Our top 10 Sabaton songs introduce us to a Swedish band famed for its heavy metal sound. The band was formed in 1999, having it record its first songs in Peter Tägtgren’s studio. Thanks to Sabaton’s outstanding songs that the band attracted the attention of multiple record labels. The band would choose to sign with Underground Symphony, an iconic Italian record label. Sabaton’s recorded its debut album Metalizer, which was to be distributed by its record label. However, after two years of waiting while entertaining metal fans across Sweden, Metalizer was abandoned. Sabaton came back stronger, releasing its sophomore album Primo Victoria, an album whose title track kicked off the band’s historical theme as revealed by vocalist Joakim Brodén.
Sabaton would focus majorly on historical themes for later releases, with most of the band’s songs featuring heroism in war. The band would release its fourth album, The Art of War, in 2008 as a follow up to the band’s sophomore album Metalizer influenced by Sun Tzu’s book. All these releases were done under Sound Pollution’s metal division, Black Lodge. Throughout, Sabaton went on tour to entertain its cult following while popularizing its art. The band would ram into tough days in 2012 after losing the majority of members in its lineup, leaving vocalist Joakim and bassist Pär Sundström. Most of the former members in went on to form the band Civil War. Sabaton would soon add new members to its lineup, trying to keep up with its musical style. Not even the lineup changes would make the band lose its fame, having it constantly win metal awards. Here are the top 10 Sabaton songs from the band’s nine studio albums, with the tenth incoming in 2022.
#10 – Fields of Verdun
Opening up our top 10 Sabaton songs is the ballad “Fields of Verdun.” The song is featured as the first single on the band’s album The Great War. Sabaton chose the song to be the album’s lead single, having the song represent what the whole album was all about. The classical metal ballad features the story of the Battle of Verdun, one of the World War 1 battles. In the battle, the Germans attacked innumerable times but continued to be put at bay by the French defenders. The song was released as a tribute to all fans who contributed over the years by sending the band ideas for the next songs they would love to hear.
#9- Great War
“Great War” is an album titled song of the metal band’s ninth studio album, The Great War. The song brings to the listeners the narrative of the Great War, commonly known as the First World War. Sabaton echoes the message that WW1 took with its four great empires to the grave, an act whose consequences are still felt to date. What makes the song better than the contrast between the brutality of the pitiless war and the heroic sacrifices by loyal soldiers? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below this article.
#8 – Uprising
Released in 2010, “Uprising” is one of the best Sabaton songs from the album Coat of Arms. The song takes us back to The Warsaw Uprising, a major WWII operation by the Polish in an attempt to liberate the city of Warsaw from Nazi Germany. Due to a heavily criticized translation, Sabaton set up a contest where the winning translation was used as the official Polish translation of the song. A year earlier, Muse had released a song with a similar title but different lyrics in the album The Resistance.
#7 – Shiroyama
“Shiroyama” is a brilliant metal song penned by Thobbe Englund and Joakim Brodén for The Last Stand’s band. The song lyrics allude to the Battle of Shiroyama, which had about five hundred Samurais stand against thirty thousand imperial Japanese army troops. While the Samurai act was a bold one, they were wiped out, marking the culmination of the Satsuma Rebellion. Sabaton had the main melody of the song copied from a song by Battle Beast.
#6 – The Red Baron
Number six on our top 10 Sabaton songs is the hit “The Red Baron.” The song lyrics are about Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, who was given the moniker “The Red Baron.” Manfred was a legendary fighter pilot with the German Air Force who is regarded as one of the most reputable heroes of WW1. “The Red Baron” is famously known for his mechanization of modern combat and his individual skills and heroism.
#5 – The Last Stand
“The Last Stand” is the title track of the band’s 2016 album eight studio album. Co-written by the band members, the song features the narrative of a hundred and eighty-nine fighters in the Swiss guard during the sacking of Rome back in the sixteenth century. With Charles V not able to pay his troops, they revolted and forced their commander to lead them towards Rome, where ill-gotten gains were in plenty. Upon entry to the Vatican, Pope Clement VII escaped leaving several guardsmen who gave their lives.
#4 – The Attack of the Dead Men
Yet another great release from the band’s album The Great War is the ballad “The Attack of the Dead Men.” The song alludes to The Attack of the Dead Men, which occurred in 1915. This happened after the German army launched gas attacks taking the lives of about a hundred men from the defending force. In an effort to chase the Germans away, men coughing blood sent the German soldiers away out of fear of their appearance.
#3 – Resist and Bite
Released in the album Heroes is the hit “Resist and Bite” written by Joakim and Sundström. The song features the tale of the Chasseurs Ardennais, whose emblem is the wild boar. “Resist and Bite” shows how the German army tricked the Belgian soldiers into thinking they were fighting with a much larger unit.
#2 – The Lost Battalion
“The Lost Battalion” is one of the best Sabaton songs from the album The Last Stand. The song is inspired by the narrative of the nine firms of the US 77th Division during the 1918 Battle of the Argonne. Here the Germans surrounded over five hundred men, subjecting them to friendly weaponry fire fighting for about a week until they were relieved. However, only a hundred and ninety-four of the over five hundred men walked out of the forest unhurt.
#1 – Bismarck
Number one of our top 10 Sabaton songs is the hit “Bismarck,” a stand-alone single by the band. The song features the most requested topic by Sabaton fans, having it feature the story of a German battleship which was one of the greatest ever to be built in Europe. Regarded by many as the “king of the ocean” in those days, the battleship served for less than a year, having it commissioned in August 1940, only to sink in May 1941.
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Top 10 Sabaton Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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