The Bangers Open Air 2025 festival reached its peak on Saturday night, May 3rd, with the highly anticipated Sabaton . The Swedish band took to the Hot Stage , leading an eager and excited crowd. With an intense, precise, and charismatic performance, the band further solidified its position among the great names of contemporary metal.
Check out the coverage from our contributors Caio Botrel and Luhana Botinelly , and the exclusive photos by Jéssica Marinho .
The show began with the classic “Ghost Division,” which had an immediate impact, with the audience responding with total enthusiasm in the first few minutes. During the third song, there were some technical problems: the stage lights briefly went out, and the screens had dim lighting. However, the situation was quickly resolved, without affecting the pace of the performance.
One of the biggest surprises of the night was the performance of “Carolus Rex,” from the 2012 album of the same name, in its Swedish version! The track, one of Sabaton's greatest anthems, further captivated the audience, who sang along, celebrating the courage and power of the band's historic lyrics.
Sabaton and its connection with Brazil
Among the most memorable moments of the performance was the rendition of "Smoking Snakes," a song that pays homage to the Brazilian soldiers who fought in Italy during World War II. The audience's response was immediate, with numerous green and yellow flares lit up in the crowd, reinforcing the emotional and historical bond that the band has cultivated with Brazilian fans over the years.
Another notable moment was the large chorus from the audience that introduced "Swedish Pagans." When the first notes of the music were played by
By Thobbe Englund Latin America Memorial could be heard singing in unison. The smiles on the musicians' faces were visible, and they didn't hide their satisfaction at seeing the entire audience singing the song with such energy and enthusiasm. This connection between band and audience was one of the highlights of the night.
Jokes and laughter on stage
It's easy to see that the friendship between the musicians is genuine. They joke and laugh with each other all the time, creating a natural and spontaneous connection with the audience. With each joke or relaxed interaction on stage, laughter echoed through the audience, creating a light and positive atmosphere. This spirit of camaraderie reached its peak when the production presented Joakim Brodén . He, laughing, commented: "This wasn't the guitar I asked to bring in my suitcase back in Sweden!", to which Thobbe replied: "No! This is the guitar we brought for you to use... pretty, isn't it?". Everyone burst into laughter.
Another fun moment occurred between guitarists Thobbe and Chris Rörland , who divided the audience in half and started a "battle" to see who could make the most noise. The joke ended when Joakim, with his characteristic good humor, said that, being the vocalist, his audience was "all him," and thus, he won the contest.
Bassist Pär Sundström also took the microphone for a few minutes to express the band's surprise at the warm reception. He mentioned that Sabaton hadn't performed live for six months and that, after leaving a harsh Swedish winter, they landed in the warmth of Brazil. The energy of the audience reminded the band how rewarding it is to be on stage.
Next, Pär asked everyone to turn on their cell phone flashlights and, with a touch of humor, commented: “Well, it’s cold in Sweden… it’s hot here. But we were thinking: how could we play this song in the Brazilian heat? Well, you’re reminding me of a Christmas tree with these lights!” The comment drew laughter and applause, serving as the perfect introduction to “Christmas Truce”.
Huge success for Bangers Open Air.
Sabaton's last visit to Brazil was in 2019, and the long wait was worth it. In a recent interview with Wikimetal , guitarist Thobbe stated that the band was preparing a magical night for Bangers Open Air , promising that no one—neither the audience nor the musicians themselves—would leave disappointed. The promise was fulfilled with flying colors.
Bangers Open Air 2025 nailed it by choosing a worthy headliner for Saturday night, as Sabaton's show was definitely one of the best of the festival, with just the right energy for the perfect end to an incredible day.
READ ALSO : Bangers Open Air 2025: find out how the festival warm-up went
