Formed in 1999 in Falun, Sweden, Sabaton quickly established itself as one of the biggest names in power metal worldwide.
The band is known for its epic sound, which blends heavy riffs, unbeatable drumming, and powerful lyrics that explore heroic deeds and historical events, especially wars. Over the years, it has built a solid career with iconic albums such as The Art of War (2008), Heroes (2014), and The Great War (2019), winning fans around the world and establishing itself as one of the biggest names in contemporary metal.
In 2024, the band experienced a special moment with the return of Thobbe Englund , the guitarist who had left the group in 2016 after years of significant contribution to Sabaton's sound and energy. During his absence, the band moved forward, but Thobbe's return brings back one of the most beloved musicians by fans, known for his technical skill and unique stage presence. This return marks a new chapter in the group's trajectory, which is now preparing for more challenges and to continue writing its success story.
Thobbe, who was part of important moments such as the recording of the albums Heroes (2014) and The Last Stand (2016), returns with the same energy and passion that characterize him, ready to embark on a new phase alongside his colleagues.
In an interview with Wikimetal , the guitarist shared his expectations about the return, reflected on the band's journey and his own evolution within Sabaton, and commented on their participation as headliners of the biggest metal festival in Latin America: Bangers Open Air ( tickets on sale ). The interview offers fans a more personal look at his experience and the great machine that is Sabaton.
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Thobbe Englund on his return to Sabaton
WM: You're back in Sabaton after some time away. What led to your decision to return to the band?
Thobbe: It was pretty much an obvious decision when the question came to me. The reason I left in 2016 was because I was feeling worn out, since we were constantly on the road. That was almost 10 years ago, and at that time we were really at 100%, you know? I was feeling a little tired. Also, I wanted to explore my own musical projects, but at a slower pace – just to slow down a bit.
So, I did some festivals, a European tour, and a few albums here and there. Then my wife and I had a child, we bought a house… Years passed, and then the question came up. Now, everything seemed perfect because, first of all, Sabaton was doing really well during all this time I wasn't in the band, which means we're not constantly on the road anymore, although we love playing. The perfect balance would be playing every night, but, you know… What's the name for when you get into that mode and just… get transported?
WM: Teleports you back to your location.
Thobbe: Teleport. Yeah. But, you know, reality doesn't allow that, because there's a lot of travel and all that. So, when the question came up, I, of course, was with the guys because we've always kept in close contact all these years and we're best friends. So, when the question got to me, it was like… wow, yeah, sure – the circle is complete. It was perfect timing, you know? It was like coming home, to my second family, because these guys are my best friends, and always have been, even when I wasn't in the band. But I still was, for some strange reason, you know, because we were so close.
I remember going to a Sabaton show in 2022 and a guy came up to me and asked, “What’s it like not being in the band?” And I replied, “What do you mean?” Because, for me, I was still in the band. I just wasn’t on stage, but somehow, I was always there.
Now that I'm back, it's been so much fun. We're having a great time!
Thobbe Englund reflects on his time away from Sabaton.
WM: Did this time away have any impact on how you see the band and its dynamics now? Has anything changed?
Thobbe: I would say yes. I've grown a bit, you know, as a human being. And now, having the opportunity to reflect on all the hard work that the guys—of course, me too, but mainly them—put into the band. I joined Sabaton in 2012, but they started in 1999. And when I wasn't in the band, from 2016 to 2024, I was really able to reflect on the effort they dedicated. It's impressive to see what Sabaton has become today. And nobody ever lost their touch, you know? They always kept their feet on the ground and stayed in close contact with all the fans, which, I would say, is something unique about Sabaton.
Expectations for Sabaton's show in Brazil
WM: You'll be in Brazil for the fourth time, and this time as headliners of Bangers Open Air, the biggest metal festival in Latin America. That's huge. What are the band's expectations for this performance?
Thobbe: Wow, yeah, you can see I'm smiling. It's going to be… I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Going back to Brazil, especially after not being there since 2014, is going to be amazing for me. I remember the fans – that crowd was insane. There's something special there. And the guys haven't played there since 2019, so it's been six years already. Time flies! And going back is going to be… yeah, we're so excited. It's insane. It's exciting and a humbling experience at the same time, and we're going to give 200% on stage. It's going to be magical.
Sabaton's stage productions and expectations for the show at Bangers Open Air.
WM: Productions in Europe and North America are always huge. You bring tanks onto the stage and things like that. Considering all the success the band has achieved, can we expect the same level of production for this show at Bangers Open Air?
Thobbe: I can tell you one thing: nobody is going to leave this night disappointed. That's for sure. Not us, not the fans. Nobody will leave disappointed.
Sabaton's setlist for the show at Bangers Open Air.
WM: Can you share anything about the setlist? Anything new or special?
Thobbe: Yes, well, the setlist is very well balanced because, as I said before, we now have many albums – 25 years of music. Of course, people expect to hear “Primo Victoria” and all the classics, but we also want to make room for some of the newer songs, songs that we would like to play for a new audience, you know? So, I think it's perfectly balanced. A lot of attention was given to the setlist, for sure.
Sabaton's connection with Brazilian fans
WM: Great! And Brazil has an extremely passionate fanbase, which has only grown since the release of "Smoking Snakes " from the album Heroes . What impresses you most when you play here and think about Brazil?
Thobbe: What impresses me the most? I'd say that when we play 'Smoking Snakes ' , there's something that happens with the audience that feeds us in some way. And now, here we go again with the good… Well, I don't know, but there's a kind of magic to it.
Regarding Sabaton's upcoming album and its themes.
WM: Last year, Joakim mentioned that you guys started working on a new album. Can you tell us a little about how it's going?
Thobbe: It's going very well. Very well, I can say. And that's the only thing I can talk about.
WM: Are you thinking of addressing something related to the current global context? I mean, we're seeing a lot of tension around the world, with wars and conflicts happening. Since Sabaton always talks about wars and historical events, are you thinking of bringing something that's happening now into the band?
Thobbe: The thing is, we avoid politics. We avoid recent events, anything related to what's happening in the world right now. Because what we focus on are historical facts, and that has to be viewed over decades to really… Actually, it's a delicate subject, to say the least, when there are two sides in a conflict. Thinking about recent events, or something that hasn't yet become history, that's something we would never do.
Maintaining the motivation to create new music
WM: You have so many classics like “Primo Victoria ” and “Ghost Division ” How do you maintain the motivation to keep creating and reinventing yourselves over the years? It’s quite difficult to reinvent yourself when you’re a metal musician because everyone is playing and everyone is writing music. So how do you keep going? How do you keep moving forward?
Thobbe: Yeah, yeah, I think you have to stick with the first feeling you had when… let’s say, you’re about to write a guitar riff, or let’s say a guitar riff just pops into your head, and you think, “Wow, that’s great.”
If you write a song around that guitar riff, you're going to play that guitar riff 500 times. Then you're going to record the song, which means you're going to play it, I don't know how many times again. Then you're going to delve into the drums, the bass guitars, keyboards, vocals, choruses, production, mixing, mastering—everything. So, when the song is finished, you're going to be so tired of it. But you always have to keep in mind that you need to think about the feeling you had at the beginning, or when that idea came to your mind.
So, when you get tired of a certain song or something in the production, that's the wrong approach. You have to remember the feeling you had from the beginning. And that, I would say, is a good thing for me personally. I always try to think that way, because then it will be fresh for someone who has never heard the song. It will be great.
The album The War to End All Wars and future content
WM: You just released The War to End All Wars on March 11th. Where did the idea to work with this new format come from, and can we expect more content in this format in the future?
Thobbe: I'd have to pass that question on to Pär, because he's more the guy responsible for that part. I wouldn't know enough to give you a straight, correct answer about all of that, actually.
Funny stories from Brazil
WM: No problem! I always like to ask artists if they have any funny or curious stories that happened while they were in Brazil. Do you have any to share with us?
Thobbe: Oh, yeah, there are a lot. Let me think of at least one. So many funny things happen all the time, you know, because especially back then, we were so tired and sleep-deprived. A lot of funny things happened. Well… now I can’t think of anything, just because it’s like…
WM: I'm sure you'll have some new stories to share in a month and a half!
Thobbe: There will definitely be more!
Message for Brazilian fans
WM: Thank you very much to you, the press agent , and the Bangers Open Air team. Would you like to leave a message for the Brazilian fans?
Thobbe: I would love to. The message is: we love you. And when we go there, it will be magical to see you again. It will be pure wonder. We'll have the best nights.
SUMMARY : Thobbe Englund, who returned to Sabaton after an 8-year hiatus, talks about his decision and the impact of that time away from the band. He shares his expectations for Bangers Open Air in Brazil, promising an unforgettable show after a six-year wait. The excitement is palpable, and he assures that it will be a magical moment for Brazilian fans.
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