly full of Swedish fans- ofc as the cruise route starts from Sweden. A big portion of the fans there are also Finnish, like myself, because it's already very common for Finns to visit Sweden by a cruise ship so the trip doesn't seem too bad, same with Norwegians. The rest is a mixture of different Europeans, surely a few fans from outside of Europe too.
It's a lot of fun! Cruise ship full of metalheads, when people are hanging in their suites, they keep the door open so strangers can join if they please.
There is a downside to that tho, last time I was at a Sabaton cruise my 24pack of cider was stolen and I was sexually harassed 😓 can't even trust fellow metalheads
Sabaton also have worked really hard with a huge touring schedule. They usually have like 200-300 days on tour per year, and have done this since their early years. They have been building their success slowly and steady.
You got some great points. Sabaton would probably not have been as big as they are now if they were singing about typical "nerdy larping" about dragons and stuff that 90% of power metal seems to be about. Their military themes fit their outfits, and Joacim comes off as an authentic, strong, and charismatic leader. However, the music is also darn great. They certainly deserve all success they can get and let's hope they will also their huge breakthrough in US as they deserve
As an older metal fan (56), I can speak to one of the major appeals of power metal, at least for myself. You get to a point in your life where being angry, aggressive, and rebellious just isn't all that important any more, and you start just wanting your music to be fun. I've even heard a few famous metal artists say much the same thing--"I'm rich and famous and have a good life. What do I have to be angry about any more?" And power metal is fun. Most of it has a more positive, uplifting message and "feel" than other subgenres.
I think what Sabaton is doing is quite similar to what Manowar did to become so successful in Europe: Play to the patriotism of the audience in each country.
What drove me to Sabaton was that they play simple, but very much enjoyable music(whiich might not be powermetal, as they themselves call their music heavy metal after Maiden, Judas Priest and similar bands), sing about interesting topics, and, most of all, they refuse to get political. For all these years now, the only time i heard they got into a beef with political parties was when someone tried using their music both without consent and to a very extremist cause(could be urban legend, but i starkly remember Sabaton suing a polish far-right party for using their songs).
Aside from that, their concerts are just a treat to enjoy, both because of Joakim's charisma, as you said, the songs themselves, and because of the fact that they just enjoy the crap out of their shows. I believe this because of all the little movements, looks they make, and the fact that they just don't give a shit and screw with eachother on stage mid songs(still one of the most heartwarming moment is hearing Joakim trying not to laugh and keep singing while Chris and Tommy stick guitar picks to his sweat forhead).
It really is just overall a good time to have when listening to their music, or attending to their shows.
Is there a video on youtube of the guitar pick thing? The only one i remember is Joakim being sat on and tickled by the band while performing Shiroyama.
I always found Sabaton to be in that intermediate range of Power and Heavy Metal. It varies from song to song. Some are lighter and more like Power Metal. Some are heavier and you can definitely characterize as Heavy Metal.
@@k13-segler67 i saw it last time in Hungary live. Dunno if anyone made a video of it though. Check if there is from Sabaton 2022-08-20 live videos of that
@@mr.cookey thanks, couldnt find it when i searched for it, but just got it recommended in a short. Sabaton in Phoenix 2022 uploaded by Spitz9016 for anyone else wondering.
I always love history. Sabaton just elevated my appreciation of history to a new level.
They never play the final solution live. The song is great, it's amazing and so well done. Because after listening to it you don't come away feeling good. Its a depressing song. The syths sound like a violin crying (don't knownhow else to describe it). And its a story that needs to be told and a feeling that needs to be felt.
History is a thing that should never be forgotten.
Sabaton is doing their part, and i loved them for that. I've learned a lot thanks to them, i even sing in my head their songs when i need to rememeber an historical event of WW2.
I do believe they're gonna have lots of material to write songs for many years to come.
Sabaton are one of my favorite bands of all time and I honestly think they are a great gateway band for people as well. They would be one of the bands I would pick for someone just getting into metal to help ease them into the genre. I have seen them 3 times live and they put on some of the best shows which keep you hyped up the whole way through. Some people need to remember that you don't always have to go super technical or crazy to make good music.
Sabaton is a band that has a genius and smart way to become popular and they fully deserve the admiration they got
I've been a general fan of them for a while now. I first learned of them from a grailknights song that used a mecha Joachim animatronic. Seriously, that's a thing. So I even learned some things from Sabaton but the big shocker came just a week ago when I heard their song about the temporary xmas truces in WW1. This was because back when I was maybe 10 years old in school we heard about the WW2 ones and I asked if there were any in WW1 and the teacher said no because it was "a different time" (a reason she'd give a lot). So I went 33 years of my life not knowing about the WW1 truces. So thank you to Sabaton for setting me straight.
That Grailknigts Song is weird haha.
I found Sabaton well over 10 years ago, through some fan made game cinematics with their music put over, and I've listened to them ever since. I especially use Sabaton for workouts and running, as the tempo and beat just encourages me to push on.
Being a history neard of course helps with the enjoyment of their songs a lot, but what I like most about Sabaton, is honestly just how down to earth they all seem. From their Vlogs from tours to their history videos with Indy Niedell.
Because they sing about history. As a WWII buff, their lyrical themes are what drew me to them.
Are they really power metal though? I fully buy that they were in the very beginning, but they have changed quite a bit. If you look at bands that sounds similar to them, you don't look at Dragonforce, you would most likely look at Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I would just call Sabaton classic heavy metal.
I started listening to Sabaton in 2008 because a friend recommended Primo Victoria to me. I immediately loved all of their tracks, because I liked history and power metal, but most bands were a bit too fast for my taste and I don't need high-pitched vocals all day.
So I was glad that I had found an obscure band from Sweden that was so niche with thier military history themes and slower power metal to deeper rougher vocals. Because it felt like a miracle that I had ever come across thier music. I thought this was my personal special band that no one else would ever care about.
14 years later I am suddenly a mainstream normie.
I'm glad they made it, I'm happy for them, but man do I miss my little unknown metal band that felt like it was made for me personally.
Well they are doiing something right.. Have never seen so many reactions videos that made so many grown men and women shed a tear or two. They touch people. And they seems to be genuin and very nice people. They do a lot of collaborations with others and help other bands and festivals. 2018 on hellfest festival Manowar had to cancel their show so Sabaton got the gig just because they were on location. . Funny thing is that Joakim lost his voice so he couldn't sing. So the both guitarist had to sing instead. Or when twilight force kicked their singer on tour. Sabatons guitarist Tommy Johansson replaced him for a last shows on the tour..
That's awesome man, I didn't know that about Twilight Force, I bet Tommy filled in perfectly, he has such a great voice for Power Metal!
@@MetalHealthTV here is one clip. He is a little out breath but it is the last two songs. ua-cam.com/video/VEHaRBYnOE0/v-deo.html
@@Palmcastleswe Awesome, cheers mate!
Nice post! I think the Hellfest video was 2019, just for readers who want to watch the entire concert, which looked so amazing to see Chris Rorland and Tommy Johansson step up and sing while playing guitars, and still headbanging on cue. I don't know how they did it, but all of them were amazing.
English teacher, weightlifter, and major Sabaton fan here. I do an actual project in the classroom which focuses around the stories of the songs. We are able to talk about Veterans Day, Sabaton, figurative language, etc. Students even present the story of their song to the class. I look forward to more and more Sabaton music to work out to.
Pretty sure their song Bismarck topped a million or so views in a couple days, and that catapulted them into the limelight. I could be wrong though.
the thing with sabarton, music-wise, is that they use the power metal's fast rythms without the kicked-in-the-nuts high pitch voices that makes it hard to take a lyric about a battle seriously and they do away with the convoluted solos... their sound is great, hard hitting with staying power and their lyrics are not only entertaining but interesting as well... everytime i listen to a new song of their i immediately look up the wiki page on whatever event it's based
It was the music video for Bismark that got me hooked on the band, the video is a powerful tribute to the sailors that fought in the Atlantic, both the legendary ship and those that hunted it down. Since then I've noticed the band seem to be getting bigger and bigger. There is not a day that goes by that I do not listen to a Sabaton song. I've started to see their influence in gaming now with gameplay footage backed by Sabaton music, usually Stormtroopers or Dreadnought currently. Both songs I highly recommend. Seeing the effect the band can have on people, such as their music video for No Bullets Fly is moving to say the least.
Well they really took off with Bismarck....I never heard of them before that video, but after they released Bismarck and then Great War they were suddenly all over the place in the music magazines (where they were really never mentioned before other than in small side texts)! Also Bismarck is they're most viewed video by lightyears.....
@@huey-fan8335 Half of those views are probably me. lol
Bismarck was such a cool video, that definitely propelled them even further into the mainstream!
@@MetalHealthTV Agreed. Seeing the battleship emerging from the mist, dwarfing their fishing boat for the first time gave me chills.
I've never really been much of a fan of metal. It just never appealed to me. Just over a year ago I heard "The Last Stand" and was instantly hooked onto Sabaton. They've honestly gotten me willing to try out more metal and I'm starting to enjoy the genre more.
I never liked power metal precisely because it was just so weird in terms of lyrics and subject matter. Not that I don’t like me a game of D&D and such but damn dawg I’m not down for full concept albums 😂
But I love history, and Sabaton & I just clicked. Their music is great, and I love playing their songs on guitar.
Their ability to like you said, make you feel patriotic, even for countries that aren’t even your country 😂
I love the members, but I love the fact that they’re keeping memories alive, they bring to the masses unknown events, unknown heroes, and keeping their memories alive. That’s very important. They’re not Nazis nor glorifying war. People don’t listen to their lyrics and just cling to few words. I love that Sabaton is neutral in a way & they’re not afraid to tell stories that are deserved to be told. I have so many people and battles that should be known and immortalised with a Sabaton song I could keep going for hours.
Sabaton pumps me up during my workouts and makes me feel invincible. The ability to pay tribute to these heroes, those directly named & those that sacrificed everything in major battles, makes me feel so motivated to push harder, to become a better self. Hell, I listened to Sabaton during a part of my first Dan black belt physical exam where I had to run 5 miles in under 40 minutes.
I first saw them live when I went to see Judas Priest & saw they were playing right before. It was insane that more people were there to watch Sabaton, since many people left without listening to Judas Priest.
I even have an entire timeline of all their songs based on historical occurrence. And so I have a playlist of all their songs in historical order. I’ve even been researching each event and person in their songs into a huge word doc. I want to make visual timelines of the events and people in Sabaton songs.
Yea lol sorry I’m sort of rambling but ye, I love Sabaton. I’m always the one in their concerts literally singing every single song verbatim without fault 😂 I’ve had people look at me like “damn this dude literally knows every single lyric.” I love Sabaton LOL
An online buddy of mine way back then gave me a handful of tracks of a band I hadn't heard of before that were available for free. The moment I listened to them, I knew this band was something. Without even having heard their first album, I got myself a ticket to see Dragonforce, who Sabaton was support act for.
Dragonforce's performance would leave a bad taste in my mouth due to their lackluster performance, but Sabaton greatly impressed me, and with exception of the Coat of Arms tour, I've been all their gigs since then whenever they came to my country (Netherlands), and will see them for the 8th time next year.
What sets them apart from other power metal bands is their historical accuracy, their sound and Joakim's voice. Most power metal bands have guys with high-pitched voices and a musical style that ventures into neoclassical, with very fast and technical precision. Sabaton are more similar to US power metal, such as Iced Earth (which also delved into historical subjects once in a while), which sets them apart from other European power metal bands.
Sabaton is a band I had heard of for years but never listened to any of their music until last year due to one of the comicbook artists I watch began using Carolus Rex in his live stream intros sometimes with a short clip of Soldier Of Heaven. The songs do indeed get stuck in your head and I went and checked out all of their music I could find and ended up with 9/10 albums afterward.
Things that drew me in were
Joakim - Voice and showmanship.
The subject matter of the song - While I didn't learn very much from the songs themselves they got me interested enough to go look up the events/people being sang about.
Replay after checking out the music's subject matter - has altered the general feeling I had originally to most of the songs.
Things keep changing - I often find myself listening to another song a lot more than I previously did gaining a greater appreciation for what these guys are doing.
Plus I haven't seen any of these guys show up randomly on any of the apps I use preaching politics to the peons like so many other entertainers do, that's a MASSIVE positive for me.
Winged Hussars. Not only an amazing song, but a true story.
Oh yeah, and No Bullets Fly, which I can't listen to without crying. Not just the story of the incident itself, but the meeting that happened afterwards.
These guys get to sing about legends, that just also happen to be true. It doesn't get any better than that. I love me some Dragonforce, but there's an edge that comes with reality that you're never going to find in fantasy metal, no matter how perfectly crafted.
Fun fact. I learned a LOT of history through sabaton and it helped me get nearly perfect A's. One of my friends has asked me about how im so good and i just sent him sabaton songs and he started doing better
I have always been a military history nut, I have never been into music less for power metal. Than in 2019 I listened to this song called the Lost Battalion and I began to listen to more and more of Sabaton's songs. I became a fan and just this year I attended a live Sabaton concert and it was awesome!! I will always recommend Sabaton to anyone who is interested in military history or music in general.
i think sabaton is underrated
How can a band with millions of fans be underrated?
Don’t get me wrong, I love sabaton, I just hate the modern overuse of the word underrated to mean good.
Underrated means something gets less attention and praise than it deserves.
Sabaton gets a lot of praise and attention (rightly) so it cannot be underrated.
@@Carlo_von_Habsburg Wow i commented a year ago. I wasn’t thinking, sorry. But yeah you are right.
I live in Australia and was lucky enough to see them live at a festival about a month ago. They are my brother's favourite band and he's played me some of their songs, that's mainly why I went to check out their set. And I have to say I was blown away by them live. The crowd was so hyped, chanting their name after every song, and I really enjoyed the energy that the lead singer Joakim had, he was so polite thanking the crowd for their support and smiling like crazy. It ws such a blast to hear them live and they are definitely a new favourite of mine!
I cant belive I found Sabaton in for honor meme videos, They are know ky favorite band and I know nearly all their songs by heart lol
I've never before hear that Primo Victoria was banned in germany. I lived in the middle of germany back then, this song was everywhere! Metal clubs, metal pubs, schoolyards, even in the very rade metal radiostations and you could buy the album everywhere.
I believe it was only temporarily banned until they realised they weren't sprouting nazi propaganda.
I love the power of metal, I'm also a huge history buff, particularly wars and conflicts so Sabaton is like a dream of a band for me. On top of that, every time a new song comes out I get so excited because its either a story I know, or one that I absolutely love learning about. I love learning all the lyrics only for a couple days to go by and a history video is posted on Sabaton History, where they go over the history of their songs with the legendary Indy Neidell, who I was watching years before I ever heard of Sabaton all the way back to his days on The Great War. It all comes together and is just perfect for me.
One of the reason they are very big in Belgium, is because they where playing in one of the side stage (a tent). And 10 min before they needed to go on, it started to pour. And everyone went into the tent.
Everyone was so impressed, the next year they had the mainstage
I'm a metalhead, a power metalhead, and a historian, and I can't even begin to tell you how useful this band is for teaching history! Especially for the history of WWII.
Sabaton has meaningful lyrics, story and history behind their songs, and absolutely BANGER Music. For many servicemen with history interest (which there are so many of us if you're in the military especially officer due to military history education), they're the ideal idol for us. One of them is also a former soldier so yrah, Military buff will love Sabaton wherever they come from.
I'm a fan since 2014 when their songs in YT are only made by Piscator or Nuke.
their Swedish album is 100% my favorite one
sabaton was my intro to metal as a whole. before I started listening to sabaton I never had much of an appreciation of the genre but because I loved their music so much I have started listening to lots of different metal bands.
Ever since I first heard "Gott Mitt Uns" to a Youjo Senki AMV, there was no going back. They rekindled my interest in history, and I've learned about so many fascinating moments and people because of them.
This is a great video dude! Love Sabaton, and enjoyed this analysis
Thanks a lot, mate!
“THEY’RE F*CKING SWEDISH” - Joakim
i was in the front row of that concert
I was gonna write that 😂
I was 3 feet from those swedish guys, standing next to the guy with the swedish flag.
Nothing better than listening to a band singing about your country's heroes
Next year is my first sabaton concert in Amsterdam.
They are relatable, not singing about BS, but history. They sing about our fathers and grandfathers. No matter how shit the song is, it still hits home.
Well-said! And they sing about women too. Nightwitches is a great song about young Soviet women flying in flimsy planes, turning off the engines, and then attacking the Germans, who couldn't hear the planes. As so many people mention, the songs depict people who are not generals, etc., but common fighters whom Sabaton show as doing something heroic.
That's the interesting thing with Sabaton. Their music has a purpose. Once they settled into their history theme, they had a direction and focus. That consistent topic and focus unites so many more people than just a collection of songs with not necessarily linked songs. Say for example, you take the story of Britain in WW2. While there isn't a song for the early involvement, you can start off with Aces in Exile. Then go on to Wolfpack. I don't know if there is anything for North Africa in ww2. Then coming back to Primo Victoria for 1944.
Recently they've been delving more into WW1 which I think has been a very under-covered area. So much more happened than the mud and blood of the trenches on the western front that a lot of the time from the West perspective seems to be ignored or forgotten.
They are doing a EP trilogy based on WWI, basically taking several of their songs and one new song on each EP. The first one, Weapons of the Modern Age, introduced the song "Father" which is pretty good. The second EP, Heroes Of The Great War, has a new song, "The First Soldier", about a Frenchman who was wounded 9 times and captured almost 1200 enemy soldiers. I can't wait to hear that song! The third EP, coming later this year, is called Stories From The Western Front, which obviously focuses on stuff like trench warfare and such (Probably will have songs like Price of a Mile, Fields of Verdun, Great War, etc). I can't wait to see what new song they have for that one as well!
I wasn't an avid music enjoyer period. then when I'm a my grandma's house in Arizona and the red baron pops up on my tablet's UA-cam, and then Bismarck and I couldn't stop listening to those songs. I really enjoy music just in general and it's because of sabaton.
It's the history. It gives people who love history, and like to bang their heads a bit, too, something that no one else does. Now, if you don't care for history being told in your metal, well, Sabaton's not for you, but, I love it. I showed the Bismarck video to my wife, and she was an almost instant fan. And the videos...they are so well done. Sure, they're not all Bismarck or Christmas Truce, but, they still do things no one else is doing. I argue that Sabaton could do what they do, even if they were some other flavor of metal... (Also, not a band for 'metal purists' whoever or whatever they are...)
Sabaton brought me to Metal 🤟
My favorite albums from them are Carolus Rex and Heroes. I feel like they declined after that. Last stand was still pretty good, but Great war was a bit dissapointing. Their latest album though, The war to end all wars is a step in the right direction I feel like.
I used to listen to them a lot more a few years ago, but my taste has evolved a bit. I started desiring something heavier, so nowadays I listen a lot to melodeath, but I do still like Sabaton.
They should allow bands guitarist Chris Rörland to write more songs (he wrote 3 songs on The Great War and maybe 4 or 5 (together with Joakim) on the last album. There is a Sabaton webpage, where every band’s member names their six favourite bands, albums and songs, and while others like mostly hard rock and heavy/power metal, Chris’ favourite bands are Dissection, At The Gates, Behemoth…Probably thats why you, as a melodeath fan, feel them taking a right direction:) Even if the song still sounds poppy (for example 82 all the way), the guitar riffs are somehow refreshing. I hope he will release solo album someday…
@@aquarix3084 Yes, a solo album from Chris would be really nice to hear.
He even do growls on Sabaton’s cover of Amon Amarth’s Twilight of the Thunder God live performance…It’s a pity that there is only one video of this song on UA-cam and it’s quality is terrible
Saw Sabaton for the first time. They opened for Judas Priest last night. I'd never heard of them. Half the crowd were singing along with them. They did a great show. I like the history-based songs. Very cool.
Here's a story to tell from my high school..
We had some kind of English assignment that was supposed to be a type of poem, I didn't do it at all and the teacher was having everyone read it to the class.
By some miracle of luck, I was the absolute last person to be picked and I started my assignment on our issued IPads as each person read their own. I used Sabaton's Screaming Eagles "Crack of the lightning hitting the ground, thunder is sounding, artillery pounding" on each of the beginning lines on every section of the assignment with some other lyrics mixed in. I was the only person who likely listened to metal in my class, so nobody knew what they were from.
I finished the assignment by the time it was my turn and aced it. I've never been more proud to procrastinate in my life.
Haha! Nice work!
Great video! Keep making cool content I'll keep watching and recommending to friends!
I'm curious as to your thoughts on FEUERSCHWANZ?
I've heard someone say that Sabaton are like a medieval bards, and that's my favourite comparison I've ever heard
Helllllll yeah Rhapsody shirt! Luca Turilli 's black dragon is what introduced me into power metal, and I've been in love ever since!
To me its very ironic that Sabaton got popular very recently... similar to how Nightwish got a second go. To me they are a really quite old band. I first got to here them when my then GF (now X) come home with a few MP3 from there second album. I didn´t think much of it at the time, but despite not really being a metal head, i listen to them and quite enjoy them.
First recently i realized my files are several month older than the album. Yea, that is kind of odd. Still to this day my favorite album.
they have been big in euorpe for a decade or so. they only got so dominating because they got big in the US and the whole metal genre is booming in europe.
@@nox5555 i would rather say that they have steadily growing. They been a bit bigger for every year. They have of cause been very large in the quite small power metal scene for quite a while, but in the general metal scene i would probobly rather claim it was 2020 that propelled them quite a bit.
outside of the metal scene i would rather say they unknown and .. well even banned.
@@matsv201 they have been dominating the metal scene as a whole for almost 10 years now.
the only tours that can rival them are the "last tours" of some oldschool bands.
(well and doro, but she play every festival and has a show midweek for her army of middle aged female fans)
they have become less dominant in the last couple of years, but thats because of the metal boom and all those great new and old bands putting out banger after banger.
the whole pandemic was the time of crossovers and experiments and it made MEtal so much bigger. Feuerschwanz had atleast 3 songs running on normie radio all the time and you couldnt go on youtube without getting some eskimo callboy reaction recomendet.
@@nox5555 It kind of depends on what country you live in. If its in Poland, absolutly, and then its more than 10 years.
In Sweden they have been heavly supressed, so they have really not become very popular untill fairly recent. While it was still probobly pre pandemic, really just by a year or to.
@@matsv201 sweden is super dead when it comes to metal sales and concerts and the majority of the sabaton cruise guests are german.
they still export alot of bands, but their home market is bad and has been for years.
As someone who loves sabaton, history, and music, there are a couple of things I want to say. They are a great band. Their songs are great, and can even be rather moving (particularly winter truce). However, they have stepped in it a couple times. Despite making over a dozen songs singing about people who bravely and valiantly fought against the nazi's, neo-nazis still seem comfortable at their shows. I went to one of their shows just this year, and I would not have felt safe if I wasn't there with a friend. Songs like Bismarck can easily attract that kind of crowd that want to glorify the particular government the produced that ship. But probably the worst one in that line is ghost division. Yes, as a someone who loves history- especially WW2- I understand how much of a feat the blitzkrieg was. Especially the special forces. I understand how well trained the SS and Rommel's tank leaders were. It is an incredibly impressive feat of military might. But there shouldn't be a song about it from their perspective. Songs written in that way will always give the impression that this was a good thing. Songs like no bullets fly, hearts of iron, or the last battle are great. I have no problems with any of them. But ghost division is a problematic song. Another one in a similar vain is Rourke's rift. The story of the last organized Zulu offensive against the colonialist British forces. But it is sung from the perspective of the British. And before anyone says that they had to, that they always play songs from the side of the victor, no they don't. Uprising, resist and bite, 40:1, coat of arms, Shiroyama, and several others are sung from the perspective of the people who inevitably lost their fight. Rourke's rift could have been written from the perspective of the Zulu people. Singing about the last chance they had to save their culture and nation from a technologically superior invading force. They could have easily written ghost division from the perspective of the nations and armies that were trampled by the SS. The criticism isn't about the stories. The criticism is with the framing of those stories. Stories should always be told. But history is NEVER just stories. There is always a framing. There is always a narrative carried with it. And history communicators and educators MUST be careful when telling those stories. And I think Sabaton are intelligent enough to understand that. And if you don't believe me, how upset would you be if they wrote a song about Pearl Harbor from the perspective of the Japanese, singing about the brave, well-trained pilots who completed their mission to cripple the American war fleet for the glory of the rising sun! Only for their bravery and sacrifice to inevitably be in vain. How would you feel if Sabaton wrote a song about the Battle of Britain from the perspective of the Luftwaffe and how they braved enemy skies night after night to deliver their payload, and the skill of the fighter pilots that kept the bombers safe despite the British being able to somehow always know where they were. The stories of pearl Harbor and the Battle of Britain should be told, but the perspective is important. That is why Sabaton is controversial.
Most of their music is great. Most of their music is spot on, and framed on the right side of history. But there are a couple problematic songs that also lead to problematic fans. And there is a saying, "any rally where a nazi isn't uncomfortable, is a nazi rally." Or "if you see ten people eating dinner with a nazi, you just saw eleven nazi's eating dinner." And unfortunately, in my experience anyway, nazi's are not uncomfortable at sabaton concerts.
Sorry for the long comment, but thank you for reading the whole thing if you got this far.
Thank you for the comment! You certainly know your history!
Your post is probably right, especially the quote about people eating dinner. The only part about Ghost Division is that Rommel was acknowledged by his enemies for being highly skilled. And Rommel saved his own legacy, if not his life, by being part of the group that tried to get rid of Hitler. As kids, we watched The Desert Fox. In school, our history teacher showed us Patton, and the desert tank warfare. Generally, this involved soldiers and not innocent civilians. So, I do understand your very valid point about people with Nazi inclinations taking this song to heart. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fretted about the same issue. In an interview, he talked about how racists and Nazis were attracted to his music, saying he knew they were out in the audience and he didn't like it. I think sometimes in his concerts he said if there were racists and Nazis there, they should leave because he doesn't want them there.
@@merryrose6788 "in bloom" by Nirvana is a wonderful Diss track dealing with that very problem. (Which I think Sabaton could make a beautiful anti-nazi song too. Like, a song where they sing a single line for every single country that fought against Germany in the 40's. And at the end say something like, "The world didn't stop till the nazi threat was gone. And if you think we won't do it again, you're dead fucking wrong!") And there is a whole tangent about fascists trying to invade punk and other anti-fascist movements. But a power metal band with a strong aesthetic and a focus on military history is honestly a bit of a wet-dream for fascist larpers. So while I love Sabaton, and happily listen to their music, it's also their responsibility to be aware of that kind of thing. And yes, they've said they are anti-nazi. They've said that they write their songs with "Nazi's bad" as kind of a base axiom and they think its a bit silly to have to say that out loud. But at the same time, with fascist and neo-nazi movements gaining ground across the western world, and with the knowledge that they are attracted to that music and that space, I feel that Sabaton does have a bit of a responsibility to be more vocal about it and call it out. Especially at their shows.
No band is perfect, they don't have to be. and I'm not saying don't listen to them, don't give them your money, etc. I'm not some internet puritan. But after listening to them for 2 years and going to one of their shows, these are the criticisms I have.
And for the record, I had more fun at Sabaton's concert than I have at any other concert I've been to, and when they come back to the area, I'll go again. Because I genuinely do like them. It's just this one thing is a very delicate thing to handle and I think they could do better.
@@taproot0619 Thanks for all your writing and thoughts on this serious topic. It might come down to personal responsibility and free will. We all are born with free will and the right to make choices. (It's true that some people don't respect this right). As you mention,"And yes, they've said they are anti-nazi. They've said that they write their songs with "Nazi's bad" as kind of a base axiom and they think its a bit silly to have to say that out loud." Perhaps the decision lies with the band members how to work to overcome dangerous political movements. Kurt, as you mentioned, tackled it head on, writing the song and frankly telling nazi fans that they weren't welcome. Sabaton has decided to let everyone know they are anti-nazi, but don't use the stage to say so, except through their songs. Neo-nazis, like the KKK, are are strange bunch. Their beliefs are based on a complete lack of logic and knowledge. Why would they stay at a Sabaton concert knowing that the band is anti-nazi, especially the song about the Holocaust? Maybe it's because they like the music, they like the feeling of being accepted by the band and the crowd. One part of Sabaton's attitude might be that they are Swedish, famously neutral but also helpful. Right now, I'd like to put the responsibility on the neo-nazis, that they need to expand their education, that they need to know if they like nazis, then they shouldn't go to Sabaton concerts, and that they should re-examine their beliefs. There's always the possibility that someone will get an epiphany by listening to Sabaton, and realize that fascism is a dead end for everyone, it's been done to death, and it's time for humans to write new chapters where we all can get along. Sorry for the long reply, but your post was very good and thought-provoking.
@@merryrose6788 I do not mind a long reply. I'm glad that my comment inspired you to take the time to reply in kind. And that it also made you feel comfortable enough to do so. I appreciate the time you took to not only read my comment, but make a long, well thought out one of your own. It's honestly a huge compliment. I enjoy being able to talk about this without it turning into a flame war.
As for the content of your comment, I agree. Nazi's are uneducated, indoctrinated, poorly read, poorly researched, and ignorant. Which unfortunately means they likely won't ever look up sabaton's statements or interviews. And I believe Sabaton knows that. If you look at the early songs about WW2 like aces in exile, Sabatours, and coat of arms, they really aren't super direct about "these guys shot nazi's". But when you listen to some of their newer songs like resist and bite or defense of Moscow, it's very obvious in the song that these people are fighting Nazi's. And I think that's one reason why Sabaton uses the word nazi so heavily on occasion. To try to drive that point home that "hey, we're on the side of the people who shot Nazis.". Which is one reason why I believe them when they say they aren't nazi sympothizers. I do see them doing things to try to make that point. But, again, fascists aren't great at taking hints. So sometimes being super direct is the only way to get your point across. And that doesn't even always work. There are still fascists in Green Day's audience despite them being one the most vocally anti-fascist bands in the US.
And this conversation can also very quickly get into the tolerance paradox, but I don't want to get too far into actual political theory here. Or at least, I don't want to be the one to start that conversation without you being OK with it.
Fun fact: I was at the show in 7:14 - 7:22. one hell of an experience. Unfortunatly the frames don't show where I was standing(which was right next to the sound booth). Just over a month after that show I saw Amon Amarth at the same place the day before thanksgiving.
Anyone who doesn't like power metal or Sabaton needs to take it down a peg. You can like metal *and* fun. Plus those are banger tracks.